Welcome to Oahu where The Karate Kid meets Rocky meets the Iron Chef meets Oceans 11.
Needless to say I loved this episode from start to finish. The crime of the week was full of twists and turns (vintage Five-0) and I really liked that, for once, there really was no victim in this story. Well, no dead victim, anyway. Bryan Wallace, the dad from Grand Rapids was most assuredly a victim but I was very happy when he didn’t die in the end. I had a real soft spot for Bryan and his family. When my husband and I went to Oahu in 2013 we didn’t know that waiting for us when we got home was news that he was being laid off from his job. Like Mrs. Wallace, if we had known that beforehand we wouldn’t have gone on the trip. But, also like the Wallace’s it all worked out in the end. Well, hubby got a new job not 1.5 million but c’est la vie.
The crime of the week was an extremely well thought out maze of misdirection. It was a stolen goods plant which turned into an attempted murder which turned into an art sale which turned into an art heist and hostage situation which turned into a bounty hunter recovery of the art and a good deed back to the attempted murder victim. There are episodes of this show which give me whiplash but I can never say I’ve ever been bored.
Favorite bits:
I have to start with my most favorite part of this episode, Kamekona and Chef Morimoto. It was just pure fun from start to finish and I honestly cannot remember when I laughed out loud so much during a Five-0 episode. It was really wonderful to see Taylor Wily on screen for a significant amount of time for a change. We haven’t really seen too much of him lately and that is a waste in my book. I love Jerry and I can deal with limited amounts of Pua but Kamekona is one of my original favorites all the way back to the Pilot episode. I love all the time I can get of him on my screen.
And Morimoto was an absolute hoot. From the moment when he realized Kame’s opponent was Sam Choy (obviously Chef never got over Sam snatching his prime restaurant location from under his nose) and quickly deciding he would indeed help “Daniel-sun” to the look on his face after Sam walked away from their table at Shrimpapaloosa and his “We must crush him” I was laughing so hard I was crying.
I also thought Chef’s advice that Kame cook from his heart and not from his head was very appropriate for this episode. Cooking is a creative art, after all, much like the art highlighted in this episode. Every artist creates from his heart. It’s the only way to be true to himself as well as to what he is creating. But, of course, for Chef Morimoto….. “Cooking is combat and I don’t lose”…OMG Hearing “The Eye of The Tiger” so warmed my Rocky loving Philadelphia heart! LOL
Getting back to the crime of the week…. I really enjoyed watching Chin and Kono undercover. We don’t get to see these two really working a case from the inside all that often. We mostly get them riding the Magic Table, giving lots of exposition and being part of a take down once in a while. Chin was fantastic as the high bidding art enthusiast but Kono stole the day. I loved the way Kono looked at Steve when he said they needed “bait” to snag the “perv” Gerard Hirsch at the auction and the way she sauntered in and practically seduced Gerard was priceless. And that dress she wore to Tom Emery’s home was breathtaking. I loved how the guard at the door didn’t even bother to scan her with the wand as they entered the house. As if….um…yeah…where would she hide something in that dress? Of course, this IS Kono we’re talking about stupid man. Even in that dress Kono could be hiding multiple weapons if she wanted to. She’s so bad ass!
Rebecca Mader as Nicole Booth was a fantastic character. I loved her interaction with everyone from Steve to Jerry. The fact that she left with the legitimate art work was a twist I never saw coming. But the fact that she did leave and on a happy note (leaving the Van Gogh behind so the Wallace’s could collect the reward and ‘change their luck”) hopefully means she could be a character we’ll see again one day. And I loved her Aussie accent. I kept thinking, all through the episode, that between Rebecca and Mirrah Foulkes as Ellie…how many Aussie accents will it take to make Alex break? I’d love to see THAT on the gag reel someday! LOL
I also enjoyed Jerry’s contribution to this episode. I pondered on this blog last week what Jerry’s purpose is these days, now that his “dungeon of truth” is gone and this episode showed that he can indeed serve a purpose for the team. There is something a friend of mine posted on another page this morning that had me thinking though. When we first met Jerry last season he stated pretty clearly that he didn’t care for technology. Going by all the newspapers he had stacked and the numerous file cabinets in his basement, pretty much all of his intel was on paper. When he gave Five-0 a list of names he typed them out on an old fashioned typewriter. He told Steve and Danny he didn’t trust phones. Yet now, they have him in the surveillance truck handling the tech like an old pro. So what gives?
Personally I think, and this is just speculation on my part, when TPTB decided to make Jerry a regular they figured the “only on paper” approach could only get them so far so they simply changed their direction with his character. The tech-phobic paper loving conspiracy guru would have been fine for the 3 episodes he was originally supposed to be in. But once they decided to make him a regular they needed to expand his level of expertise and, therefore, his usefulness. That’s why I think, now, Jerry is a techie geek. Of course, if the tech fails you can always just crash the surveillance van into the bad guys so they don’t get away! (Vintage McGarrett…of course!)
