‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ season 6, episode 11 review: Are Kensi and Deeks in a relationship?

With this being the last episode of “NCIS: Los Angeles” before the holidays we expect there to be a crime that is wrapped up in the season. We also have high expectations that there will be some holiday cheer within the staff and of course want to see Kensi and Deeks share a kiss under the mistletoe (come on CBS, just give us something!)

Sam has some holiday family problems: He is going to San Francisco with his wife and daughter, but he wants to stay at a hotel and his wife wants to stay with her little sister. Sam wants to have some private time with his wife and daughter, but knows that won’t happen if they stay with her family.

Joelle Taylor is involved in the case of the week and because of her relationship with Callen, Kensi and Deeks interrogate her. Deeks pushes to find out what she got Callen for Christmas and we learn that she bought him a “safe gift” of a dress shirt – meaning she’s scared to open up about how she feels about him. She tries to open up a little when he brings her flowers, but he isn’t as responsive as she’d hoped – not because he doesn’t feel the same, but because the bad guys from earlier are surrounding her house. After some gunfire, Joelle learns that Callen hasn’t been entirely honest about who he is. Once all is said and done, Callen and Joelle talk about the situation and after she thanks him for saving her life, she asks him to leave. She later reaches meets up with Callen while he’s out with the NCIS gang and he tells her that he wants to introduce her to everyone, but she wants to get to know him first.

Deeks decides to ask Kensi to spend the holidays snowboarding with him and she says yes. She secretly hopes that there’s more behind his invitation, but in usual Deeks fashion he plays it off as no big deal, saying that they have the same days off so they might as well hang out. Kensi tells him that she’s tired of playing games and that she’s all in with him and that all of the chips are on the table. He kisses her and tells her the same – FINALLY!!!!

There was a nice little Eric/Nell moment that we’ve been craving all season. The pair were planning on renting some horror movies and having an all night movie fest, but when Hetty tells Nell that she can leave early to go home and see her family, she books the ticket. Eric is bummed, but is understanding… that is until she throws out the curve ball offer for him to come with her and spend the holidays with her family… and he says yes. She brings up the idea of telling her family that Eric is her boyfriend and he is surprised and happy about the idea.

We sometimes complain that “NCIS: Los Angeles” doesn’t give us enough time with out main cast, but this Christams special gave us a little bit of everything that we’ve been wanting. Episode Grade: A-

What did you think of tonight’s episode of “NCIS: Los Angeles”? Exciting and fun or not enough on our favorite characters?  Head over here to see some sneak peeks for next week’s all new episode. Also, you can sign up to score some further TV updates on all we cover right now via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo via: CBS)