NCIS: Los Angeles: Can Deeks Handle a Partner Swap?

Change is coming to NCIS: Los Angeles.
In Tuesday's episode (9/8c, CBS), Sam (LL Cool J) is tasked with finding hidden explosives before they detonate. But he won't be working with Callen (Chris O'Donnell). Instead, he'll head into the field with Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen).

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The results? Hilarity, and possibly disaster, Olsen tells TVGuide.com. "Hunter [Claire Forlani] is the catalyst for most of the disasters early on this season," he says. "She decides it's in her best interest to switch up the partnering."Although Olsen says all of the NCIS agents are unhappy about the switch, he admits there is a lot of fun in Sam and Deeks' odd-couple pairing. "There is a lot of gold to be mined in that new dynamic," Olsen says. "I think Sam appreciates Deeks, but I also think he has to tolerate Deeks' behavior."That behavior will be amplified thanks to some joking advice from Callen. "Callen says, 'You should definitely take the lead and be in charge, it's the only way Sam will respect you,'" Olsen says with a laugh. So not only is Deeks going to be Deeks, he decides that he's definitely going to assert himself in that dynamic."Even so, Olsen thinks Sam will gain a new appreciation for Deeks. And he's not ruling out the possibility that the pair will be teamed again. "There are glimpses of acceptance, and that's all that Deeks kind of hopes for with that relationship," Olsen says. "He's working towards getting the respect and admiration from Sam, but think that's a slow journey.

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The more important question may be how Deeks handles being apart from Kensi (Daniela Ruah), his usual partner in crime-solving and will-they-won't-they fan baiting. "He definitely misses her in this episode," Olsen teases. "He kind of takes her for granted and as soon as he gets the orders to go and switch up, Deeks immediately backpedals and says how much he'd rather just go off with Kensi. There's a dynamic that Deeks and Kensi have created for each other. When they're not together, I definitely think that they're drawn back to that."Fans can expect to see some nice Kensi and Deeks moments later this season. In fact, on the day of our interview, Olsen had just come from shooting a scene he thinks will be particularly fun for 'shippers. "We spent the whole morning doing the waltz," he says. "Daniela is actually a really good dancer. So she did the best that she could do to kind of carry my mediocrity."That said, Deeks will have his head turned by a new Latin love interest in a mid-October episode. Olsen describes the character, played by former Playboy cover girl America Olivo, as a "stone-cold fox" who will definitely put Kensi's jealousy on high alert.And will Olsen and Olivo also do some "waltzing"?  "No," Olsen jokes. "It's a lot more tango than waltz."NCIS: Los Angeles airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on CBS.