Its the season of Densi. Its a love story. That's what Shane Brennan described about Season 5. For a crime procedural drama, a love story arc is quite challenging where the love story has to be told through action and developed while going case to case. The limitation is the format itself where the characters hardly get the minutes they could use to talk something personal, where the writers cannot take the liberty to deviate from the format. And yet here we are, the viewers taken in by Densi Arc. We are all sold out to what the writers have planned for Densi and where they are taking us to. Sometimes I wonder, how did this happen in a Crime Action Drama. And then in bits and pieces, it comes together. Its the dialogue-writing that is compressed to absorb the depth of the emotion in just a line or two. Its the expression of the actors that is added to enhance the emotion within the compressed dialogue. Its the non-verbatim gestures written for the characters and enacted by the actors. Its the story and script editing through series of episodes that adds the arc to provide a meaning behind those looks and dialogues and to keep the continuity and finally it is the characters who they are and what they create for themselves.
The question then is why the writers are so vested in this love story. Was it always the part of the original story ? Who is Deeks by the way and why was he introduced so late? The answers lie within the format, the story plan the writers had always for their characters and the actors who made it possible with the dynamic they have. The simple answer is in the "Thing", the dynamic that the two characters create for each other, for the actors, for the viewers and for the writers. Some of the writers, write it for Deeks while others write it for Kensi. Deeks was supposed to be the outsider and introduced in the midst of season One, though Eric Christian Olsen made his way into the show so late that he became a series regular only in season Two. But the moment he donned the mantle of Deeks in 1x19, he was a hit. And the writers who established him, Matt Pyken, Speed Weed and Shane Brennan carried it off effectively. Cannot forget mentioning the story editing by Dave Kalstein. In progression, other writers soon flagged off the Densi story. Season Two by far is the most in-depth presentation of Deeks and naturally we get to know Kensi in a better way with the dynamic she has with Deeks. Kensi played by Daniela Ruah, gets a deserving extension to her character where earlier her brilliant skills seemed wasted during most part of Season One which now surface along with Ruah's dramatic prowess. Kensi becomes a fuller character making it possible for the writers to start off with her story that was waiting at the docks to set sail. The couple famously called as Keeks by the Crew and Densi by the Viewers, hit off with each other right the moment they set eyes on each other. Like Callen all amused, aptly teases Kensi ...Stuck, Smitten, Whatever!
How is something that is "Stuck, Smitten, Whatever" get developed into a "Thing" ? Episode 3x10-The Debt has Deeks for the first time trying to sum up the dynamic with Kensi as "We are what we are. I will call you... to figure it out. We always do." We immediately feel like Kensi, the way she says, "I'd hoped, you would say more". Because, we are really stuck as to what is it? and when are you going to figure it out ? And by the end of the episode, Deeks mentions to Kensi, what they have is "Our Thing". He seems hesitant to talk about it further in the car as Kensi is in angry mood for him having hid the mission objective from her; and because they are in the middle of the case. The talking would have to wait until the case ends. He asks her to meet him for drinks and he would explain “Our Thing”. Nope! Kensi does not give him that chance. But to think of it; Deeks voiced it two seasons earlier as Our Thing. He has been mighty patient since that time. And it is exactly two seasons later that Kensi used the same words in Episode 5x10 Frozen lake. She says, "We will figure it out. All we have to do is talk about it." Upon Deek's prompting she clarifies "It" as "Our Thing". Those are exactly the same words, right out of Episode Debt. So do you see the Arc, the word-play, the dialogues and the character dynamic? All just for few minutes but it is a bone that we can chew on forever. A fictional presentation with lot of scope left for imagination.
The question then is why the writers are so vested in this love story. Was it always the part of the original story ? Who is Deeks by the way and why was he introduced so late? The answers lie within the format, the story plan the writers had always for their characters and the actors who made it possible with the dynamic they have. The simple answer is in the "Thing", the dynamic that the two characters create for each other, for the actors, for the viewers and for the writers. Some of the writers, write it for Deeks while others write it for Kensi. Deeks was supposed to be the outsider and introduced in the midst of season One, though Eric Christian Olsen made his way into the show so late that he became a series regular only in season Two. But the moment he donned the mantle of Deeks in 1x19, he was a hit. And the writers who established him, Matt Pyken, Speed Weed and Shane Brennan carried it off effectively. Cannot forget mentioning the story editing by Dave Kalstein. In progression, other writers soon flagged off the Densi story. Season Two by far is the most in-depth presentation of Deeks and naturally we get to know Kensi in a better way with the dynamic she has with Deeks. Kensi played by Daniela Ruah, gets a deserving extension to her character where earlier her brilliant skills seemed wasted during most part of Season One which now surface along with Ruah's dramatic prowess. Kensi becomes a fuller character making it possible for the writers to start off with her story that was waiting at the docks to set sail. The couple famously called as Keeks by the Crew and Densi by the Viewers, hit off with each other right the moment they set eyes on each other. Like Callen all amused, aptly teases Kensi ...Stuck, Smitten, Whatever!
How is something that is "Stuck, Smitten, Whatever" get developed into a "Thing" ? Episode 3x10-The Debt has Deeks for the first time trying to sum up the dynamic with Kensi as "We are what we are. I will call you... to figure it out. We always do." We immediately feel like Kensi, the way she says, "I'd hoped, you would say more". Because, we are really stuck as to what is it? and when are you going to figure it out ? And by the end of the episode, Deeks mentions to Kensi, what they have is "Our Thing". He seems hesitant to talk about it further in the car as Kensi is in angry mood for him having hid the mission objective from her; and because they are in the middle of the case. The talking would have to wait until the case ends. He asks her to meet him for drinks and he would explain “Our Thing”. Nope! Kensi does not give him that chance. But to think of it; Deeks voiced it two seasons earlier as Our Thing. He has been mighty patient since that time. And it is exactly two seasons later that Kensi used the same words in Episode 5x10 Frozen lake. She says, "We will figure it out. All we have to do is talk about it." Upon Deek's prompting she clarifies "It" as "Our Thing". Those are exactly the same words, right out of Episode Debt. So do you see the Arc, the word-play, the dialogues and the character dynamic? All just for few minutes but it is a bone that we can chew on forever. A fictional presentation with lot of scope left for imagination.
What was the journey like from 3x10-The Debt until 5x10-The Frozen Lake ? How was Deeks able to inch in closer to Kensi so that in the end, Kensi without even feeling the consistent push from Deeks, actually manages to know it by herself about what she feels for him, gets the message and makes it her wish that Deeks actually "say it" about what he means all the time? Most times it just seems beating around the bush between these two. Kensi and others might see Deeks rambling and not saying the right thing, however; in my opinion, his emotions run through a range like on a scanner, his assessment is quick and he changes words as he talks to keep up with the spontaneity of the situation and his reactive feelings when he is with Kensi. Deeks has always been forthright in expressing himself in the confines that Kensi pins him down to. He is definitely the "Open Book" that he proclaims about himself. I particularly like it how Deeks inspite of the brushing off and discouraging comments that Kensi keeps throwing around, he almost always, turns them into an opportunity to banter, with something of optimism strewn in. He is right when he says in the 3x10-The Debt, "I was trying to protect..Us...our thing". If she says, you freak me out, he would accept it and continue to remain so; as he can see that she is interested in his freaky habits. That's his way of protecting what they have. Most would try not being a freak as coming out in the verbal communication, but Deeks would just focus himself on the interest, the non verbal message he perceives in the "thing" they have for each other. That doesn't need to be "said", and since it is felt; it needs to be "worked" on to keep up the same "I have an effect on you" dynamic. And that exactly is what is touched upon again in The Frozen Lake. 5x10 has Deeks saying that "I am trying to work this out". Its like always, his optimistic work against Kensi's pessimistic state of feelings for him. His working against her fears of not working. This is the journey they made in the last two seasons. Same thing felt by one and same thing accepted by the other but taking time to reach that point of acknowledgment. The banter and flirting has been great though through their Push and Pull dynamics. I would say, they managed to have romance with each other, infused themselves with passion about how they feel about the other; through out the dynamic banter they maintained with each other. The magic is in the dialogue writing but more than that it is the art of story writing, that makes them steadily maintain their banter without missing the emotion, even the slightest change.
