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NCIS: Los Angeles Season 13 Rewatch: “MWD”

The basics: When a retired Military Working Dog disappears, the team works to return the dog to his owner.

Written by: R. Scott Gemmill wrote/cowrote “The Only Easy Day”, “Brimstone”, “Breach”, “LD50”, “Found”, “Borderline”, “Absolution”, “Archangel”, “Tin Soldiers”, “Impostors”, “Cyberthreat”, “Honor”, “The Watchers” and both sides of the NCIS Los: Angeles/Hawaii Five-0 “Touch of Death” episodes, “Recruit”, “Free Ride”, “Wanted”, “Ravens and The Swans”, “Impact”, “War Cries”, both ends of the “Deep Trouble” season five finale/season six premiere, “Inelegant Heart”, “Praesidium”, “Traitor”, “Active Measures” (season seven premiere), “Blame It On Rio”, “Internal Affairs”, “Matryoshka” part one, "Talion" (season seven finale), “High Value Target”/“Belly of the Beast” (season eight premieres), “The Queen’s Gambit”, “Under Siege”, “Unleashed” (season eight finale), “Party Crashers” (season nine’s premiere), “This Is What We Do” (episode 200), “Các Tù Nhân”, “Goodbye Vietnam”, “Ninguna Salida” (the season nine finale), “Hit List”, “Asesinos”, “Till Death Do Us Part”, “Choke Point”, “The Guardian”, “Hail Mary”, “Kill Beale Vol. 1”, “Alsiyadun”, “Fortune Favors the Brave”, “The Bear” (season 12 premiere), “Angry Karen”, “Love Kills”, “Russia, Russia, Russia”, “The Noble Maidens”, “A Tale of Two Igors” (season 12 finale), "Subject 17" (season 13 premiere) and "All The Little Things".

Directed by: Suzanne Saltz directed "Outside the Lines", "Murder of Crows" and "Sundown".

Guest stars of note: Peter Cambor is back from “All the Little Things” as Nate Getz. Kavi R. Ladnier returns from “Pandora’s Box” as Shyla Dahr. Matt Lasky was Joseph Jones but he played the bartender in the steampunk bar in “Random on Purpose” in season one. Stephanie Lemelin as Mary Smith, Brent Bailey as Dennis Adams, Cap Peterson as Brian “Buster” Miller, Travis Johns as Nick Reed and Richard Gant as Raymond Hanna (voice only).

Our heroes: Reunite a retired Gunnery Sergeant and her Master Sergeant dog.

What important things did we learn about:

Callen: Speaking to Nate about his Hetty issues and not in a patient-psychologist way. Sam: Searching for his father. Kensi: Crashing the Audi for a good reason. Deeks: In court today. Fatima: Steering clear of the cyber tower when Shyla is around. Rountree: Leaving the incident with the police to the legal people and moving on. Until he isn’t Kilbride: Knows about the Drona project but not in a way that can help Callen.

What not so important things did we learn about:

Callen: Willing to do some deep dives into his memories. Sam: Selling the Michelle. Kensi: Married her furry partner. Deeks: Did show Rountree “Hair” – even sang the songs. Fatima: Beginning to sound like the Admiral and isn’t concerned about it. Rountree: Didn’t have a TV much as a kid. Kilbride: Doesn’t like hanging on.

Where in the world is Henrietta Lange? Telling Nate only what she needs him to know while in Syria.

Who's down with OTP: Hopefully absence is making the heart go fonder as Kensi works with Sam and Deeks is in court. Deeks did earn a mention as Kensi’s furry partner.

Who's down with BrOTP: Mary and Boomer were quite the team.

Fashion review: Callen is wearing a blue-green button down shirt. Black long-sleeve tee for Sam. Kensi is wearing a blue and white sweater. Deeks is in court. Fatima has on a white henley over a maroon turtleneck. Rountree is wearing a beige sweater. As usual, a dark blue three-piece suit for Kilbride with a light blue dress shirt and a red plaid tie.

Music: “Oceans” by Svvarms was playing in the teaser.

Any notable cut scene: No.

