NCIS: Los Angeles Season 9 Episode 14 Review: Goodbye Vietnam

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Hetty summed it up best when she said, "It's about bloody time."

Her team and her friends rescued Hetty and corrected a 13-episode mistake on NCIS: Los Angeles Season 9 Episode 14.

We also learned that Mosley sent Sam, Callen, Kensi, and Deeks off to Vietnam without clearing the rescue mission with her higher-ups, so it will be interesting to see what the fallout will be for that action.

Under Pressure - NCIS: Los Angeles Season 9 Episode 14

Even though this episode was inevitable and far overdue, it was still executed fairly well. Despite plenty of bickering and a lack of intelligence, err, information, good finally prevailed.

Hetty's eventual rescue may have been a sure thing, or there would have been a social-media uprising, but there were a lot of bumps along the way.

Related: NCIS: LA Sneak Peek: The Dangerous Mission to Save Hetty!!

First, there was the whole going-in-unarmed-and-uninformed thing. Then there was Chegwidden, Bridges, and Langston not wanting to play with Hetty's current team. Then, just to throw a joker into the mix, CIA Agent Jeff Carol made his first appearance since 2015. 

The NCIS squad landed in Ho Chi Minh City several steps behind Hetty's old colleagues. Although they speak several languages among them, Vietnamese wasn't one of them, so intelligence gathering was painfully slow.

Still, one skill Hetty taught them was improvisation, even if Mosley has tried to stunt that in recent weeks. That was on full display when Kensi and Deeks played quarreling couple, her spitting Portuguese at him to distract their local tails while Sam and Callen slipped out.

Searching for Hetty - NCIS: Los Angeles Season 9 Episode 14

I can understand that Hetty's former colleagues wanted to rescue Hetty themselves since they had nothing to lose while keeping her current team out of harm's way. But I think they needed all the bodies they could get, even the kooky CIA agent since they were heading into unknown territory and going up against an unknown enemy.

The generation gap between the two teams certainly wasn't helpful. It's a good thing that Kensi is used to being the voice of reason among a group of arguing alpha males. Her piercing whistle brought all tension to a complete stop.

All this while, Hetty was undergoing psychological and physical torture, while her rescuers tried to reach consensus on a plan.

Related: CBS Cheat Sheet: Is Criminal Minds Really In Danger?!

The rescue operation wouldn't have been a success without the home team, mainly Nell.

The Nellverine was out in full force.

She's used to keeping the rambling Eric on task. But she soon enlisted Hidoko as well to help her sort through the boxes and boxes of Hetty's correspondence and reports.

I'm sure Mosley meant well when she borrowed Sydney to assist Nell, but she seemed a little oblivious to the family history that the sisters have. 

The tension between the two, first evident in NCIS: Los Angeles Season 9 Episode 8, popped up immediately as the sisters fell back into their familiar roles. Sydney was domineering, and Nell seethed.

The Old Guard - NCIS: Los Angeles Season 9 Episode 14

Nell pushed Mosley to get access to Hetty's P.O. box, which led them in turn to Kim Nguyen, who revealed Hetty's favorite monastery to visit to them.This resulted in the team catching up to Chegwidden, Bridges, and Langston, and bizarrely Carol, which began their uneasy alliance.

So the ragtag crew had a chopper and weapons, but still little idea what they were up against. It was Nell to the rescue again.

Related: NCIS: Los Angeles Season 9 Episode 13 Review: Cac Tu Nhan

Mosley had indicated earlier that she would do whatever it took to bring Hetty home. But she was also trying to run an off-the-books operation quietly, which is a real contradiction in terms.

Nell correctly sensed that Mosley wanted to do the right thing, but was completely out of her comfort zone, which involves protocol and chains of command. So she explained to Mosley that it was time to complete her gamble, and get the resources she needed from SecNav.

The satellite photos Mosley acquired gave the team on the ground the intel they needed to form an action plan, and soon they were overwhelming a drunken Dang and his handful of mercenaries.

Strangers in a Strange Land - NCIS: Los Angeles Season 9 Episode 14

Hetty feeding Dang to the tiger was a nice touch as well. If only that could be done to all animal smugglers.

So let's address the question we've all been wondering about for far too long: What happens now that Hetty is back?

From the brief preview for next episode, Hetty is in charge again. But what about Mosley? What consequences will her unsanctioned actions have?

Would it be wrong to get rid of her, after she finally exhibited some human tendencies? Probably. But here's what I'd like to see. Have Mosley reassigned. Make Nell Hetty's No. 2, then have Hidoko take Nell's place in Ops.

It's not a perfect world, so that won't happen.

To view Mosley's reign up until its end, watch NCIS: Los Angeles online.

Anyone not glad Hetty's back? What happens to Mosley? Have Nell and Sydney worked out their differences? Comment below.

Goodbye Vietnam Review

Editor Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
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Rating: 4.8 / 5.0 (32 Votes)

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

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NCIS: Los Angeles Season 9 Episode 14 Quotes

Hidoko: I need to wash my hands, in holy water.
Nell: Really? I've seen way worse.

Interpretor: He says ...
Hetty: I know what he says.