In summary, Densi graph needed Kensi's passion to embrace Deeks love for her, it needed the "fuelling" of the sparks for Kensi and "kindling" of the fire for Deeks and that is where the 5x10 Frozen Lake materializes for them. Kensi wants to grab the "What One Wants Most" swiftly from the Frozen Lake's center and she thinks it might destroy her with heart taking all control and her losing all the discipline she needs to keep her emotions in check. That is Kensi's pessimistic estimate of the Thing they have for each other. On the contrary Deeks learns that he has to do what he has been doing always, wait patiently and keep working at their "Thing", the optimistic one who was always sure that he has "A Thing" for Kensi like his friend said once in 2x22 Plan B, but has to play it down and say "No Thing" because his girl still seems far off to see the "Thing" in the right sense. To me it has been so interesting to see that Kensi's "gunpowder" like passionate feelings for Deeks keep kindling the "Sunshine" like lovely warmth for himself around when he is with Kensi. And likewise, Deeks "Sunshine" like warmth of constant attention and care for her is what Kensi starts to bask in glory until someone and especially if Deeks tries to cloud it making her explosively dangerous to handle with her "Gunpowder" reactions to it. And not to forget, who can handle Kensi, the volcano that she is at all times in practical sight; bottling up her emotions ! Only Deeks. We have seen all along how Deeks keeps breaking Kensi's walls with his "I know" and making her "smile" even in her deeply serious personal moments.
Deeks description of Kensi is classic Deeks example of how well he knows her, what she is to him, what keeps him attracted to her and why he loves her. His words in 4x17 - Wanted were "You smell like Sunshine". "Sunshine and Gunpowder ...Two of my favourite things." It is something that started for him in 2x09 as flirtatiously and skin deep as it can be when he called her as "Sunshine" for using her as his wingman to get girls but soon developed into his feelings for the "Girls with Guns'' summed up in commentary fashion in (3x08) with a comprehensive understanding about his Work Partner. His partner is just a female coincidentally but cannot be called a female in the sense of a female partner (3x10 and 5x11). She is the exceptionally bright daughter of a slain US Marine, trained by him since she was young like he would have trained his son and now she is a smart Agent for NCIS with Sniper skills, not afraid to go surgical with blades or kick men in their groin. She has skills even men like him can only wonder about and still fall short of her after completing the training. Deeks wonders aloud asking her whether he has to call her "Kickass Kensi" or "Badass Blye". And at all time she is a Ninja Assassin to him. On the job, he is more sympathetic to the other guy who might take the brunt of his partner's force. Hear this, while guns are drawn, teams pointing to each other, Deeks is warning the other guy, trying to protect him from Kensi, "Oh Buddy! That badge better be real, or my partner's gonna kick you in the FBI balls". What can be more funny, fraternal and at the same time kindness expressed for the other at what might befall him. Even Kensi cannot resist giving out an amused smile at Deeks warning. He is just so right with his spot-on assessment.
On the other hand, Deeks is a self-trained undercover operative with gift of gab, a self-educated law graduate who left being Public Attorney to become an LAPD Detective, called to join NCIS as LAPD Liaison Officer, trying to adjust himself with the Agents around him, their protocols and sometimes his quirky self surfacing about him being the "Freaks, Geeks and Deeks" as Kensi loves to call him. He is a surfer, lover of Musical Dramas, has geeky interests, plays violin, loves happy endings and is not shy about dropping personal facts about his childhood or parents or 'not so ideal or easy' growing up in a matter of fact tone. While he enjoys rambling through his gutter-mind or geeky mind inviting like minded souls to connect to him, he has a way with women, children and more significantly his kindness attracts weaker souls looking for help. Freaky it sounds for the kind of job he has on hands. But that's one of the reasons why he would want to be a Cop always. Although sometimes I don't get it between all these writers, how they want to paint Deeks the Outsider to NCIS team - a detective like Shaggy in Scooby Doo, or a joker indulging in gutter talk or a serious and intelligent detective! It is certain that his surname Deeks was coined as fusion of Dirt and Geek and it is certain that he was made to resemble Shaggy probably to commemorate CBS as the first broadcaster of Scooby Doo show. Sometimes its a shocking change for us to see an easy-going "butt of joke" Deeks suddenly transforming to "holding his position" driven officer. And this transformation is consistent for Deeks throughout without any fail. He equally commands interest into knowing his persona though his Agent-peers try brushing him off. Overall he comes across to viewers between all kinds of writing by the writers, that he is principled, driven, intelligent and kind person, used to working alone and now adjusting to working in a team, quite proud and confident of himself being the self-made person that he is and would want to make the world a better place to live. And that he loves his shaggy (styled by pillow as Eric Christian Olsen calls it) hair-style as it allows him to portray the exact opposite persona of what he is truly not, a cover on purpose for Detective Marty Deeks or the be-fitting style for his alter-ego, Max Gentry, a ruthless and unscrupulous alias of Deeks. Which kind of explains why his NCIS boss picked him up for the job and would want him to leave LAPD and join NCIS.
It then is interesting and natural that Kensi constantly challenges herself to best him at work turning him into a competitive partner with no choice, forced to balance the act of being a worthy Partner to her always, in spite of what he feels otherwise for her being an attractive girl, who baffles him for possessing certain skills and amuses him greatly for not knowing certain other talents. It is challenging to himself to keep up with balancing role of a partner and as a man in love with his deadly serious partner, who gets on his nerves sometimes with her terrible sense of humor and sometimes impressing him with her snarky wit; who is fun to be with, is great company and is a cutely adorable girl who could also be surprisingly and alarmingly vulnerable self braving it out to deal with the situation all by herself; and yet not allow the emotional spillage of his feelings for her when they are Partners at work. Its natural that she can explode in anger and hit him like any of his close male buddy with a punch so hard that it can hurt her hand if he broke her trust (5x10). Gunpowder she is ! Can't deny that. And its natural that he takes her reaction without any complaint because he can see how much it hurts her to see him not keeping her trust and all he wants to act on is to take that hurt out from her by redeeming himself. She brings the best out of him. That's who she is. Sunshine to him by being the Gun Powder.
That was the order over a period of time; how both of them have accommodated each other and along the way; harsh reactions to their quirky habits or strong adjectives for their personalities have got eroded over the last three seasons since they have been working together. However, I want to be specifically tracing it out. When did Kensi start feeling something for Deeks which turned into something stronger that she could not let go? It was same 2x22 Plan B, the episode of the "Thing" and introduction of Deeks alter-ego Max Gentry that started it for Kensi and revisited in 3x05 Sacrifice when Kensi experiences the "connection" other women have to Deeks besides herself, albeit in different capacities as the street bad-guy or the sympathetic Cop and how her being affected is noticed by senior team members Sam and Callen. But she cannot resolve the feelings as to how they fit into any situation and it had to be brushed off by Deeks as "No Thing" with that shy grin and optimistic twinkle in eye trying to neutralize the feeling with a damper comment to keep himself grounded and "okay. Partners. Partners..." with the howling cry of pain in reaction to his arm being twisted by her; end of the episode both times, paused until next time whenever it would surface back.
It takes a deeper turn in Episode 3x10-The Debt with them actually addressing "The Thing" they have to explain "what they are" to each other. This is where I started at random rambling about Densi Watershed moments. What is most interesting in The Debt is that, the entire team beginning from Hetty, Callen, Sam, Nell, Eric and Deeks, all plan a mission to get LAPD cut ties with NCIS and forced to take back Deeks, where they are sure of how Kensi's emotions for Deeks would play part in the mission's success. Its sounds horrific plan when seen from Kensi's point of view that everyone knows about her feelings for Deeks except for her and it is tricky plan for us to see how Deeks subtly keeps prompting Kensi to react in a certain way and also trying to stop Kensi exposing herself more than is what is necessary for the mission's success. This is the background about where Deeks tries to explain Kensi about the "Thing" they have. It is interesting to see that in spite of Deeks being not the one to have broken any rule of engagement of work within their partnership, Kensi is deeply affected by what Deeks and Hetty do to her. She forgives Hetty but makes her indebted to her being used for mission's success and discharges Deeks from any obligation to explain to her about his part in the case and yet clearly shows him her anger to the point of not ever going to forgive him. She is slowly able to see nothing accountable in work terms but everything accountable in personal relational terms. Things are changing for her to hold emotional grudge against her partner. Those were great episodes with clear articulation of the unresolved "Thing" from Deeks when later end of season 4, "Terrible" and "Poor" "Communication" skills were what they were accusing each other of when they could not resolve where their "Thing" was leading them to or leaving them at.
