Welcome back friends! Well, we finally made it. After our latest forced hiatus for March Madness, we finally got a new H50 episode and what a fantastic one it was. Those of us who have been in the fandom for years, have for most of those years, been hoping that Alex would one day get the chance to direct an episode. Many of us also hope that Scott too, will get the chance to shine behind the camera or, more likely for him, with his pen. Both men are so damn talented. Maybe someday they’ll convince Scott to write but for right now…. this episode was all Alex’s and damn, he did a fantastic job of it.
A Tale of Two Episodes: This episode was exactly the type that I don’t care for because it not only had three story lines going on, but they were three entirely separate stories, each one having absolutely nothing to do with the others and with the team completely separated from each other. Absolutely not my favorite kind of episode.
But, that is why this is a tale of two episodes because while I don’t like the “three-story” format, I loved the episode because of what Alex, in his directorial debut, did with those three stories. I was amazed, for a first-time director, how well Alex weaved the audience’s attention through all three stories without making it feel jumpy or disjointed. It never seemed that any story was being shortchanged, in my view. Each one was fully fleshed out and every actor was given ample opportunity to shine.
I also really enjoyed the different camera angles Alex chose to use. It was a H50 episode but at times, it didn’t look like one. Attempting to make Honolulu look like Newark is no easy feat but Alex handled it beautifully. His idea to wet everything down and have his actors in jackets and boots and blowing on their hands as if it were a chilly autumn was perfect.
The camera angle he chose when Ray is pinned to the hood of the police cruiser after his beat down of Danny in 1999 is almost identical to the one from quarantine in 2018, with Danny looking over his shoulder at a prone Ray. It was brilliant.
But what impressed me the most was the amount of time Steve appeared in this episode. I keep thinking back to the last time one of the actors directed, S5E17 “Kū kaʻawale” (“Stakeout”), and the amount of time Chin was in the episode. He did appear in several scenes; however, they were all in HQ, either giving exposition at the Magic Table, or in interrogation, or at the very end of the episode when everyone gathered at Kamakona’s. Also, other than a rather over the top “Robocop” sequence (which Chin was not a part of), there was very little action in the “apartment-based stake out” episode.
Contrast with this episode where, because Junior, Tani and Danny were occupied elsewhere, only Steve and Lou were available to work the “crime of the week”. Steve was pretty much everywhere, in the episode almost as much as any episode Alex didn’t direct.
And, there was a major chase scene, both in the car and on foot and a shootout. Alex didn’t take the easy way out one bit. He was handed a three-story episode, with tons of action, laughs, pathos, flashbacks, story canon and an amount of his own acting participation to make anyone’s head spin and handled it all beautifully. I can’t imagine how exhausted he must have been once it was all in the can.
Crime of the Week: I have two positive things to say about this story. The first, Ian has been fantastic. There is an old saying that a good actor can always elevate the material and that’s been the case with this story. Even though it’s had some interesting aspects, I’ve still been pretty much bored with it almost from the beginning. But Ian has rocked every scene and has been the only thing that’s made this story worthwhile.
The second positive thing is that now that Hedeki is dead, no matter who’s responsible, I’m hoping it means this story is coming to a close very soon. I am intrigued to meet Adam’s half-sister, not that her existence is much of a surprise. Most of us guessed that was going to happen ages ago when Michelle Shioma dangled her big secret in front of Adam’s nose.
Back when we first met Michelle Shioma, I was excited that it looked like our new “big bad” was going to be a woman. But Michelle never reached that height. But another Noshimuri? One who obviously seems to have a personal vendetta against her half-brother. Who, with Hiro and Michael both dead, sees Adam as the only obstacle left to remove so she can be the head of the Yakuza family? Now that could prove to be very interesting. Not to mention give Adam something better to do in (hopefully) Season 9 than running his own, dysfunctional task force.
Tani and Junior: I’m trying to figure out if there is any way I could love these two more. They are so perfect together and make such great partners, even if they are both rookies. I also have to admit this story was my favorite of the three in this episode.
It’s been a bit of a bone of contention that Junior, a Navy SEAL, was made to attend the Police Academy before Steve would consider him for Five-0, while Tani, who not only never graduated but was actually kicked out was given her badge outright. I love how Junior never forgets that and how, when Steve gave him the assignment, Junior insisted Tani go along too. It’s logical that in order to graduate, a recruit would be required to spend some time walking a beat and it also makes sense that Tani should do it too.
