Well, here we are my friends. The very last episode of Season 7 of Hawaii Five-0. Finales are always so bittersweet. Sweet in the sense that they’re always a great, adventurously fun ride, full of action, suspense, Ohana moments, well…everything that makes Five-0 great, actually.
But, oh so bitter because we know this will be the last time we get to see our wonderful cast in new adventures for four long months. It’s the same every year but this year, there is an added dimension we’ve haven’t had to deal with since the Season 1 finale when all four of our team were in upheaval of one sort or the other.
But we’ve never had to worry that one or more of our Ohana would leave us, for good. Oh, we’ve had people leave at the ends of seasons before. We’ve had people die, we’ve had people climb aboard ships and leave, we’ve had people ride off into sunsets. Of course, those who died were, obviously never coming back but for those who simply left we were either not worried because we pretty much knew they’d be back sooner rather than later, didn’t care whether they came back or not or were thanking the heavens they were finally gone. But we’ve never had someone from our team leave with the very real possibility they’d never come back. Then, of course, there’s Steve! Yeah, this bittersweet finale turned out to be a lot harder to bear than most.
Once again, I’m not going to go through a play-by-play of the episode we’ve all watched, probably more than once. Just gonna hit my highlights. I’ll just start by saying I absolutely LOVED this finale even if I wasn’t happy with everything that happened. Ok…let’s get to it:
The calm of the day: After the cold start before the wave which highlighted what was to come of the main story, we’re treated to our team, spread out, enjoying their day. There was no indication that Chin has spoken to Abby about San Francisco or a marriage proposal but they sure were taking advantage of having the house to themselves. The way Chin was saying he felt like he hadn’t seen her in “forever” makes it sound like HPD is keeping Abby as busy as Five-0 keeps Chin. Add a kid in the house and “alone” time takes a hit. Nice to see them taking full advantage of that empty house!
Speaking of Sara, it was such fun to see her and Kono out doing some party shopping for Jerry’s “He Finally Got His Badge” party. Kono obviously adores Sara, and vice-versa. Kono is going to make a wonderful mother someday and the fact that she picked up a home pregnancy test sure makes it look like she thought, at that moment, that it was a distinct possibility.
But the best was Danny and Charlie and Steve. Charlie is suitably awed with the Five-0 offices. I loved his little “whoa” when they walked in. And am I the only one who thinks Charlie sounded just a bit impressed that his Uncle Steve is such a “bad boy”?
This was also the first of several little “guments” between our boys in this episode. This one being over Steve, his eating habits and taking Charlie for snacks out of the vending machine. I know there are going to be those who will complain that Steve was totally out of character because he said he eats out of that machine. Nonsense!
Yes, this is the man who, fresh out of the Navy, told Danny he wouldn’t eat a malasada without bypass surgery. Seven years ago! But, over the last seven years we’ve seen Steve not be as stringent as he was when he first came home. Over the years, we’ve seen him put butter in his coffee. He never stopped eating on that stakeout (microwave eggs…. seriously?). He had an enthusiastic malasada dunking lesson with Lou. Loves LocoMoco from Rainbow. Is never hesitant to dive right in when Kamekona has a new delicacy to try. Should I go on? The fact that Steve has grown and mellowed over the years is something that should be celebrated. So what if he’s learned how to enjoy a few not-so-healthy snacks from time to time. It’s more than plainly obvious this is not a man who is scarfing down Twinkies all day. Besides, just the mere fact I got to hear Steve call Danny a “poopy-head” made this scene more than golden for me.
Crime of the Week: I liked how they linked this episode to the sex-trafficking story we first saw in early March, in Episode 7.19 Puka ‘ana (Exodus). The writers seemed to do that a lot this season, pulling stories from previous cases we thought were over and done with. This “crime” didn’t actually feel like the typical crime we normally see each week, in as much as it wasn’t anything new, but a continuation of an ongoing investigation that was happening behind the scenes.
You know what this felt like to me? It felt like, if 7.19 had been a two-hour episode, this would have been hour #2, where the team has tracked down the perp and are executing the take-down. That this takedown took up the entire episode was a great twist. Even though it didn’t add anything to the original sex-trafficking story (other than finding out the operation on Oahu was only a small part of a much larger network), it allowed the other elements of the episode the time they needed without sacrificing time for the main story.
And what a take-down it was: First off, I do have a couple of questions. I wonder why Moani didn’t tell Kono about Deon and his trucking business hauling the girls around the island sooner. 7.19 was two months ago. I understand she wanted to help the case against Emilio (the guy who forced her into prostitution) I’m just curious as to why she didn’t tell Kono about Deon sooner. I can only surmise that she was so traumatized by the entire ordeal she didn’t feel she could talk about it until now.
My second question was actually Lou’s. Deon took off before Five-0 could get to the house where he was stashing the girls. How did he know they were coming? Did we ever get an answer to that? If we did, someone tell me because I don’t think we did. Regardless, what follows is one of the most hair-raising chases and rescues we’ve ever had on this show, as HPD and Five-0 attempt to first stop Deon and his semi, then to get the girls safely off that truck.
