{"id":3967,"date":"2025-12-09T15:19:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T15:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/?p=3967"},"modified":"2025-12-09T15:19:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T15:19:08","slug":"this-ncis-la-christmas-episode-from-12-years-ago-still-outshines-every-holiday-hour-the-show-did","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/?p=3967","title":{"rendered":"This \u2018NCIS: LA Christmas\u2019 Episode From 12 Years Ago Still Outshines Every Holiday Hour the Show Did"},"content":{"rendered":"

Few TV shows love a holiday episode more than\u00a0NCIS: Los Angeles<\/em><\/strong>. Over 14 seasons, the series blended procedural stakes with breezy character humor, and nowhere is that formula sharper than in Season 5\u2019s \u201cMerry Evasion.\u201d It aired in December 2013, but more than a decade later, it remains the most complete and emotionally satisfying Christmas installment the show ever pulled off \u2014 even when compared to the fan-favorite \u201cHumbug,\u201d which gave Kensi (Daniela Ruah<\/strong>) and Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen<\/strong>) one of their most iconic romantic beats.<\/p>\n

But Merry Evasion is something different. It\u2019s a Christmas episode that doesn\u2019t rely on holiday fluff or romance to stick the landing. Instead, it delivers an unusually layered combination of case-of-the-week tension, character comedy, emotional distance between partners, unexpected pairings, and a finale that hits the exact bittersweet tone the show was built for. In other words, it\u2019s peak\u00a0NCIS: LA<\/em>.<\/p>\n

An \u2018NCIS: LA\u2019 Christmas Case With Real Stakes<\/h2>\n
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\"LL<\/picture>Image via\u00a0Monty Brinton \/ \u00a9CBS \/ courtesy Everett Collection<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Unlike the slightly lighter structure of \u201cHumbug,\u201d \u201cMerry Evasion\u201d weaves its holiday setting into a surprisingly suspenseful plot. The episode follows the team as they investigate an attack on Senator Lockhart\u2019s daughter, Lily (Michelle\u00a0<\/strong>Trachtenberg<\/strong>\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b). What initially looks like a random break-in quickly unravels into something broader, tying into Lockhart\u2019s crackdown on Chinese military cyber operations.<\/p>\n

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Callen (Chris O\u2019Donnell<\/strong>) and Sam (LL Cool J<\/strong>) are forced into a fast-paced protective-custody run as multiple attempts are made on Lily\u2019s life, giving the episode an almost chase-film energy. They operate without backup, relying on tradecraft and improvisation\u2014including one classic\u00a0NCIS: LA<\/em>\u00a0moment involving Callen accessing one of his old CIA caches hidden in plain sight. It\u2019s action-packed but emotionally grounded, with Lily\u2019s complicated relationship with her father adding just enough character depth to avoid the crime-of-the-week rut.<\/p>\n

While Sam and Callen shoulder the high-adrenaline sequences, the rest of the team juggles their own complications \u2014 including the absence that the episode leans on most.<\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Evasion\u201d lands during Kensi\u2019s Afghanistan arc, one of the most\u00a0emotionally tense stretches in the show\u2019s run. She and Deeks \u2014 fresh off their post-\u201cFrozen Lake\u201d awkwardness \u2014 are separated by continents. Their relationship is in limbo, and the holiday only intensifies it.<\/p>\n

The episode uses their distance beautifully. Kensi, isolated in a war zone with Granger (Miguel Ferrer<\/strong>) and pulled deeper into the White Ghost storyline, is clearly homesick and worn down. Deeks, meanwhile, tries to stay upbeat but is noticeably adrift without her. Their early-episode loneliness sets up one of the sweetest tonal shifts of the season: Hetty\u2019s (Linda Hunt<\/strong>) surprise \u201cgift.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hetty \u2014 quietly the show\u2019s secret holiday softy \u2014 sends Kensi a Christmas tin that turns out to be a secure phone line home. On the other end? Deeks. Their phone call is everything the episode needs it to be: Awkward, heartfelt, and overflowing with the kind of restrained affection that defined their slow-burn dynamic. We don\u2019t hear the whole conversation, but what we do get lands harder than many of their in-person scenes. It\u2019s the emotional centerpiece of the episode and a reminder of why their relationship captivated fans long before \u201cHumbug\u201d ever aired.<\/p>\n

