Review of NCIS: Los Angeles 1X09 Random on Purpose by Bethany and Sandy

Dear NCIS,

Random on Purpose was touted as the “Abby episode.” I have to admit that I read most of the spoilers and was excited to see what Shane Brennan had in store for us. I have had trouble in the past connecting with the show, but I figured with Abby in the episode, it would be great and I was not disappointed.

Sandy says:

I, on the other hand, have enjoyed the series from the beginning. I looked forward to the Abby crossover for the interaction with Eric, but I’m ready for NCIS: Los Angeles to stand on its own.

Eerie is how I would describe the opening scene of the show. A man is standing by a window, gazing out into the darkness stroking the ear of a rabbit reverently. A music box plays softly in the background. Suddenly there is a shadow and the man is killed. I thought that the use of music and the cut to the teddy bear at the end of the scene was brilliant. It gave the scene a Silence of the Lambs feel that carried throughout the entire episode.

The scene after the opening credits is a contrast to the first scene. It shows Callen and Sam walking into their office to find out that Hetty had cleaned up and rearranged their desks. Callen was unsure of what to make of this change. Hetty had a Gibbs-like quality in this scene as she sneaked up behind Callen. The only thing missing was the slap on the back of the head. It really was cute and charming.

The Callen/Hetty dynamic was explored a little more in this episode. I finally figured out that Callen was actually the team leader. I have to admit that I wasn’t sure whether Callen or Sam was leading the team up until this point. The analogy that Hetty used was excellent. She made Callen feel important even though everyone knows that Hetty is the one who is in charge.

Sandy says:

I enjoy the mystery that surrounds Hetty. She has a history and the very Gibbsian ability to know what is going on when she is not around. Defining the roles of the characters is something that needs to continue. While I knew that Callen was in charge of the team, not Sam, I also wasn’t exactly sure of the role that Hetty plays. This episode clarified that for the audience and for Callen.

The bickering between Callen and Sam throughout this episode shows both the bond between the characters and the chemistry that the actors share. It took awhile for them to find their way, but I think they have finally hit their stride. I look forward to watching many more scenes between the Bickersons. I also am enjoying the way that Kensi always seems to be the referee. It is very entertaining.

Sandy says:

Callen and Sam are very much brothers in arms at this point. Lots of teasing, but like brothers, willing to defend one another. Kensi is the one person whose character seems to have gone through fewer tweaks to get it right. Daniella Ruah seems to have known who Kensi was from the start.

When Leon Vance started on NCIS, I was bound and determined not to like him. He has grown on me over the last year. I really like the way that Shane Brennen is using him in NCIS: Los Angeles. It reminds the audience that both shows are indeed tied together. It also allows for characters to crossover. He was used in tonight’s episode to introduce us to our victim, Navy Chief Petty Officer Frank McEllen. He also was able to introduce Abby into the storyline quite flawlessly.

Sandy says:

As I’d suspected, NCIS Director Leon Vance was relegated to talking head this episode by filling in the team on his decision to send Abby to LA. I have to wonder who he was signaling to off camera in his office during his video conference. Click the red X when you’re done, Leon.

Abby is a force to be reckoned with. I had seen her first scene with the LA team, so I thought I knew what was coming. I was wrong. There is no preparing for what hurricane Abby will bring to a scene. Pauley Perrette is a brilliant actress and she really brings Abby to life. Abby brought an energy to the team that had been missing before. Her interaction with both Hetty and Eric in that first scene was priceless. She is a scene stealer.

I also enjoyed the use of interrogation in this episode. Callen’s technique differs from Gibbs, and it was refreshing to see. I thought the way that they cut from Callen to Kensi during that scene showcased the fast paced nature of the show. The rest of the team watching both interrogations on split screen was a cool technique.

Sandy says:

The editing of interrogation scene was classic NCIS. The quick cuts, the telling of two stories simultaneously, these are the things that have always been the hallmarks of NCIS that set it apart from other shows. I’m glad to see them employ some of these techniques on NCIS: Los Angeles. I don’t expect the shows to be exactly the same, but there should be similarities, like the updated phoofs. We know where they came from, but the series of quick shutter exposures are unique to NCIS: Los Angeles.

The crux of the show was really Abby’s kidnapping. I thought, again, she stole the scene at the bar, when she kept babbling about everything she wanted to do, typical Abby, a joy to watch.  The way that they used the rest of the team in that scene was awesome as well. The team figuring out that the Phantom was after Abby at the same time that she was getting kidnapped was really cool. I felt bad for Eric though, sitting clueless in the bar, as his crush gets snatched.

Sandy says:

This was a case of my understanding what had happened just as the realization was hitting the team as well. The Phantom was using info on Abby’s blog to set her up in order to silence her. I saw the pieces fitting in as they did. That’s good writing to be able to take the audience along with the characters.

I was afraid that when I read that Abby was going to get kidnapped that TPTB would forget about where she came from and just deal with the present. I was refreshed to see them pay homage to Gibbs and his team by saying that they were coming out there to assist the LA team.

Sandy says:

They even went as far as to mention Gibbs and McGee during the teleconference at the end—the two people who the fans expected to be most concerned.

Abby during the whole kidnapping was just classic. The fact that she wouldn’t stop insulting him, to spitting at him, just showed me that no matter what the circumstance, Abby is always Abby. The use of sign language to convey her whereabouts paid homage to her background and for that I was glad. My only beef was: when did Eric learn sign language?

Sandy says:

The sign language thing is something people need to get over. Really? Finger spelling? I knew how to do that in junior high and used to talk with friends in study hall with finger spelling. There is a lot of interest in learning American Sign Language and it is not uncommon to find people who know it. These are new characters who have all sorts of things to reveal. I say, let them.

I was more bothered by the comment that The Phantom made that he saved the spot for the white woman in her late 20s for Abby. Late 20s? Really? Ignoring the fact that Pauley Perrette is 40 years old, we know that Abby has a PhD and she’s been at NCIS for at least 10 years. Also, she’s not younger than McGee, who is 32. I would have enjoyed seeing Abby straighten him out in that regard.

The rescue was classic. The bickering between Callen and Sam lightened the tense situation, and as Abby said, I never knew that there were so many uses for a fire hose. I also thought that it was classic Abby and Callen that they kept using each other’s full names.

Sandy says:

I loved the “Abby Sciuto” “G Callen” business. They have a bit. It’s fun, and it brought us full circle from her first appearance in this episode to the ending of the story, giving a nice sense of closure to the case.

My favorite part of the show came at the end, when Callen pulled Hetty aside and told her that she rowed pretty good. I loved the boat imagery, which seems to resonate throughout both series. I also loved the sentiment. He further cemented his relationship with Hetty by paying her that small compliment.

Sandy says:

This scene also brought us full circle and brought closure. Having a bullpen with desks is a needed touch to the set, and gives them a more stable place to play in that space. People, besides Hetty and Eric, now have “their” spaces to develop. Could be fun.

It was by far my favorite NCIS: Los Angeles episode this season. I not only loved the Abby crossover, but I loved the way the team seemed to gel together. It was fantastic work by everyone involved.

With Love,

Bethany and Sandy