MIA: Callen's Conversations

 

No, Callen doesn't get time for important conversations, and he hasn't for several seasons.
During this break, I've been rewatching NCIS:LA episodes, and the lack of screen time the writers give Callen for important conversations is even worse than I remembered. Maybe that will change in the second half of season 13, but even so, several important conversations that should have been onscreen never will be.

Several online writers and websites have praised the writers of NCIS:LA for the job they've done in developing the Kensi-Deeks relationship, and I don't think anyone can argue with that. The writers have done an excellent job creating an emotional bond between these characters as their relationship has progressed, but because both characters are regular cast members, the writers have been able to include many, many conversations for them to discuss topics as diverse as their feelings for each other to possible financial endeavors to whether or not to spend Christmas with their moms to what color to paint a room and everything in between. Given the screen time these characters have been given and the actors involved, the writers would have to be the worst writers in TV to not be able to develop an intimate relationship between these two. But, they've also done a good job developing relationships when both characters aren't regular cast members. For instance, the writers did a good job developing the relationship between Sam and Jada. Even though viewers were introduced to this relationship after it began, the writers included several important conversations that let us see the emotional price paid by both Sam and Jada. And while the Sam-Michelle relationship was developed differently, we also saw the emotions of the partners as they navigated their personal and professional responsibilities, and the final scene between them brought home the depth of their love for one another. Of course, not all important relationships are romantic in nature, so not all important conversations are between romantic partners. There have been several conversations between Deeks and his mom that have provided additional details and understanding about their relationship, for instance.

So why haven't the writers shown the same attention to the conversations Callen should be having? In rewatching episodes, conversations that focused on Callen's family and romantic relationships--and his emotional connection to both--have been rare. In the earliest seasons of the series, when Callen's background was being established, there were several Hetty-Callen conversations that provided glimpses into his psyche and details about his childhood, conversations about him setting down roots and trusting his team, but Hetty had conversations with Sam and Kensi and Deeks that gave us details about their characters. After Hetty confessed that Clara had gone to the beach to meet her when she was murdered, the conversations between Callen and Hetty became less frequent and provided less of a window into Callen's feelings which was a conspicuous void considering all that happened in his life after that revelation. Indeed, after their explosive conversation in "Raven and Swans" when Callen learns about the other children Hetty "mentored," there's been only one other conversation between them focused on Callen's feelings about his personal life--their conversation after Hetty sends him to Joelle's home in "Getaway."

When the series began, Hetty and Callen had a special relationship, but as the series has continued and especially since Gemmill has taken the reins, this relationship has become less and less special. In fact, Hetty has expressed little interest in Callen's life after season 8 even though she told Mosley in season 9 that he was like a son to her. She told him to speak with Anna in "Venganza," to find out where her head was at--and his, but a single sentence is hardly a conversation. In fact, she's never actually come right out and asked him how he's coping with everything going on in his life. Now that he's learned he was Subject 17, will he and Hetty have a meaningful conversation about this, about him? There are several examples of conversations between these two that should've happened, some more noticeable than others. One conversation that didn't happen but should've was the one missing in "Choke Point." In this episode, Hetty's just returned from being absent for an extended period, and during her absence, Anna's been sentenced to prison and begun serving time. It would seem natural for Hetty to check-in with her "son" and see how he's handling Anna's incarceration, but instead of a conversation between Hetty and Callen, the writer gives us a comic scene between Hetty and Beale about her office that has no point (Beale could have welcomed her back in 1/5 the time of this conversation.) This fluff is followed later in the episode by a conversation between Hetty and Nell about Nell's seriously ill mother. (While this isn't fluff, it could've been briefer and/or occurred in a later episode.) Yet neither this writer nor subsequent writers could find time for one conversation--however brief--in which Hetty asks Callen how he's handling what's happened during her absence. Another conversation that didn't occur was in season 12 after Nikita dies and Anna becomes a fugitive. There's not one conversation between Hetty and Callen about either of these events and how he's coping with them. He must have felt some emotional turmoil, especially since Nikita's death impacted his relationship with Alex and Jake and he learned Nikita gave Darius the childhood he should have had. Considering the concern Hetty's shown for other members of the team, the lack of any interest by her is inexplicable. Why do the writers avoid these conversations? But although these "missing conversations" occur mostly with Callen, he's not the only character who suffers from them. Hetty never had a conversation with Sam after Michelle's death about that emotionally-shattering event. Considering the effort Hetty went to to try and secure Michelle's release and her failure to do so, plus the other trauma Sam has endured, as well as him becoming a single parent and taking time away from his job, it would be natural for Hetty to show a little interest in him, his state of mind, and his readiness to resume his work, but again, the writers didn't think it important. (It's interesting the writers gave so much time to Fatima in season 12 to mourn her friend's death--a character we never met--but had Sam get over Michelle's death so quickly that, after getting drunk once on their anniversary, he never talks about her except in connection with their kids.) But Callen's conversations of significance are the ones most often MIA, and these are not just conversations with Hetty. There were few significant  conversations between Callen and Nikita, and there have been almost no significant conversations between Callen and his two main romantic partners, Joelle and Anna.