Stunts, stunts and more stunts: Those of us who closely follow this show on social media were gifted with many behind-the-scene pictures and videos of filming for this episode. We could see they were filming something with giant green screens at the Studios. We could see Steve on top of a semi-truck, with Chin, Kono and Abby in a truck, driven by Danny, close behind. We knew this was going to be something big but, damn! Every week I think they can’t out-do themselves and damn if they don’t do it every time.
The action sequences in this episode were done extremely well. I was trying to live tweet during the show (something I’m not very good at in the first place) but I found myself unable to type a syllable because I couldn’t drag my eyes from the screen. Not to mention needing commercials to let out the breath I wasn’t even aware I was holding!
Car crashes? We’ve had a fair number of them over the years, that’s for damn sure, but watching that semi plow through a HPD roadblock was monumental. I wonder how they ended up explaining that to the Governor. Their “means” budget must be the total of national debt of several countries by now.
I haven’t read any other reviews (I never do before I post mine) but I’m willing to bet I’m not going to be the only one who was reminded of the movie “Speed” as I was watching the team attempting to rescue the girls from the truck. I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen when they did it in the movie and I sure as hell couldn’t here. It scared me to death when they couldn’t manage to get all the girls off. What the hell will Steve do now?
Steve’s idea to uncouple the rig seemed much more unbelievable than it actually ended up being. The trailer with the remaining girls inside, after much groaning and gouging out of asphalt comes to rest against an embankment, all inside safe while Steve, hunched behind the cab, easily takes down Deon. It only seemed anticlimactic because every moment up to that point had been so heart pounding.
But the most astonishing thing of all was the stunt that started the final take down. And I use the word “stunt” not only to describe the action choreographed and executed by the stunt crew (which was flawlessly terrifying) but also the fact that Steve thought up and pulled off this crazy stunt at all.
Once again, the entire team, this time including Jerry and Abby, are ranged against Steve and his idea to leap from the top of Tetsuo Harano Tunnel onto the speeding semi passing below. Once again, the team doing what they are supposed to do. Question the validity of a plan that sounds doomed to failure and possible death but ultimately, unable to come up with something better, follow Steve and his plan. I loved how Steve used Charlie’s toys to illustrate the elements of his plan.
The one time I was able to get my fingers to work trying to tweet, as I watched Steve preparing himself for that jump, the only thing I could think to type was “Steve McGarrett is insane!”.
Kono: It was more than plainly obvious, back in Episode 7.19, how much the case affected Kono. She literally beat Emilio unconscious with her bare hands when she caught up with him in 7.19 and has kept a close watch over Moani ever since. When Five-0 arrived at the house where Deon was keeping the girls, only to find it empty, Kono was furious. Finding out Oahu was only part of the larger network was more than she could tolerate. She’s devastated to know what they did in Hawaii, the girls they managed to save, was just a drop in the bucket as God-knows how many other girls are caught in the nationwide web.
I’m completely confused over what Kono thinks she’s doing, however. I mean, Kono has always been the most affected by this case but she just up and left Hawaii? She left without talking to Adam? I can’t believe she did that! She has been over the moon with happiness ever since she and Adam were reunited. She obviously thought she’s pregnant, which we know would make them both overjoyed.
But she left Adam behind! It doesn’t look like she even told him because, don’t you think Adam would have called Chin immediately and told him what she was planning?
And what is she going to do? I mean, what is her plan? She can’t seriously think she can take on the sex-trafficking crises in this country single handed!
I don’t know what’s going on with Grace Park. I don’t know if this is another temporary absence like the one at the beginning of Season 4 or whether she’s left the show for good. I hope to God this is only temporary like before. I can understand TPTB needing a reason to send her away (she and Adam went on the run the last time) but this reason confuses me. Hopefully Kono will be back sooner rather than later to explain her reasoning for this abrupt departure without talking to anyone about it.
Kono and Lou: It’s more than obvious that Chi McBride (like pretty much everyone in our cast) has chemistry with everyone but there is no more touching friendship that has developed than that between Kono and Lou. We’ve seen it numerous times since Lou joined Five-0 and this episode was no exception. Kono, simultaneously furious and dejected over not finding the girls in the house, confesses to Lou how she could feel the torment those girls felt in that room, the fear they went to sleep with each night, how she simply can’t shake the anger she’s been feeling ever since it all started two months ago and how she just can’t imagine what it would be like to be a parent. I wonder if there’s a deleted scene somewhere showing Kono taking that pregnancy test and having it come back negative because that comment didn’t sound like someone who just found out she was about to actually be a parent.
Lou, as always, is as supportive as he can be. He tells Kono he understands exactly how she’s feeling because he is a parent and he’s never been able to separate the feelings between his family and his job. He also admits how terrified he is to be sending Samantha off to Northwestern all by herself, to Chicago, to the place where every cop hates him. Add to that monsters like Emilio and Deon, and Lou is questioning whether he can let Samantha go. Yes… he more than understands where Kono is in her head right now. This scene was superbly written and performed by Grace and especially Chi!
