#ncislaspoiler

But while Nell has taken over Hetty’s role seemingly seamlessly (she’s even wearing broaches like Hetty did...only thing missing is a cup of tea in her hands at all times), it seems as if they have enough staff up in ops with the new team members, and there’s no actual role for him to take over (the opposite: his role has been taken over by the newcomers on the team, who keep things running). So it makes sense he’ll be more like a guest character instead being there weekly. 

And that is a shame. Because last few seasons have made me realize that I did watch & like mostly because of the geeks, the Wonder Twins, and their antics in ops (sneaking cookies and coffee to ops behind Hettys back; practicing dancing in the armory; flying drones in bullpen; and their tech skills and talk), so considering this, and the fact that I have not “connected” with the new generation (the new team members/cast), I don’t watch this show live anymore, and I don’t always even follow the episodes more than having it play in background while I do other tasks. 

In the past I have “connected” with the new team members who were introduced: Deeks, Nell, Granger, Hidoko... I even liked Anna (as Arkady’s daughter, not as constant team tag along that she’s become), but for me the new characters, their introduction, their part in the team and all that just don’t work. So I have been “disconnected” from the show and new characters, who to me feel like “fillers for the week, while others will return”. (The only exception might become Roundtree) 

I have no interest in any of the character storylines. I don’t much care for Densi anymore (the troube with long-running shows...where it becomes too repetitive, and delayed and not really “believable”... when they come up with silly plots again and again... even if the final result is him FINALLY becoming a “real” NCIS agent...after all these years), I don’t care about any of the romantic plots Callen/Anna, Sam/Katherine. Or the personal storylines and character stories of new AND old characters alike. And this isn’t only due to the restrictions they have this season due to the covid restrictions... I had this issue last season already. 

So I kinda enjoyed this little trip down the memory lane with Bulletproof Beale. But before I/we chear “Beale is back!” we might wait a bit to see how it all continues (we know that all the Hetty storyline weirdnesses are due to the actresses age, health + now also the covid restrictions added to the mix), but even if they have to make it work with all those “restrictions”, and there is a reason why it is so random and all, it still seems weird to actually watch as part of ongoing storyline. It’s just so... “random” and “weird” 

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Barrett Foa taking temporary leave of absence — Find out what this means for Eric Beale 

NCIS: Los Angeles is sending Eric on a high-risk adventure in order to accommodate portrayer Barrett Foa‘s temporary exit. The CBS procedural is writing Foa out of five of Season 11’s first six episodes to allow the actor to pursue another professional opportunity. (Foa is set to star in a production of Angels in America at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis this fall.)

A CBS rep confirms Foa’s five-episode leave of absence, and teases that Eric’s mysterious whereabouts will be woven into the Season 11 narrative. Specifically, viewers will learn that Hetty (Linda Hunt) has assigned Eric to work a clandestine case with an outside company. When Eric resurfaces on screen later this fall, the veiled specifics of his mission will come to light. And — as per NCIS: LA tradition — the situation will take a dangerous turn and Eric will need to rely on the team to survive.

At the end of Season 10, Foa’s Eric fled to San Francisco to be by the side of girlfriend Nell (Renée Felice Smith), who was tending to her ailing mother.

NCIS: LA returns with its 11th season on Sunday, Sept. 29th on CBS.

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My comment. I was “afraid” of something like this when he (Barrett) posted about being cast in this (his dream) play. Yet I am glad that we know about the story arc and the length of it beforehand. This is a similar situation to what they did with Dani...both times she was on maternity leave, and in a few other cases. Send the character on some secret mission...to explain their absence...to accommodate the actors unavailability.