Quote: Kilbride: “The, request that you filed under the Freedom of Information Act has been denied.” Callen: “Huh. How did this come across your desk? This was a private and personal inquiry. Why was it denied?” Kilbride: “Use your imagination.” Callen: “'Cause of you?” Kilbride: “No. This is above my pay grade. "Exemption 1, the requested "information is classified to protect national security." “ Callen: “They're gonna hide behind national security?” Kilbride: “They're funny that way. I know that this is a big disappointment for you and that you would very much like to speak with Henrietta about her involvement in the Drona program.” Callen: “So, you do know about it.” Kilbride: “I know of it... but not to the extent to help you find the answers I believe you're looking for.”

Anything else: In a nice residential neighborhood, a woman parks her SUV in her driveway. She has some takeout for dinner. Walking into her home, the lights are not working. She starts calling for “Boomer” but finds the living room a mess – glass from a broken window, tipped over desk chair. Pulling out a gun, she walks through the home like a law enforcement officer would. A dog toy startles her. Looking in the dining room, her back door is opened. Calling 9-1-1, the woman calls in the break in and says there has been a kidnapping.

Working in the firing range, Rountree has fired a lot of rounds. Dozens and dozens of casings litter the floor. Fatima arrives and starts talking to Rountree. She gets mostly one-syllable, one word answers and mentions that to Rountree. Rountree thinks that sounds like something the Admiral would say. Fatima agrees. Rountree asks if they have a case. With Shyla working with them, Fatima is “steering clear of the cyber tower” (like that) so she doesn’t know.

Fatima asks Rountree if he wants to talk. As someone who suffered a real trauma, she knows what it is like but Rountree is having none of it. He’s put what happened behind him. “I’m good.” He tells her the incident is someone else’s “legal problem.” Fatima thinks that’s fine but wonders why the firing range looks like “Assault on Precinct 13”. Rountree is unfamiliar with the film. Fatima asks if Rountree even had a television as a kid. “Most of the time, no.” Fatima wants to add it to the list of movies he should see. Rountree is out on that plan. Deeks made him watch “Hair” and sang every song. “That was more traumatizing than ‘Get Out’.” Fatima thinks Rountree will suffer a more traumatizing event if Kilbride sees the mess he made in the firing range. Rountree goes to find a broom.

A jilted Callen walks into the bullpen. Sam stood him up but is sitting in the office. Callen is annoyed he was stood up because Sam arrived to the office early to get the Admiral’s parking spot. Sam reminds Callen it is nobody’s parking spot but Callen thinks the Admiral does not share that opinion. Sam has already apologized. Callen feels Sam hates his driving. “With every fiber of my being.”

Callen thinks Sam did not go home that night. Seems Sam keeping company with an Endocrinologist. He’s also seeing a stunt woman and a bartender. He’s not hooking up with any of them, calling Callen a “frat boy”. Callen and Sam banter before Sam admits he’s selling the boat ($583,000). Sam’s dad can’t live on his own anymore so Sam is buying a house so they can live together. Sam has not told his father this so Callen thinks Sam’s doing thing backwards. Callen asks about Sam’s father, who has “had better days.” The senior Hanna won’t go in for any testing to see what’s wrong. Sam calls him stubborn. Callen thinks like father like son before offering to help. Sam asks if his father could move in with Callen.

Shyla arrives in the bullpen with news that the Admiral would like to see Callen. She notices the boat for sale and likes it. After Sam makes a gentle pitch, Shyla tells him she’s a “city mouse” and is looking for a two-bedroom inland.

Arriving in the Admiral’s office, Callen is told his FOIA request was denied. Callen is surprised that his private and personal inquiry wound up in the Admiral’s hands. Asking why it was denied, Callen is told “use your imagination”. Callen asks if the Admiral put a stop to his request but is told it is above the Admiral’s paygrade. Reading the denial, Callen is annoyed the government is denying it because of National Security. The Admiral knows about the Drona project but not to the extent that would provide Callen the answers he needs.

Turning the NCIS business, the agency’s CYBER unit has been working around the clock on Katya’s deep fakes. There is a now a “security perimeter” around Callen’s digital life so if Katya makes a move, CYBER can shut her down. Finally, the Admiral wants Callen to see Nate later that day. With all that is going on around Callen, the Admiral wants to make sure the team is working at peak performance. Callen says he doesn’t need Nate for that. The Admiral mentions Nate’s work with Hetty in Syria as a profiler. With Deeks in court today, Sam can partner with Kensi and Callen can talk to Nate. “Take as much time as you need.” Callen is grateful.

