NCIS LA Episode Summary and Analysis : 5x04 Rezhnikon N

NCIS LA 100th Episode - N Rezhnikov - He is Callen's father.

Tracking Callen's Identity and Lineage.
Through the shooting, The Foster Homes, The affliliation to Rustoffs, Callen's Sister, The Comescus, Callen's Mother, Michael Reinhart and now Callen's Father.

Vassily Comescu returns, kidnaps Mike Reinhart thinking he is Callen’s father and tries to take Callen down. But Michael Reinhardt has been protecting Nikita Alexander Rezhnikov's cover from a long time and dies as Callen’s father before Vassily shoots him down. Callen gets to see his KGB Major father Nikita Alexander Rezhnikov in the tapes and pictures he finds at Mike Reinhart’s house. The Comescus have ended - atleast it seems so now with both Anton and Vassily dead, with NCIS team taking them down with just one injury on their side, that of Granger being shot. Arkady Kolchek has been intrumental in finding the link between Callen's father and East German refugee Michael Reinhart. Callen's father had helped MR to flee to safe place even before Callen was born and he had sent those tapes of his children to MR for overseeing his children when they were getting out of Russia before he was taken as prisoner in Siberia. This is the story of Episode 100.

Shane Brennan finished the story that he started in Episode 23, 24 and 25, of someone following Callen and snapping pictures of him while Callen is paying homage to Amy Callen (Hanna Lawson’s) grave. That someone is revealed to be Michael Reinhart, who is once again a friend of Arkady Kolchek. Shane Brennan said he waited for 75 episodes to tell this story. I wonder, what kind of an equation was that, but let me trace out Callen’s story.

Episode 6 - Seaon 1 -Pushback, we have Alina Rustoff and Arkady Kolchek introduced and we get to know of the 37 Foster homes that Callen was put to, with Rustoff’s being his longest stay for a foster home. We have Callen’s foster sister Alina as dead. [to be filled later- the detail about Callen occupying the same house of Rustoffs]

Episode 23, 24 and 25 - Burned, Callen G and Human Traffic, we have Hannah Lawson and that proof in a small diary that someone indeed is keeping track of Callen’s movements. It is revealed that Callen’s sister Amy died as Hannah Lawson while Hannah actually lives assuming Amy’s name and is now presently Amy Taylor. So we have Amy Callen as Callen’s real sister dead in the name of Hannah Lawson. [To be filled later - the detail of how Amy Callen died and the mystery of the diary that has 37 Foster Homes of Callen]

Episode 39 - Tin Soldiers in Season 2, we have a trail set for Hetty to lead us and Callen to Comescu’s in season ending episodes. Episode 47-Imposters, 48-Familia and 49-Lange H, we have Hetty taking us to Romania into Comescu household and Callen remembering his childhood memories besides the Black Sea. Memories are awakened as he remembers himself as child presented with Tin Soldier and his mother shot on the beach. We get to know the Comescu family vendetta against Callen. George Callen, Callen's grandgather shot Comescu Family Head and Comescu Widow avenged it through killing George Callen and his daughter. We do not know why Callen the kid was spared and if Callen's sister was also on the beach. In that episode Hetty is shot, Lauren Hunter is introduced in Episode 48 and by episode 52-, we have Hetty disclosing to Callen that she was his mother's handler.

Hetty met Callen’s mother, Clara; in Lyme Virginia in 1966. Clara was recruited by CIA to go to Romania and Hetty was her handler. George Callen, Clara's father had gone Romania in 1944 to help King Michael overthrow the fascists siding with Hitler. He hunted down war-criminals including the Comescus. He met and married a Roma Girl in1947 and Clara was their only Child. After George Callen was killed by Comescus, his wife fled to the Unites States with her daughter. Clara as CIA operative was in Romania as Student for one year and then she disappeared. Six years later, she resurfaced with two children, desperate to get out of Romania, had contacted her Handler Hetty. Hetty and Clara were supposed to meet on the beach to get Clara and her children out of Romania. In the last minute, CIA aborted the mission and before Hetty could reach out to Clara, Clara was shot dead by the Comescus and there was no whereabouts known about the children.

Mystery unsolved at that point was that, Hetty did not know why the children were spared at that time and why were they being pursued by Comescus later. Mystery was also who brought Callen and Amy to America? What is solved at that point was, who was putting Callen into different foster homes. It was Hetty. Hetty did not know anything about Amy or Comescu vendetta then and had picked up knowledge over years. And mystery unsolved at that point was also, who was keeping track of those foster homes that Callen stayed in.