It was fun watching them bond over Spam musubis (apologies to my 808 Ohana… I tried… I really did… but no…. I just can’t!) while making a kid paint over graffiti, bicker in the car in true Steve and Danny fashion and try to deal with a domestic dispute which was anything but.
And watching poor Junior bested by a little old grand-ma and her can of mace was priceless as was Tani’s promise that she’d make sure everyone, starting with McGarrett, would find out about it. 😊 😊
I suppose writers David Wolkove and Matt Wheeler felt the episode needed a bit of levity to counter the tension of Adam’s story and the pathos of Danny’s and as much fun as following these two “beat cops” around was, the story also had some truly touching moments. It was very touching listening to Tani tell Junior how she became a cop because she wanted to set a good example for Koa because they had both been making bad choices and getting into trouble after their father died. It made me feel so bad for her, considering the way things are with Koa these days.
Tani and Junior will forever be better cops because of this day! It is a humanizing experience dealing with citizens on a one to one basis. Something you don’t experience chasing terrorists and deadly viruses!
The encounter with little Kawika is a case in point. Wondering around alone without any supervision, he catches their eye. Kawika’s mother is dead and his dad “sometimes gets sick and falls asleep”.
Realizing what could possibly be going on, they head to Kawika’s house where Junior finds the boy’s father passed out on the kitchen floor after shooting up. Junior realizes this is a man consumed with grief over the loss of his wife, not a hardened criminal.
While Tani takes Kawika to his auntie’s house, Junior takes the father into custody. But, he lets the man walk to the car without cuffs, allowing the man to say good bye to his son without the trauma of having him see his father in cuffs.
Hearing Junior tell Tani that he remembers what it was like to be a little kid and see his dad taken away in handcuffs was truly enlightening. A small glimpse into Junior’s past we’ve all been hoping to get more of. It made the way he helped the father all the more poignant. Junior didn’t want that child to see what Junior saw far too many times.
And, of course, Danny: I know there are a lot of fans out there who are disappointed in the way the “who shot Danny” mystery was shown. I’m not going to be one of them. Sure, I would have loved some grand scheme, with all kinds of subplots and twists but this story suited me just fine. And more important than that, in my opinion, it suited Danny.
I know I’m going to probably catch heat for this and I may be the only person who feels this way but, reading posts on Twitter Friday night and early Saturday morning, many of them really bothered me. Yes, I will agree that Danny getting involved with Brooke was not a very professional thing to do. However, I don’t see it as the character assignation some on Twitter make it out to be. Let’s look at how this all went down.
It is 1999, which means Danny is 22 years old, but even as a rookie cop, it shows he’s already a good one. He immediately recognized what was going on in Ray and Brooke’s household. And like the compassionate person he is, he immediately had the ability to make Brooke trust him. Trust him enough that, eventually, she uses the identification card he gave her to call him for help.
No indication was given as to how long it took before Brooke made that call, so we have no idea how long the abuse continued. Once she calls him, Danny goes out of his way to help her. Gets her away from Ray and into a safe place to live.
I did not get the impression that this was an “assignment”, but something Danny was doing because he wanted to help her. I don’t get the accusation that Danny “took advantage of a woman he was assigned to protect”. He took care of her because he wanted to not because he was assigned to do it. Again, there is no indication as to how long they knew each other before Ray found out Brooke was “seeing someone”. It was probably weeks, if not months.
Once again, I will agree it really wasn’t the best idea for Danny to become involved with Brooke but, come on. He was 22 years old. Are we proud of all the things we did when we were 22 years old? Some may view their affair as Danny taking advantage of a vulnerable woman. It could be viewed that by some. But personally, I prefer to look at it more equitably. As something they were equal partners in.
Brooke was a woman who had been put through hell by a man who claimed to love her, who probably promised to always protect her, but turned out to be a monster who blamed her for every bad thing that was happening to her, for every slap and every punch and told she was worthless and deserved to have the crap beat out of her.
Physical abuse is easy to see. Emotional abuse is so much harder. Being battered into submission, a person’s psyche may begin to believe they truly do deserve the things that are happening to them, that it really is their fault. Maybe Brooke needed someone to show her that she was deserving of love. That she was needed. Perhaps she needed to feel cared for. Perhaps she just needed someone to be there for her for a change. And she was the one who invited Danny into her hotel room. He didn’t break the door down or manipulate her in any way what-so-ever.