In Ops, Fatima and Rountree join Shyla. On the big screen is retired USMC Gunnery Sergeant Mary Smith, the woman whose home was broken into in the teaser. Returning from the gym, she found recently retired Marine Master Sergeant Boomer Hayes was kidnapped. Rountree thinks Boomer has to be a nickname, nobody is named Boomer (CBS Sports Boomer Esiason would disagree). Putting up Boomer Hayes’s Marine ID on the big board, Boomer is a dog.

Confused, Fatima isn’t sure why they are looking for missing pet. Shyla explains Boomer is a MWD – a Military Working Dog. Rountree thinks he’s being punked. The arriving Admiral assures Rountree this is no joke. The team will be looking for someone who kidnapped a Marine Corps Master Sergeant. Sam and Kensi are about to talk to Mary Smith. The Admiral wants Fatima and Rountree to check out the crime scene.

In the boatshed, Smith is talking about her relationship with Boomer. The two worked together in the Marines. When they both retired, Smith was allowed to adopt Boomer. The two have worked for the LA Sheriff’s Department for two years with some private sector jobs. Smith thinks the MWDs are brilliant. She also thinks her ex-boyfriend Dennis may be behind this. Dennis was jealous of Boomer – they never bonded. Trying not to worry or let her thoughts get away from her, Smith is still concerned. Kensi asks if he would hurt the dog. Smith knows of divorces where a fight over the family pet ends with the loser having the animal put down. With Smith near tears, Sam promises that if Dennis has the dog, they will get Boomer back.

In Nate’s very Zen office, Callen is waiting because a Nate patient needs a pep talk to get on a plane. Showing off the office, Nate asks what Callen thinks. “It’s a lot nicer than your old broom closet at OSP.” He compares the place to a day spa. Nate likes that comparison. He wants his patients to feel relaxed and safe. Sitting, Nate asks how Callen is doing. Since he’s doing well, very well, Callen is more interested in what Nate knows about Hetty. Nate warns Callen as he well knows, he only knows what Hetty wants him to know. Callen knows that.

Looking around Smith’s home, Rountree is figuring how the dognapers got in. Cutting off the power wouldn’t stop Smith’s security system, which has back-up power. They had to circumvent the alarm. This is not a smash and grab thief. Plus a highly trained “Master Sergeant” wouldn’t be easy to kidnap. Rountree has an issue with calling the dog “Master Sergeant” but Fatima is only calling him by his rank. Boomer would have protected the home unless he knew who was coming in and liked who was coming in.

Rountree posits that some food tossed into the house with a sedative would make Boomer easier to handle. That makes more sense – get in the house using the window near the desk in the living room but getting out with a sedated dog would be tough. It would be easier to slide the 60-75 pound dog out the back door. This would have be to a very strong dognaper or a two person job. And there would also have to be a muzzle. Nobody wants a trained military dog waking up mid-kidnapping. Knowing when Smith arrived home, Fatima is going to backtrack vehicles in the area to see who took Boomer.

While Kensi questions Dennis in interrogation, Sam and Smith watch on the main room plasma TV. Smith admits that Boomer not liking Dennis was proof he was a better judgement of character than she was. Dennis explains that Boomer didn’t like him because he was a Taurus and Boomer was an Aries or maybe because he was sleeping with Smith, or maybe because he’s a dog who can’t walk on two feet. Smith is outraged at what an idiot Dennis is – Boomer is a Sagittarius.

Back in interrogation, Kensi pushes back, maybe Dennis was jealous of Boomer. No. He blames Mary for finding out he had a secret relationship with Boomer and killed him for it. Sam is annoyed Dennis isn’t taking this seriously. Smith tells him Dennis doesn’t take anything seriously. Kensi thinks Dennis used the dog to get back at Smith for dumping him. Dennis denies Smith dumped him. Smith tells Sam she kicked him out and he knows it.

