Barret Foa's character has returned to the show...

'NCIS: Los Angeles': "Eric" Is Back - But For How Long?

"Eric Beale" is one of the fan favorites in NCIS: L.A. so fans were naturally disappointed that Barrett Foa was not present for the first couple of episodes of season 11. Fortunately, he's already back in episode three - but where was he and how long will he actually stay?

Barrett Foa (42,"Eric Beale") is back on NCIS: L.A.. The eleventh season started without the popular character but "Eric" has returned in episode three to the delight of many fans. But is his return final?

"Eric" is said to have been in San Francisco for some time. He got an offer for a good job at a tech security company. But what exactly did he do there and what was his job? Those questions have, up to this point, not been answered.

Instead, it's as if "Eric" had never been away. His absence and his work at the company are not mentioned at all. He's working with the NCIS: L.A. team on a new case and apparently has nothing to tell about his time in San Francisco.

"Eric Beale" will be missing from the first five episodes of season 11 of NCIS: Los Angeles.

NCIS: L.A.: "Eric" will be gone for some more episodes

If he was in San Francisco the whole time, the other NCIS: L.A. characters didn't hear much from "Eric." Even his girlfriend "Nell" (Renée Felice Smith, 34) has barely seen him and doesn't know what his exact job was up there.

"Eric" himself will probably not solve the mystery in the next episodes. When it became clear that we wouldn't be seeing his character in season 11, it was announced that Barrett Foa was supposed to be gone for five of the first six episodes. That means that we probably won't see him in the next three episodes.

The reason for Barrett Foa's absence is his work at the St. Louis Repertory Theatre in the play "Angels in America". The production and the start of shooting of the eleventh season actually overlapped.

NCIS: L.A.: When will "Eric's" absence be explained?

Fortunately, Barrett Foa doesn't have to leave the show altogether and his absence has been integrated into the script. The whole story of his stay in San Francisco will hopefully be explained over the course of the 11th season of NCIS: L.A.. There is certainly more to it than a simple job in a security company....Stay tuned for more!