Steve and Danny: Watching these two together has been a pleasure for seven years and this episode was one of the best to highlight their relationship. The banter between these two never ceases to entertain me, year after year. Here it started off with them in the office with Charlie, but continued throughout the entire episode. In the office, in the car, before Steve’s jump, even during the rescue as Steve was stuck in the semi with the remaining girls. Banter going from the usual good natured ribbing over whatever’s in the gift box Steve brought for Danny and Danny’s maybe retirement restaurant, to a full-fledged cargumemt over Rachel’s divorce and Danny’s feelings for his ex-wife to Danny’s all out ranting over Steve and his insane plans that Danny is terrified will get Steve killed. All done to perfection by Alex and Scott. They know these characters so well, these scenes are simply second nature to them now.
The cargument in this episode was classic. It managed to alternate through several different topics without missing a single beat. First off, they are in the middle of a high-speed chase with the semi that just busted through the HPD roadblock and yet they’re able to alternate between two phone calls from Jerry (one to give Steve Deon’s phone number and then possible methods for safely stopping the truck), Steve trying to get Deon to stop said truck, a disagreement on the best technique to use in a hostage situation and a discussion about Danny’s relationship with Rachel. Again, without skipping one beat. It was flawless.
But there was something there. Something behind the words that was different. I didn’t notice it in the office when they were with Charlie but something just felt off for me in Steve’s words and his body language as the episode progressed. To be honest, I thought it was one of two things. First I thought that maybe Alex just looked tired. It’s been a really long and physically grueling season and he must be totally exhausted by now. Then I thought it was just me. That because I wasn’t feeling well, I was feeling something that wasn’t actually there.
But Steve goes out of his way to buy Danny a gift (which turns out to be an adorable chef’s hat with Danny’s name on it) out of the blue, for no reason. Just to be nice. Not that Steve isn’t nice or that he hasn’t bought things for Danny before (the noise cancelling headphones leap to mind) but never without a solid reason before.
Steve tells Danny he doesn’t think this “thing” with Rachel is healthy. It seems as if Danny has been going over Rachel’s after work to “help with the kid” then stays there so they “can talk”. Steve accuses Danny of still being in love with Rachel and tells him he should give up pretending he’s upset Rachel and Stan are over. Why is he telling Danny that? If he thinks the relationship is unhealthy, why is he seemingly pushing Danny towards it?
Steve’s demeanor from the moment they settled on his crazy plan seemed off. When Danny said he wanted to give it some time before he had to watch Steve “commit suicide”, the way he called Danny “brother” and told him they didn’t have time felt weird. The way Danny looked at him as he walked out of the office seemed like he somehow felt it too.
Then there was right before Steve was about to jump. It was almost as if he resigned himself to the fact that he could very well not make that jump successfully. That’s not like Steve at all. He’s always been a “failure is not an option” kind of guy.
But he needed to tell Danny about the chef’s hat, how he thought he could use it for Steve’s. Did you hear that catch in his voice when he said it? Danny certainly did. Instead of continuing to rant at Steve like he always does, Danny pretty much admitted he only rants at Steve to try to talk him out of these crazy things and that, even though he has no intention of naming his restaurant “Steve’s”, Steve will know that because he most definitely is not going to die today and he’s going to be at the restaurant with Danny when the time comes.
I loved how they settled things after Steve was able to save all the remaining girls. Danny is 100% right. When he does things like this, Steve is insane but that doesn’t mean Danny isn’t proud of the things Steve can do. Danny clarifies that he in no way wants to hurt Steve and they agree to have a “re-set”. I don’t really know if that means a damn thing but watching my two favorite guys walk off arm in arm gave me all kinds of warm feels.
Radiation poisoning???: Unfortunately, that warm feeling didn’t last long. Like the main story in this episode, writers Peter Lenkov and Eric Guggenheim reached back to a story we thought was over and done with. Episode 7.18 E Malama Pono (Handle with Care) when Steve disarmed that dirty bomb.
I guess what I thought I was seeing wasn’t as far-fetched as I thought. And I’m not saying that because I think I have any great ability to notice something so incredible subtle. I’m saying it’s solely, 100% because of Alex O’Loughlin! Going back and re-watching the episode, I paid special attention to the places where I originally thought Steve seemed off. It’s Alex… all Alex and his ability to add just the smallest touch of “sickness” in Steve’s demeanor to make me feel like something was off but not being able to put my finger on it until much, much later. As always… Alex simply amazes me.
We all wondered whether or not that battery trick would be enough to protect Steve when he disarmed that bomb. I hate the fact that the writers made Steve sick but using the radiation from that bomb to do it was inspired. We all were pretty much expecting that Steve’s “little cliffhanger” would be health related and that it would be a problem with his new liver. To make it radiation poisoning is something I know no one ever expected. I may hate that Steve is sick but I love the way this twist was written.
I don’t know a damn thing about radiation poisoning and I’m not even going to spend the time to look it up. I’ve said this a million times. I don’t watch this show for a medical education and it doesn’t bother me one bit when they take an abundance of literary license with it. This is purely fiction and I watch purely for fun. I really don’t need to know all the details of this illness nor do I need to know every time the script isn’t 100% medically accurate. If we get to Episode 2 of Season 8 and Steve has miraculously recovered, that’s more than fine with me!