Apologizing for his sarcasm, Dennis points out he is doing all this without a lawyer. If NCIS is going to keep wasting his time and theirs by thinking he took Boomer, he’s lawyering up. Kensi asks where is the dog. Since he’s not “Ace Ventura, Pet Detective”, Dennis has no idea. With Boomer is a retired MWD, he’s given all the benefits of being a Marine. Dennis is tired of hearing about Marine Boomer. Besides, if Boomer as was smart as everyone thought, he probably ran away. Smith tells Sam that everyone who met Boomer, loved him. “Except the criminals you’d catch.”

Reviewing the work done by Smith and Boomer, Shyla finds them to be a formidable team. As a team, they’ve taken over $300-million worth of drugs off the streets. The Admirals finds this a good reason to kidnap the dog. Shyla disagrees – it is a good reason to kill the dog. Poison Boomer, try a drive-by shooting. With his training, Boomer could be used to get drugs from other criminals. Shyla points out that so much of any military or law enforcement dog’s success has to do with their relationship with their handler, the Admiral agrees but the dognapers are not “geniuses who will find out the hard way that a Marine is not someone you want to tangle with whether he’s got two legs or four.”

Sam and Kensi question Smith about her work with Boomer for the Sheriff’s Department. By getting a lot of drugs off the street, Smith and Boomer cost a lot of criminals a lot of money. “People have been killed for far less,” according to Sam. Kensi tries to find a sunnier side – maybe he was just grabbed because he’s a beautiful dog and people steal expensive breeds. Smith talks about maybe the dog being held for ransom when Sam gets a call from his dad (with the photo on Sam’s phone being the Marine’s logo).

Taking the call in interrogation, Sam’s father says he got turned around and is lost. Sam asks if his father is driving. He’s not in the car now – he’s walking around. Sam’s dad is lost with all the new construction around him. He doesn’t recognized any of the new buildings. Concerned, Sam asks where is Mrs. Ainsley. Sam’s dad doesn’t know. Tamping down his anger, Sam tells his father that Mrs. Ainsley is supposed to be with him. Sam asks if his father has his keys. After a few minutes, he found them. Sam tells his father to find someplace to sit, he’ll get someone to him. Sam’s dad is going to walk around and look for the car. Sam wants him to stop talking and stop walking. “Find a place to sit and stay put.” Sam’s father is offended by Sam telling him to stop talking and hangs up. Sam tries to call his father but is put to “The Major”’s voicemail. Sam tells Kensi he’s going to Ops to find his father. Kensi is fine handling the case.

Saying he got a cryptic message saying “The game’s afoot”, Nate is explaining his last communications with Hetty. Callen thinks Sherlock Holmes for the quote but it is really “Henry V”. Hetty is going after Al Kalmira but Nate hasn’t heard anything since. Callen shares that Harris Keane was with Hetty and admitted he sent someone to look for Hetty. Nate wants to know who but Callen goes with a general description of a burned spy. He’d like Nate to call if Nate hears from Hetty again.

Switching subject, Nate asks about the deep fakes. Callen doesn’t think they have anything to do with Hetty. Nate doesn’t either but none of this is extra worry helps Callen. Callen hasn’t heard anything for Katya since he got the film from the vault. The deep fakes stopped around the same time. While Callen thinks the film reels they found has something to do with finding her, he thinks they’ll have more luck if she slips up and they can track her down.

Switching subjects again, Nate asks about the Drona project. After a question or two, Nate admits the Admiral told him about it. Callen realizes why he’s really been sent to see Nate. Callen asks what happens if he walks out. Nate thinks the Admiral will march him right back. Callen brings up he has cases and a partner who relies on him. Nate replies that everyone relies on Callen to operate at the best of his abilities.

Reviewing the locals, Fatima is sure two of Smith’s neighbors are having an affair. She jogs at the same time as another neighbor leaves the driveway. She runs around the block, up an alley and into the neighbor’s house. But there were no suspicious vehicles around the house. Shyla is monitoring animal shelters in case the dognapers found Boomer too hard to handle. Kensi arrives. They ask about Sam. Kensi fills them in – they all agree it sounds like Sam’s dad has Alzheimer’s. They think it is tough for Sam.

Going up to Ops, Kensi runs into Shyla, literally. With Sam, she was able to find his dad but she’s racing to see the Admiral because she found a bounty on Boomer on the dark web. $10,000 if he’s dead, $25,000 if he’s taken alive.