I really love the dynamic between Steve and Grover. I think they make a fantastic team. As a matter of fact, I thought the writing for the whole team was exceptional in this episode. I loved the way Grover was almost commanding the SWAT guys…just like he did before he was fired from HPD. He and Steve, after starting off on the decidedly wrong foot, have become a well-oiled machine in the field. Grove works well with everyone and I am thrilled they decided to add him permanently to Five-0.
Of course, like many folks out there, I missed Danny in this episode but the fact that he wasn’t there didn’t diminish my enjoyment. But I am happily looking forward to Danny’s return next week and the Danny centric episodes that have been hinted at online. Because, for me, no matter how well Steve works with Grover or with anyone else, there will never be a partnership nor a friendship that’s better than Steve and Danny!
So…another great episode in what is, for me, a fantastic season. I really can’t wait to see what they have in store for us next…especially those Danny centric episodes. Have a great week my friends!
Hawaii Five-0 Kool-Aid 
Great review,Linda! I agree with every point you made! I,too,thought Jerry was limited at first by not being tech savvy,but now he fits it very well with the team. Loved this episode!
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I really like Jerry but I need him to be more than just comic relief. Having him be more tech savvy gives him more of a real purpose and I like the way they are utilizing him at this point. Thanks for the comment Rhonda!
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If they used Grace Park in more undercover roles, this show would increase its viewership by probably a million. It won’t matter if they put her in a bikini, cocktail dress, evening gown or a burlap bag, that woman is simply a show stopper…
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ROFL I agree Mike. Even when she just rolls out of bed first thing in the morning she’s gorgeous! I was watching the episode with my husband and he looked long and hard at Kono in that dress. I just laughed and told him if he DIDN’T look at her I’d seriously wonder about him! LOL You are 100% right….she is simply stunning and a definite show stopper!
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Great review Linda. I agreed with everything except I didn’t miss Danny, sorry to say I’m not a big fan of the snark and the whining but for that I blame the writers. After the 100th this is my next favorite. I loved seeing the vulnerable side of Kamekona, he was so humble when he was asking for help. I think Jerry has finally found some true friends and doesn’t have to be alone with his “Theory Thoughts”. He is like a little boy wanting to do anything he can to get the respect and friendship from Steve, which he clearly already has. Having now found a “home” he can branch out and try new things and it seems he is willing to do anything he can to become part of the team. The ending or I should say both endings were perfect. The check Steve gave to the family had me teary eyed and then the cook-off had me laughing really hard. The pairings in this episode just clicked and they worked together really really well, personally I want to see more of this but then that’s just me.
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Oh Wanda my friend. I know you’re not a big fan of Danny and I know..you know..I am. So glad we can still discuss the show we both love and enjoy the things we both like about it.
I agree with you about Jerry. He has a not too subtle hero worship going with Steve and getting his respect means a lot to Jerry. I’m very glad the writers decided to take him in a more “modern” direction by making him more tech savvy and therefore even more useful to the team. It also frees up the need to have Chin or Kono stranded in the van. I like the way this is working out at this point.
I also agree with you about Kame! ANYTIME I get to see more of Kame the more I like it. His scenes were awesome! Thanks again for reading and commenting. It really means a lot!
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Great review Linda, I enjoy this episode a lot, and I am so happy that Jerry is now more involved with the team, I wondered if one day he will get a 5-0 badge!😃
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Well, maybe a facsimile of a badge! LOL He’s not a cop after all. But I DO so love having him help out the team.
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And like the Wallaces, you and your hubby went to Hawaii because of a TV show that was set there, eh Linda?
I thought that it was a little disingenuous that the press release said that the tourist was killed because he unknowingly carried the painting into Hawaii. I’m glad that Bryan Wallace survived.
I really liked the story of Kamekona and the two chefs and the cooking contest. It was really great to watch Kame cook his shrimp dish using the coffee can, hot plate and car battery. That was great.
And it was great to see Morimoto get to act. The last time he was on, he did little other than watch McGarrett and Danny. This episode he got to show some skills as an actor and I thought he did good.
I always like it when they let Grace Park and Daniel Dae Kim stretch their acting muscles. And Daniel looks very distinguished in glasses. The look on Kono’s face was priceless (and you captured it perfectly above) when Steve told her “we need to use the right bait to catch a ‘perv’.” And we got to see Grace in the very first job she had in front of a camera … a model. It was neat to see her in four different changes of costume (my favorite though is the Kamekona T-shirt and shorts … it IS Hawaii after all).
I did miss Danny a little. He was probably off getting a little “face time” with his daughter.
This will be among my favorite episodes of the season, right along with the 100th. It was good to see the audience total go up too, although the plot probably didn’t have anything to do with that.
