NCIS: Los Angeles 13×04 “Dead Stick” is an episode about Sam Hanna — about who he is as a father, yes, but also about who he is in general. It’s also an episode about Devin Roundtree and the kind of person he wants to be, and the decisions he makes to shape that person. However, it’s an hour that spends way too much time focusing on interactions we aren’t really invested in and way too little framing those around the people we care about — the ones we watch the show for.
It’s not the fact that the episode was sans Kensi and Deeks (though man, everything is so much more serious without Deeks — shades of S1 here) because the show is always pretty good at giving actors (and characters) time off, it’s that this episode felt almost like a piece of a bigger puzzle that we won’t get to see assembled. Aiden isn’t a bad character on paper, but we only care about him because of Sam, so that’s where the focus needed to be. And by robbing us of both Densi and Callen and Sam interactions, this episode feels about as far from what makes NCIS: Los Angeles work as we’ve seen in a while.
It’s easy to love Sam Hannah and the show has made his family life a much bigger part of the story in the past few years, but it’s hard to say this episode works as well as they probably wanted it to, mostly because with Aiden alive and well and Sam only worrying about his job, the stakes didn’t feel all that high. Plus, it’s not like we really thought for a moment he was actually to blame here, right?
But NCIS: Los Angeles 13×04 “Dead Stick” does have some bright spots — the Roundtree storyline being one of them. Mainly because this storyline is more than just a one-and-done. In real life, it never is, and the show allows Devin to internalize it, to doubt himself, to be angry and even confused. There are no easy answers, and NCIS: Los Angeles doesn’t pretend otherwise. And though Admiral Killbride really isn’t the person who can speak on Roundtree’s experience, he still plays an important role in this episode — validation.
Sure, it might have been easy to have Sam, as another Black man, be the one to provide it. But Sam already has. Roundtree already knows what he’d say. He’s said it. And though this, by his own admission, isn’t Killbride’s place, support is never a bad thing. And sometimes, you need to know that the only people who support you aren’t the ones who this could happen to.
In that respect, NCIS: Los Angeles once again proves that it understands not just its characters, but their place in the narrative they’ve created. The show is still set in the real world, in 2022, and reality is what it is — unfair for POC in almost every way imaginable. TV’s job is to showcase that, in whatever way it can. Sometimes the way is a sledgehammer, other times …it’s by never dropping the ball on the reminders.
All of this considered, however, it would be nice if NCIS: Los Angeles went back to more of what has made this show work for 13 seasons. We have a team. We like that team. Let them share scenes and we’ll be happy. We’re not asking for much.
Things I think I think:
- I really like most characters in this show, but the beginning of the season has been kinda …slow?
- Killbride’s “I know this is not my place,” is exactly why this show works. Most people in it understand this concept — and that’s because the writers do.
- Callen is just a troll sometimes, and I respect it.
- I miss Kensi and Deeks, okay?
- But I do like Aiden.
- Roundtree and Fatima were my favorite part of the episode.
- We’re just not used to you joking, Admiral Killbride.
- Celebration drinks!
- Killbride telling Roundtree everyone has his back was kinda great.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of NCIS: Los Angeles 13×04 “Dead Stick”? Share with us in the comments below!
NCIS: Los Angeles airs Sundays at 10/9c on CBS.
Given that no one seemed to care that Callen was somewhere else in the previous episode, it’s not really surprising that no one seemed to notice that 2 other team members were missing as well. (I don’t think anyone even notices that Hetty’s office is always empty now, or even cares.).
This is a team show through and through, and Hetty is the heart and spark that made them all shine. Without her, there’s no good direction. And an old man who just makes sarcastic snides and complains a lot doesn’t work with this kind of team, no matter how ‘nice’ he looks. Plus, she’d never allow for the kind of lousy work that’s been going on the past couple years.
And hearing of Roundtree just going through Hetty’s wardrobe like that was nuts. There are 3 things of Hetty’s that must never be messed with: Her whiskey, her tea, and her wardrobe!