Hawaii Five-0 - "Ha'i'ole"

     Hawaii Five-0's season premiere "Ha'i'ole," picks up one week after the season finale ends. Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) is in jail, until Victor Hesse (James Masters) stabs him. Victor knows Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos) will soon come after him, and wants McGarrett to take out their mutual enemy first, so a non-fatal wound provides an opportunity to escape. McGarrett goes on the run, with his old friends showing up to help him. They succeed in getting McGarrett's name cleared and Five-0 reinstated, but Kono (Grace Park) is not part of the deal, since she is being investigated by Internal Affairs. And by the time it's done, Victor is already dead.

     McGarrett is lucky that the Five-0 group has bonded. If not, there is no way that he would be able to clear his name. Not only do Danno (Scott Cann), Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim), and Kono assist, but so do Jenna Kaye (Larisa Oleynik), Kamekona (Taylor Wily), and Max (Masi Oka, now a series regular). Plus, the man who trained McGarrett, Lt. Commander Joe White (Terry O'Quinn, Lost), comes to the island. White doesn't tell them why exactly he came, but he does lend a hand, and his familiarity with McGarrett's father (William Sadler) proves invaluable to proving McGarrett  innocent.

     Unfortunately, the evidence, which comes from a camera that the senior McGarret placed in the governor's study, has some dark implications. Yes, the film shows that McGarrett did not shoot Jameson (Jean Smart), but it also reveals a secret meeting between Jameson, Wo Fat, and the elder McGarrett. Could Steve's dad not be the hero that Steve thinks he is? Or, more likely, does the team just not understand what they are seeing? After all, there is no audio to clue them in.

     Things will not stay status quo for Five-0, or so it seems. With Jameson dead, the lieutenant governor (Richard T. Jones, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) gets to decide the team's fate. He is willing to allow them to continue, since they have been effective at lowering the crime rate, but he also tells McGarrett that they will not be able to cross as many lines. They no longer have unlimited power and resources. When McGarrett falters at agreeing to these terms, the lt. gov. says it's fine. But is it? Will he be an impediment? And if not, why even go through the trouble of bringing in the new character?

     Even though Five-0 is back on the job, things are not all cheery for the team. As mentioned above, Kono is not reinstated with the others because she is under investigation. Considering how corrupt the police department is, it's not certain that she will ever be allowed to rejoin her friends in an official capacity. It took a lot of effort for Chin Ho's honor to be restored. Is it Kono's fate to repeat her cousin's journey this season? Hopefully not.

     Worse, Danno learns that Rachel's (Claire van der Boom) baby is likely not his, so she decides to go back to her ex, leaving him alone. Is she being truthful? Why raise the plot point of Danno getting Rachel pregnant in the first place if the writers are just going to go back on it? Sure, some drama is necessary to give a series life, but does everything have to be an uphill battle all of the time? It's not like Danno's love life is an essential element, or Rachel is a main character, where tension needs to build between them each week.

     "Ha'i'ole" is a satisfying episode overall, tying more into the larger arcs of the show than a stand-alone case. Even the crime that is investigated in the episode has to do with Wo Fat, making the stakes mean more. As such, it's a pretty good outing, and hopefully Hawaii Five-0 will give more of those, and less of the stand alone hours that filled up most of last season.

     Hawaii Five-0 airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

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Article first published as TV Review: Hawaii Five-0 - "Ha'i'ole" on Blogcritics.

Hawaii Five-0 - "Oia'i'o"

     As CBS's Hawaii Five-0 wraps up its freshman year, a lot goes down in "Oia'i'o." The biggest surprise is that the governor (Jean Smart), the woman who founded Five-0, isn't who she says she is. Once Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) learns her secrets, he becomes a wanted man, on the run from both the law and criminal mastermind Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos). Only Danno (Scott Caan), who is supposed to be leaving the island forever with his family, can likely clear Steve's name. Unfortunately, one of Five-0's own, Kono (Grace Park) is arrested, and another, Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim), turns his back on the department. All of this makes for one intense cliffhanger.


     Blue Bloods, take note. This is how you get around the CBS procedural trap, and make a show that is both popular and exciting. While many episodes of Hawaii Five-0 do feature stand alone story, it is the full season mystery of Wo Fat, and his connection to McGarrett's father, that is the driving force behind the series. With the season finale, the show drops all pretense of a case of the week, and focuses completely on the larger arcs that have threaded their way throughout the season.

     Steve McGarrett is the hero, and no matter what Wo Fat does, any obstacles thrown at Steve are only temporary. When McGarrett realizes the governor's assistant, Laura Hills (Kelly Hu), is the one returning his father's evidence to him in small packages, McGarrett turns his attention to Governor Jameson. Hills is blown up in a car bomb, and it isn't long before McGarrett figures out that Jameson is behind it. However, instead of taking down a corrupt official, when McGarrett goes to confront the governor, Wo Fat kills her and frames McGarrett, leading to the Five-0 leader's subsequent arrest.

