NCIS: Los Angeles returns for its first episode of 2017. Episode 12 of the 8th season of NCIS: LA will air on January 8. The title of the episode will be "Kulinda".

In the episode, Special Agent Sam Hanna (LL COOL J) has received orders and will be going undercover once again. It is notable that for this case, Sam will be going undercover on his own. Sam usually works in tandem with his partner, Special Agent G. Callen (Chris O'Donnell).

Sam will be following orders to gather more information about the case at a private security firm. The dirty private security firm has been linked to several criminal organizations. No details have been revealed for how he will infiltrate the security firm.

The undercover work of Sam is due to the murder of a navy reservist. The navy reservist died while he was protecting City Councilman Tony Hill (Romeo Brown).

In his own sub-plot, Callen and Anastasia "Anna" Kolcheck (Bar Paly) have a serious heart-to-heart discussion. He and Anna talk about what are the next steps they will be taking in their evolving relationship.

According to The Futon Critic, the relationship of Callen and Anna had a positive reception from audiences. Callen, so far, however, has not shared with his friends, his romantic feelings for the gorgeous blonde specialist.

In the previous episode, Anna assisted the "NCIS: Los Angeles" team in searching for a female Navy Lieutenant Commander. At first, the team speculated that her disappearance was related to her job, which was solving cyber threats for the NSA. It turned out that she was kidnapped in order to silence her journalist boyfriend who had a damaging list of corrupt people.

News website Blasting News reported that Operational Psychologist Nate Getz (Peter Cambor) will also make a return appearance in this episode. Nate Getz was last seen in episode 21 of season 7, "Head of the Snake".

He was a season regular back in season 1. Nate Getz returns to the show at least once a year, each time for different reasons.

Other guest stars for the episode include Nigel Gibbs as Harold Irvin, Sam Adegoke as Junior Sancho, Eddie George as Byron Brown, and Blair Fowler as Poppy Gold. Other series regulars who appear in the "Kulinda" episode of  "NCIS: Los Angeles" are Linda Hunt as Henrietta "Hetty" Lange, Daniela Ruah as Special Agent Kensi Blye, Eric Christian Olsen as LAPD Detective Marty Deeks, Barrett Foa as Tech Operator Eric Beale, Renée Felice Smith as Intelligence Analyst Nell Jones, and Miguel Ferrer as Assistant Director Owen Granger.