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Olivia Holt and Connor Swindells star in this underwhelming holiday movie.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The Best Deeks\/Nell Team-Up the Show Ever Gave Us<\/h2>\n
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\"Renee<\/picture>Imawge via Ron P. Jaffe \/ \u00a9CBS \/ courtesy Everett Collection<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

When one partner is gone,\u00a0NCIS: LA<\/em>\u00a0thrives on\u00a0unexpected pairings, and \u201cMerry Evasion\u201d proved that Marty Deeks and Nell Jones (Ren\u00e9e Felice Smith<\/strong>) were secretly one of the show\u2019s most charming temporary duos.<\/p>\n

While Kensi is overseas, Hetty pairs Deeks with Nell \u2014 still training for more fieldwork \u2014 and their dynamic is pitch-perfect. Deeks takes on an almost mentor-like tone, mixing genuine guidance with classic Deeks humor (plus multiple on-the-nose\u00a0Velma\/Shaggy\u00a0moments). Nell matches him beat-for-beat with her intelligence and quick problem-solving, even guiding him through urban tracking techniques that he once teased Kensi about studying for fun.<\/p>\n

Their partnership adds\u00a0levity without undermining the episode\u2019s tension. It also subtly reinforces one of \u201cMerry Evasion\u2019s\u201d core strengths: Every character gets a moment to shine without derailing the narrative. It\u2019s ensemble writing at its most balanced.<\/p>\n

Why \u2018Merry Evasion\u2019 Outshines \u2018Humbug\u2019 12 Years Later<\/h2>\n
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\"Daniela<\/picture>Image via CBS<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

There\u2019s no denying that \u201cHumbug\u201d delivers one of the most cherished moments in the entire series \u2014 Kensi and Deeks finally admitting they\u2019re \u201call in.\u201d It\u2019s a warm, deeply satisfying emotional payoff, which is why fans often point to it as the definitive holiday episode. But that\u2019s also what limits it: The power of \u201cHumbug\u201d rests almost entirely on one long-awaited romantic reveal.<\/p>\n

In comparison, \u201cMerry Evasion\u201d is simply a more robust episode from start to finish. It combines a genuinely suspenseful plotline with a strong supporting cast. It successfully captures the\u00a0balance between suspense, humor, and emotional desire\u00a0without leaning too heavily towards any one of these themes.<\/p>\n

The tension feels real, the banter between characters is sparkly, and the Christmas motif flows through the entire episode without being overwhelming. There\u2019s a tension-filled dynamic between Callen and Sam, Deeks and Nell make a cute partnership, Hetty is weaving her web of influence on the sidelines, Eric (Barrett Foa<\/strong>) loses his mind in Operations, Kensi has some quiet moments of missing home, all of which coexist together in a way that is unmistakably\u00a0NCIS: LA<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 fast-paced, savvy, heartwarming and a little bit chaotic.<\/p>\n

Most importantly, \u201cMerry Evasion\u201d captures what\u00a0made the show work for so many years\u2014the feeling of a found family forced to adapt when its members are scattered. The longing between Kensi and Deeks is understated but potent, and their brief, awkward, overwhelmed phone call ends the episode with an emotional resonance that lingers far longer than a tidy holiday bow ever could.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Few TV shows love a holiday episode more than\u00a0NCIS: Los Angeles. Over 14 seasons, the series blended procedural stakes with breezy character humor, and nowhere is that… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3968,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3967"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3967\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3969,"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3967\/revisions\/3969"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncisnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}