I also couldn’t be more thrilled that Steve told Danny about what was going on as soon as he found out. It’s obvious to me that he walked into Danny office with that gift ready to tell Danny about what he found out at the doctor’s. But then Charlie was there and he couldn’t. Then when they were alone together again, Kono pulled them into the case and the opportunity was lost again as they got swept up in everything that was going on.
But Steve had no choice but to tell Danny the truth at the house. One look at Steve’s pale and sweat covered face and there is no way Danny wouldn’t know something was seriously wrong. The look on Danny’s face when Steve told him was a mixture of shock, disbelief and extreme worry not only for Steve’s health but, more than likely, for Steve’s state of mind as well. This entire scene was positively heartbreaking!
Danny knows Steve better than anyone does. There isn’t any way in hell he wouldn’t run everything that had happened that day and every word Steve said and the way that he said it, through his mind. I’m willing to bet he’s going to keep an eagle eye on Steve and his “insanity” because he’s going to worry that Steve feels like he’s living on limited time. Steve always throws caution to the wind but this stunt, this was over and above any insanity Steve ever tried before.
I think Danny may worry that Steve thinks he’s going to die and because of that, will throw himself into even more dangerous and life threatening situations in the logic that, if he’s going to die, he might as well do it protecting or saving someone else. Danny is obviously going to be devastated and more protective than ever next season because he’s going to fear, all the time, that Steve is just going to go for broke because in his mind, he’s dying anyway.
This is the first real cliff hanger ending to a season we’ve had in years. Probably since the end of Season 2 when Steve opened a door in Japan and said “Mom?!?” We always knew Kono was coming back when she left at the end of Season 3. This time we have no idea if Kono will be coming back or if this is the last time we’ll ever see Grace as part of the cast.
And Steve? What is in store for our SuperSEAL now? I don’t know what’s going to happen with this story. Will they write it as they wrote Steve’s new liver story? Will they have him get over it quickly and then only refer to it from time to time as needed or will they have Steve dealing with it more realistically. I’m actually hoping for a bit of both. I’d love it to be more on the realistic side because there is so much potential for great character work from both Alex and Scott but I don’t want to see a sick Steve for weeks and weeks either.
Well, there you have it. One fantastic finale for one of the best seasons this show has ever had. It’s going to be a long hot summer before we get to see our favorite team back again. Hopefully, when we do, they will all be whole, healthy and home!
I would like to thank Peter Lenkov, Eric Guggenheim and Bryan Spicer for this fantastic finale to the season. I’d also like to thank each and every one of the H50 writing staff, the entire cast and crew, with special thanks to Jeff Cadiente and Eric Norris and the entire stunt crew for all their fantastic work to make this show so realistic.
Have a wonderful summer my friends. It’s been a pleasure spending this season with you all.
Aloha. Malama Pono
All screen caps are mine unless otherwise noted.
Hawaii Five-0 Kool-Aid 
Great insights, Linda. I am very conflicted with Steve’s illness. I knew they were setting us up for something when the doc told Steve a few eps back that his recovery was going slower than expected. It’s appropriate that his new problem is due to a heroic action — saving the island from a dirty bomb. But it seems to me that sentencing him to an ugly, slow death through radiation poisoning is just too much. Feels vindictive to me — Alex was pretty vocal about S8 being his last, so PL made sure of it? I dunno. Just doesn’t feel right to me. But as you said, in tv land he may make a miraculous recovery by episode 2.
Happy Mother’s Day to all!
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I honestly don’t think this illness is going to be as bad as people are fearing (OR as bad as it would be in real life). I think it may be a way to work it so Steve/Alex can take it a bit easier in Season 8, at least at the beginning. People were all concerned they were going to lose their beloved SuperSEAL after the transplant and he was parkour jumping in Episode #1! I have a feeling this won’t be too much different. Is it realistic? Absolutely not! Do I care? Absolutely not! LOL But that’s just me. Like I said, I don’t watch this show for a realistic medical education. Thanks for reading and for the great comment! ♥
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Thanks for another great review, Linda. I’ve enjoyed all 25 of them this season. I loved this episode, especially the Steve/Danny scenes. Those two are so great together. You’ve said everything I was thinking, so I don’t have too much more to say here. My husband did make a comment about it being impossible to unhook a trailer while the tracker is pulling it, but I told him it TV, they can do anything on TV, lol.
Have a great summer, catch you next season.
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To steal a line from one of my all-time favorite shows M*A*S*H…. “yeah, I used to worry about stuff like that but it was keeping me up nights, giving me worry lines, so I cut it out!” ROFL
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Another season over – a big thank you for all the time you spend giving me a place to go every week to read about a show and characters I love so much. This finale had a lot of the stuff that makes me come back week after week…….but mostly it gave us insight into what everyone’s end game is/or would have been had this really been the finale. Some of it doesn’t make sense as yet – Kono going off like that doesn’t jive with recent events. I suppose it will make sense depending on whether Grace Park signs another contract – I think/hope she’ll be back at some point. Chin is easy – whatever he decides will be fine. I think he stays. Danny’s future is more complicated and tied very much to Steve………which is where I’m having a very hard time of it. I really, really hope you’re right about it ending up being no big deal because his bombshell about having radiation poisoning was just…… well awful. Seems like PL said in an interview a long time ago he knew what Steve’s end game was……and we all think we know (and been grumbling about it and who it involved) but now i’m all worried he’ll have him go out in some blaze of glory saving the world……I don’t like the idea one bit! Much prefer Alex’s wish that Steve find some peace. Sorry I’m rambling – I should go back and re-watch. Maybe it’s really not as bad as it seems…..is it September yet????
