'NCIS: LA' preview: Eric Christian Olsen and boss tease big 'reveal' in two-part episode

Deeks might find himself in the middle of a pretty hilarious situation in tonight’s episode of NCIS: LA. But for the team as a whole, the situation has never been more serious.

The episode finds Sam (LL Cool J) and Callen (Chris O’Donnell) investigating a possible conspiracy that led to the death of a CIA agent who once worked with Sam. In the process, much is unraveled about Sam’s so-far enigmatic past. “I don’t think we’ve ever revealed this much about an individual character in an episode before,” says executive producer Shane Brennan.

Meanwhile, Deeks (Olsen) must go undercover at a dog show to uncover further information about the case. “So, of course, the worst job in the world, they send Deeks to follow this lead and that means doing a dog show with a poodle,” jokes Olsen.

Light as the moment might be, however, it’s also incredibly necessary to the case, and keeping that in mind, Olsen says he never minds bringing lighter moments to otherwise intense episodes. “If it doesn’t serve purpose to the story or the larger picture, then there’s no weight to it. Deeks is forced to do something he doesn’t want to do, but it’s necessary to see whats going on behind the scenes [at the dog show]. And I think that’s where the comedy comes from — that kind of reluctance but knowing it’s part of his job.”

The end of the first episode will set up “the stakes” of what the team is facing, according to Brennan, and part two of the storyline, which is scheduled to air the following week, will deliver a “revelation that no one will see coming.” “It could be seen by some people at home as an uncomfortable episode to watch because of what Sam Hannah is involved in,” he warns.

But uncomfortable or not, Olsen says that’s the fun of the show. “The beauty about these characters is that as much as we think we know what they are, they have this whole life that we really don’t go into. When we do, so many more things make sense — like what makes this character tick and why they are the way they are.”

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