     Thankfully, Steve does not work alone. He did on taking down the governor, and look where it got him. Luckily, Steve's story is not over, and next season, it shouldn't take more than an episode to clear Steve's good name.

     The most likely person to do so is Steve's partner, Danno. Danno cares more about his daughter, Grace (Teilor Grubbs), than anything else in the world. Yet, when Danno's ex, Rachel (Claire van der Boom), offers Danno a chance to run back to New Jersey with his family, he hesitates. That's because Danno knows the difference between right and wrong, and what is happening to Steve is wrong. If he doesn't stay, who else will help Steve's? It isn't a mark against Rachel and Grace that Danno doesn't make the flight. He'll catch up with them eventually. His only mistake is promising to get to the airport when so much bad stuff is going down around him.

     Of course, Danno is never leaving Hawaii, at least not until the end of the series. And considering that he moved his life all the way out to the island for his daughter, Grace's departure can only be temporary. She must be in Hawaii for Danno to stay, and Danno is staying, or the show would suffer severely. Therefore, logically, Grace and Rachel will soon return. Hopefully Danno hasn't screwed up his chances with Rachel permanently.

     Kono is also a loyal member of the team, so it is with great regret that she takes the fall in something they all participated in, stealing money from lockup. Five-0 stole the money to save Chin Ho's life, and it turns out the governor is the one who has been protecting them. With her gone, and evidence already having leaked against Kono, that protection is no longer guaranteed. But like Danno, Kono is an essential part of the Five-0 team, and like McGarrett, she is righteous hero. All that points to a very short stint behind bars for her as well.

     Sadly, Chin Ho doesn't seem to share Kono and Danno's loyalty. Sensing the end of Five-0 now that they are not supported by Governor Jameson, Chin Ho accepts a restoration to the police force, which comes with a promotion. The Five-0 unit is still new enough that Chin Ho can be forgiven his betrayal. After all, from where he stands, McGarrett looks guilty. But that forgiveness will only extend so far, so it is advisable to Chin Ho that he come to his senses soon and help clean up the mess he contributed to.

     And what of Jenna Kaye (Larisa Oleynik)? She is clearly taken with Five-0, and also wants to help McGarrett. Any chance she may be sticking around long-term, once Steve's name is cleared? Not likely, considering the cast list for season two of this as-yet-unrenewed-but-certain-to-be show has already been released, and includes only new name among the primary cast - Dr. Max Bergman (Masi Oka, Heroes). Sadly, that means Kaye's days are limited. Hopefully this means recurring status with much time spend off the island, rather than death.

     The final important cast member, who should also be ungraded to main character, but hasn't been, is Kamekona (Taylor Wily). Time and again Kamekona has proven himself invaluable to the Five-0 team, and in "Oia'i'o," he does so again, not only supplying Steve with firepower, but warning Danno that he did so. Kamekona is wise and helpful, keeping his finger on the pulse of both the legal and illegal communities. Considering where Steve and Kono are right now (in jail), Kamekona's assistance may be necessary once more if they are going to secure release for the team.


     Hawaii Five-0 gave an exciting first season. It will most likely return for a second outing next fall on CBS.

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Article first published as TV Review: Hawaii Five-0 - "Oia'i'o" on Blogcritics.

Hawaii Five-0 - "Ne Me'e Laua Na Paio"

     On this week's episode CBS's Hawaii Five-0, Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) gets another piece of the mystery concerning his father's death when he learns Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos) may have ordered the hit. McGarrett is now being aided by C.I.A. analyst Jenna Kaye (Larisa Oleynik), who has a personal vendetta against Wo Fat, and after finding his location, takes a leave from the agency to track him. Steve isn't fooled as Kaye claims to be on an active mission, but soon the two team up and work together.

     I hope it doesn't take 12 years for Steve to catch Wo Fat. I am aware, though I never saw the show, that Wo Fat was a character in the original Hawaii Five-O that messed with the team from the pilot all the way through to the series finale after a dozen seasons. While the first half of this new show's first season has done little to deal with this overall arc, the past few episodes have been very good at furthering the larger story. As such, Steve may not take down Wo Fat this year, but two or three years from now, it'll definitely be time to find a new bad guy.

     As for the rest of the episode, it is fun, but not anything special. Like most procedurals, even though Hawaii Five-0 has a spectacular cast, things drag a little as the team pursues the case of the week. This week's murder is convoluted, making the team work through a number of twists before solving the case. That leads to some fun moments, such as Steve and Danno (Scott Caan) at a costumed convention, Kono (Grace Park) channeling her inner stripper to send a text, and the team talking to eccentric medical examiner Max (Masi Oka). But it did get boring in parts.