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ROFL Not even close to September babe! But I know how you feel. I have no idea what the hell Kono thinks she’s doing… I don’t think Chin will ever leave Hawaii. Abby has already proved Chin is more important to her than a job, so I don’t think she’ll have a problem with staying in Hawaii too.
Danny? I have no clue if Rachel will be in his future. If she is, she’ll be pretty much unseen, like Renee Grover. Why bother with it if it can’t provide the drama (and the fantastic on-screen chemistry) of them being on screen together? But, who knows what’s in Peter’s evil mind! LOL
As for Steve? I can’t bear the thought of seeing him sick for all of Season 8 and I honestly don’t think we will. I hate the “blaze of glory” scenario even more and, I agree, I don’t want “that” particular end-game either. I agree with Alex, also. I just want Steve to find some peace. My fan-fiction heart would love for him to find it with Danny but I know that’s not something that will happen on TV, of course! LOL
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Steve and Danny off into retirement together………if only
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Ahhhhhhh what a pretty picture that would be! ♥♥
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Thanks for all the great reviews, Linda. I loved this episode. It had everything. It had comedy, some very tense, edge of your seat action scenes, lots of great scenes between the different characters, and most important, lots of Steve and Danny bromance scenes. I’m going to have a hard time waiting till September for the new episodes. I live in Minnesota and here I am wishing my summer away so I can watch the new H50. Lol. I don’t think Grace is leaving the show. I think she’ll be back and I think this will create a great story arc for Kono. Steve has got to be okay. I am a little worried about this. But maybe it is just so that he can take it easy a little more next season. Danny will keep an eye on him. Well, I hope you all have a great summer. See you in September.
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I hope you’re right and Grace isn’t leaving for good. I also agree it be a great story for her. Really, when you think about it, Kono hasn’t really had her own story since she was undercover for Capt. Fryer in Season 2. She’s had her centric episodes, but her “story” has pretty much been Adam. Now, I love Adam but Kono is too kickass to have her story only revolve around the drama of her man.
This will give Kono her own, unique, badass story all her own, to show what kind of cop and investigator she really is. I really hope we all get to see it happen!
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Great review on the finale! Have to admit that both Steve & Kono’s situations leave me a bit confused. I agree with you that there must be a deleted scene where Kono finds out she’s not pregnant as she thought,and that provokes her to leave the island-and Adam-to pursue the sex traffickers in the mainland.However, not telling Adam makes no sense to me and if he knew she had gone,he would have been on the phone to Chin & the rest of 50 immediately to let them know! As for Steve’s situation,I had a feeling that we would be revisiting that bomb case in a way,but I never expected it would be like this. I do hope Steve does recover early in the new season-seeing him sick for weeks and weeks would be boring! Kudos to Eric Norris and the stunt team for that amazing rescue stunt! When I saw it, i also thought that Steve had lost his mind!. I could understand the team not liking the idea,but none of them could come up with anything better. Love the opening scene with Steve,Danny & Charlie-that was so sweet! Gotta tell ya,September can’t come soon enough for me! Thanks for your reviews this season-really enjoyed them!
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I agree. Revisiting the bomb story wouldn’t have been a big surprise but having it come back THIS way was a real shocker. Steve’s situation is worrisome, that’s for damn sure but I really don’t think we’re going to be seeing sick Steve for a very long time. It also depends on whether there’s a time jump. If the premiere picks up weeks or months after the finale, Steve would have been on his meds for all that time and probably on the road to … I don’t know what you call it with radiation poisoning…. remission?? Whatever, I don’t think we’ll be seeing “sick” Steve but maybe “need to take it a bit slower” Steve for a bit. For Steve, that probably means ONE episode… if that! ROFL
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Wonderful review, Linda, you made me rethink a couple of things. Mahalo for a whole season of fantastic insights. See you in September! ❤︎
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Thank you! It’s been a ton of fun. Really looking forward to September and seeing where this will all lead! ♥♥
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One thing I keep forgetting about is that Alex is supposed to direct at least one eppy next season and that could be AWESOME!!
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Yeah, I’m really looking forward to that. Hopefully it will be a really great character episode with less of the physical stuff so Alex’s talent both in from of and behind the camera and really shine!
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Thank you so much for your weekly insight. I find that you & I are usually so like minded that it’s scary! I was also amazed at the little subtleties that Alex brought into the episodes leading up to our learning about the radiation poisoning…truly genius work by him. Over the years I’ve also grown to wish that when the series ends it’s with Steve & Danny as a couple. Didn’t feel that way at all initially but they really have something special between them. That last Steve/Danny scene in the finale crushed me- between Steve’s honesty & at the same time trying to comfort Danny & Danny’s expressions when he realized that Steve was really sick…beautifully done. Looking forward to season 8 & whatever adventures they take us on! Enjoy your summer!