In summary, Densi graph needed Kensi's passion to embrace Deeks love for her, it needed the "fuelling" of the sparks for Kensi and "kindling" of the fire for Deeks and that is where the 5x10 Frozen Lake materializes for them. Kensi wants to grab the "What One Wants Most" swiftly from the Frozen Lake's center and she thinks it might destroy her with heart taking all control and her losing all the discipline she needs to keep her emotions in check. That is Kensi's pessimistic estimate of the Thing they have for each other. On the contrary Deeks learns that he has to do what he has been doing always, wait patiently and keep working at their "Thing", the optimistic one who was always sure that he has "A Thing" for Kensi like his friend said once in 2x22 Plan B, but has to play it down and say "No Thing" because his girl still seems far off to see the "Thing" in the right sense. To me it has been so interesting to see that Kensi's "gunpowder" like passionate feelings for Deeks keep kindling the "Sunshine" like lovely warmth for himself around when he is with Kensi. And likewise, Deeks "Sunshine" like warmth of constant attention and care for her is what Kensi starts to bask in glory until someone and especially if Deeks tries to cloud it making her explosively dangerous to handle with her "Gunpowder" reactions to it. And not to forget, who can handle Kensi, the volcano that she is at all times in practical sight; bottling up her emotions ! Only Deeks. We have seen all along how Deeks keeps breaking Kensi's walls with his "I know" and making her "smile" even in her deeply serious personal moments.
Deeks description of Kensi is classic Deeks example of how well he knows her, what she is to him, what keeps him attracted to her and why he loves her. His words in 4x17 - Wanted were "You smell like Sunshine". "Sunshine and Gunpowder ...Two of my favourite things." It is something that started for him in 2x09 as flirtatiously and skin deep as it can be when he called her as "Sunshine" for using her as his wingman to get girls but soon developed into his feelings for the "Girls with Guns'' summed up in commentary fashion in (3x08) with a comprehensive understanding about his Work Partner. His partner is just a female coincidentally but cannot be called a female in the sense of a female partner (3x10 and 5x11). She is the exceptionally bright daughter of a slain US Marine, trained by him since she was young like he would have trained his son and now she is a smart Agent for NCIS with Sniper skills, not afraid to go surgical with blades or kick men in their groin. She has skills even men like him can only wonder about and still fall short of her after completing the training. Deeks wonders aloud asking her whether he has to call her "Kickass Kensi" or "Badass Blye". And at all time she is a Ninja Assassin to him. On the job, he is more sympathetic to the other guy who might take the brunt of his partner's force. Hear this, while guns are drawn, teams pointing to each other, Deeks is warning the other guy, trying to protect him from Kensi, "Oh Buddy! That badge better be real, or my partner's gonna kick you in the FBI balls". What can be more funny, fraternal and at the same time kindness expressed for the other at what might befall him. Even Kensi cannot resist giving out an amused smile at Deeks warning. He is just so right with his spot-on assessment.
On the other hand, Deeks is a self-trained undercover operative with gift of gab, a self-educated law graduate who left being Public Attorney to become an LAPD Detective, called to join NCIS as LAPD Liaison Officer, trying to adjust himself with the Agents around him, their protocols and sometimes his quirky self surfacing about him being the "Freaks, Geeks and Deeks" as Kensi loves to call him. He is a surfer, lover of Musical Dramas, has geeky interests, plays violin, loves happy endings and is not shy about dropping personal facts about his childhood or parents or 'not so ideal or easy' growing up in a matter of fact tone. While he enjoys rambling through his gutter-mind or geeky mind inviting like minded souls to connect to him, he has a way with women, children and more significantly his kindness attracts weaker souls looking for help. Freaky it sounds for the kind of job he has on hands. But that's one of the reasons why he would want to be a Cop always. Although sometimes I don't get it between all these writers, how they want to paint Deeks the Outsider to NCIS team - a detective like Shaggy in Scooby Doo, or a joker indulging in gutter talk or a serious and intelligent detective! It is certain that his surname Deeks was coined as fusion of Dirt and Geek and it is certain that he was made to resemble Shaggy probably to commemorate CBS as the first broadcaster of Scooby Doo show. Sometimes its a shocking change for us to see an easy-going "butt of joke" Deeks suddenly transforming to "holding his position" driven officer. And this transformation is consistent for Deeks throughout without any fail. He equally commands interest into knowing his persona though his Agent-peers try brushing him off. Overall he comes across to viewers between all kinds of writing by the writers, that he is principled, driven, intelligent and kind person, used to working alone and now adjusting to working in a team, quite proud and confident of himself being the self-made person that he is and would want to make the world a better place to live. And that he loves his shaggy (styled by pillow as Eric Christian Olsen calls it) hair-style as it allows him to portray the exact opposite persona of what he is truly not, a cover on purpose for Detective Marty Deeks or the be-fitting style for his alter-ego, Max Gentry, a ruthless and unscrupulous alias of Deeks. Which kind of explains why his NCIS boss picked him up for the job and would want him to leave LAPD and join NCIS.
It then is interesting and natural that Kensi constantly challenges herself to best him at work turning him into a competitive partner with no choice, forced to balance the act of being a worthy Partner to her always, in spite of what he feels otherwise for her being an attractive girl, who baffles him for possessing certain skills and amuses him greatly for not knowing certain other talents. It is challenging to himself to keep up with balancing role of a partner and as a man in love with his deadly serious partner, who gets on his nerves sometimes with her terrible sense of humor and sometimes impressing him with her snarky wit; who is fun to be with, is great company and is a cutely adorable girl who could also be surprisingly and alarmingly vulnerable self braving it out to deal with the situation all by herself; and yet not allow the emotional spillage of his feelings for her when they are Partners at work. Its natural that she can explode in anger and hit him like any of his close male buddy with a punch so hard that it can hurt her hand if he broke her trust (5x10). Gunpowder she is ! Can't deny that. And its natural that he takes her reaction without any complaint because he can see how much it hurts her to see him not keeping her trust and all he wants to act on is to take that hurt out from her by redeeming himself. She brings the best out of him. That's who she is. Sunshine to him by being the Gun Powder.
That was the order over a period of time; how both of them have accommodated each other and along the way; harsh reactions to their quirky habits or strong adjectives for their personalities have got eroded over the last three seasons since they have been working together. However, I want to be specifically tracing it out. When did Kensi start feeling something for Deeks which turned into something stronger that she could not let go? It was same 2x22 Plan B, the episode of the "Thing" and introduction of Deeks alter-ego Max Gentry that started it for Kensi and revisited in 3x05 Sacrifice when Kensi experiences the "connection" other women have to Deeks besides herself, albeit in different capacities as the street bad-guy or the sympathetic Cop and how her being affected is noticed by senior team members Sam and Callen. But she cannot resolve the feelings as to how they fit into any situation and it had to be brushed off by Deeks as "No Thing" with that shy grin and optimistic twinkle in eye trying to neutralize the feeling with a damper comment to keep himself grounded and "okay. Partners. Partners..." with the howling cry of pain in reaction to his arm being twisted by her; end of the episode both times, paused until next time whenever it would surface back.
It takes a deeper turn in Episode 3x10-The Debt with them actually addressing "The Thing" they have to explain "what they are" to each other. This is where I started at random rambling about Densi Watershed moments. What is most interesting in The Debt is that, the entire team beginning from Hetty, Callen, Sam, Nell, Eric and Deeks, all plan a mission to get LAPD cut ties with NCIS and forced to take back Deeks, where they are sure of how Kensi's emotions for Deeks would play part in the mission's success. Its sounds horrific plan when seen from Kensi's point of view that everyone knows about her feelings for Deeks except for her and it is tricky plan for us to see how Deeks subtly keeps prompting Kensi to react in a certain way and also trying to stop Kensi exposing herself more than is what is necessary for the mission's success. This is the background about where Deeks tries to explain Kensi about the "Thing" they have. It is interesting to see that in spite of Deeks being not the one to have broken any rule of engagement of work within their partnership, Kensi is deeply affected by what Deeks and Hetty do to her. She forgives Hetty but makes her indebted to her being used for mission's success and discharges Deeks from any obligation to explain to her about his part in the case and yet clearly shows him her anger to the point of not ever going to forgive him. She is slowly able to see nothing accountable in work terms but everything accountable in personal relational terms. Things are changing for her to hold emotional grudge against her partner. Those were great episodes with clear articulation of the unresolved "Thing" from Deeks when later end of season 4, "Terrible" and "Poor" "Communication" skills were what they were accusing each other of when they could not resolve where their "Thing" was leading them to or leaving them at.