     One complaint, and I know this is being picky, but at the convention, a black man in a Star Trek uniform corrects Danno when he calls him Captain Kirk, claiming to be Commander Sisko, instead. The man, if he were really a Star Trek fan, would know that he is dressed as Captain Sisko from the later seasons of Deep Space 9. Four pips on the collar represents Captain, not Commander. Sisko began the show as a Commander, but was promoted about halfway through. The uniform in the episode is also the uniform design worn later, after the promotion, rather than the completely different design from when Sisko was a commander. Look up Commander Sisko and Captain Sisko on google images, and you will see a startling difference in appearance, though it is still the same actor, so I'm complaining about a lot more than just a button on the collar. The casual viewer would not catch such a mistake, but Deep Space 9 is one of my favorite shows of all time, and certainly the best Star Trek series. The man in the costume would definitely know the difference.

     I know this is the most popular new show of the season, and I will anger people with my criticisms, but it is the truth. Watching the same thing over and over again gets boring. I have watched all 19 episodes thus far, and have really enjoyed only about a third of them. Thus, the series joins the ranks of other popular shows that are really not very good. I'm looking at you CSIs, Law and Orders, NCISs, The Mentalist, etc. It's not a coincidence that most of those air on CBS. I won't even get into the plethora of reality shows like Dancing With the Stars and American Idol. The biggest difference with Hawaii Five-0 from those other shows is that this one has the potential to be really great, and sometimes is, rather than staying mediocre and rote.

    To make a consistently better show, I recommend they give more screen time to the larger arcs, and less to the case of the week. Sometimes, get rid of the case of the week all together. Have more interaction between team members. Sure, the group is often together in various combinations, but much of that together time is spend examining evidence. Steve and Danno's one on one conversations in the car are ALWAYS a high point of any episode. So why not have two or three, or even four, every week? And give a little more to Chin Ho (Daniel Dae Kim), who has had fewer fun bits than anyone else. Making Kamekona (Taylor Wily) a series regular, also not a bad idea. Embrace the humorous elements, and play them up more. Lastly, an English translation of the episode titles at the beginning of each episode would be nice.

     I am rooting for Hawaii Five-0 to succeed, and the winter has been better than the fall. If the spring can improve even more, we'll be in business.

     Hawaii Five-0 airs Monday nights at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

Article first published as TV Review: Hawaii Five-0 - "Ne Me'e Laua Na Paio" on Blogcritics.

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Heroes begins a brave new chapter

     Last night NBC's Heroes completed their fourth season, fifth volume.  While it was a good ending to Samuel's (Robert Knepper, Prison Break) carnival, the most interesting parts of the episode had nothing to do with this season's new characters.  Instead, Heroes will continue to fuel a new creative resurgence by making its core characters interesting again.  For example, Hiro (Masi Oka) also got a bittersweet ending to his quest, finding his beloved Charlie (Jayma Mays, Glee) had already lived a full life without him. She helped Hiro understand what Ando (James Kyson-Lee) had been hinting at, that Hiro would only interfere more with her for him own sake, not hers.

     Sylar (Zachary Quinto, Star Trek) appears to finally be ready to make amends and become a full fledged hero.  This plot has been toyed with before on the show, but the writer's threw circumstances and obstacles at him to drag him back down.  Despite some bad choices (his plot for the entire first half of the season), leaving him and Peter (Milo Ventimiglia, Gilmore Girls) alone in a mind trap for five years, to their perspective, led to acceptance and forgiveness I never thought possible.  It allowed Sylar the time, free from distractions, to come to grips with who he is versus who he'd like to be, something he was already grappling with before his entrapment.  And Peter, who is often dull, got to deal with the death of his brother, and proved that he is a real hero in how he relates to others.

     The best part of the episode, however, though I never expected to write these words, was Claire (Hayden Panettiere).  She came to terms with the dark side of her father, Noah (Jack Coleman, Dynasty) and grew up enough to make her own life choice.  In fact, this development made the Volume Six teaser at the end not only Heroes's most exciting one, but also more stunning than the actual Volume Five finale.  Deciding to reveal who she was to the world at large, and that there are people with gifts walking among us will rock the Heroes universe in a way that no other plot twist has.  Again, this direction was played with earlier in the series, but abandoned.  It's nice to see it embraced.

     Sadly, there was no similar fitting revelations or triumphs for one my favorite actors, Greg Grunberg, (Alias) who plays the character of Matt Parkman, and seems to have run his course at present.  Hopefully, that will be corrected early next season.  Heroes will likely return to NBC in the fall, though the decision to renew it is not yet final.  However, if this was the end, a lot of fans will be very angry at the giant cliffhanger and enormous potential left untapped.

