Nell Returns to Work in the ‘NCIS: LA’ Season 12 Premiere (PHOTOS)

Renee Felice Smith NCIS Los Angeles Season 12 Premiere Nell Jones
CBS

Intelligence analyst Nell Jones (Renée Felice Smith) may have stepped away from her work at NCIS after admitting she no longer wanted to be an agent, but operations manager Hetty Lange (Linda Hunt), who’d wanted the younger woman to eventually replace her, is going to have some work for her to do in the Season 12 premiere.

When NCIS: Los Angeles returns, Hetty has “a cryptic assignment” for Nell, according to the logline for “The Bear.” (That’s because the boss will be on “a bit of a misadventure,” executive producer R. Scott Gemmill told TV Insider.)

Elsewhere in the episode, Callen (Chris O’Donnell) and Sam (LL Cool J) are trying to track down a missing Russian bomber in the desert and secure its weapons and intel before those on board destroy the plane.

Scroll down for a look at that, Nell’s return to the office, Devin Rountree (new series regular Caleb Castille) officially part of the team, Arkady Kolcheck (Vyto Ruginis), and more from the premiere.

NCIS: Los Angeles, Season 12 Premiere, Sunday, November 8, 8:30/7:30c, CBS

NCIS Los Angeles Season 12 Premiere Sam Callen Helicopter
CBS

See anything?

LL Cool J Chris O'Donnell NCIS Los Angeles Season 12 Premiere
CBS

Sam (LL Cool J) and Callen (Chris O’Donnell)

Callen Sam Plane NCIS Los Angeles Season 12 Premiere
CBS

Callen and Sam

LL Cool J as Sam Hanna in the NCIS Los Angeles Season 12 Premiere
CBS

Sam found something.

Chris O'Donnell NCIS Los Angeles Season 12 Premiere Callen
CBS

Callen

NCIS: Los Angeles - Season 12 premiere - Renée Felice Smith as Nell Hetty at desk
CBS

Welcome back to the office, Nell (Renée Felice Smith).

NCIS Los Angeles Season 12 Premiere Nell Kensi
CBS

Nell and Kensi (Daniela Ruah)

Bar Kensi Arkady NCIS Los Angeles Season 12 Premiere
CBS

Kensi vs. Arkady (Vyto Ruginis)

Densi NCIS Los Angeles Season 12 Premiere Deeks Kensi
CBS

Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen) and Kensi

Deeks Kensi Bar NCIS Los Angeles Season 12 Premiere Arkady
CBS

What’s he writing down?

Deeks Rountree NCIS Los Angeles Season 12 Premiere
CBS

Welcome to the team, Rountree (Caleb Castille). Meet Undercover Deeks.

Eric Christian Olsen as Deeks undercover as a homeless person in NCIS Los Angeles - Season 12 Premiere - 'The Bear'
CBS

What’s in the bag?