The needed resolution for Kensi comes in after she is able to close the chapter on her father's death. Only after the Blye Part-1 & 2 ( Episodes 3x16 and 3x17), Kensi is extremely comfortable with Deeks. He is her friend, partner and more than that. She keeps enjoying his company as much as she is licensed to enjoy his company as her partner. Being upset with him for neglecting her or grabbing his ass whenever she gets a chance, becomes quite normal for her whereas being obligated to keep manners, Deeks cannot do the same. We definitely enjoy that interaction along with thrown in pig latin and other funny banters. 4x07- Skin Deep was one episode where Kensi clearly comes across with her intentions to be on the like and love list of Deeks as far as her feminine physical assets are concerned. She practically asks Deeks to tell her that he liked the feel of her buttocks when he got to slap them and when Deeks is not ready to tell her, she demands him to tell her that he loved feeling them. May be Kensi does not observe it being so open and closer to Deeks, but to any third person, that demand showed something else than being just an innocent question. The entire Skin Deep interactions in the episode between Deeks and Kensi actually take us to see how wonderfully Kensi is physically comfortable in Deeks company at the bar and outside and how it is definitely "Not Skin-Deep" and that there is something substantial about those interactions. In my opinion, probably, those are the traits that endear Kensi to Deeks. How can a man not love that in the woman he is interested in, watching her earnest face with the innocent overwhelming desire to hear that she is liked by him, so much that it matters as everything to her, which is in spite of the fact that he knows, she is consciously going to deny everything about it as she herself may not know how much more than him, she likes and loves him.
That was another watershed moment for both of them if you ask me. How come Kensi came to open up to that intimate level of Skin Deep? How did the writers build it? By writers, I would mean, R S Gemmill, Gil Grant, Dave Kalstein, Joseph C Wilson, Joe Sachs, C H Coker, Lindsay Sturman, Christina M Kim, Matt Pyken, Speed Weed and Shane Brennan. I would say it dated back to 4x03 episode Fifth Man where Kensi felt bad assuming that Deeks might have gone to Las Vegas with his female Physical Fitness Trainer. Yes, the suspicion was planted by Callen and Sam, nevertheless Kensi becomes quite insecure. Deeks senses that and tries to cheer her up by talking about taking her to Vegas the next time. I believe after that time, it was a tacit understanding between the two, on a sensitive and perceptive level, that it matters what they do and with whom they go out with in their time outside NCIS Missions. It practically closes the options for them to be freely with anyone else. This is aside from the fact that from 3x10, 3x16, 3x17, it was clear they were feeling bad for keeping secrets from each other even if that was not affecting their work. Trust between the partners had grown so deep that it started developing into closer kinship of partners who are friends. By 4x02, it is clear in their conversation that in spite of what the rest of the team feels, Kensi expects Deeks to back her up at all times, like she backs him up and share everything with her work or no work, even if it is deluge or nothing significant to her. Its like that feeling of owning him completely to herself with full trust.
How was the Watershed moment of Skin Deep broken then? What was the Deal Breaker that finally in 4x13 The Chosen One, we have Deeks saying, my girl friend brought me a fish and I had the epiphany of the Doppleganger ! This we would have to trace it to 4x11 -Drive episode right after the Christmas Episode, where Kensi forgot that it was Deeks Birthday. And more importantly, she did not like the fact, that someone from Deeks past had contacted him for help and Kensi did not have control over that part of his life. In that episode, Kensi keeps very distant with Deeks. Its almost like Kensi is driving away from Deeks for throwing up surprises from his closet. By the end of the episode, guilt and ill-feeling sets in her that she could forget his Birthday. She wants to control him and yet she could not see the events unfolding that way, a case of Deeks making and a birthday coming on 8th January instead of 18th Jan as she thought. The expectation within Deeks about Kensi making his day special is also frustrated when Kensi actually plans her evening out with a totally insignificant person whom she met while working on the case and she wants to express her gratitude for saving her in the hostage situation she had earlier. Its quite ironic and interesting that Joe Sachs keeps focussing on intending to show how Kensi's plan of "genuinely expressing gratitude dinner" again unexpectedly turns into a "obliged to enjoy a pretentious date, turning into a ridiculous proposal" at the insignificant person's hands; on an otherwise special evening that she could have been spending with a worthy person; who would have accepted her company in all gratitude and that too without any unsolicited requests in spite of the privilege he has on her affection. The clever focussing on the ironic aspect and not the obvious, the attention on Kensi rather than on Deeks, is what gives us the pain as the Deal breaker moment. Just in a matter of seconds going to a minute or two.
That was one of the most passionate episode to me in terms of feelings expressed by Deeks for Kensi and how she drives away from him with her iciness due to her withdrawal from the situation, the manner in which the day unfolds to her. We feel it and Deeks feels it. This is the first Deal Breaker Moment between the two. Because this is not a rational realization like earlier times, but an emotional realization for everyone involved in Densi. Usually such moments of disappointments serve us like a reality check to us. 4x12 Paper Soldiers for the most part explains the working partners but drifting away emotionally, with drying up plants for Kensi and how out of loop, each of them are turning out. Soon we have Deeks mentioning his dating life, Kensi staying quiet and yet interestingly Deeks still rapt in Kensi in his own world in 4x13-The Chosen episode. In his Doppleganger aquarium, Deeks keeps himself happy that Kensi's fish actually likes his fish. He is The Chosen One. Its like he is trying to live his happiness in a virtual manner, if not in real way, by making it a reality in a Doppleganger. Now that's an Ice-Breaker moment for Kensi. Don't you think ? Kensi catches it from there on and tries to get closer to Deeks. At first she tries to mend her forgetfulness about his birthday by buying a gift for him that she decides against presenting to him. The introduction of The Box as we know the episode as. Its only in retrospect we know that its the Belated Birthday Gift. After having bought it, Kensi keeps building his interest to guage his true feelings about her. This is what Episode 4x14- Kill House was about. Kensi might have been working with Blades in Kill House, but she was also trying to fix her Densi House through the Box. It is interesting to see a simple use of "My Idiot Boyfriend wants to buy a fish" reference by Kensi in her undercover Ops mission in 4x13-The Chosen can slightly bolster Deeks emotional center.
From then on we see each of them trying to bridge the gap between them. 4x17-Wanted is the next watershed moment for Deeks and Kensi. Kensi practically senses her heart's condition about how it reacts when Deeks seems to go dark (losing contact in action). She also comes to terms with her feelings about seeing another Agent getting killed in the line of duty without letting anyone actually know how she might have been affected by it. Though everyone knows that Kensi does not take it kindly when any of her team partners die in action. In Wanted Kensi clearly sees through Snyder's death and what Sam has been through with regards to his wife Michelle's safety, about what she cannot take it...her partner's death. She knows she cannot control loss of a partner in her life. So she fights her own vulnerability and asks Deeks to promise to her that he never gets killed. This is something Deeks cannot promise to Kensi even if she is teary-eyed. And yet he sweetly promises to her that he will take care not to get killed, but if he did get killed in the line of Duty, to freeze him up cryogenically and keep his dead body in her bedroom. It definitely diffuses the gravity of the situation and brings in the necessary smile on Kensi's face, but it also creates an emotional moment for Deeks to finally be able to say it out as a matter of fact that Kensi is his "Sunshine and Gunpowder". No one other than his long lost friends like Ray, probably; has ever given him that meaning to his existence as if his life mattered to someone. He never had that feeling of being "Wanted" from his own father as a child and he had to shoot him down in self-defense when his father was about to shoot him and his mother on a drunken night. He had been practically taking care of himself since that day to the day Hetty picked him up to be Kensi's partner at NCIS. He had created his own purpose for his life, be the cop, take down the bad guys and help others while channeling his own internal aggression. Hetty's offer with NCIS had started to become his home for him with her being his next of kin. But "Wanted" changes things even for Hetty. Its like she found someone else other than herself to take care of Deeks. Its Kensi. May be one day we shall know why Hetty chose an LAPD Cop to become Kensi's Partner and not any regular Federal Agent. More than the partnership, we start to see Hetty is interested in shipping Deeks and Kensi. She is the Boss, Matron and a Shipper too. That's your Densi Graph there. Someone actually drawing it because in all of the watershed, dealbreaker and icebreaker moments we have catalyctic action thrown in to keep Deeks and Kensi together.
