Ep 1. High-Value Target/Belly of the Beast

The episode High-Value Target/Belly of the Beast serves as the beginning of NCIS: Los Angeles' eighth season. In this episode, the team is tasked with the dangerous mission of rescuing a key witness who has been kidnapped by a Chinese criminal organization. The witness, who holds valuable information about their illegal activities, is being held in an underground location in Syria.

The team consists of experienced agents G. Callen (Chris O'Donnell), Sam Hanna (LL Cool J), Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah), and Marty Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen). They all must work together to rescue their target, without being discovered by the terrorist group and endangering themselves and the mission.

To accomplish this, Callen and Hanna travel to Syria to act as buyers for the criminals. Meanwhile, Blye and Deeks pose as a married couple, to keep a low profile while keeping watch over the target's family. As always, the team encounters numerous obstacles and unexpected challenges throughout the mission.

One of the highlights of this hour-long episode of NCIS: Los Angeles is the high-stakes operation, which ultimately involves a daring and intense car chase in the streets of Istanbul. Fans will get a thrill out of watching the team navigate through the streets of the city as they pursue the criminal mastermind.

At the same time, the episode also explores the internal dynamics of the team members. The episode shows how the team members have grown closer over the years and have developed a strong sense of loyalty and trust towards one another. However, there are also moments where tensions arise, revealing the occasional conflict that exists between them.

Moreover, the episode also introduces two new recurring characters to the show. In High-Value Target/Belly of the Beast, the team works alongside a Syrian informant named Sabatino (played by Adam Jamal Craig) who helps them navigate through the city of Istanbul. The team also finds a new team member, a young forensic specialist named Hidoko (played by Andrea Bordeaux), who joins the unit after the successful mission.

Overall, the episode draws viewers into a world of high-stakes espionage and undercover operations, as well as exploring the complex relationships between the NCIS team members. With its gripping action scenes, suspenseful plotline, and engaging characters, NCIS: Los Angeles' eighth season kicks off with a strong start in High-Value Target/Belly of the Beast.