'NCIS: Los Angeles' to Make a Comeback — What We Know So Far about the New Episode

The eighth episode of "NCIS: Los Angeles" left viewers on the edge of their seats, curious whether field Agent Kensi Blye had reached her end after a mysterious militia group kidnapped her.

"NCIS: Los Angeles" was the first spin-off, premiering in 2009, six years after the original show "NCIS" premiered in 2003. Other spin-offs include "NCIS: New Orleans" and "NCIS: Hawai'i."

The popular TV show is in its thirteenth season and released the eighth episode, "A Land of Wolves," on January 9, 2022. Fans hoped to see the ninth episode of the show titled "Under the Influence" on January 23. However, the release was delayed a second time and pushed to sometime in February.

KENSI'S END?

Following her kidnapping, fans began speculating that the episode would be the final one for Kensi Blye. While some wondered whether Kensi's mysterious disappearance could indicate she was leaving the show, others are positive that no grave danger would come to her.

Others figured that in most drama shows, the main actors often die towards the end of the season, so fans are hopeful that she will be back as season 13 still has a long way to go.

Since her marriage to Deeks in season 10, their relationship has become a staple on the show, especially since the two decided to try having kids after Agent Marty Deeks walks into a trap and almost dies in a bomb explosion.

Viewers hoped to find out her fate in the ninth episode, "Under The Influence," however, they will have to be a little more patient due to the changes in the release dates.

8TH EPISODE RECAP

In the 8th episode of the show, "A Land of Wolves," the NCIS team scrambles to look for Junior Field Agent Kensi after a mysterious militia group attacks and kidnaps her as she helps a group of migrants cross the border.

The militia group, headed by a former general, has regrouped into a nastier band of 11. Kensi is on a mission in Mexico investigating members of a local cartel running a smuggling ring on the migration corridor.

During the opening of the 8th episode, someone is shooting at the immigrants. A smoke grenade tossed their way kills five of them. Agent Kensi and a young woman named Rosa survive, but they are nowhere in the vicinity.

Viewers also got to meet Special Agent Aliyah de León, played by Briana Marin, who came in because the team was shorthanded, what with Kensi on assignment in Mexico and both Rountree and Rountree on personal leave.

Detective Marty Deeks begins getting worried that Kensi has not checked in, but Admiral Kilbride asks him to remain calm and not to get involved in the case.

However, Deeks could not be contained and joined the mission. Supervisory Special Agents De León and Fatima apprehend Gomez, whose cousin has affiliations with the cartel.

Sam and Deeks go to the sight where they found the bodies, and a Border Patrol agent tells them that the site is a smuggler's highway and Kensi was unlikely to survive.

De León and Fatima discover a group of immigrants in a shed close to Gomez's house, and one discloses that they'd seen Kensi. She tells the agents that soldiers were hunting them down.

The two agents push Gomez to his limits, and he cracks, telling them that his cousin paid him to round up undocumented immigrants and turn them over to the authorities.

In the meantime, as the militia members converse amongst themselves, Rosa and Kensi escape, but the bad guys find them again. One of them suggests they tie the two women up and leave them to wild animals.

Suddenly, Deeks and Sam appear from the bushes, having been led there by a message Kensi had left them in the dirt near a signal fire. Deeks throws Kensi a gun, and she shoots Rebecca in the chest.

Finally safe, fans hope that Deeks and Kensi, who'd previously spoken about possibly becoming foster parents, might bring Rosa home with them after the near-death experience.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON EPISODE 9

On the new episode airing in February, the NCIS team will join forces to help a U.S. ambassador search for her missing daughter, Gia, a famous social media influencer.

"Midnight in the Switchgrass" actress Caitlyn Carmichael plays the U.S ambassador's daughter. Agent De León will also reprise her role in episode 9 to support the team with the case.

WHY THE DELAY?

"NCIS: Los Angeles," which was supposed to return on the first week of January, will not be airing until later in February. Following the NFL divisional playoffs and the rise in the Omicron variant, many shows have not been immune.

The original show of the franchise "NCIS," whose release dates were in the first week of January, has also temporarily paused production.

Other shows on ABC, including "General Hospital" and "The Rookie," have also pushed back their release dates. "Grey's Anatomy" was also scheduled to air Episode 9: "No Time To Die" on January 6, 2022. However, the Shondaland series will not return until February 24, 2022.

Increased COVID infections in the past few months have led to these schedule delays. Despite the ambitious protocols to keep the virus's transmissibility at bay, the Omicron-fueled COVID continues to surge.

While COVID cases have plateaued in the Northeast, the numbers have risen in other states. Health officials have recorded a rise of about 15% in the West and 6% in the South.

At the beginning of the year, the U.S alone tallied more than half a million new COVID cases. Following these increases, many shows have taken dire precautions.

Most will not resume production until later to ensure their actors and production staff is safe. However, some shows, such as the "NCIS" spin-off "NCIS: Hawai'i," remain in production and are currently shooting in Hawaii.