Without any ado, by 4x18- Red Part-1 episode, Kensi feels it safe enough to present her Box of "Relationship Commitment" to Deeks. Though in terms of words, Kensi only calls it as a gift of something that he wanted ever. He does not open it as he cannot ruin a prefect moment of happiness with expectation and disappointments and instead keeps it aside to savour it as a memory. Its allows them to banter in fun and teasing about Little Marties and Cute Little Ninja Assassins as their babies in Episode 4x21 - Resurrection and by the end of the episode, they are baby sitting Sam's kids and Deeks practically calls it as playing House. Nothing of it shown on screen as it out of show format, but there is lot of room for imagination with that word-play. That was again a Dave Kalstein episode if you see connection between Kill House, Resurrection and playing House. After these happy moments and the fun-filled happy moment of 4x22- Raven and Swans, where Rachel and everyone actually wonders what's going on between Deeks and Kensi, we wonder what can actually go wrong between the two to topple their apple cart. In retrospect, I have to say that Raven and Swans Episode was the Calm just before the Storm. It had the happy and desirable ending view of Densi dynamic as being listened to through the ear wigs by everyone in the team and Nell practically seeing the funny version of an otherwise real Densi situation in making in the future. It is as surreal as the unopened box. A wild honeymoon make-out they have as part of undercover Op. They looked a sweet couple as Swans for life but cannot forget the fact that they are ravens on the job and turning it into an enjoyable ravenous fight like the jungle cats they are ready to take each other down.
The storm comes in the form of Monica, the Under-The Cover act for Deeks Undercover act. Well it was nothing that the Agents on the job generally do not do. And yet, Kensi reacts explosively when she finds out about Deeks undercover mission with Monica in 4x23- Parley. For her its almost like, there's no going back after she presented her Box to Deeks and he accepted it. So how could Deeks not tell her and how can he sleep with a woman even if was just part of working on an assignment. Its an unreasonable angst she has against Deeks and it becomes a problem for both of them. I sense it as an insecurity stemming out for Kensi because of the non-verbal arrangement she has with Deeks about what they feel for each other. The issue is more about Kensi's inability to talk it through with Deeks but imploding on emotional level that makes it difficult for her to have a right conversation with him and comes across as only goading him to say what she wants to hear when she herself can say the same thing. And then we have those passion-filled and emotionally wrought episodes starting from Parley to Omni. They get caught in the web of being dedicated to the mission, working apart and simmering mad at each other's unresolved emotional fallout. We see the famous fight for "say what you mean" with accusations of "terrible and poor communication" resulting in the famous kiss of 4x23-Descent. Its Deeks answer to Kensi's accusation. "How's that for Communication?" is what he asks her after kissing her. Sometimes I wonder, if anyone can beat Deeks by throwing better lines than him, but what I wonder most is if Deeks even realized that he kissed Kensi and that she sees it, feels it and knows it now. He cannot hide anymore behind his witty banter. Kissing first time should be something of a remembrance for us. But unfortunately, for Deeks, it was just making it all right for Kensi with his Kiss. His trait of kindness for others superseding his every other concern for himself. Probably, he does it, to make her feel better about herself, to take away her insecurity, probably break down the barrier to reach out to each other; to reconnect to her at the most primal level of touch, expressing himself about who he is and how he feels about her, but he was definitely was not planning on kissing her. May be on an objective level, it was not the right communication after all, as it still does not resolve anything between them if they are not prepared to talk further and yet that kiss is the perfect communication in spite of no talk at all on so many other levels. It brings the much needed calm and security for Kensi, even if she is stunned beyond words, overwhelmed to even question the act or understand it. What she definitely gets is that they moved on from what they were fighting about. Its the moment they cannot go back on. A watershed moment.
From then on we see each of them trying to bridge the gap between them. 4x17-Wanted is the next watershed moment for Deeks and Kensi. Kensi practically senses her heart's condition about how it reacts when Deeks seems to go dark (losing contact in action). She also comes to terms with her feelings about seeing another Agent getting killed in the line of duty without letting anyone actually know how she might have been affected by it. Though everyone knows that Kensi does not take it kindly when any of her team partners die in action. In Wanted Kensi clearly sees through Snyder's death and what Sam has been through with regards to his wife Michelle's safety, about what she cannot take it...her partner's death. She knows she cannot control loss of a partner in her life. So she fights her own vulnerability and asks Deeks to promise to her that he never gets killed. This is something Deeks cannot promise to Kensi even if she is teary-eyed. And yet he sweetly promises to her that he will take care not to get killed, but if he did get killed in the line of Duty, to freeze him up cryogenically and keep his dead body in her bedroom. It definitely diffuses the gravity of the situation and brings in the necessary smile on Kensi's face, but it also creates an emotional moment for Deeks to finally be able to say it out as a matter of fact that Kensi is his "Sunshine and Gunpowder". No one other than his long lost friends like Ray, probably; has ever given him that meaning to his existence as if his life mattered to someone. He never had that feeling of being "Wanted" from his own father as a child and he had to shoot him down in self-defense when his father was about to shoot him and his mother on a drunken night. He had been practically taking care of himself since that day to the day Hetty picked him up to be Kensi's partner at NCIS. He had created his own purpose for his life, be the cop, take down the bad guys and help others while channeling his own internal aggression. Hetty's offer with NCIS had started to become his home for him with her being his next of kin. But "Wanted" changes things even for Hetty. Its like she found someone else other than herself to take care of Deeks. Its Kensi. May be one day we shall know why Hetty chose an LAPD Cop to become Kensi's Partner and not any regular Federal Agent. More than the partnership, we start to see Hetty is interested in shipping Deeks and Kensi. She is the Boss, Matron and a Shipper too. That's your Densi Graph there. Someone actually drawing it because in all of the watershed, dealbreaker and icebreaker moments we have catalyctic action thrown in to keep Deeks and Kensi together.
Without any ado, by 4x18- Red Part-1 episode, Kensi feels it safe enough to present her Box of "Relationship Commitment" to Deeks. Though in terms of words, Kensi only calls it as a gift of something that he wanted ever. He does not open it as he cannot ruin a prefect moment of happiness with expectation and disappointments and instead keeps it aside to savour it as a memory. Its allows them to banter in fun and teasing about Little Marties and Cute Little Ninja Assassins as their babies in Episode 4x21 - Resurrection and by the end of the episode, they are baby sitting Sam's kids and Deeks practically calls it as playing House. Nothing of it shown on screen as it out of show format, but there is lot of room for imagination with that word-play. That was again a Dave Kalstein episode if you see connection between Kill House, Resurrection and playing House. After these happy moments and the fun-filled happy moment of 4x22- Raven and Swans, where Rachel and everyone actually wonders what's going on between Deeks and Kensi, we wonder what can actually go wrong between the two to topple their apple cart. In retrospect, I have to say that Raven and Swans Episode was the Calm just before the Storm. It had the happy and desirable ending view of Densi dynamic as being listened to through the ear wigs by everyone in the team and Nell practically seeing the funny version of an otherwise real Densi situation in making in the future. It is as surreal as the unopened box. A wild honeymoon make-out they have as part of undercover Op. They looked a sweet couple as Swans for life but cannot forget the fact that they are ravens on the job and turning it into an enjoyable ravenous fight like the jungle cats they are ready to take each other down.
The storm comes in the form of Monica, the Under-The Cover act for Deeks Undercover act. Well it was nothing that the Agents on the job generally do not do. And yet, Kensi reacts explosively when she finds out about Deeks undercover mission with Monica in 4x23- Parley. For her its almost like, there's no going back after she presented her Box to Deeks and he accepted it. So how could Deeks not tell her and how can he sleep with a woman even if was just part of working on an assignment. Its an unreasonable angst she has against Deeks and it becomes a problem for both of them. I sense it as an insecurity stemming out for Kensi because of the non-verbal arrangement she has with Deeks about what they feel for each other. The issue is more about Kensi's inability to talk it through with Deeks but imploding on emotional level that makes it difficult for her to have a right conversation with him and comes across as only goading him to say what she wants to hear when she herself can say the same thing. And then we have those passion-filled and emotionally wrought episodes starting from Parley to Omni. They get caught in the web of being dedicated to the mission, working apart and simmering mad at each other's unresolved emotional fallout. We see the famous fight for "say what you mean" with accusations of "terrible and poor communication" resulting in the famous kiss of 4x23-Descent. Its Deeks answer to Kensi's accusation. "How's that for Communication?" is what he asks her after kissing her. Sometimes I wonder, if anyone can beat Deeks by throwing better lines than him, but what I wonder most is if Deeks even realized that he kissed Kensi and that she sees it, feels it and knows it now. He cannot hide anymore behind his witty banter. Kissing first time should be something of a remembrance for us. But unfortunately, for Deeks, it was just making it all right for Kensi with his Kiss. His trait of kindness for others superseding his every other concern for himself. Probably, he does it, to make her feel better about herself, to take away her insecurity, probably break down the barrier to reach out to each other; to reconnect to her at the most primal level of touch, expressing himself about who he is and how he feels about her, but he was definitely was not planning on kissing her. May be on an objective level, it was not the right communication after all, as it still does not resolve anything between them if they are not prepared to talk further and yet that kiss is the perfect communication in spite of no talk at all on so many other levels. It brings the much needed calm and security for Kensi, even if she is stunned beyond words, overwhelmed to even question the act or understand it. What she definitely gets is that they moved on from what they were fighting about. Its the moment they cannot go back on. A watershed moment.
