The episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles are not only tension-packed but also littered with action sequences, thanks to members of the Los Angeles-based Office of Special Projects (OSP) agents working around the clock to stop threats. And in the 20-plus episodes that air each season, one always stands out due to the performances by the cast and the enthralling nature of the story.
Every fan has their own preferred season-best in what has become the most successful spinoff in the NCIS franchise. However, the majority of viewers tend to agree on a single episode that impresses the most each season. The consensus is best determined based on IMDb votes.
“Random On Purpose” (Season 1) – 8.2
The team investigates the death of a Naval engineer, believing it has to do with an international espionage conspiracy. However, forensic scientist Abby Sciuto, one of the smartest characters in the NCIS franchise, arrives and suggests that a serial killer named Phantom is behind the murder.
“Random On Purpose” kickstarts the usual NCIS twist pattern where investigators look in a specific direction only for new evidence to force them to seek answers elsewhere. The villain deserves much credit for the episode’s brilliance since he cleans up after his murders well, leaving the team to chase ghosts throughout most of the episode.
“Personal” (Season 2) – 8.3
When Deeks gets shot during his morning routine, it appears like a robbery at first but it is soon revealed that the NCIS-LAPD Liaison detective was targeted. Even more intriguing is that it’s not him they wanted; their plan was to lure Agent Kensi Blye.
“Personal” perfectly builds the story through its secondary antagonists before ushering in the primary one. The revelation that the terrorist Vakar, who heads the Grozny Emirate organization, was pulling the strings all along solidifies the plot
“Neighborhood Watch” (Season 3) – 8.5
Kensi and Deeks go undercover as a couple in a neighborhood to smoke out a Russian sleeper agent. They are forced to kiss as part of the cover and they like it, suggesting a workplace romance might brew.
The beauty of “Neighborhood Watch” is that it is ambitious enough to explore the tense relations between the US and Russia. At times, it feels like it’s veering too much into Cold War territory, but the generally entertaining espionage theme covers all the cracks. Kensi and Deeks also suffer a couple of setbacks, making it look like their mission will be a fail, but it all ends well.
“Descent” (Season 4) – 8.3
A nuclear bomb goes off in a Mexico desert, and the team investigates who was behind it. This takes them all the way to Iran.
The episode feels refreshing because all the usual partnerships get reshuffled. Callen gets to fly to Iran with Kensi, proving they can not only work together but also make brilliant spies. Sam also gets to work with his wife Michelle, but despite having lived together for a while, they struggle with decision-making. The cliffhanger kidnapping of Deeks in the final minutes also adds to the episode’s value.
“Allegiance” (Season 5) – 8.3
A US federal agent from the Department of Treasury is killed while investigating hawala, a money transfer system used in Asia. The team looks into it.
Apart from the action, “Allegiance” places much emphasis on happy reunions, as the team reunites with two of the most intelligent NCIS: LA characters, Granger and Kensi, in Afghanistan for a while. For a change, viewers also get to see the fluid coordination between different agencies, something that rarely happens because of bureaucratic obstacles.
“Praesidium” (Season 6) – 8.4
Hetty’s home is attacked, and her bodyguard dies as a result. She also learns that she was flushed out of Los Angeles to protect her from an agency leak and the attempt on her life.
It’s always great when old foes resurface, especially if they were formidable. A great part of the episode’s appeal comes from the reemergence of Matthias, who caused plenty of havoc in season 2. He is the culprit behind the attack on Hetty’s home and his brief arc is entertaining enough to make any viewer want to rewatch his past episodes.
“Blame It On Rio” (Season 7) – 8.8
Washington-based NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo switches to hunter mode when his prisoner, a money launderer, escapes from a plane that’s transporting him. The Los Angeles OSP offers to help him.
Overall, “Blame It On Rio” is one of the best ever NCIS: Los Angeles episodes because its plot is very cinematic. A money-launderer drugging a plane marshall then switching himself with a double is a sequence of events that’s entertaining enough to gross millions of dollars at the box office. And catching him proves difficult because his powerful clients don’t want him to talk.
“Hot Water” (Season 8) 8.9
A mole destabilizes the NCIS team by planting evidence that makes it seem like Deeks, Sam, Callen, and Granger are working with the enemy. Things get even more complicated for Granger when he gets stabbed while in custody.
‘Hot Water” reemphasizes a common yet often unmentioned fact: trust is only temporary in law enforcement and espionage in this show. The fallout within team members gets so intense that it’s difficult to establish whether there will ever be a truce. But since the bond between the agents is always stronger, everything gets resolved in the end
“Goodbye Vietnam” (Season 9) – 8.5
With Hetty having been kidnapped in the previous episode, the OTP team links up with members of her old unit from the Vietnam War to try and save her. It’s a race against time, leaving viewers crossing their fingers.
Not often do the characters go on off-the-books missions so it’s revitalizing to see them do so here. A couple of events in the episode appear to foreshadow a character’s death so viewers are left with no choice but to hope that this isn’t the end of Hetty. And due to the nature of the mission, the action sequences are choreographed much better.
“Till Death Do Us Part” (Season 10) – 9.1
Kensi and Deeks, one of the best couples in NCIS: LA, finally tie the knot, much to the jubilation of their colleagues. Anatoli Kirkin’s arrival threatens to ruin everything but he gets tamed quickly.
Overall, “Till Death Do Us Part” feels like recess. There is no end-to-end action as is per the show’s norm. The pacing is slow and the characters are relaxed for once. Love is in the air after all. The show has never dived deep into romance but it definitely gives fans of love matters a few spoonfuls of great delicacy.
“Mother” (Season 11) – 8.7
A black-ops soldier who was trained by Hetty shows up in Los Angeles to take out his frustrations on her because he has come to hate the life she introduced him to. Other team members are forced to protect her.
There have been many a few times when members of the team have been needed to look out for one of their own rather than external threats. On such occasions, the tension is always higher and the same is the case here. The episode of also full of clues left by the soldier, making audiences riveted as the team uncovers them.
“Russia, Russia, Russia” (Season 12) – 8.4
Things take a turn for the worst for Callen when he heads over to the National Counterterrorism Center to investigate a Russian asset. While inside, he gets arrested on suspicion of being a double agent. He is left with no other choice but to fight to prove his innocence.
OSP agents have been framed many times on the show but things look much more serious here because Callen lacks enough facts to prove his innocence. For most of “Russia, Russia, Russia,” there is a feeling that Callen has been pushed into a corner that he might never get out of. Interrogation takes center stage, relegating action and excellent dialogue.
