The NCIS: Los Angeles Episodes You Probably Forgot Featured Pauley Perrette
It's not uncommon for spin-offs to include characters from the original show in episodes, either as a crossover event, or to help the newer spinoff gain a firmer footing and more viewers. For "NCIS: Los Angeles," the characters were introduced in Season 6, of "NCIS," in Part 1 and Part 2 of "Legend," which acted as the backdoor pilot to the new show. The episodes saw Special Agents Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and McGee (Sean Murray) go to Los Angeles, where they work with the agents of the new office there, including Callen (Chris O'Donnell) and Hanna (LL Cool J).
Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) has appeared in 10 episodes of "NCIS: Los Angeles," with six of them occurring in the first season. His appearance was expected, since he was the director for all three offices. The appearance of Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette) front and center in two very different episodes of the first season speaks volumes about what the "NCIS" producers thought about her, and her ability to draw more viewers to the fledgling show with her established and well-liked character.
Abby helped the team catch a killer, and went on a date
The fifth episode of "NCIS: Los Angeles," "Killshot," introduces Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette), the forensic scientist who is based in Washington, D.C. Director Vance calls Abby to ask her if she can help check out the blood spatter in their crime, and Eric Beale (Barrett Foa) fills her in on the case and sends over the files for her to look at. Abby doesn't get a lot of screen time, but she shows up again near the end, when she tells them what she's learned from looking at the photos of the blood spatter.
Abby makes her final appearance in the ninth episode of the season, "Random on Purpose." The team meet Abby in person when she arrives in L.A. with the theory that their case is connected to a serial killer case she's working on. In the process of helping the Los Angeles-based team find the killer, Abby and Eric connect and go on a date.. The two seem to really like each other — and then she gets kidnapped. Fortunately Eric knows sign language, and is able to help rescue Abby when he sees a video of her tied up and signing where she is.
It was disappointing that Perrette didn't appear again, since it was obvious her character had great chemistry with Foa. With Perrette also done with "NCIS," it's unlikely her character will ever be seen on any of the "NCIS" shows again.