Brennan created a character who searches for his father for 30+ years, finally meets him, but the writers gave them not ONE in-depth father-son conversation focused solely on their relationship. What we do get are additional characters that add complications but nothing of lasting importance (at least, so far) and whose presence actually takes up screen time that could have been used for such conversations. We get a half-sister and nephew who disappeared after four episodes and a surrogate brother who disappeared after two. In fact, the only time Callen confronts Nikita about his "fathering" skills is because Nikita is interfering in the relationship between Alex and her ex-husband. In the case of the surrogate brother, Callen never confronts Nikita about how painful it is, knowing that his father raised Darius--a Comescu--while Nikita knew Callen was being shuttled from one bad foster home to the next and did nothing to help him.

And then we get to the phantom romantic relationships. What did we actually see of Callen and Joelle when they were a couple? Over two seasons, she had two VERY brief scenes and one episode in which she was a major part of an NCIS operation when she was Callen's girlfriend. Not a lot for the writers to work with when developing a relationship. Callen mentions her a few times, but we never see a conversation between them where they discuss their relationship, and we never see what led to their breakup. Once they break up, however, Joelle almost becomes a regular guest star, appearing in 11 episodes. So, her time with Callen, when she's his girlfriend, is minimal (3 episodes) and increases exponentially (11 episodes) when she's not. That's no way to develop a relationship, at least not a healthy one.

Not much has been different with Anna. She became Callen's "sort of" love interest in season 7 and appeared in three episodes. In season 8, she appeared in four episodes, but was Callen's girlfriend in only two. In season 9, she's still Callen's girlfriend in the second episode, but when she next appears 16 episodes later, their relationship has cooled. Do we know why? Of course not. After that, their relationship becomes a mess and four seasons later, the actual status of their relationship is unclear. She and Callen have had a few "sort of" conversations about their relationship, their feelings for each other, but nothing definitive even after he bought an engagement ring for her which was 19 episodes ago. Most of their conversations have been focused on solving cases or career problems, the encouraging or "stand by you" type of conversation that Callen could just as easily have with Sam. The writers have wasted countless opportunities for these two to have even one meaningful, heartfelt conversation, the most obvious being the illogical final scene in "Noble Maidens." Why didn't the writers give Callen and Anna the scene they needed to at least start the very important conversation that would have been a natural continuation of that storyline? Maybe even the writers don't know, but from Gemmill's comments, it seems that the major reason may be that Gemmill doesn't know where this relationship is going. (That may also explain why Katherine, introduced in season 10 as a new romantic interest for Sam, has all but disappeared except for a brief scene in season 11.) The only relationship Gemmill and the writers seem to have a specific plan for is the Kensi-Deeks relationship which may explain why they get so many scenes and so much screen time for their conversations--meaningful or not--while other characters don't. I've never watched a show where a character is introduced as a possible "love interest" to a main character and yet after five seasons there hasn't been a scene one can point to and say, "That's when their relationship became serious." or "That's why things didn't work out." And yet, that's where we are with the Callen-Anna relationship which is one more reason Gemmill is, in my opinion, a showrunner who makes too many poor decisions to be considered good at his job.

The writers seem to too easily lose focus of what and who matters (other than Kensi and Deeks). Do viewers care about Joelle now that she's no longer Callen's girlfriend? No more than they care about Jack, Kensi's former fiance. She's a minor character who's been given too many important roles in several episodes, and honestly, writers missed an opportunity to make her a fun character for the team to work with in the same vein as Sabatino. Did viewers care about Darius? No. The only thing Darius proves is that Nikita was a lousy father to both Callen and Amy. Do viewers care about Alex and Jake? Maybe, maybe not, but many would rather see them in Callen's life than Joelle. Do viewers care about Katherine? Maybe, maybe not, but many would be fine with Sam getting involved romantically with someone.

NCIS:LA used to be an ensemble show. When the writers give us multiple scenes of characters discussing upcoming nuptials, parenthood, and a cardboard box, and not one conversation between a man and his girlfriend after five seasons where they talk about their relationship--or if they're even IN a relationship--or one between a father and son after 30+ years apart, it shows that NCIS:LA isn't an ensemble show. It's not that the writers shouldn't give us conversations about nuptials or parenthood or a cardboard box; it's that they should also give us the important conversations for the other main characters. The only reason they don't is because they chose not to. They write the episodes, so they decide what happens in the episodes. It's not a question of insufficient time; it's a question of choice and planning. Good ensemble procedural shows spend screen time developing main characters and their important relationships all the time. The original NCIS had multiple main characters involved in romantic relationships that were given time to develop (Gibbs & Mann, Tony & Jeanne, Ziva & Michael, McGee & Delilah), as well as important scenes between the characters and their various family members. The same was true for NCIS:NOLA, Bones, Criminal Minds, all the CSI shows, and is being done in FBI, The Rookie, FBI: Most Wanted, the Chicago shows, and more. So while I enjoy the cast and the characters of NCIS:LA--they are still my favorites--it's sad that the showrunner and the writers have chosen to minimize the ensemble nature of the show.

Will this change in the second half of season 13? Will the writers give us some meaningful conversations and scenes between Callen and Hetty and Callen and Anna? Possibly, possibly not. At this point, there's no way to make up for the lack of the Callen conversations they should have included in earlier episodes. With only 42-43 minutes per episode, the writing needs to be tight and focused so that all the main characters are given time to move their individual stories forward. Seeing that happens is the responsibility of the showrunner, and when it doesn't happen, it's the fault of the showrunner.