In Episode 100 and we get to know about that man who maintained a journal about Callen's movements. And we also get to know why he was being tracked. It was a service done to pay back the favor Michael Reinhart received at the hands of Callen’s father for saving him and his family. What is unresolved is whether Nikita Alexander Rezhnikov is dead or alive because last of him was heard as him being sent to labor camp in Siberia in 1974, the year when Callen came to Romania with his mother. This is the information provided by Arkady Kolchek to Callen.

Question is why the father episode done in same sequential order or 24-25, 49-50 and 74-75 ? Why wait for another 25 episodes and do it over 100th episode. Aah! we have 60, 69-69-70 introducing Jean Vier as the Chameleon, as Callen’s nemesis who is still alive to take Callen down, if not the Comescu Family.

So what are the unresolved items around Callen at this time? Four items

1) Is his father Alive? 2) What does G stand for? 3) Who brought him and his sister to the US. 4) Will the chameleon get to kill Callen?

NCIS LA 100th Episode - N Rezhnikov - The Hype

Personally I did not like Episode 100. It was constructed with the aim of just a single episode play with only Callen running the show. No, I do not have any problem with that as the story was interesting. But what was damaging about the screenplay was that it did not need any involvement from the rest of the team. They looked mere show pieces with nothing impressive about them. Hetty, Nell and Eric creating mystery about nothing by not showing the footage videos, wasting minutes in trying to build up something big which was not the case, Granger getting shot for nothing, Sam upside down and opening eyes in miraculous timing looked unconvincing and finally what happened to Kensi’s driving skills, why would that truck obstruct them just there, when in every other case, they get clear roads and reach the scene in record time ?!!! Beyond my understanding !!! It would have been better with showing respectful insignificance for rest of team without creating the unconvincing dullness for the rest of the team. The team did rescue Callen, but it was too miraculous than becoming an operation worthy of NCIS caliber.

Must say, Chris O Donnell’s act in the last minutes of the episode, impressive. Beyond words !!

There were also Deeks-Callen subtleties of the story-telling in the episode. Isn’t it wonderful, how Hetty is made the spokesperson for the writers to tell the audience and the characters where is story is supposed to go? Without a doubt, at a sublime level Deeks was made as the other protagonist of the 100th episode after Callen. It was the story written for these two.

The story starts with Sam and Kensi supporting their partners at the mountain-climbing competetion. Both Callen and Deeks are just humoring their partners and after winning two rounds each, they quit playing citing exhaustion, more at being goaded to compete for the pleasure of the other. Though Callen and Deeks are not partners to each other, Callen and Deeks actually mirror same sentiments about the sport, their partners and their personal opinions.

Soon we have Granger and Hetty discussing Deeks. Granger, we know how he is protective of Kensi, so is checking; if Deeks is deemed fit to be back. And yes; Hetty has her answer ready that Deeks has bounced back. Of course she did do it all professionally making Nate and Callen assess Deeks in the past two episodes, but it was all along Hetty’s wish to have Deeks bounce back as soon as possible. She like us is so invested in Densi relationship, but she also knows where the problem is and so her heavy words such as “Partnerships can be tricky”. What I took home when Hetty said “partnerships can be tricky”… as in like Kensi may have helped Deeks in bouncing back, but she may also be the reason for Deeks to wilt with her reticence on the relationship they should progress too. After all it was Hetty at the end of Season-2 advising Kensi that when times comes for her to let her adrenaline rush to be deprioritized, she has to, as other things closer to heart are more important. I might be completely wrong, but this is the theory I have at this time.

While that was a bit of breaker for Densi, the rest of the episode, Deeks and Callen keep bonding at subconscious level. When Deeks hears the story of how Callen broke the broom handle on the foster father’s head after taking everyday that abuse, Deeks had a smile. We know, how Deeks the adult now can have an understanding smile for that story with lot of praise for Callen, the kids guts, but deep down, that story was exactly like his as the child, when he shot his abusive father when his father was about to shoot his mother and him. That was not amusing to him at all them and it seems he never liked anything about it and could never smile or let go like he did with Callen’s story.

