NCIS: LOS ANGELES 9x03 "Assets"

NCIS: Los Angeles has never begun an episode with a cuter cold open to my memory than this, in which a Navy Lieutenant, initially fearing someone may be awaiting her exit from the swimming pool to attack her, is actually approached by a nervous young man with a romantic interest in her. It's slightly a shame, therefore, that A) she was shot dead by a sniper moments later and B) was a mole trying to sell US surveillance information on Chinese borders to the highest bidder and then double-cross them, along with her boyfriend. I was genuinely hoping, for the sake of the cuteness of this cold open, that she was either an unknowing mule or a victim of some form of blackmail or miscellaneous manipulation; alas, Lieutenant Naomi Elder was one of two very brave, very stupid bad guys.

   And the murder investigation was very simple compared to some episodes. There weren't any real twists, just a slow burn towards the point where the killers were prevented from continuing (as in may cases, through being killed by OSP agents in a firefight), which is ironically the very thing Mosley believes OSP needs to improve: their propensity for permanently ending firefights. (Take a leaf from John Reese in Person of Interest, guys, just kneecap the baddies.) The only real issue with the way this investigation concluded was that the follow-up team managed to uncover the proof of Elder and her boyfriend Preston's double-cross at Preston's house, which Callen and Sam had apparently, glaringly, missed. I should think they would have performed a more than cursory search of the house, especially since the Chinese had done a pretty thorough job themselves.

   But with regards to Mosley, I fear she is actually starting to grow on me. As with the introduction of any new character, she's freshening things up quite delightfully, asserting that she still intends to scatter the current OSP team - and even hiring builders to create her an office of her own, after Mosley takes quite a distasteful attitude towards Hetty's "alcove". And if Assistant Director Mosley alone wasn't providing a new outlook on this show and what we expect of it, then her relationship with (I presume Assistant Assistant Director) Harley Hidoko is extremely interesting, appearing much more like a friendship than boss and subordinate. Hidoko is yet to grow on me the way Mosley has, but their closeness is endearing: it's something Granger never brought to the table.

   Something that may be being brought to the table in the near future, however, is not just a Densi wedding, but perhaps a Densi child. In "Assets", a significant amount of Kensi and Deeks' interactions involved discussions about children and names. Kids have been on their minds for a while now, but it's nice that it may be gaining some traction. It would be a very visual way to shake things up further, which NCIS LA needs after having become sometimes frustratingly comfortable in the last couple of seasons.

Callen helps Sam move into his new boat
Image: CBS

   But it's doing well so far in that respect. Mosley and Hidoko are ammo enough, onto which Densi naturally piles. Yet these two plotlines aren't the only evidence of character changes, with Sam's grieving for his dead wife taking him to the sale of his house and the purchase of a boat. (I'll point out here that I have reservations about whether Sam could afford a boat on his salary. I don't imagine NCIS agents are paid astoundingly well, although I could be wrong.) But if this can become something of a feature, much like Callen's rootlessness and his legendarily sparsely furnished house, then this will have been a success on the back of Michelle's unfortunate demise.

NCIS LA is heading in an impressive direction so far this season. Despite the tragic circumstances, NCIS LA has dealt well with the loss of Miguel Ferrer and his character Owen Granger, and with plenty of burgeoning twosomes on the show - Platonic and otherwise - we're always served a treat with their interactions. Another good episode in another good season.

RATING: 8/10

POINTS OF NOTE

• "I've never been good with girls IRL." Perhaps that's because you use the phrase "IRL" IRL, mate.
• If Sam's new home is a boat that he has to spruce up, it might be time to get Mark Harmon on a crossover to give him some tips.
• Elder isn't a bad surname, but it's one that evokes images of some sort of cult hierarchy - or period video game, which is very distracting.
• Once again, R.I.P. Miguel Ferrer.

NCIS: LOS ANGELES 9x04 "Plain Sight" PROMO