NCIS: Los Angeles season 8 episode 21 review: Agent Callen, Hanna partner with Hetty’s pals to solve kidnapping, theft

On Sunday night viewers of NCIS: Los Angeles watched as the team deciphered a multifaceted case surrounding the Veterans Affairs. Kidnapped from the streets of Los Angeles, the administrator was allegedly held by a highly decorated Navy Captain. The NCIS agents were once again looking for clues, but they were slightly hampered by Hetty’s former Vietnam War colleagues who are looking for the Navy Captain as well.

The Veterans Affairs administrator was released after found at the cemetery tied up, but his freedom didn’t last long. After receiving medical attention he was then arrested by the FBI for improprieties surrounding his role at the Veterans Administration. Siphoning funds, it appears he wasn’t really helping the veterans after all.

The Navy Captain might have been ID’ed as the man who kidnapped the administrator, but he was then kidnapped himself. How? Looking to help those who needed medical attention, he decided to pawn one of the gold bars brought home from an overseas mission. The greedy pawn shop dealer wanted more than one gold bar. He kidnapped the Navy Captain, tortured him and found out where the $40 million dollar in gold bars were hidden.

One step behind the pawn dealer, the NCIS team has a massive gun fight at the pawn shop employee’s home, but it was too late. Having enough information about the location of the gold, he slipped out a back door in the wine cooler and took off. The NCIS agents found the Navy Captain tied to a chair and beaten.

In the final minutes of the episode, the viewers are offered a glimpse of what Hetty’s former Vietnam War colleagues are capable of doing. These guys will go to all extremes to save a soldier or do good. Viewers were shown a trailer full of weapons and tools to get anyone out of trouble. Everything semed to be in order except the gold bars were all missing. This story will be continued so next week the fans will get to see if the gold, along with the criminals, will be found.

The twists of this episode, “Battle Scars,” had fans of NCIS: Los Angles on the edge of their seats. The ongoing concerns about the Veterans Affairs in the real world really brought the episode to life. Knowing the suffering that America’s heroes experience when they have to wait for medical attention, the story felt ripped from the headlines. There was little sympathy for the Veterans Affairs administrator on the show who seemed indifferent.

More tributes to Miguel Ferrer who played Agent Granger

Paying tribute to Miguel Ferrer, fans watching the show got to hear about Assistant Director Owen Granger’s part in helping vets. It was revealed that he was part of Hetty’s former Vietnam War colleagues and the team reflected on his best attributes when they first met him. The warmth shown from all the characters reminded us all how much Ferrer will be missed.

We really enjoyed Sunday’s episode of NCIS: Los Angeles. Of course, we would have loved to see how this story continues, but waiting a week won’t kill anyone. The friction between Callen and Hanna working with Hetty’s colleagues is engaging. Plus, it’s possible something quite wonderful is in the works between Special Agent Kensi Blye and LAPD Detective Marty Deeks. And who wouldn’t want to wait to see what that might be? Episode grade: A-.

A look ahead

Be sure to visit the link here to preview the next NCIS: Los Angeles episode.

This review was written by Jodi Jill and if you’re looking for more then be sure to head on over to the link here. Also, you can follow her on Facebook and Twitter! (Photo: CBS.)