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I’ve never made a secret that I totally ship McDanno in FanFiction. I just love me some great slash. But I really have no expectation that it would ever happen in the show and that’s just fine. I love them as “brothers” just as much and if the series ends with them, side by side, clinking beer bottles on the beach behind Casa McG I’ll be more than happy.
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Once again Linda you’ve covered everything. Loved the scene with Charlie Danno and Steve.
The stunt scenes were crazy and has to be an A+
When watching the episode in which Steve was at the doctors I thought there would be some fallout with the bomb.I’m not really happy Steve is sick again. I did actually read up on radiation poisoning and there is a chance of full recovery. This is further down the line. So I’m hoping there has been a time gap when H50 returns and hoping Peter Lenkov’s replies to the tweets are true. Just loved Alex’s acting.
Have a happy summer. See you in September
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I’m glad you looked up the info on radiation poisoning and that, in reality, there can be full recovery. I’m pretty sure that’s going to be the case here as well. I was very happy with those tweets I saw from Peter. I’m hoping they are true as well! ♥
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Wow, Linda, great review as always…you take me back through the episode in a way that makes me feel like I’m watching it again (but like an “extra” version on the dvd set). lol What I’d like to see is Chin give the job serious consideration but not really want to move and for Abby to see that and know that it would be better for her to come back to Hawaii. I’m not sure about the Kono thing either. Don’t know what the heck she’s doing. But perhaps she could get some special training with this issue (over the summer, of course) and come back with renewed purpose. But she has to realize that no one person (or team) can rid the world of all its evils. Just go with what Steve said–do the best you can. Alex and Scott were at their best…yet again…I don’t know how they do it but I’m sure glad they do. Hands down delightful opening scene. The cargument did have so much going on and I hadn’t realized just how much until you point it out (it was done that well, right?). I thought it interesting how Danny questioned how far the guy thought he was going on an island and I didn’t think he was being that snarky (it was something most of us would probably say) and Steve jumped his case (instead of the other way around)…then with the whole Rachel thing…Steve just seemed off in that regard, too, a little more emotional and irritated than usual. Now we know why and it makes total sense. Jeez. This episode, overall, had my heart beating at an all time-high. But that last scene pretty much broke it. I wholeheartedly agree that Alex really knows his craft, he’s become such a talented (but underrated actor). I can say the same for Scott. And that’s why these scenes are so impactful. So I say we go with Rita’s diagnosis (thank you, Rita!) and maybe we have some worrisome Season 8 episodes (especially for poor Danny) regarding Steve’s health but eventually his doctor discovers that it’s not as bad as first feared. Then Steve realizes just how much he loves life and his ohana more than he ever thought possible. Danny has always been cognizant of life and loss to the point where it causes him anxiety and worry, especially when it comes to his kids or Steve. Steve, on the other hand, has gotten so used to putting his life on the line (for the right reasons, of course) and not having enough of a family before that I wonder if it’s starting to sink in..that he has so much to lose and maybe, just maybe, he’s not ready to risk his life so readily or so often. As for the retirement restaurant, I keep thinking about Tanaka’s advice to Danny..maybe they can think of something else to do together. lol After all, the way it’s been going, it looks like Danny already has a place to cook for people and it’s called “Steve’s.” Imagine that. 🙂
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OMG… I love that! Danny already has a place to cook for people and it’s already called “Steve’s”. That’s just too perfect! ♥♥
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I’ve never read your reviews before and I definitely should have! You’re so insightful. You’re so right about Alex. Steve did seem a bit off but I also thought it was as just me. I’m hoping he won’t be sick in season 8. I have to say I absolutely loved when Charlie called Uncle Steve a bad boy!! So cute and the thought kinda made me tingle 😉 Thanks so much for your review. It’s awesome!! 😊
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Welcome aboard! I’m glad you found us and thank you so much for the wonderful compliment. Feel free to go back and read all the blogs and the wonderful comments from all the others who are kind enough to put with my rambling! LOL
Yeah…..we all have soft spots for those “bad boys” don’t we? 😉
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I agree with you. When Steve started moving the toys, I wanted someone to say “Don’t scratch the table.” But yeah Steve told Danny some things he hasn’t said before, but was thinking them, and he wanted say them before something happens to him. I think Danny can open a “cop” it could be call “Steves” or “H50”.
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Yeah… it was obvious Steve has things he still needs to say to Danny, and vice versa. Season 8 is sure gonna be interesting!
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This episode was very intresting, I think. It had you wondering about things all the time! I absolutely loved that! Else than that, I don’t really have a lot to add to most things you brought up.
The only thing is that angsty Danny is some of my fave, right next to hurt Danny, ’cause Scott just really, in a whole other level acts it out. VERY few sctors can make me feel what they feel in a show or movie, but Scott somehow manages, and I would love to see more of that. Like I personally wnat this radiation poisoning to have a bigger part than I think it will.