Heroes finally finding footing

     Way back in October when I last wrote about NBC's Heroes, I lamented that the show was struggling, but celebrated a few bright spots on the horizon.  After having just viewed Monday's two-parter, I am happy to report that Heroes has found it's stride again.  If you had written Heroes off, now is the time to get back on board.  Catch up online, then read on.

     As before, there has only been limited Hiro (Masi Oka) and Ando (James Kyson Lee), who used to be just about the only part of the show worth watching.  As their names did not even appear in the latest installment's opening credits, one must assume that the plummeting ratings forced the main characters down to limited episode counts.  Not that Hiro has become uneccessary to the show.  He still should have a hand in the showdown, and he has not yet resolved his plot to rescue Charlie (Jayma Mays, Glee).  However, I am gratified to see Heroes mess with time travel and changing the timeline, but not have things go disastrously wrong, as is the norm for science fiction, and have to have it put back.  Ando's new standing is welcome.  There has also been very little seen on Mohinder (Sendhil Ramamurthy), who popped up only briefly in the fall, before disappearing again.  Similarly, another less popular character, Tracy (Ali Larter, Final Destination, Varsity Blues) has appeared in just five of the first thirteen episodes this year.

     Meanwhile, while Claire (Hayden Panettiere, I Love You Beth Cooper) has not gone into lesbianism, as I thought she might, she has gone through a lot, being lied to by her adopted father, loosing her biological father, and almost falling prey to a cult.  She is staying interesting and relevant to the plot.  Speaking of her biological father, it appears that Nathan's (Adrian Pasdar, Judging Amy) plot, months after his death, has finally played out and he will no longer be a part of the show.  This is mostly welcome, though he had gotten more engrossing last season.  The character I most miss at this point is Matt (Greg Grunberg, Alias), who had a hell of an episode battling the villain in his brain, but hasn't been seen since.

     Speaking of villains, has Sylar (Zachary Quinto, 24, Star Trek) finally met his match in newest main cast member Samuel (Prison Break's Robert Knepper)?  Their showdown this week gave me chills, and made me yearn for more.  If the two ever fought head on for long, or teamed up, it would be quite a show.  Samuel is easily the most complex, compelling enemy to grace television screens in quite some time, and his carnival slash cult has given much drive to Volume 5: Redemption, the title for this fourth season.  The place had introduced a slew of new heroes with unusual abilities, and brought a few old ones back out of the woodwork.  Plus, what the heck was up with Sylar's new tattoo of a familiar face?  With only six episodes left, Heroes doesn't have much this spring, but what it does offer will surely be worth tuning in for.

Heroes down but not out

    Many fans of NBC’s Heroes have fled, claiming the show will never be as good as it was in the first season. Truthfully, I feel the first season was ok, but the second season was the zenith. That was when Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars) and David Anders (Alias) joined the cast. They were signed to become full time characters, but a shortened season, because of the writer’s strike, and failing ratings interfered, and both ended up leaving early in season three. I agree, that the show has floundered unevenly since then, but don’t give up hope yet.

      This week’s episode, “Strange Attractors”, proved that the show can be good, and not just when Hiro and Ando are the focus, as the popular Japanese duo sat this one out entirely. Look for more of them next week when Hiro goes back in time save his love, Charlie (Glee’s perky guidance counselor, Jayma Mays). Anyway, Claire has FINALLY become interesting, trying to lead a normal, college life and possibly falling in love with the wonderfully understanding Gretchen (Madeline Zima from The Nanny and Californication). I hope Gretchen sticks around, and Claire goes for it. The comparisons between her and one Buffy Summers have been quite evident, but unlike Buffy, Claire’s lesbianism should stick.

      Nathan and Peter have had much reduced plots, which is welcome, as they both tend to make the plot drag. As the real Nathan is dead, one can only hope that the actor will be leaving the show soon as well. Of course, Zachary Quinto’s Sylar, living in two different places at once, is richly enjoyable. That show will never shortchange that actor if they know what’s good for them. Plus, I am really digging Robert Knepper, fresh off a fantastic four year stint on Prison Break. It’s not certain what is going on with him and his mysterious circus, but he is acting the hell out of the role.

      Unfortunately, not all is clear skies. HRG is actually trying to do good, and not doing very well at it. He has always been a favorite character, and after the dissolution of his marriage and the loss of his job, does he keep having to get beat on? Also, Mohinder has been missing for quite awhile, though word is he will be back soon. But will he be back full time, or just as a guest star? Lastly, the less they focus on Ali Larter’s character(s) the better. I think it’s time she leaves for good, though I wouldn’t object to her son, Micah, returning to the show.