NCIS: Los Angeles 14×20 “New Beginnings” is the beginning of the end — and though it is a more emotional episode in some respects than the setupy first half of a two-parter has any right to be, it is still, the first half of a two-parter, which means it’s hard to talk about anything other than what the hour sets up. Well, and what the hour looks back on …which is … fourteen very, very good years.
The hits start early, with the intro changed to give us an early version of the characters alongside the versions we know now, and it’s striking to see how much they’ve changed, how much they’ve grown. We also get to see it in conversation, as Callen and Sam get to reminisce about how much Callen has grown and bring up Sam’s own wedding to Michelle and Kensi and Deeks get to make breakfast and see their daughter off to school. Who would have thought this is where we would end up?
It’s not a bad place to leave these characters, of course, the issue is …we don’t really want to leave them. We don’t want the show to end, and it didn’t have to. There were clearly more stories to tell, as proven by how many loose ends this final season is leaving us with. Sure, NCIS: Los Angeles 14×20 “New Beginnings” tries to give Sam and his dad some degree of closure, the show attempted to do the same with Kilbride and his son earlier — and bringing back Roundtree’s sister feels like a way to do the same, but all of these are surface level attempts at closure. We appreciate them, of course. They’re just …not what we would have wanted.
And that’s not without going into the Hetty-shaped elephant in the room. If the show ends without Linda Hunt’s Henrietta Lange showing up to the wedding of the one man she thought of as a son — something the show already established in 14×19 “The Reckoning,” then what is even the point? The rest of the setup is already there for the show to give Densi the one “happily ever after” fans always thought they’d give them just as the show ended, because, well …it’s just really hard to write a baby on a procedural when both characters have to be on screen consistently.
Callen is getting his wedding. Sam is going to be the best man. It would be really good to see Eric and Nell, they were part of this show for so long. But if Callen and Anna really do elope (and spoiler alert, we already know they do), they can pull off the not having them there if, logistically, getting the two actors was too complicated …but Hetty? There’s no way to end this show without Hetty.
It’s already hard to say goodbye as is.
There really isn’t much more to say about NCIS: Los Angeles 14×20 “New Beginnings.” This is just a trip down memory lane as is, one that is leading toward as satisfying an ending as they could give us. Whether they stick the landing or not is a question for next week. For now, this is just our final week to enjoy the banter, and the comfort these people brought to us.
And to say thanks. For the memories. For the friendships. For the ships. For the moments when we felt something. For fourteen years we wouldn’t trade for anything, Well, except, perhaps, for one more year, and another, and another.
Things I think I think:
- OMG the intro with their young versions!!
- Now I have to think about Arkady in the Playboy mansion too, thanks Anna.
- Lol, Anna doesn’t look like she’s calming down, but points for trying, Callen.
- Oh, Kensi is …not …feeling …well…? Ahem.
- I’m going to miss Densi. It makes me emotional to think how much I’ll miss them.
- I’ll miss Sam and Callen’s banter too.
- Hashtag blessed.
- Wedding planning is the worst, I’m with you Anna.
- The drug trial is about as good as they can do with Sam’s dad.
- Always Sam’s car. Always. And yet, somehow, the car is never in the shop. It never looks rough. It’s always, perfect. Superman’s glasses? Nothing on TV asks you to suspend disbelief quite like Sam’s car.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of NCIS: Los Angeles 14×20 “New Beginnings”? Share with us in the comments below!
NCIS: Los Angeles airs Sundays on CBS.
You 100% hit the nail on the head with how important it is to have Hetty back for this wedding! Even just showing up at the reception would count. She deserves her happy ending with everyone else. She’s THAT important! This team wouldn’t exist without her, it’s important to have her there!! Otherwise, like you said, what would be the point?
As for the episode itself, I was, bored the whole time. The case just felt like it was endlessly dragging. And i just wanted to hear about Hetty.
I did like the nostalgic looking opening theme though.
I am going to miss reading your reviews every week 🙁
I loved the credits! They’re a nice homage to the series’ characters. The episode, other than the “family” scenes, was boring. Pretty clear Gemmill thought there’d be a season 15 & he was going to drag out the Callen & Anna wedding–or maybe not even have one (the only reason we got a proposal was because he thought 13 was the end). I never much liked the Nina Barnes character & I liked her even less after her comments to Callen in this episode. She was so bitchy toward Callen. I know a lot of people won’t agree with this, but the focus on Densi–their engagement, their wedding, their infertility battle, their parenting–has been great for Densi fans, but for viewers who aren’t Densi fans (like me although I like Kensi & Deeks), it’s been frustrating/boring because they’re the only characters who get this much attention. Callen & Anna are getting married next episode, & they had ONE scene in this episode. They haven’t had even seriously discussed their future together. What a joke. Even Sam & Raymond had two scenes in this episode, & Raymond joined the show last season. Anna’s been in the show since season 7. Sure, the Callanna wedding might be a big part of the final episode, but it SHOULD be. This is a MAJOR event, every bit as important as the Densi wedding because it’s Callen getting married, the main character who’s been a loner his entire life. That’s not true about ANY of the other main characters. And their wedding’s going to be a rush job–and Hetty might not even be there. The writers wasted so much time on “wedding planning” instead of writing meaningful scenes where Callen & Anna talked about their future. It’s been really frustrating.