Right on heels of that moment, before they can even come to terms of what happened, they have another deal breaker moment. It's Deeks torture. A near death for Deeks that makes him question his own relational existence in his world, let alone what he feels about himself or Kensi. That is what we see in 5x01-Ascencion. He wants to withdraw from everything to come to terms with the torture he underwent, but seeing Kensi’s almost teary face to see him like that, for her to see him that he does not even want to talk to her, Deeks wants to make her feel better. Kensi's concern for him or her pain has always been the driving factor for Deeks. He cannot ignore that for whatever it is worth to either of them. He tells her what place she holds consciously in his psyche. She is the one, when he thought about her, he could survive the torture and the pain.
Pretty soon Deeks relapses into PTSD state and Kensi nothing but worries about him. When she can no longer stand it, she takes it upon herself and visits him to see how he does. That's in 5x02-Impact, one hell of an emotional episode. Because we see for the first time, how Deeks feels about Kensi for a longer part of the episode. Personally for me, it was Episode Drive that presented to me a Deeks much in love with Kensi. I could feel how he yearns for her company. However, seeing the PTSD affected Deeks in Episode Impact was not that different from Deeks in Drive. It just went to explain further why Deeks reacted so in Drive, that we feel the pain in that manner. In both cases it is Deeks who longs for company rather than be lonely and yet he cannot ask her, for that matter anyone; forcibly to belong to him in his life. Deeks reluctantly lets in Kensi to his apartment, into a state where clearly he is not the strongest, but he makes an effort to receive her, be a good host to her and without him knowing at all, sleep takes over him. The insomnia that was getting the better of him is defeated and he is able to sleep within confines of his own home with Kensi chirping some story besides him. That was Deeks subconscious feeling for Kensi. She is his safe retreat. She is his home. If he did say it in 5x01, his not saying it but just falling asleep besides her with unfinished dinner tells us more about how much she makes sense to him. Regardless of his trying to be strong when feeling not so great within and regardless of his saying and not saying for reasons known to both, the words and actions are the same for Kensi to see and feel it for herself. We can call it as a catalyctic moment, something that indicates that these two will remain together no matter whatever breaking moments they would go through. Challenging it is to build these moments in just few minutes end of the episode, but the writers were successful in moving the story from conscious to subconscious level in two separate episodes, written by two different writers. In my opinion, it is impossible to create this kind of magic, if the entire team was not united believing in their ship. Its their belief that makes it work. That skillful scripting and story-editing is what takes the crown.
Pretty soon Deeks relapses into PTSD state and Kensi nothing but worries about him. When she can no longer stand it, she takes it upon herself and visits him to see how he does. That's in 5x02-Impact, one hell of an emotional episode. Because we see for the first time, how Deeks feels about Kensi for a longer part of the episode. Personally for me, it was Episode Drive that presented to me a Deeks much in love with Kensi. I could feel how he yearns for her company. However, seeing the PTSD affected Deeks in Episode Impact was not that different from Deeks in Drive. It just went to explain further why Deeks reacted so in Drive, that we feel the pain in that manner. In both cases it is Deeks who longs for company rather than be lonely and yet he cannot ask her, for that matter anyone; forcibly to belong to him in his life. Deeks reluctantly lets in Kensi to his apartment, into a state where clearly he is not the strongest, but he makes an effort to receive her, be a good host to her and without him knowing at all, sleep takes over him. The insomnia that was getting the better of him is defeated and he is able to sleep within confines of his own home with Kensi chirping some story besides him. That was Deeks subconscious feeling for Kensi. She is his safe retreat. She is his home. If he did say it in 5x01, his not saying it but just falling asleep besides her with unfinished dinner tells us more about how much she makes sense to him. Regardless of his trying to be strong when feeling not so great within and regardless of his saying and not saying for reasons known to both, the words and actions are the same for Kensi to see and feel it for herself. We can call it as a catalyctic moment, something that indicates that these two will remain together no matter whatever breaking moments they would go through. Challenging it is to build these moments in just few minutes end of the episode, but the writers were successful in moving the story from conscious to subconscious level in two separate episodes, written by two different writers. In my opinion, it is impossible to create this kind of magic, if the entire team was not united believing in their ship. Its their belief that makes it work. That skillful scripting and story-editing is what takes the crown.
Then starts the slow journey of Deeks recuperating from his PTSD withdrawal symptoms. The ice-breaking moment is of course him rejoining the team in 5x03-Omni. Kensi mentions to him “how she missed him”. Pretty soon from thereon, Deeks starts on his healing journey. Kensi’s words and actions matter to him. She misses him, then he makes sure that he comes to work regularly. She is worried about him not taking a shot or trying too hard to make him a competitive Agent, then he will prove to her and everyone that he is doing good, ready to take any kind of risky job. If she thinks he is trying to kill himself by riding a motor bicycle, because statistics speak so about a PTSD patient, then he wants to prove her otherwise that he is taking care of his health by doing exercise that is good for his heart. Of course alongside he is taking support from Hetty to find himself back. Without Hetty's support and guidance, Deeks would not have known what he has to do. Those four episodes from Impact to Livelong Day, all have Hetty's push for Deeks to get better. If no one is taking him seriously with his antics, Deeks stops bothering about proving anything to anyone. And that is when he realizes how bored he is trying it too hard. He then lets it go. That is the 5x06-Big Brother Stakeout moment in the car, where without his realizing, he starts teasing Kensi like his old self. He is picqued that she doesn't like a moustache and here he with all that bearded face. He teases her about her dislike for facial hair. But its a small gesture though. The next episode 5x07-Livelong Day has him finding fun by himself reading about planetary movements, studying Astrology. Mercury in retrogade is fun, but more importantly the case closes with Deeks not only enjoying his undercover Ops with Kensi in a very comfortable way, it closes with Deeks getting the Prairie Tac train to play that he had yearned as a child since he was five. To me that was the moment, when it felt to me that Deeks was cured of his PTSD. His childlike innocence, sparkle, imagination and twinkle in his eye takes him away from all cares and just lets him into his native Deeks state, which he was so worried of losing as expressed when talking to his psychologist Nate Getz. Probably that moment on everything starts making sense, as we no longer have any Deeks antics in Bullpen.
That re-establishes Deeks on a good footing with regards to Kensi. He is back to his normal self. 5x08-Fallout leads to 5x09-Recovery and Recovery leads to 5x10-Frozen Lake. Fallout, is full of Densi subtly progressing with their relationship. Deeks is full on flirtation mood and Kensi is totally allowing him to flirt with her and yet trying to control him not to go too far. While Deeks is funny, Kensi is serious, but they are together. Everyone can see it. Whatever they talk, we cannot help raising our brow. So is the reaction from their team. For ex: the garden gnome in her garden that Deeks planted besides her bedroom window. She is angry and he is saying, "We should still take a shower". What was that? and why is it dropping like meteor from the sky! Transition to Recovery, that episode is done in a quite romantic, mellowed manner. As we can feel romance in the air around Densi. Because Deeks acts totally lost to love and doing whatever Kensi does and forgetting what he does usually. Not that it affects his working on the case, but we can easily see that he allows Kensi and Hetty to fully control him and his lines coming all wrong to his own personal embarrassment. By the end of the episode, Deeks who seems to suffer from Kensi addiction, meaning the "can’t have enough of Kensi's company", has a recovery route to take her out to dinner which of course creates nagging feeling of deja vu for Kensi. She doesn’t want to be on ambiguous footing anymore. She would rather be asked for her interest and claimed straight for her affection rather than beating around the bush. Deeks doesn’t disappoint Kensi, the moment he understands what she wants of him. He tells her, "I want to be at my place right now, with you." It seemed a mammoth task to say it out, he said it all feeling the trepidation of rejection, but he said it resolutely without any ramble. And when he said it, its like Rosie Golan’s song, “We got what we wanted”.
