Both Deeks and Hetty went back to the scenes of their crimes.

That meant LAPD for Deeks and Vietnam for Hetty on NCIS: Los Angeles Season 9 Episode 6.

Poor Deeks just seems destined to land back at LAPD a couple of times a season.

That's because Detective Whting, from Internal Affairs, can blackmail Deeks into doing her bidding, anytime she wants. That's because she knows that he killed Francis Boyle, his dirty, former partner.

She played that card again tonight when his former partner, Lt. Bates, seemed to have gone rogue, and she wanted his help to investigate. He wasn't interested, but he, well, didn't have much of a choice.

Somehow, Deeks knew exactly where to find Bates, but so apparently did several cop cars. So Bates pulled a gun on Deeks to make him escape rather than surrender.

Now Deeks knows Bates, so I doubt he felt he was in any real danger. But he knew his former partner was in a difficult spot, and he was more likely to believe him rather than some vague allegations against him.

The best thing about this episode, about any time these two are together, was the nonstop, back-and-forth razzing between them. I could tell the pair had spent way too much time stuck together in a squad car. 

Anyway, things took an effective turn when Deeks met the witness who Bates had kidnapped. Simon was a botanist who had accidentally created a virus which could wipe out the food supply in a few weeks (Holy Last Ship, Batman!)

One thing that seemed a little off is how Deeks and Bates were able to take Simon back to the Boathouse to interrogate him, even though Bates was LAPD's leading target. Wouldn't they have thought to stake out NCIS?

It was essential that the rest of the team became involved with this case, as everyone was needed for the plan to flush out and capture Wallace and set up a sting at the buy.

It was also fortuitous that this happened while Mosley was out of town again, because this kind of plan would never fly on her watch.

Hmm, no Mosley. No wonder things felt smoother this episode. No unnecessary tension for tension's sake.

Good to see Nell back in the field, using the skills which she and Kensi had been practicing earlier.

As an overextended businessman, Wallace made for a weak villain, but it did make sense that cops who had moonlighted at his functions would leak information to him. So he served as a way into the dirty-cop network within LAPD while also allowing NCIS to get a deadly virus off the street.

Despite Deeks taking care of her after she was shot on NCIS: Los Angeles Season 8 Episode 15, Whiting still didn't seem willing to let her blackmail info go. So maybe he won't go back to LAPD again this season, but maybe he will.

We also finally got some more of Hetty's Vietnamese adventure.

We found out more about who Harris Keane is. He was the chopper pilot of the ill-fated Operation Sunshine, which led to the multimillion dollar slush fund on which Hetty et al have collected interest for 30 years.

So Keane was stuck in Vietnam for most of that time because of a misunderstanding. Hetty thought he was dead, while he thought they'd be along to ransom him out anytime.

Here's what I'm not understanding. Hetty grilled Keane because.she didn't think he was who he claimed to be. At the same time, she's trusting Dang, who's proven he will do anything for a buck.

And now she's his prisoner, being held for ransom? I can't believe that master strategist Hetty walked into that. There's got to be more to her plan than is readily apparent.

Sam and Callen spent the episode talking about life.

After seeing how quickly things can change following Michelle's death, Sam was approaching life even more seriously. He said Callen needs a purpose. Callen is more spur of the moment, and wanted to make sure Sam's life is worth living.

Once again, Sam had to be the adult in their relationship, while Callen largely still the kid. With his newfound family, who we've yet to visit this season, and his new charge Finn, from NCIS: Los Angeles Season 9 Episode 5, Callen has the potential to further mature. At least he's buying furniture now.

SPOILER ALERT: Well, the season is almost a third through, so it must be time for Kensi to risk life and limb. Sure enough, on NCIS: Los Angeles Season 9 Episode 7, she has to single-handedly prevent nuclear armageddon. I can't believe Mosley approved that mission.

To catch up on Hetty and her temporary replacement, watch NCIS: Los Angeles online.

Did you enjoy seeing Bates and Whiting again? What's Hetty up to? Philosophically, are you on Team Sam and Team Callen? Comment below.

Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.