We then have Deeks seeing the old tape and I was wondering, why Deeks did not ask Callen to see it then and there itself. But of course the writers had to make it a big moment of declaration through their spokesperson Hetty. Something that Deeks watched is given to a person he respects and trusts. That is Hetty the matron figure to both Deeks and Callen. And Hetty, giving the due credit to Deeks having found it, asks Callen to watch the tape. At this point we are not sure if Callen was even registering Deeks name, but throughout the day, Deeks actually learned about Callen more than Callen knows about Deeks. Its like now Deeks, who was always close to Hetty, traversed NCIS seasons to love Kensi as his most precious thing and had protected Sam and his wife in the beginning of this season, is now inching close to Callen and considering him to as an entrant to his personal ambit of family.

Seriously what just happened there! So is this what Shane Brennan was calling as watershed moment for Callen and Deeks?! Suddenly from being an outsider, Deeks now is inching closer to all the other men…like Nate, Sam and Callen. He is bit geeky at times and can get along with Eric and Nell, but I would love to see him getting closer to the other two as well. You know what ! If Deeks this season gets closer to Sam and Callen, the seniors trusting and loving him as much as they do for Kensi as their own, then I won’t mind Kensi being sent away in mid season. I will take it with pinch of salt thinking, let Kensi do some soul and heart-searching and let her find Deeks there. Amen! :))

Episode	5x04 - Rezhnikov N	Rezhnikon N - who is he? He is KGB Major Nikita Alexander Rezhnikov in the tapes and pictures that Callen finds at Mike Reinhart’s house. He is Callen's father.
Writer	Shane Brennan	Story is written only for Callen. Weak screenplay. Story seems focussed on tying loose ends. Hetty is made too much dramatic and weak through unnecessary showing of conflict between her managerial duties and as a person who would want to give personal attention to her loved ones without hurting the mission. She can assume her authority and speak in plain words and show her caring side. Why hide behind the tough manager persona. It is not impressive and appears just boring. Shane Brennan makes her dramatic. He does the same with Nell and Eric. Sam and Granger are rendered useless for the most part and suddenly Sam is the saviour and Granger takes the shot. The only other person, he pays some attention to is Deeks.
Director	Tony Wharmby	Focus is only on Callen. Per Mr.SB's request.
Episode Summary	Flashback-Mode. Someone shoots a man before Callen who says "I am your father."	Vassily Comescu returns, kidnaps Mike Reinhart thinking he is Callen’s father and tries to take Callen down. But Michael Reinhardt has been protecting Nikita Alexander Rezhnikov's cover from a long time and dies as Callen’s father before Vassily shoots him down. Callen gets to see his KGB Major father Nikita Alexander Rezhnikov in the tapes and pictures he finds at Mike Reinhart’s house. The Comescus have ended - atleast it seems so now with both Anton and Vassily dead, with NCIS team taking them down with just one injury on their side, that of Granger being shot. Arkady Kolchek has been intrumental in finding the link between Callen's father and East German refugee Michael Reinhart. Callen's father had helped MR to flee to safe place even before Callen was born and he had sent those tapes of his children to MR for overseeing his children when they were getting out of Russia before he was taken as prisoner in Siberia. This is the story of Episode 100.
NCIS Personnel Highlights and Bull Pen Fun		Its Callen's episode. Kolchek helps Callen unearth the mystery behind Reinhart's link to him and his father. Deeks-Callen subtleties of story-telling. Comparisons cannot be helped...
Ops Manager	Hetty Lange	Totally unimpressive
Bull Pen Partnership -1	Sam Hanna & Granger	Granger gets shot. Just like that. Sam following Hetty's orders. Driving Challenger.
Partnership -2	Marty Deeks and Kensi Blye	Not much, just following Hetty's and Sam's orders. Sorting out evidence.
Ops Room Partnership	Eric Beale- Tech Operator Nell Jones - Intelligence Analyst	Provide Intel to the team.
Love Story	Kensi Blye & Marty Deeks	None. No sign at all.
PTSD Story	Deeks	None.

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In crew's terms this is known as 504-100. This is the only episode this season 5 that has identical notation for Crew and Broadcasted number.

For the rest of the episodes, the Production Crew has different numbers than what later becomes the air sequence. Season 4 Production Schedule had an extra episode shot as 4x25-97 which was telecasted as Unwritten Rule 5x05-101 in airing reality. This changed the sequence numbers for all the season 5 episodes either in terms of Season Episode number or actual episode number for show's grand total serial number.