The Admiral wants CYBER to start tracing who put up the Boomer bounty post. He also is calling in a personal favor from NSA to get some of their people on it as well. Kensi points out that finding who posted it doesn’t mean they found who took Boomer. The Admiral agrees but it will give them the place where the dognapers would take Boomer.

As Kensi makes her way back to the bullpen, Fatima calls her over. Using doorbell footage, Fatima found a man pushing a shopping cart a block from Smith’s street. They think this is how they got Boomer out of the area. They need footage of Boomer being put into a vehicle.

Recalling what he did as part of the Drona project, Callen talks about flashes of memories, “slivers here and there.” He admits he’s having a hard time figuring what was real and what wasn’t. Nate tells Callen he spoke to some professional contacts about the project but just as with Callen’s FOIA request, “they threw this one in the vault.” Callen asks about Kilbride. Nate assures him that the Admiral is just looking out for the team. Callen wants to know why he’s being sent to Nate and not the others. The Admiral is worried about Callen. Callen asks why and Nate tells the truth: “He doesn’t want you melting down when you realize you’re the guinea pig of your adoptive mother – his words, not mine.” Callen finds it harsh and asks what Nate thinks. Nate thinks Callen deserves the truth of his existence.

In Smith’s neighborhood, Fatima is having no luck finding video footage. Either the neighbors are out or the ones who are home don’t have the doorbell cameras. Rountree arrives with a plate of cookies. An older neighbor insisted and according to Rountree, they are really good. Rountree offers to share but Fatima thinks he should be doing more than eating cookies. He has – cookie grandma turned over all the video from her surveillance system.

Going through the video, Shyla sees “the puppy poacher” load Boomer into the back of the SUV. She tries to get a license plate number but only gets a few letters. She holds a rather extended conversation with God, providing both sides. Shyla thinks she’s got this.

Kensi is joined by Fatima and Rountree in an auto shop/warehouse area. The owner of one of the auto shops may be the one who stole Boomer. If Boomer has cost the drug dealers millions in business, his $25,000 bounty is a bargain. Joseph Jones is the person of interest, who has more mug shots than the Kardashian has selfies. His record is mostly for crimes of profit, not violence. With no back-up except themselves, Kensi, Fatima and Rountree go in.

Walking into Ops, the Admiral is looking for a sit-rep. Shyla provides it. He asks if Shyla wishes she was with them. “Sometimes,” she replies. “Me too,” he agrees.

Kensi is going in alone through the back, Fatima and Rountree are at the frontgate. Making her way through a wall of tires, Kensi gets into the auto shop’s work bay. She asks for Joseph Jones and says “federal agents”. He comes out with an acetylene torch as a weapon. Enough with the federal agents.

As Fatima and Rountree pick the lock to get in through the frontgate, Kensi is struggling with Jones. The Admiral wants to know what is happening but Fatima gives him a “hang on a minute”. Exasperated, the Admiral tells Shyla this is what he has to put up with working with the team. When Jones gets the torch near Kensi, she is able to shut it off. Fatima and Rountree arrive. Fatima takes him down with the torch’s cord. The Admiral asks if he’s hung on long enough. He has. Checking for Boomer, sadly, no dog.

Questioning Jones, who isn’t helping, Kensi and Fatima want to know where Boomer is. Kensi explains he just attacked a federal agent. He’s been part of the kidnapping of a Marine dog and if that dog dies, Jones will be charged with felony murder. With his record, Jones is in a lot of trouble. Rountree is checking out Jones’s house but he says he doesn’t know anything about the dog. He’s unhappy they broke into his shop with guns. Kensi threatens to turn the torch back on. Jones asks Fatima if she heard Kensi’s threat. Fatima tells Kensi to get some fresh air – she has things under control. Jones calls Kensi high-strung as she leaves. Fatima barks “shut up” which Jones thinks is rude.

On the phone with Shyla, Kensi is told there are no big deposits in Jones’s bank account. Kensi tells Shyla it would be an all-cash deal. Checking his cell activity, Shyla can’t really use it. Rountree found some guns, drugs and cash at Jones’s home. While she’s checking the GPS in the vehicles on the lot to see if they can trace where Jones was that day, Kensi wants Rountree to check the cash for fingerprints – the prints may be from the person who put up the bounty. She sends the GPS files to Ops.

