NCIS is a franchise with many successful spin-offs. But for NCIS: LA, their best episodes set an impressive bar for other shows to exceed.
It can be argued that NCIS: Los Angeles is the most underrated addition to the NCIS franchise. NCIS: Los Angeles is the first spinoff of the original NCIS trilogy and follows the secretive Office of Special Projects, an NCIS unit specializing in undercover operations. The team regularly handles matters of national security and secretly works to keep the country safe from threats.
NCIS: LA balances adrenaline and humor to create an elite series with an entertaining cast and high-octane cases. The series concludes in 2023, marking the second NCIS franchise series to end. These 10 episodes mark the best of this concluded series.
10Hand to Hand Introduces an Iconic Character
- Season 1, Episode 19
- Aired in April 2010
- First appearance of Eric Christian Olsen as LAPD Detective Marty Deeks
The first season of NCIS: Los Angeles featured a lot of changes and transformative moments as the series tried to establish its footing. One of those such moments featured the passing of rookie agent Dominic Vail, Agent Kensi Blye’s partner. This left a mark on the team, especially Kensi, and left the team a man down. This would soon be rectified.
“Hand to Hand” sees members of the team go undercover at a gym owned by a serviceman after a mysterious murder. During the undercover investigation, an LAPD Detective is also undercover at the gym and team meets the scrappy and sassy Marty Deeks. Deeks reoccurs a few more times before joining the team fully next season as an LAPD Liason. He goes on to play a big part in shaping the comedic elements of the series
9Three Hearts Featured Mind Games and an Enigmatic Guest Star
- Season 5, Episode 21
- Aired in April 2014
- Daniel Henney guest stars as NCIS Agent Paul Angelo
“Three Hearts” is an episode where nothing is as it seems and the dark side of undercover work becomes very apparent. The team abducts a long-term undercover agent from his assignment as they suspect he has gone rogue and aligned himself with the very people he was supposed to take down. This episode has viewers puzzling over what the real truth of the matter is.
“Three” hearts is a combination of fast-paced action and mental gymnastics. The agent under investigation, Paul Angelo, is a mysterious character who is known to spin stories that cloak the real truth. He has a way of getting under people’s skin, and this proves true for the team as they try to see where his loyalty lies. This episode keeps viewers glued to the screen until the real truth is uncovered.
8The Frozen Lake Shakes Up Team Dynamics
- Season 5, Episode 10
- Aired November 2013
- Introduces the guest character of Gurka warrior Jemandar Thapa, played by Ernie Reyes Jr
“The Frozen Lake” sees the team scrambling to recover a missing thumb drive containing top-secret intelligence stolen after the murder of a Pentagon consultant in Bahrain. The case puts them in a tentative alliance with an elite Nepalese Gurkha warrior, Jemandar Thapa. The team tries to recover the drive while dealing with Thapa’s own agenda.
The episode is rife with espionage, ulterior motives, and intense action scenes. Adding Thapa to the mix is also a strong character move that shakes up the dynamic. The secondary plotline surrounding Kensi and Deeks’ romantic chemistry also shakes things up in the field.
7Personal Sees an Agent in a Perilous Situation
- Season 2, Episode 17
- Aired February 2011
- The episode centers around the attempted murder of LAPD Detective/NCIS Liason Deeks
“Personal” cuts deep for the NCIS: Los Angeles team. The episode sees Deeks fighting for his life after a shooting at his local convenience store. However, what is originally seen as a robbery gone bad quickly proves to be a targeted attack on Detective Deeks. His team must investigate who attacked one of their own.
The episode is wracked with emotion due to one of their own being injured. However, it is also a satisfying investigative episode that gives a glimpse of Deeks’ history with the LAPD. The plot twist at the end had the right amount of shock and suspense to close out the episode.
6Head of the Snake Calls an Agent into Question
- Season 7, Episode 21
- Aired April 2016
- Sees the return of reoccurring guest character Peter Cambor as NCIS Operational Psychologist Nate Getz
“Head of the Snake” brings back a recurring character from the earlier seasons, Operational Psychologist Nate Getz, to play mind games with the NCIS: Los Angeles team. Nate Getz reappears after going silent while on an undercover mission for the enigmatic OSP Operations Manager, Hetty. However, when the team locates Nate, he takes Agent Callen hostage and appears to have switched sides.
