A lot has happened on NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12, even though the action had to be toned down due to filming during the coronavirus pandemic.
With the filming restrictions in place, it also meant that there was plenty of time for more dialogue and for things to progress on the personal front for each of the main characters.
Quite a few television shows were only able to air two or three episodes this fall, but NCIS: LA has already rolled out its first six episodes.
The winter hiatus comes to an end on Sunday night with the debut of Season 12, Episode 7, so it’s time to take a quick look back.
NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12 recap
The season started out with a big shift, as Nell Jones (Renee Felice Smith) arrived for a meeting with Hetty Lange (Linda Hunt) only to find the offices empty.
Through a video chat, Hetty let Nell know that she needed her former intelligence analyst to come back to work and run the team. Though Nell wasn’t sure about it, she accepted Hetty’s request and has been running the team ever since.
Marty Deeks loses his job
The LAPD ended its partnership with NCIS, which meant the elimination of the liaison position that Marty Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen) had. It led to Deeks having some questions about his future, but in the fall finale, Deeks was given admittance to the academy to become a full-time NCIS agent.
Deeks and Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah) bought a house and are going to try to have a child soon. They were worried about the money, with Deeks presenting the option that he would sell the bar because starting a family with Kensi was more important to him.
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Eric Beale finally returns
For the first five episodes of NCIS Season 12, Eric Beale (Barrett Foa) was nowhere to be seen. It led to quite a few online rumors about Foa possibly leaving the show, but he finally popped up during the fall finale.
Eric has been working on tech that came up during Season 11 and he said that his company now has a billion-dollar contract. He also let Deeks know that he plans to give most of his money away, having already purchased 70-80 hotels in order to serve as places for homeless people to live.
Eric’s mission is to eradicate homelessness and his altruistic approach to it will likely get addressed more as Season 12 continues.
Hetty still MIA
Hetty has been out of the office all season, with only random video chats to keep in touch with the team. This has all been an effort by the show to keep the actress playing her safe. Hopefully, we get to see more of her in the back half of Season 12.
Sam’s daughter returns, relationship with Katherine gets serious
Sam (LL COOL J) and Katherine Casillas (Moon Bloodgood) have gotten very serious on the show. Katherine surfaces now and then and it was clear during the fall finale that their relationship is becoming very important.
Kam Hanna, who has been recast by an older actress to be on the show more often, visited her dad and was asked to meet Katherine. She came up with excuses to get out of it but will be on future episodes.
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More NCIS: LA Season 12 plot points
And speaking of families, Callen (Chris O’Donnell) was reunited with a former foster brother who he then helped to get out of a jam. It also seems like he is ready to take the next step in his relationship with Anna (Bar Paly).
The partnership between Roundtree (Caleb Castille) and Fatima (Medalion Rahimi) has also received more focus on the show with the duo getting to be involved in more action and banter with each passing episode.
The winter premiere arrives on Sunday, January 3, when fans of the NCIS spin-off get to enjoy more Season 12 episodes.
NCIS: Los Angeles airs Sundays on CBS.