NCIS: Hawai’i 3×05 Review: “Serve and Protect”

NCIS: Hawai’i 3×05 “Serve and Protect” peels back another layer of Lucy Tara, and reinforces the notion that in the end, we are who we choose to be, not who our families decide we must be. We won’t deny that’s a pretty comforting notion.

The episode doesn’t even give us that much — though it makes it clear that Lucy and Kate have talked more about their families that we’ve been privy to — but it gives us enough to understand that this Lucy, the one we’ve learned to love, is someone who’s had to fight to be the person she is. Some people are lucky enough to get to live out loud and be supported in their choices. Others, well …others have to build their own sense of self separate from their families.

Now, to be fair, the episode only gives us glimpses — and most of the mentions of Lucy’s family are business-related. We don’t get enough to know about the personal relationships Lucy has with her family. But the comparison to Tatiana’s family is enough to make anyone wary, even if you’re not the one making them. And then there’s the fact that Lucy seems wary to introduce her family to Kate, and well …it might not all be exactly how it’s painted, but it’s also not great.

but family is as family does

But Lucy has family, the good kind. The kind that drops everything to go save you. The kind that teases you. That you tease and then have a gazillion questions for (and even embarrass in front of their significant other). The kind that runs a background check on your significant other that they didn’t even believe you had in the first place, because that’s how they look out for you.

And she’s got the person who waits for her, tears in her eyes and arms wide open. The one who’s there with the quiet support and the words of encouragement. The one who will sit right next to her on that couch and watch bad reality TV with her. The person who will hold her hand the day that it is time to meet her parents and her brother. The one who will dream of that white dress with her and dream of so many other things they can experience together.

She’s got that family. And she’s never going to get rid of them. Not that she wants to. Not that any of them want to.

Things I think I think:

• “…but it’s great she’s into peace.” LUCY.
• I love you.
• BUT WHY IS SAM DOING HIS TOP-SECRET STUFF FROM HAWAI’I?!
• And why has he mentioned Kensi and Deeks but not Callen?
• Lucy is such a little sister.
• “Kai, I have questions.”
• OH, SHE DID A BACKGROUND CHECK AND WE HAVE A BACKSTORY ON LUCY.
• “I don’t have anything to do with my family’s business.”
• Do tell.
• That’s what Ernie and Jesse are looking at?!
• “I want to defect.”
• “Kate, who’s side are you on?”/”Yours. Always yours.”
• “You’re the brilliant investigator. Go investigate.”
• “So much for the blindfold.”
• I was like someone contact Kate, and then Kate got there and I started thinking Kate being there might not be the best idea, lol.
• Though the Kate/Kai/Jesse dynamics are top-tier.
• LUCY TARA.
• “If you’re gonna be true to yourself, did you have any other choice?”
• Kate was so emotional at the end that *I* got emotional.
• That was more of a tease than a real backstory episode. I need MORE.

Agree? Disagree? What did you think of NCIS: Hawai’i 3×05 “Serve and Protect”? Share with us in the comments below!

NCIS: Hawai’i airs Mondays at 9/8c on CBS.