It being a procedural drama, the show cannot focus on romantic encounters, but Recovery was one of that feel good romantic episode, where everything is light headed and it gets giddy in head. The romantic night of togetherness progresses into dawn as the Densi ship with Deeks and Kensi in his wheelhouse sail through. Oh! that word "wheelhouse" so reminds me of Hetty. The way she was bolstering Deeks "Oh! you have a wheelhouse". Its all in these wordy clues from these writers. And that is where these two wake up in 5x10 Frozen Lake episode as reality of working as partners together hits them hard like the cracking icy surface of the frozen lake. The complications of the job when two people start to care and how their hold-back may affect the job at which they were so great. Love for each other gets the better of their fears and by the end of the episode. Kensi gives her commitment to Deeks; and Deeks gets a better grip about his love for Kensi. He cannot afford to be lost in her affection but be in control to take care of what they have between them, nurture their thing. In martial arts sense, it is something they would have to walk on ice without breaking the frozen surface and grab it from the center of the frozen lake. Metaphorically, it just means that journey is going to be difficult and there is no circumventing of that difficult journey if they want what they desire. It brings us back to where I started talking about. "Our Thing". Yes, Kensi says, "We are gonna figure this out. All we have to do is talk about it". Deeks makes her promise that she talks about it and as soon as she promises he right away teases her to clarify "this" as "our thing". He gets her to start talking. It was the loveliest moment to see them so happy looking into each other's faces, proud of each other for making it to the place they desired to be in. It was lovely watch with us noticing their quirky habits of showing their happy selves.
The Deconstructing of Densi
Now that these two have agreed, do we see a deal breaker here? Yes….Hetty sends Kensi away on a Classified Mission separating the lovebirds in 5x10-The Frozen Lake. A landsliding moment indeed...like Stevie Nicks Landslide song. "Took this Love and Took it down. Climbed a mountain and I turned around. And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills, till the landslide brought me down." The name of the deal breaker is Jack Simon, Kensi's ex-fiance who had left Kensi and the US to go and settle down in Afghanistan to resolve the changes he feels in him after his stint as the marine for US Army in Afghanistan. The moment Kensi sees Jack Simon in 5x16-FishOutofTheWater, she stands frozen in time where Jack Simon left her making her believe that he might have been dead. But in reality he had become a ghost story for what he originally was and after war had connected with Afghan local tribals, fell in love with Afghani woman, had a daughter. He had moved on. Only when he is hunted by CIA for execution as unwanted asset, Hetty sends off Kensi on the mission to save him. What's endearing though is the words that Deeks says to Kensi as she sobs her emotions out into Deeks arms as she sees Jack going away leaving her behind. "Its okay. I got you. We are going home." That was in 5x19-Spoils of War.
Surprised that people can love so much?!! But yeah! it is possible. We can love so much. Deeks sees Jack and Kensi as together, that makes him feel a little awkward, but he does not have any ill-will against Jack and nor has his love for Kensi decreased in any manner. Because for Deeks, Kensi is only person he cares for on this planet. Without her he becomes a fish out of the water. We should watch 5x16-FishOutofThWater for a yearning Deeks and subtle drowning into various kinds of emotions. He has been counting his days without her. He wants to talk to her. And he starts seeing the repercussions about their jobs, if they come out with their relationship. Will they be allowed to work together? While it is not vocalized then, but we do get a sense of foreboding that Deeks is doing serious thinking about his relationship with her. Having gone through all of that which is at stake, Deeks just seems to have become ready for anything. Even if that means he has to leave NCIS.
Is it worth doing it, even at the risk of losing it all ? Perhaps all this fight is matter of survival like the Fish Out of Water. Kensi is Deeks emotional center. Watching Deeks sitting before his laptop, messaging sentences to Kensi without any response back from her, all alone in Bull pen, when everyone else is relaxing, we get anxious about him. What would happen to Deeks if something happens to Kensi or she is gone? Will he able to survive or fight is what he is left to in order to survive. We just wish that if Deeks gets ready to fight, his humanity is still intact. The means of his fight have to be right and he should not endangering other innocent lives.
And just as we thought, in 5x19-Spoils of War, Deeks actually loses himself to his emotions. He had been interrogating a blind old man, with links to Taliban who might have information on Kensi's whereabouts. For 48 hours, he does a controlled interrogation, but the moment he sees the photo seemingly dead picture of Kensi, his emotional suffering funnels as rage towards the old man who is refusing to divulge anything that might lead him to Kensi. He starts to suffocate the old man by tying his face with a cloth and then pouring cold water over his face. We see a Deeks, we have never seen before. Scary sight indeed. Its only his own self that stops himself from taking into a plunge into a bottomless pit of hell, or in Kensi's words, getting trapped in a Frozen Lake because of our own heart's weaknesses. He redeems himself once again. Previously he showed it to Kensi and everyone that he can still continue working as partner inspite of his care to protect her every step of the way, even if he sees Kensi in danger. Now he proves to himself and us, that he would never let his human values be compromised, just because he cannot protect Kensi and might be losing her. Because, Kensi, would not like him to be lost. Because, if he is alive, he can still hope to rescue her from her drowning into a Frozen Lake. Kensi sees her ex-fiance leave her behind and when she sees her present in Deeks. She is not willing to see him, but looks yearningly into her past. Its for Deeks to swing her back into her present. And Kensi snaps out and melts down into Deeks arms, a cozy comfort after a long winter she spent alone in Afghanistan away from home, Deeks and love.
One would think that there is going to be a pleasant journey here onwards. But much to Densi mispleasure, Densi has another watershed moment. This is in 5x21-Three Hearts. To protect what they have as theirs against the world, Deeks decides to call of their "Thing". He says, "yeah..about our thing, I don't know what to do about it." Why would Deeks do that? Because, people have started commoditising his love story. His own boss, Henrietta Lange uses his and Kensi's relationship for achieving a breakthrough to Paulo Angelo case. Deeks by the end of interrogation is so filled with outrage that he wants to hit the showers. He sees clearly how Hetty first did not trust him with Kensi and how even Kensi cannot trust his emotions. She tries to protect him every step of the way. And this is not what he wants. Love story need not be attained at the expense of mistrust about his professional integrity. Neither he wants Kensi to become a Talia nor he wants to end up being Angelo, whom Hetty cannot figure out if he is on her side or the enemy side. And this has to end. He ends the Thing with Kensi. It was very angsty emotional moment for us. Much more for Deeks. With a face that looks falling apart in bursts of mixed emotions. He returns the knife to Kensi and calls himself Touche to even have fallen for Kensi's "What's in the Box?" trick. Touche. He needs something more than just a casual "Thing" He wants a Love Story. Serious than it being just a Box inside a Box. And as long as Kensi is ready to talk, act, he's game, but no more making it a flippant "Thing" Dynamic. No less than that.
Granger and Hetty watch the couple. Its happening on their watch.
Granger: Beginning of the End.
Hetty: No. End of the Beginning!
The End of Profanity
The End of Indecisivness
The End of Beating around the Bushes
The End of Hide and Seek
The End of How it Began. The "This Thing" "No Thing" "Our Thing"
Its the Beginning of serious commitment - Its a Love Story
Its the Beginning of serious consideration.
And the Journey Just began. They just cleared the muddle of "partner at work" and "partners at home". Gil Grant made them partners again. Densi want to be partners. Its Serious Commitment. Dave Kalstein made the partners shed their outer covers of "partners also in love" to enter deep waters of their "Thing" which is actually a Love Story. RS Gemmill already called it a Love Story for Deeks. His Deeks wants serious commitment and Dave Kalstein's Kensi is getting ready. She just opened one Box of hers. And there's another Box. And its going to be a Touche Ride once again with their one-upping moves on each other.
It all started with the Thing for Densi from 2x22-Plan B.
This Thing ...No Thing...became Our Thing in 3x10-TheDebt
Kensi accepted This Thing as Our Thing in 5x10-FrozenLake.
And Deeks now wants serious commitment. His Love Story cannot be called a Thing.
He Ends the Thing.
End of how it started. End of Beginning.
The Deconstructing of Densi
Now that these two have agreed, do we see a deal breaker here? Yes….Hetty sends Kensi away on a Classified Mission separating the lovebirds in 5x10-The Frozen Lake. A landsliding moment indeed...like Stevie Nicks Landslide song. "Took this Love and Took it down. Climbed a mountain and I turned around. And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills, till the landslide brought me down." The name of the deal breaker is Jack Simon, Kensi's ex-fiance who had left Kensi and the US to go and settle down in Afghanistan to resolve the changes he feels in him after his stint as the marine for US Army in Afghanistan. The moment Kensi sees Jack Simon in 5x16-FishOutofTheWater, she stands frozen in time where Jack Simon left her making her believe that he might have been dead. But in reality he had become a ghost story for what he originally was and after war had connected with Afghan local tribals, fell in love with Afghani woman, had a daughter. He had moved on. Only when he is hunted by CIA for execution as unwanted asset, Hetty sends off Kensi on the mission to save him. What's endearing though is the words that Deeks says to Kensi as she sobs her emotions out into Deeks arms as she sees Jack going away leaving her behind. "Its okay. I got you. We are going home." That was in 5x19-Spoils of War.