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ROFL You are so right Ed. I DID want to go to Hawaii because of a TV show. Hubby accused me of only wanting to go because of Five-0 but the truth of the matter is I wanted to go to Hawaii since the Brady’s went. (Dating myself here! LOL)
I agree about the press release but I something think those are written well before the final edit is done on scripts but they are never subsequently changed. So there are times when they don’t match up with the episode quite right. Nature of the game I suppose.
I KNEW you’d LOVE all the Kono scenes babe! Who could blame you?
As for Danny….something occurred to me last night. I’ve always thought that Scott really connected with the Danny character because like Danny, Scott would prefer to be somewhere else. Danny in Jersey….Scott in LA. They each came to Hawaii for an important reason. Danny for Gracie…Scott for a great new gig. Now they have something else in common. I’m sure Scott now really understands why Danny would leave Jersey to follow his baby girl to Hawaii. Scott now leaves Hawaii to spend all the time he can with HIS baby girl in LA. The only difference is Scott likes it in LA. LOL
Funny how art imitates life…or in this case…life imitates art.
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Linda I’ve told myself that if Hawaii Five-0 is renewed for another year, I’m going. The TV show would be a big part, but as a former Navyman Pearl Harbor would be a big draw too.
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Oh Ed…Pearl will NOT disappoint. It was an extremely moving day. A day I will never forget. Oh yes…..you MUST go to Pearl at some point in your life. It’s amazing!
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I laugh a lot, too. I loved the look Steve threw Kono way, and her look of “Who me?” I knew that bounty hunter was going to pull a fast one. She did leave the other one so that it could help that family. Danny would have said, if the writers let him, “You really believe what she is say?” I missed Danny, but the show is showing that it can work when someone is off for a few days. Other shows do that. Maybe Scott was filming something for the Mexico episode. Did Jerry or Max “borrow” Steve’s car next week and is Steve babysitting Gracie? Hmmmm…
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I totally agree Robin. Now that there are five viable, well trained cops on the team each of them can take a day off and the team will never miss a beat. Not that they couldn’t do that before but whenever one of them was missing it just seemed the team was diminished. Now it doesn’t feel that way.
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As I’ve said many, many times, I’m a true blue Danny girl. I love the Carguments and the snark – I never see whining going on. I know how to whine (just ask my husband) and that’s not what Danny is doing, IMO. I miss him when he’s absent, but I appreciate everyone else on this show so that when it’s a well written and acted episode, I can thoroughly enjoy it without Danny.
This was one of those episodes! I agree with everything already said. The story was smart and smooth – had that Ocean’s 11 feel, for sure! Chin was so suave and cool! What can I say about Kono? She would be a spectacular Bond Girl! I agree with Mike – at least another million viewers if she went undercover every week!
I’m still a little leery of Jerry’s ultimate place on the show. I understand what you’re saying, Linda, about changing Jerry’s background story to fit him into the team with a purpose, but most hardcore viewers don’t forget those things – his wariness of all things tech was part of his charm in that first episode. So, although I like Jerry in small doses, I’m still not comfortable with him having so much screen time.
Kamekona’s storyline was fantastic, though! Loved the little taste of backstory we were given concerning Kame learning to cook shrimp in Halawa! I bet a lot of those guards are now regulars at Kamekona’s Shrimp Truck! Chef Morimoto was so fun!
Loved the COTW as well. The twists and turns were intriguing and kept me guessing. Bex Mader was fun and her part was a great use of a guest star. I love it when the show really utilizes a good actor who can add so much to the episode. I, too, would like to see her return again someday.
All in all, a great, fun episode! We’ve been given a little breathing room with these last few episodes since the 100th, but let’s face it, we’ve been following this show long enough to know a change in the wind’s direction is coming. Lot’s of good drama is coming soon – i can’t wait!
Thanks, Linda! Another great review!
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I don’t disagree with you Lynnette …people DO remember those little things about characters and I know lots of people are talking about Jerry’s suddenly acquired tech skills but for me….it’s just one of those things I need to suspend a bit of belief over. They decided they wanted him to be a regular so they decided to change his expertise to make him fit in better. All there is to it for me. Yes I remember how he started but I’m willing to accept him as he is now if it works in the story.
But having said that it doesn’t mean I need to see him in every single episode. I love Jerry but like Kame’s spicy shrimp…in moderation. He had a lot of screen time in this episode. I hope that means he will have very little or none in the next one or two. I’m perfectly fine with that.
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Great review as usual. I agree with all you said. The COTW was great, I really enjoyed all the twists and turns.. I’m also glad that the victim got to live, and collect a cool $1.5 Million. I love Kamekona, he is a great character. Jerry is growing on me, I didn’t really like him the way he was originally.
As for no Danny, it would have been okay if they’d just said why he wasn’t there. They’ve done that in the past, why not this time?
Anyway, I agree it was a good episode, but I’m looking forward to next week when Danny is back. The previews showed some interesting arguments between the boys.
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Yikes my tablet is acting up. Loved episod even though Danny was absent. Glad TPTB are working with him..Hope I get this fixed so I can make longer comment.Technology is not always kind to me….
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