Production Planning and Rollout - Prepping - 7 Business days days | Shooting -7 Business days | Post Production - 7 Business days | Promotions - 2 weeks before Air date

Story writing/Script :
Prepping - 16th August to 23rd August

Concept Meeting
Departmental Meetings
Location/Tech Scouting
Table Read : Happens a day before the shooting starts (end of Prepping).

Shoot Schedule : 26th August to 3rd September
Post Production : 4th September to 30th August
Press Release : Photos - 9th October 2013 | Storyline - 3rd October 2013
http://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/releases/view?id=36860
http://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/photos/?episode=2618
Promotions: CBS after Post Production
CBS2 Air Date : 15th October 2013
CBS2 Rating : http://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/releases/view?id=36915
NCIS: Los Angeles won Time Period in Viewers
NCIS: LOS ANGELES was first in viewers (14.68m) and second in adults 25-54 (3.5/08) and adults 18-49 (2.6/07).

CBS News
Editor's Note: Television viewing on platforms such as DVR, video-on-demand and online streaming continues to grow at a fast pace. Last season during premiere week, Live+7 CBS audiences grew 20% over Live+SD in total viewers, up from 17% in 2012. In A18-49, Live+7 levels grew 29% from Live+SD, up from 23% one year ago. Additionally, many CBS shows experienced as much as a 50% increase in total viewers once full 30-day multi-platform audiences were accounted for. In an effort to quantify how much non-linear viewing adds to Live+SD audiences, CBS Research will provide estimates for series which will include DVR playback as well as multi-platform viewership.

Credits
Writer : Shane Brennan
Director : Tony Wharmby
1st Assistant Director : Suzanne Saltz
2nd Asst Director: Stacy Schrader

Co Producer: Christopher J Molnar, Chad W Murray, Jordana Lewis Jaffe
Producer : Joseph C Wilson, Eric Whitmyre, Kyle Harimoto, David Bellisario, Rick Tunell
Consulting Producer : Joe Sachs, Gil Grant
Supervising Producer : Dave Kalstein
Co-Executive Producer : Frank Military
Executive Producer : John Peter Kousakis, R Scott Jemmill
Assistants to Executive Producer : Chad Mazero , Samantha Chasse and Sarah K Mosse

Production Designer: Thomas Fichter
Director of Photography : Victor Hammer
Editing : Robert Florio ACE
Music : Jay Ferguson

Unit Production Manager : Rick Tunell
Casting : Suzanne Bluestein. CSA|Jason Kennedy CSA
Casting Associates : Meredith Forney and Krysty Baxter
Costume Designer: Darry Levine
Art Director : Anthony Parrillo
Set Decorator : Michele Poulik
Property Master : Steven B Melton
Make-up Artist : Chris Burgoyne
Hair Stylist : Brooks Stenstrom

Production Coordinator : Laura P Napoli
Assistant Prod Coordinator : Adam Rex
Production Accountant : Mathew Klipper
1st Production Accountant : Dana Micahaelsen
Art Department Coordinator :
Location Manager : Tony Salome
Stunt Coordinator : Troy Brown
Special Effects Supervisor : Don Frazee
Production Sounds Mixer : David M Schneider
Construction Coordinator: Mike Brooks
Construction Assistant : Krista Schoenbaum
Transportation Coordinator : Dave Bassett
Script Supervisor : Diana Valentine
Script Coordinator : Jimmy Donchey
A Camera Operator : Russell McEllhatton
B Camera Operator : Terence Nightingall
Gaffer : David B Jarell
Key Grip : Jeryll L Marshall

Assistant Editor : Eric J Lucas
Post Production Supervisor : Dillom Gemmill
Sound Supervisor: Wilson Dyer MPSE
Post Production : Digital Film Tree
Post Production Sound : Larsen Studios
Re recording Mixer : Chris Haire CAS, Alexey Mohr
Online editor : jacob Tillman
VFX Supervisor : Dylan Chudzynski
Colorists : Patrick Woodard
Music Supervisor : Mark Wiki
ADR Supervisor : Jay Keiser
Sound Effects Editor : Kevin Fischer
Theme by : James S Levine
Technical Advisor : Osama Shofani USMC (ret)
Multi Media Coordination : Justin Maradiegue
Specialized Imagery, Software and Promotional Consideration : Furnished by Lockheed and Pictometry International Corporation

=============================================================================================

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5x04 Rezhnikon N

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