Surprised that people can love so much?!! But yeah! it is possible. We can love so much. Deeks sees Jack and Kensi as together, that makes him feel a little awkward, but he does not have any ill-will against Jack and nor has his love for Kensi decreased in any manner. Because for Deeks, Kensi is only person he cares for on this planet. Without her he becomes a fish out of the water. We should watch 5x16-FishOutofThWater for a yearning Deeks and subtle drowning into various kinds of emotions. He has been counting his days without her. He wants to talk to her. And he starts seeing the repercussions about their jobs, if they come out with their relationship. Will they be allowed to work together? While it is not vocalized then, but we do get a sense of foreboding that Deeks is doing serious thinking about his relationship with her. Having gone through all of that which is at stake, Deeks just seems to have become ready for anything. Even if that means he has to leave NCIS.
Is it worth doing it, even at the risk of losing it all ? Perhaps all this fight is matter of survival like the Fish Out of Water. Kensi is Deeks emotional center. Watching Deeks sitting before his laptop, messaging sentences to Kensi without any response back from her, all alone in Bull pen, when everyone else is relaxing, we get anxious about him. What would happen to Deeks if something happens to Kensi or she is gone? Will he able to survive or fight is what he is left to in order to survive. We just wish that if Deeks gets ready to fight, his humanity is still intact. The means of his fight have to be right and he should not endangering other innocent lives.
And just as we thought, in 5x19-Spoils of War, Deeks actually loses himself to his emotions. He had been interrogating a blind old man, with links to Taliban who might have information on Kensi's whereabouts. For 48 hours, he does a controlled interrogation, but the moment he sees the photo seemingly dead picture of Kensi, his emotional suffering funnels as rage towards the old man who is refusing to divulge anything that might lead him to Kensi. He starts to suffocate the old man by tying his face with a cloth and then pouring cold water over his face. We see a Deeks, we have never seen before. Scary sight indeed. Its only his own self that stops himself from taking into a plunge into a bottomless pit of hell, or in Kensi's words, getting trapped in a Frozen Lake because of our own heart's weaknesses. He redeems himself once again. Previously he showed it to Kensi and everyone that he can still continue working as partner inspite of his care to protect her every step of the way, even if he sees Kensi in danger. Now he proves to himself and us, that he would never let his human values be compromised, just because he cannot protect Kensi and might be losing her. Because, Kensi, would not like him to be lost. Because, if he is alive, he can still hope to rescue her from her drowning into a Frozen Lake. Kensi sees her ex-fiance leave her behind and when she sees her present in Deeks. She is not willing to see him, but looks yearningly into her past. Its for Deeks to swing her back into her present. And Kensi snaps out and melts down into Deeks arms, a cozy comfort after a long winter she spent alone in Afghanistan away from home, Deeks and love.
One would think that there is going to be a pleasant journey here onwards. But much to Densi mispleasure, Densi has another watershed moment. This is in 5x21-Three Hearts. To protect what they have as theirs against the world, Deeks decides to call of their "Thing". He says, "yeah..about our thing, I don't know what to do about it." Why would Deeks do that? Because, people have started commoditising his love story. His own boss, Henrietta Lange uses his and Kensi's relationship for achieving a breakthrough to Paulo Angelo case. Deeks by the end of interrogation is so filled with outrage that he wants to hit the showers. He sees clearly how Hetty first did not trust him with Kensi and how even Kensi cannot trust his emotions. She tries to protect him every step of the way. And this is not what he wants. Love story need not be attained at the expense of mistrust about his professional integrity. Neither he wants Kensi to become a Talia nor he wants to end up being Angelo, whom Hetty cannot figure out if he is on her side or the enemy side. And this has to end. He ends the Thing with Kensi. It was very angsty emotional moment for us. Much more for Deeks. With a face that looks falling apart in bursts of mixed emotions. He returns the knife to Kensi and calls himself Touche to even have fallen for Kensi's "What's in the Box?" trick. Touche. He needs something more than just a casual "Thing" He wants a Love Story. Serious than it being just a Box inside a Box. And as long as Kensi is ready to talk, act, he's game, but no more making it a flippant "Thing" Dynamic. No less than that.
Granger and Hetty watch the couple. Its happening on their watch.
Granger: Beginning of the End.
Hetty: No. End of the Beginning!
The End of Profanity
The End of Indecisivness
The End of Beating around the Bushes
The End of Hide and Seek
The End of How it Began. The "This Thing" "No Thing" "Our Thing"
Its the Beginning of serious commitment - Its a Love Story
Its the Beginning of serious consideration.
And the Journey Just began. They just cleared the muddle of "partner at work" and "partners at home". Gil Grant made them partners again. Densi want to be partners. Its Serious Commitment. Dave Kalstein made the partners shed their outer covers of "partners also in love" to enter deep waters of their "Thing" which is actually a Love Story. RS Gemmill already called it a Love Story for Deeks. His Deeks wants serious commitment and Dave Kalstein's Kensi is getting ready. She just opened one Box of hers. And there's another Box. And its going to be a Touche Ride once again with their one-upping moves on each other.
It all started with the Thing for Densi from 2x22-Plan B.
This Thing ...No Thing...became Our Thing in 3x10-TheDebt
Kensi accepted This Thing as Our Thing in 5x10-FrozenLake.
And Deeks now wants serious commitment. His Love Story cannot be called a Thing.
He Ends the Thing.
End of how it started. End of Beginning.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Foot Notes
Episodes - 1x19, 1x20, 2x02, 2x03, 2x04, 2x09, 2x10, 2x11, 2x20, 2x22, 3x05, 3x08, 3x10, 4x03, 4x07, 4x11, 4x13, 4x14, 4x17, 4x18, 4x22, 4x23, 4x24, 5x01, 5x02, 5x07, 5x08, 5x09, 5x10, 5x16, 5x19, 5x21
Writers - Matt Pyken, Speed Weed, Dave Kalstein, R Scott Gemmill, Gil Grant, Frank Military, Christina M Kim, Joseph C Wilson, Joe Sachs, Cheo Hodari Coker
Directors - Paris Barclay, Dennis Smith, Kate Woods, Terrence O’Hara, Tony Wharmby, Steven DePaul, Jonathan Frakes, James Whitmore Jr., John Peter Kousakis, Paul A. Kaufman, Eric A. Pot, Robert Florio, Frank Military, Diane Valentine
Foot Notes
Episodes - 1x19, 1x20, 2x02, 2x03, 2x04, 2x09, 2x10, 2x11, 2x20, 2x22, 3x05, 3x08, 3x10, 4x03, 4x07, 4x11, 4x13, 4x14, 4x17, 4x18, 4x22, 4x23, 4x24, 5x01, 5x02, 5x07, 5x08, 5x09, 5x10, 5x16, 5x19, 5x21
Writers - Matt Pyken, Speed Weed, Dave Kalstein, R Scott Gemmill, Gil Grant, Frank Military, Christina M Kim, Joseph C Wilson, Joe Sachs, Cheo Hodari Coker
Directors - Paris Barclay, Dennis Smith, Kate Woods, Terrence O’Hara, Tony Wharmby, Steven DePaul, Jonathan Frakes, James Whitmore Jr., John Peter Kousakis, Paul A. Kaufman, Eric A. Pot, Robert Florio, Frank Military, Diane Valentine
Commented further over here
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ncislamagazine.com/ncis-los-angeles-iron-curtain-rising-picture-recap-by-sindee303/#comment-17785
My friend Zoya sent me the feedback over WhatsApp. First feedback to receive and I am excited.
ReplyDeleteThe NCIS write up was very nice.. There was perfect coherency with paras starting with a question , so one knows what we just read n what we are going to discover then on.. It gave a better sense of flow to the whole piece of writing..
And I had to reply.
DeleteThat was a wonderful feedback. It makes me own up as to whose style I was inspired from. That kind of exposition and discovery through question was used by J M Coetzee for his lecture "What is a Classic?" I was deeply taken by his approach because through that non-obstrusive approach, he still was making a connection with his listeners by having them just listen to what he felt.