The combination of a fan-favorite character from the earlier seasons returning and the shocking circumstances they find him in provide an excellent plotline. The dynamic between the kidnapper Nate and the hostage Callen has both characters playing games and baring teeth. The shocking conclusion of the episode only sends things into more of a shocking and incredibly entertaining tailspin.
5Expiration Date Shows an Espionage Case With Fatal Consequences
- Season 6, Episode 16
- Aired February 2105
- Guest character Gurka warrior Jemandar Thapa, played by Ernie Reyes Jr, returns
“Expiration Date” sees the return of the Gurka Thapa to Los Angeles, where an operation goes sideways and results in Sam being shot. The team must deduce how the case, which sees Thapa and the team on opposite sides, was compromised. The team is on edge with one of their members down, and Thapa’s loyalty is questionable, so the episode is rife with dramatic tension.
The case is intense and covers highly sensitive matters with high international stakes. The spycraft adds a psychological element of intrigue to the case. There is also no shortage of adrenaline, as proven by the intense showdown at the end of the episode.
4Impact Deals With Intense Topics of Trauma
- Season 5, Episode 2
- Aired October 2013
- Sees the return of reoccurring guest character Peter Cambor as NCIS Operational Psychologist Nate Getz
“Impact” follows a storyline that saw the kidnapping and torture of Deeks and Sam. They went through Hell and back before coming out the other side. However, they didn’t make it out without some mental and physical scars. Shaken, an Operational Psychologist returns to evaluate them while Callen and Kensi partner up to investigate a plane crash.
The episode does a good job of balancing two central storylines, the plane crash case and the mental health of Sam and Deeks. The case has national security implications which is able to hold viewers attention and not falter against the emotional storyline. The evaluations of Sam and Deeks cover sensitive topics that cut deep to the psyche.
3Till Death Do Us Part is an Adrenaline and Romance Fueled Adventure
- Season 10, Episode 17
- Aired March 2019
- Features the wedding of main characters Kensi Blye and Marty Deeks
“Till Death Do Us Part” sees two members of the NCIS: Los Angeles team, Kensi Blye and Marty Deeks tying the knot with a wedding ceremony. However, with this team, nothing goes to plan. The reoccurrence of a criminal from the team’s past complicates them in an intense but comedic way as the team has to juggle nuptials and a potential kidnapping.
This episode was long awaited by fans, as the romantic tension between the happy couple has been simmering for almost 10 seasons. The episode is a bit more light-hearted than some other episodes, but that meshes well with the overall plotline and feels well deserved. There is just the right amount of hijinks and adrenaline to make sure this wedding feels appropriate for an NCIS: Los Angeles episode.
2Deliverance Concludes a Two-Part International Spy Story
- Season 2, Episode 10
- Aired in November 2010
- Concludes a two-part Cold-War spy storyline that began in “Absolution”
“Deliverance” carries the Cold War spy drama of “Absolution” into a dramatic conclusion. When a former asset of Hetty’s is killed, the hunt for the mysterious book of Cold-War secrets intensifies. The window into Hetty’s murky past grows in this episode and it adds a layer of intrigue to the episode. The high-octane action only grows as this episode ends the saga with a bang.
Another element of this episode is the bond between the team and their leader, Hetty. When it comes to Hetty, she makes it hard to protect her because of her flair for secrets. However, this team doesn’t take no for an answer and goes the extra mile to protect her, cementing their strong bond.
1Absolution Begins an Espionage Saga With Historical Implications
- Season 2, Episode 9
- Aired in November 2010
- Begins a two-part Cold War spy storyline
“Absolution” begins off a spy thriller that sees hordes of international intelligence operatives descending on Los Angeles and wreaking havoc. When a former operative is murdered, agents from all over the globe come to LA to look for a rumored black book that he possessed. The contents of this book could have devastating implications on international relations, so the hunt is on for the NCIS: Los Angeles team to find it before a foreign power does.
This case centers a lot around Hetty’s past in espionage during the Cold War era. The window into the past of the most mysterious member of the team makes for incredibly intriguing television. When more Cold War ghosts make themselves known, the case gets dangerous for all involved.