In Jones’s house, Rountree found a package for a dog muzzle, an odd purchase for a man who doesn’t own a dog. Rountree has some prints and he hopes they aren’t from a bank teller. The prints belong to a Brian Miller, who is likely muscle for whoever put up the bounty. Miller has a record of animal cruelty – dog fighting. Kensi wants Shyla to cross-reference any drug gangs with ties to dog fighting. Using the GPS locations from Jones’s dognapping SUV, see what gangs are in that area. Kensi wouldn’t mind getting Callen back in the field when Rountree returns to the auto shop.

While Nate is explaining repressed memories, Callen’s phone rings. Nate asks if everything is alright. It isn’t so duty calls. Callen asks if Nate can help him with repressed memories. “I can certainly try.” But “some memories are forgotten for a reason.”

Driving, Fatima asks a texting Rountree if everything is OK. He’s texting his sister. Fatima asks if Jordyn is talking to someone – a counselor. Rountree isn’t sure. Fatima thinks if Jordyn knew Rountree was seeing someone, maybe she’d do the same. Shyla calls. A gang called “The Ghost Soldiers” run by Nick Reed has been taking some major risks and making big money running drugs for the cartels. Smith and Boomer have done serious damage to the gang’s business. The gang is involved in a lot of bad things including dog fights. They paid to have Boomer kidnapped to get him off the streets to they can fight him.

Callen joins Kensi, Fatima and Rountree outside Reed’s house. A REACT team is nearby and Kensi has a plan. Backing the Audi into the vehicle outside of Reed’s house, Kensi causes some major damage. Pretending to be knocked out by putting her head on the horn, Kensi waits for Reed to come out of the house. He does, furious that Kensi wrecked his truck. Callen tells Fatima and Rountree to go into the house.

Kensi is about to call the police, it’s her fault, but Reed doesn’t want her to. As Fatima and Rountree look through the house, Kensi really pushes for calling the police. Reed makes it clear – no police.

Fatima and Rountree come across a meth lab inside the house. Fatima gets one guy in the lab but Rountree has a runner. Reed and Miller want Kensi to get out of the car but she’s playing scared. As they argue, Rountree and his runner come flying out the house’s front window. That gets Reed and Miller’s attention. Guns drawn, Callen and Kensi yell federal agents with Callen adding that now would be the time to make smart decisions. Dropping their guns, Reed and Miller make a smart decision.

The Miller backyard is full of angry, caged or chained dogs. Master Sergeant Boomer Hayes is found alone in back. Fatima asks “Are you ready to go home Marine?”

Kensi is waiting in the boatshed with Boomer. Smith comes running in and the two are happily reunited. Smith knows people think it is strange she’s so tight with Boomer but Kensi thinks it’s great. “In fact, I married my furry partner, though he’s more of a mutt.” She tells Smith it is more of an inside joke.

In the office, Rountree asks Fatima if he could talk to Nate about what happened. Fatima tells him that’s what Nate is for. Callen joins them, complimenting them on their work in the case. Walking to the bullpen, Callen asks Sam about what happened with his dad. The senior Hanna drove to the grocery store, forgot he took the car and started to walk home. He got lost on the way. Callen and Sam are both sad about the story. Callen asks Sam if he think he should get a dog. Sam doesn’t see Callen as a dog person – he never owned a dog. Callen doesn’t see himself as a cat person. Sam thinks Callen should think small. Maybe a goldfish, sea monkeys – “baby steps, G, baby steps.”

What head canon can be formed from here: We had Smith the dog handler versus Jones the dog thief – very common name battle today. Do wonder if Boomer was named after Daniela Ruah’s annual Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials co-star.

It looked like a lot of people were out (Deeks) or only available with limited scenes (Callen and Sam). Kensi worked well with the newer team members. The case of the week was another evergreen story – the side stuff with Sam and his father, Callen and his past are all about this season but the bones of this episode and about 90% of the dialogue around the case could work in season two.

They did a good job not making the effects of Rountree being racially profiled not a one and done event.

Episode number: This is episode 296 overall and season 13’s 16th episode.

#NCIS: Los Angeles Rewatch #NCIS: Los Angeles #NCIS: LA #NCIS Los Angeles #ncis la

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