After reading the Nov. 21st "Ask Matt" column, I had to respond to Dorothy's surprise at NCIS: LA's Sam having a wife and family. As a viewer since the beginning, I remember Sam's family being mentioned before, so seeing them wasn't a surprise to me. What surprised me, however, was the emotional punch in seeing Sam go home to his wife after the mission. Seeing Sam's heaviness of heart as he slipped back into his real life created an incredibly poignant ending. It was a reminder of the stakes that governmental agents face during these missions, and it's nice to see a character who has progressed into a relatable phase of life, even though that is not the focus of the show.
Read the whole question along with the answer on tvguide.com.
