NCIS: Los Angeles season 9: Where is Hetty and why the wait?

Where is Hetty on NCIS: Los Angeles? In one way, we know the answer to that question — the show is giving us a taste this season of her past in Vietnam along with a man she once apparently served with. … one who just so happened to be presumed dead.

The question CarterMatt has when it comes to Hetty is this: Why is the show taking so long to integrate her into the rest of the story? While Linda Hunt’s character was mentioned in tonight’s episode, the mentions of her since the premiere have been few and far between. It’s a shame since the character is so much the heart and soul of the series and we wonder what has happened to her since we last saw her in her most-unfortunate state.

So why are CBS and the show’s producers opting to do this slow-play with Hetty rather than moving along the story faster? One of the reasons for it could simply be to give the audience a feeling that mirrors that of Sam, Callen, and the rest of the team. They want us to be feeling a similar sort of pain and confusion; even though we are privy to more information than the team has, that doesn’t mean that we have this abundance of info at our disposal beyond where she is and that the truth about her past that is starting to unravel.

Eventually, the show will of course find a way to bring Hetty back into the fold and it’s really going to be just a question of timing. At this point though, we’d say that now feels like the right time to have her back. Five episodes is long enough to establish a new normal without her, and bringing her back now would shake things up once more.

Not only would it bring a touch of familiarity back to the team, but it would also offer up an opportunity to give Nia Long some more material — how would Shay Mosley react to not being the one in charge anymore? In order for this show to be its best self, it will eventually need Hetty back in Los Angeles where she belongs. Even if her return doesn’t happen in the near future, hopefully she’ll at least get some more screen time so we can get a better sense as to where this story is going. November sweeps are right around the corner — that’s when these sort of stories do tend to ramp up! There’s no better time for the producers to dive in and give Hetty the showcase she deserves.

Why do you think NCIS: Los Angeles is waiting so long on Hetty?

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Also, be sure to check out the story here in the event you want to see our full review of tonight’s episode! You can like us on Facebook to stay up to date with all of our NCIS: Los Angeles coverage. (Photo: CBS.)