Friday, September 14, 2018

HAWAII FIVE-O SEASON 8: CONTINUING HUMOR AND ACTION

 



One of the things I’ve loved best about the remake of the classic CBS series HAWAII FIVE-O has been the back and forth banter between characters Steve McGarret (Alex O’Loughlin) and partner Danny Williams (Scott Caan). The humor found in their exchanges makes this series so much more than the typical action fueled show it could be making it one of the most well-rounded series out there.

This season saw several changes take place. Most notable was the loss which began last season of Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim) and Kono Kalakaua (Grace Park) due to pay disputes behind the scenes. Taking up the slack for their loss was the introduction to the team of Meaghan Rath and Beulah Koale. These two were introduced to us in the previous season but this time around become full-fledged members of the team. Last season also saw the departure of Max Bergman (Masi Oka) the medical examiner that worked with the team. Here again a replacement was found with the addition of Kimee Balmilero as Noelani Cunha as the new ME. Several other cast members who’ve been around for some time finally achieved full time status as well finding them now in the opening credits of the series.

One of those regulars is Ian Anthony Dale as Adam Noshimuri the husband of Kono who has remained in Hawaii while Kono heads an FBI task force on the mainland investigating human traffickers. This season finds Adam going undercover for McGarret trying to find out who is moving to take over the crime family left behind when Adam walked away and his father died.

Other characters from the past pop up in this season as well. Alicia Brown (Claire Forlani) returns to aid the team. Aaron Wright (Joey Lawrence) a computer hacker shows up in several episodes. Ex-MI6 agent Harry Langford (Chris Vance) appears again as well. All add to the stories told in this season.

In addition to the side story running involving Adam we continue to have the character of Lou Grover (Chi McBride) still dealing with the betrayal of his ex-partner from his days in Chicago having killed his wife. His return to the windy city is not a welcome one and Grover must deal with being ostracized by those he once served with more inclined to not betray a brother in blue than side with a man they think is misguided in his accusations.

There is also a side story that runs throughout concerning the joint business venture between Steve and Danny, an Italian restaurant they’ve decided to open and one day retire to run full time. Danny’s uncle in the business is anything but helpful and the person they eventually turn to for assistance might help them out but change things in the process.

Throughout these many side stories are the weekly action fueled tales that make up the show. Drug busts, murders, kidnappings, multiple personality disorders, bioweapons, bank robberies, an attack by someone from Danny’s past are all part and parcel with the daily routine of the Five-O task force. Each is handled with their usual combination of style, ability and a few wise cracks tossed in for good measure.

The series has been building that feeling of camaraderie from the first season forward and it remains in spite of the loss of some of the team and the addition of others. While this season didn’t seem to feel like it had a stand out moment it did offer the same quality product that has been there from the beginning. As the new cast members ease into their roles and the writers decide how to use them to their best advantage the upcoming season should prove interesting. This one sets the stage for that, a bridge between the old and the new. It remains one of the better shows on TV right now and my guess is that fans will make sure this season becomes part of their collection to enjoy for years to come. 

No comments:

Post a Comment