Let's call this "The Episode When Kensi Wakes Up," for better or worse.

There are other happenings on NCIS: Los Angeles Season 8 Episode 6, but they're all secondary to Kensi finally speaking in complete sentences, albeit grimly.

Kensi finds out that she has an incomplete spinal-cord injury, according to the nameless neurologist, whose attitude seems to suggest that she needs to buck up and get better. It just may take four to six months of therapy.

Kensi is used to dealing with things she can hit or shoot into submission and obscure nerve damage certainly isn't that.

Deeks does what he can to cheer up Kensi, ordering her favorite takeout to be delivered to an outside table. But she's too upset to eat and has a nurse take her back to her room.

Deeks puts a positive spin on things, telling Kensi that he's seeing slow, steady progress.

You're going to be better and faster and stronger, like the Bionic Woman.

Deeks [to Kensi]

• Permalink: You're going to be better and faster and stronger, like the Bionic Woman.

And Granger, of all people, was there for Deeks with a heart-to-heart talk, without nearly as many grunts as you'd expect.

Deeks: Kensi, God bless her, puts on a good face, but I don't know if I'm doing a great job.
Granger: The only way you'll fail her is if you quit, so don't quit. You've got this.

• Permalink: The only way you'll fail her is if you quit, so don't quit. You've got this.

While I don't think Kensi will be back in the field right off, I don't think it will be on the season finale either. Let's bet on a Christmas miracle.

The other squad members were dealing with family drama while Deeks and Kensi were coping with hospital drama, trying to protect a former Mossad agent and his daughter from a vengeful former colleague.

One question that comes to mind is how did the rogue agent's tracker find both the Mossad agent, who has changed his name, and the daughter he stayed away from to keep her safe in a city of 3.9 million people? I dunno. Google for "disappeared Mossad agent and his teen daughter"? Sometimes you just need to hold your nose at plot twists.

Leave it to Callen to come up with perspective at the end. After growing up without a father, he didn't want to see another child suffer in the same way, urging Martin/Shaked to stay in his daughter's life.

Martin: It is better if she does not know the truth.
Callen: That's not your decision. It will hurt at first, but that's the fire you have to walk through to get your daughter back. It's not too late.

• Permalink: That's not your decision. It will hurt at first, but that's the fire you have to walk through...

Fortunately, we can always depend on the series' other couple, Nell and Eric, to punch up a dreary hour. Deeks quizzically walked into Ops while Nell was whacking Eric's palms with a paddle-like stick (Yes, ma'am. May I have another?). Sadly, the answer wasn't nearly as kinky as it seemed.

Eric: The X-Box Games are coming up and we're building up my controller-grip strength. No pain ...
Nell: No weakness.
Deeks: No idea who you two are.

• Permalink: No idea who you two are.

Eric was, of course, shaken after Nell and Anna got caught in an explosion, and he was relieved to see her walk into Ops.

Nell: So what do we do?
Eric: Worry to death about losing you.
Nell: I meant ...
Eric: You meant about the case.

• Permalink: You meant about the case.

Hetty was off-stage on the mole hunt, so none of her pearls of wisdom to spice up this episode, I'm afraid. Isn't that 90 days up yet so this storyline can be finally settled?

To keep track of the clues dribbling out on the eternal mole hunt, watch NCIS: Los Angeles online.

Are you glad that Kensi is awake and talking, however morosely? Was there enough action in this episode for you (gotta love an exploding fuel tank), or did you mistake it for Grey's Anatomy? Shouldn't Nell and Eric's infatuation accelerate, or is two couples too much? Comment below.

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