NCIS: Los Angeles is returning to CBS for Season 12, despite a longer-than-usual hiatus that will keep new episodes off the airwaves well beyond the usual September premiere. Fortunately, some details have begun to emerge about the twelfth season, revealing that police reform could mean big changes for Deeks. Although he has worked with the NCIS team in LA since the beginning of Season 2, he has officially remained a detective with the LAPD. Apparently, that could change in Season 12.
Showrunner R. Scott Gemmill revealed how police reform will impact Deeks in NCIS: LA Sesason 12, telling TVLine:
We’re going to find out that Deeks’ job as an LAPD liaison, because of all the police reform, may be in jeopardy.
CBS has brought in a law enforcement advisory group to help guide the NCIS franchise along with CBS' other big dramas moving forward, and real-life police reform will apparently mix things up for Deeks on NCIS: Los Angeles. The big question is what it could mean if his job being in jeopardy results in him being fired.
On the one hand, being forced out of the LAPD could theoretically result in the long-awaited transition of Detective Deeks into NCIS Agent Deeks, which would allow the show to deliver a big change without actually shaking up the status quo all that much. On the other hand, Deeks' job in jeopardy happens at a time when he and Kensi are considering what they want for the future on top of problems at the bar, and he'll reportedly face a major decision in Season 12.
Deeks and Kensi have been flirting with the idea of having kids since before they were even engaged. If this turns out to be a plot for them in Season 12, Deeks could be the one leaving the dangerous job rather than expecting Kensi to. That said, there would obviously be complications if Kensi plans to become pregnant, rather than Team Densi adopting to allow her to remain in the field.
It's also worth noting that if Deeks and Kensi decide to have their own child, they should probably get a move on. After all, the original NCIS is heading into Season 18. If NCIS: LA is also planning on running for many years beyond Season 12, they can't just put it off forever! Of course, the agents (and Deeks for now) of NCIS: LA will have more than police reform to deal with.
NCIS is reportedly going to explore a pandemic story in early 2021, after a somewhat bizarre arc for Gibbs set in the past to start Season 18, and NCIS: New Orleans will address the pandemic as well. Since all three NCIS series share a universe (although they cross over far less frequently than the shared TV universes of One Chicago on NBC and Grey's Anatomy/Station 19 on ABC), it stands to reason that NCIS: LA might have devote some significant stories to COVID.
The good news is that NCIS: LA has started production on Season 12, and the show is expected to return in November. That's well after almost every other season of NCIS: LA, with Season 9 previously premiering the latest with an early October launch. Still, it wasn't that long ago when the entire fall TV season was uncertain following the early shutdowns in the spring. Check out our 2020 fall TV premiere guide to see all the shows that have managed to restart production and are returning to TV!
