Cab driver Joey Gale is shot dead hours after sending an e-mail to Jason Tedrow, one of Callen’s old aliases. Gale, Tedrow, John Donnelly, and Montrell Perez were implicated in the electronic theft of $5 million from a Navy fund. While the conspirators were caught in Callen’s sting, the money was never found.
Assuming Tedrow’s identity again, Callen visited Donnelly’s sister, Kristin, with whom he was previously close. He followed her lead to Donnelly, but within minutes of finding him, Donnelly was shot dead in a drive-by.
Meanwhile, Kensi visited Montrell Perez, who was serving a longer sentence than the others. At the prison, Kensi met Perez’s JAG lawyer, Neil Corby (Jeffrey Pierce). Corby requested that Kensi not visit Perez without his permission. Following up with Perez without telling Corby, Kensi learned that someone called Perez asking the missing money as far back as while he was on trial.
I realize I’ve just been describing this episode so far, but I found nothing intriguing about it. With two of the former conspirators killed so quickly and a third still in prison, there were no suspects other than Corby. If I didn’t have a high opinion of JAG lawyers thanks to JAG, I would’ve suspected him even sooner. Eventually, every person of interest and piece of evidence was tied to Corby–even Kristin’s meeting her new boyfriend (Kenny Johnson) after Callen left years ago was arranged by Corby.
I did believe the tension Callen felt seeing Kristin again. I did wonder if he were the father of her little boy, but these points of human interest weren’t enough to save a very transparent episode where the mastermind was revealed with twenty minutes to go. On the bright side, NCIS: Los Angeles has had enough good episodes this season that I can forget “Past Lives.”
I saw this one coming, too, not that I could really put my finger on why. Corby was just too smooth and charming for words, so I wasn’t in the least surprised when his dirty fingerprints started showing up. First time I’ve seen that actor play a villain, however. Heck, even JIMMY STEWART played a villain. Once.
I too thought this episode was a let down. I like NCIS LA and the characters and desperately want it to be the “hit series” but the writers needs to take it up a notch or two before the fans become bored (Fanzine writers could challenge this script). This episode did not live up to the teaser previews which gave it a mysterious spin. Callen was never that deep undercover and Sam (the tail) showed up in plain sight every time which would of blown any cover. I was disappointed in the lack of suspense!
I really, really love this show, especially Chris O’donnell, Hetty, and all of them, reallly. I have to agree that the story should have been more complicated about Callen’s feelings for the girl and the little boy. The fun part for me was that Í recognized the little boy immediately as Charlie O’Donnell, Chris’s son!
Who is the actress who played Kristen and where have I seen her before?
The Unit, she is one of the wives.