The Transformation That Defined ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’: The Evolution of Kensi Blye and Marty Deeks
Throughout its 1,000 episodes, the long-running NCIS franchise has seen many on-screen relationships, some successful and others not. One of the most beloved pairings is Kensi Blye and Marty Deeks from NCIS: Los Angeles. From their first interactions, fans were invested in their relationship, culminating in a well-rated wedding episode that showcased their chemistry. Interestingly, Kensi’s character took a different direction when Eric Christian Olsen joined the show, which contributed to the success of their pairing.
Eric Christian Olsen did not join NCIS: LA at the beginning of the series. He first appeared toward the end of Season 1 and became a series regular in Season 2. Before his arrival, Kensi was portrayed as a no-nonsense special agent. During an appearance on the podcast Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch, hosted by NCIS alums Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, Daniela Ruah shared how rigid her character initially was:
“There was a complete actual transformation, and I will add Eric [Christian Olsen] into this. Because when they said she’s strong, she’s smart, she’s powerful, she’s this, she’s that, I thought I had to act with a stick up my ass. I was like, ‘If she’s strong and she’s smart, she can’t be funny, she can’t goof around, she’s got to have a straight back.’ And it affected every part of my delivery, every part of my body language. And I just thought that smart and tough meant a very specific thing.”
Kensi remained tough and strong throughout the series but became less stiff thanks to her scenes with Eric Christian Olsen, who brought humor and improvisation to his role as Deeks. Ruah revealed that their characters’ dynamic was intentionally developed by showrunner Shane Brennan, who wanted Kensi to show more personality alongside Deeks. Brennan was concerned that Kensi’s rigid demeanor would make her unlikable and negatively impact the audience’s perception of Deeks:
“Eric joined our show [at the] end of Season 1, beginning of Season 2, he became a regular. And he was the funny guy, and he would improv, and he would try to make me laugh. And I was still living in that ‘I don’t laugh at silly things’ persona. Shane Brennan pulled me aside, and he said, ‘The audience likes Kensi because she’s been on the show for a year now. If you react the way you’re reacting to Deeks, the audience is not going to like him, and you’re kind of an asshole… even if you don’t like him to his face if you just crack a smile when he walks away, now the audience is with you, and they’re with him, and now we’re starting to create something.’ And I’m such a goofball as a person that it was it was a challenge to keep it straight.”
This change led to the beloved pairing of Kensi and Deeks, known as “Densi.” Daniela Ruah’s marriage to Eric Christian Olsen’s brother and stunt double further cemented the real-life connection. Without Brennan’s intervention, Kensi and Deeks might not have developed their iconic relationship, and Olsen’s role on the show could have been short-lived.
Memorable moments from NCIS: LA often include Densi, from their wedding to Kensi’s pregnancy revelation in the series finale. It’s intriguing to consider the “what if” scenarios, but fans can be grateful for the creative decisions that shaped the show.
Although NCIS: LA has concluded, its cast members continue to appear in the franchise. LL Cool J joined NCIS: Hawai’i before its cancellation, and Daniela Ruah appeared in NCIS’s 1,000th episode and directed episodes of both shows. Whether other LA cast members will return remains uncertain, but fans eagerly await the flagship show’s return this fall as part of the 2024 TV schedule.