I, like you, watch because it’s good, not because it’s believable, but I do get quite angry when something happens and they just brush it off within an episode or two, so for me, last season, with the livertransplant, I had hopes for more than what there was. It was, you know, Danny bringing it up every once in a while, but I really hope this gets more complications, so to say. I just really see it as a great opportunity to show the cast’s acting on a whole new level! Steve really not feeling well, Danny being worried out of his mind as soon as Steve maybe skips out on something he’d normally ALWAYS do, Chin too, he’s such a caring character, I can’t see how he wouldn’t be like Danny to some level, and see how Kono (if she comes back, please let her come back soooooon!) would take this together with being pregnant (if she is). And for Lou, to just see him and Steve talk in that little special way they do every now and then. It’s usually so powerful!
And obviously I don’t want the whole season to be that, that’d become so repedative and boring, but I would love to see some of that, for a longer period of time. It very rarely happens on tv, (or I just don’t seem to be watching the ones where it does) and with such great actors I just wouldn’t have been able to let that chance slide! xD
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I totally agree. We’re of the same mind! 🙂 I don’t want to see a season of sick Steve (and I’m pretty positive we won’t) but I wouldn’t mind a few episodes of “not feeling his best” Steve with “worried out of his mind” Danny and team. You’re right. This cast can handle the dramatic character stuff fantastically. It would be nice to see them do it for a bit….but not too long! LOL
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Sorry it’s taken me so long to comment this week, Linda! Been a little preoccupied elsewhere. You did a great job, as usual. I loved the episode, being just as shocked and appalled at Steve’s reveal to Danny at the end as everyone else. I can’t believe a slow and torturous death by radiation poisoning will be Steve’s endgame, though, so I have hope for a full recovery, at least by the season finale, whenever that might be. Now, for our long, lonely hiatus months. Thankfully I have 168 episodes to keep me company!
Now, Linda, would you allow me a little space here to unload some thoughts I’ve been trying to work through?
You know, for me, this show is simply pure entertainment.. it’s really not deep on an emotional or philosophical level, as some viewers would prefer it to be. Neither is it procedurally or medically accurate every week. Some viewers worry inordinately about timelines or wardrobe inconsistencies to the point where they tend to miss out on the fun of this show! That’s fine, if that’s truly what floats their boat. If their enjoyment of the show is weekly compromised because each episode is not perfectly structured or impeccably crafted to their specifications, I’m happy that they can share their disgust at it’s inadequacies together. The thought of all that condescension tires me out, though.
But some viewers enthusiastically LOVE the show they get on their screens each week! They don’t worry that it is not beautifully written or filmed all the time. Or that the stories are sometimes lacking in depth or coherence. That’s just not as important to them. They love to tweet about what they liked. They enjoy live tweeting and sharing this enthusiasm with others who have the same reactions. They even love to gush to the EPs and writers about how wonderful it all was. How is that WRONG? How is that “ass-kissing?” (Pardon my French.) It’s just their way of sharing that hour of entertainment they have waited a whole week to indulge in.
It’s ridiculous to assume that those who find nothing wrong with enjoying whole-heartedly, an exciting, action-packed drama with beautiful people for the cast, will not see the condescending, sarcastic comments on public blogs or twitter accounts about them. It requires no trolling to read them, they are not private. They are posted explicitly to make people feel guilty or trivialized for their opinions. The writers claim “they don’t read” this blog and others like it, and yet they quote thoughts directly from them in ridicule. They complain that people “stalk” their beloved blogs and never are brave enough to leave a comment with their own opinion. The hypocrisy of that statement should be visible to all. In order to get some of the quotes they love to make fun of, they must be either reading these blogs, or circumventing Twitter timelines. Without leaving comments, either.
All of this behavior is so wrong. And to be honest, we know when and how it all started going to hell in a hand basket! No side is clear and free from blame. All sides have made their fair share of accusations against each other and against certain cast and production members. Perhaps this is the nature of television/celebrity fandoms. At this stage of the game, I sincerely doubt it will change. Fans have taken sides on the major issues (of which there are more than one) and no amount of arguing or name-calling will be changing any minds.
My hope for Season 8, which could quite possibly be our last season together as a fandom, is for compassion, understanding of different points of view, honest discussion, and empathy for each other as companions on this journey that began 7 years ago with the introduction to the world of Lt. Commander Steven J. McGarrett and Detective Danny Williams. No matter how the ride ends, we, as a fandom, do not have to end our time together divided, bitter, or belittled.
Happy hiatus, everyone!
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Beautifully worded! I can’t think of a thing to add other than to say I agree with you 100%. Oh wait, I can think of something to add. If you’re waiting for compassion and understanding from that lot, you’re in for a very loooong wait.
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I’m a little late to the party. After reading all the wonderful comments, opinions, thoughts, I’d like to add my 2 cents. I loved this episode, it was so intense on both the action and personal levels for all the team. I’m devastated by this turn of events for Steve, he really deserves so much better than this.
For what it’s worth, here are my thoughts.
