NCIS: Los Angeles season 8 episode 23 review: Fans weep as Agent Sam Hanna’s wife is kidnapped, dies

On Sunday night viewers of NCIS: Los Angeles probably had a hard time not shedding a tear for Special Agent Sam Hanna. An emotional episode, the shock of seeing Sam’s wife kidnapped had fans on the edge of their seats, but the ending was a twist few fans expected.

The episode opened with a headless killing in Los Angeles. One of Agent Hanna’s former SEAL pals was killed and left for the NCIS office to find out what happened. The gruesome killing was a sign of something big going down and it was more than what most expected.

The next shock for the viewers came when Agent Hanna’s wife, Michelle, was kidnapped. Demanding release of Tahir Khaled, a nemesis of Sam, the situation appeared to be grave. With the entire office searching for Hanna’s wife, there was a lead that could have been helpful. The kidnappers shared a live feed with the NCIS office so they could watch Michelle gasp for air for hours. Locked up in a room, the air was slowly being used up. Time was ticking for her release. Otherwise, she would die.

With the help of the FBI, CIA and NCIS, Los Angeles was searched in hopes to find Michelle. Using the clues offered, the agents looked everywhere while Sam and Michelle kept the hope alive with the live video chat. Once it was a few hours before she would run out of oxygen, Michelle realized she probably didn’t go as far as she first thought after initially being kidnapped. The search area was too wide. Considering that she heard no other cars after being abducted, the team looked around the Hanna residence to see if there is anywhere she could be locked up.

While the team searches for Michelle, it is Henrietta “Hetty” Lange who was looking to get the prisoner exchange to happen. Calling people she knows in DC and all points in-between, apparently she was turned down on the swap to save Michelle’s life. However, Hetty didn’t let the team know this. Instead she pretended she has authorization and gets Tahir Khaled released. This should have been enough to get Michelle’s location, but it appears the team was double crossed. Khaled was on the loose and the whereabouts of Michelle still weren’t known.

In what appeared to be a needle in a haystack, Michelle’s location is discovered. Looking for video footage earlier in the day, Special Agent Kensi Blye and LAPD Detective Marty Deeks came across a location that had a camera pointed at the road. Seeing the kidnappers drive by, it was assumed the vehicle kept going. If Michelle’s information was right, this was a front for the kidnappers. In the last minutes of the show, the two agents realized this probably was the location where Michelle was being held. They made a tough decision to go in without backup, and bullets started flying as a result. The agents knew they need to move heaven and earth to save Michelle.

As fans watched in shock, it was too late for Michelle Hanna. Her sealed container ran out of air and she suffocated from the lack of oxygen. It was an emotional ending to a beloved character that few viewers even imagined would be gone forever. The last few moments of the show offered a touching look at Sam holding his wife’s lifeless body as he wept.

The sadness and grief of losing Hanna’s wife on NCIS: Los Angeles had fans weeping too. The final scene of the show was emotional and reminded everyone how precious life is. As the character of Agent Sam Hanna is tough, this ending was difficult to watch. Behind every good man is a good woman. The grief Hanna is starting to face is just the beginning of this story. Next week the preview revealed Sam starting to unravel as he looks for his wife’s killer. Episode grade: A.

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.)