Love or hate him, we all know that PL isn’t stupid. If Alex is adamant about not returning for a s9 (if there is even hopes of one) PL knows there is no H5-0 without Alex (or Scott). He can say whatever he wants but the show WON’T go on. I feel that’ll be the catalyst in how he writes the season. If Alex decides to not come back, I can see an early double retirement – Steve & Danny – with Danny opening the restaurant and Steve working with him. Chin moving to SF with Abby and Sara and Kono becoming a mom. (Until we know what’s happening with Grace, I’ll hope that Kono gets in touch with Chin since this off the radar, one-man vendetta can only mean trouble for her and the team and that she’ll be back.)
They might play up Steve’s illness somewhat to make the retirement the answer to his living a better quality of life. I don’t feel it’ll be Catherine who’ll take care of Steve (she doesn’t fit into the equation at all), but Danny and not in a romantic relationship (sorry about that to all the McDanno shippers) but in a “Grumpy Old Men” sort of scenario. I’ve seen comments that fans are afraid Steve’ll be killed off but I doubt it, it doesn’t suit LP’s needs. If he decides to come back, they may sweep the illness under the rug, find a cure, or ignore it for as long as it suits the shows needs. So, until we know what’s going to happen, I’ll live on the hope that everything will be just fine with many more seasons to come!
I loved jlopie’s comments. So true. This fandom is nothing if not fractured beyond repair. I don’t want my ride to end divided, bitter and belittled but on a happy note, united with all the wonderful friends I have made over the past 8 years.
Have a wonderful break!! See you in September!
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Here, here, BrooklynGirl! Love your scenario for the end of the show! Even if the restaurant does not happen, I still see Steve and Danny going into retirement together – and exactly as “Grumpy Old Men!” I can even imagine Steve and Danny walking Grace down the aisle together some day as her beloved father and uncle, and maybe Steve getting Charlie accepted into the Naval Academy! Now we need to work on good end of show scenarios for Grover, Kamekona and Jerry!
Thanks for your kind words.
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You’re welcome!
I can envision that as well. For me a good end of show scenario for both Grover and Jerry would be a seamless transition into HPD, Lou as a captain and Jerry as their special consultant because of his mad skills and very interesting conspiracy theories. Kamekona will live happily on the island with his numerous shrimp trucks. They’re Ohana and can’t be all that far apart from each other. Ever.
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I completely agree about Steve and Danny. Of course, you know I’d be thrilled if they were ♥Steve&Danny♥ but I know that won’t happen. Grumpy Old Men will suit me just fine!
I also agree that Peter is no fool and he knows that H50 can’t survive without Alex OR Scott, but especially Alex. Oh…CBS may renew for S9 without Alex but I doubt it will make it to the Christmas hiatus and even if it somehow does, S10 would never happen and our wonderful show will have ended with a whimper instead of the way it should…on a bang, on their own terms.
I’ll give you an example. Look at Sleepy Hollow. They, of course, haven’t been on as long as H50 but that show was a phenomenon it’s first season. It lost some of its luster in Season 2 but I felt it perked up well in Season 3. But, they killed off Abby at the end of Season 3 because Nicole Beharie wanted out. Fox renewed Sleepy Hollow for Season 4 and, gee… Whatcha know? They just got cancelled. You simply can not lose 1/2 of the dynamic duo that gave rise to your success and expect to keep going. Peter knows this.. like we said… he is no dummy.
As for those other blogs who enjoy reading this one (and other like minded blogs) only to mine material for their own vitriol, the hell with them. They are hypocrisy beyond measure and worse, they fling that word at others without any self reflection that they do exactly what they accuse others of doing. I fully admit I read those blogs. I have no reason to deny it, as they do. They are open forums on the internet. They are not private and therefore open for all eyes to see, just like this one. I don’t need to write “I only know about it because someone pointed it out to me”. I know it because I read it myself…out in the open for all to see. Of course, it’s really not necessary to read them, I know. They are pathetically predictable in their hatred and condescension.
They exist for one purpose only. To belittle everything in their way to one solitary goal….being right. Oh…they can belittle me every time I write something about Catherine but notice, my criticism is of the character, of the way she treated Steve. I do not shout in big bold letters for her to STFU and I don’t call her horrible names I won’t dignify by repeating here. All they care about is their stupid “end game”. I, obviously, don’t want that end game but I won’t be on this blog or anywhere else calling Peter Lenkov horrid names (again, I won’t dignify the names they have called him in the past when they didn’t get what they wanted, by repeating them here) because he chose to write his show his way and not the way I want it.
Lastly, I love the people who have chosen to read and comment on this blog. Yeah, we pretty much all agree because, just like those other blogs, people flock to what and where they feel comfortable. Their readers don’t feel comfortable here and my readers probably don’t feel comfortable there. That’s fair. Some people love horror movies, others rom-coms. It’s human nature to gravitate to where you’re comfortable. But I don’t buy those who sit there and count how many comments one blog has over the other as proof of anything.
Yeah…those blogs may have 80 comments while this one has 20. So what? I’d rather have 20 individual comments with substance than have 15 of the same people going back and forth in an attempt to out “sardonic” each other.
I’m looking forward to Season 8 and more wonderful H50 and more time to spend here with all of you. I hope you all have a fantastic summer doing all the things you love with all the people you love!
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