What he did do was get her out of that house. He found her a motel to stay in where she was hidden, making sure she’s not just eating out of the vending machine and had the basic necessities she’d need. He went out of his way to get her into an anonymous shelter where she was guaranteed to be safe . He’s warm, caring, supportive, funny. All the things Ray was not. Is it so hard to see why she’d fall for him? Is it so hard to see why he’d want to be for her everything she needed? Should it have happened? Of course not. But we are all just human beings, after all.
And, let’s talk about that beat down Danny took from Ray. If anyone doubts that Danny is one of the most self-sacrificing people around, that beat down should put that notion to rest. He had his gun but chose to keep it in the car as he goaded Ray into a fight Danny had no intention of defending himself in. Danny knew that trying to put Ray away for abuse might not work but beating up an off duty, unarmed cop in front of other cops was a sure-fire way to get Ray away from Brooke for a very long time. Twenty years, it turned out. Add to that, the fact that Danny never told Brooke what he did, shows he didn’t do it to get the upper hand with her. He did it purely for her benefit.
Danny really is one hell of a good man and I’m a bit perplexed as to why people who claim to love him above all chose to see him as some kind of a shirt chasing jerk because he was kind, supportive and gentle to someone who was hurting. And, yes, that is only my personal opinion.
Some more personal observations:
- I saw some people question how Danny could not have possibly recognized Ray when he burst into quarantine. I’m sorry, but do you remember every person you have ever known from twenty years ago? Ray looked very different in 2018 than he did in 1999. How many times do you think Danny set eyes on Ray? The night they were called to the house. The night of the beat down. Maybe in court. That’s probably it. Over the course of twenty years and God only knows how many cases in Jersey and Hawaii, it’s not hard for me to believe he didn’t remember a man he saw maybe three times twenty years ago.
- People were also wondering about why Ray was still in the morgue months after he died and why they needed Brooke to identify him. They didn’t need Brooke to identify him. They figured out who he was, probably because of his record, ages ago. The fact that Brooke was there proves that. What? People think she just happened to go to Hawaii to reminisce with Danny out of the blue? Of course not. Once they confirmed Ray’s identity, Brooke was called to Hawaii to identify and claim the body. The reason he was still in the morgue is because they only release the body to the next of kin, and in this case, it was Brooke. Maybe it just took her this long to get there.
- It was fun to see Danny and Rachel’s first meeting even if they didn’t portray it as it was written in Season 1 canon. Yes, Rachel rear-ended Danny’s car but in canon, it was his police cruiser not his personal car and he was in uniform. And he didn’t just get her phone number. He offered to give her driving lessons instead of writing a ticket. But even though it wasn’t exactly as it should have been, it was fun to see the moment that would play a pivotal role in the lives of so many people.
I will say that I hope that scene and the one later of Danny going over to Rachel’s house to pick up Charlie it’s not a precursor to them getting back together. I can understand that now that Danny has Charlie in his life, he’s willing to forgive Rachel for the horrible lie she told, but I don’t see how Danny can forget about it. They have managed to rediscover a friendship between them but that deceit, in my book, is just too great for him to ever truly trust her again.
Some lies are just too much to be brushed aside. They can be friends. They can be awesome co-parents to Grace and Charlie but that’s it. I really hope that’s it. The last thing either one of our guys needs is to have the writers make them look like fools for getting back together with the women who have hurt and deceived them for their own benefits for years.
- It was such fun to hear, a few hours before the Friday night telecast that Alex would be taking over the official @HawaiiFive0CBS Twitter account during the show. There was much speculation on Twitter Friday night that it really wasn’t Alex tweeting during the episode.
Well, of course, I have no more information than anyone else but personally, I don’t believe it would have been announced he was tweeting if there was no intention of him doing so. I think, again personally, that Alex did take over the official account, but I don’t think he was sitting there at the computer sending out every tweet. I honestly believe Alex was on the account, reading everything but he probably had someone with him doing the actual tweeting. I think that was the reason for the re-use of some of the quotes from recent interviews, but I think all the “likes”, re-tweets and “thank you” tweets were really Alex.
It could be he wanted to do it for his fans but, didn’t really feel like he wanted to fully engage in a “live tweet”. I can certainly understand that. I was worried he’d be bombarded with questions about his contract, or to talk about the return of Catherine, or something stupid like being bugged to take a picture of himself with his shirt off like he did five years ago. It’s also possible TPTB told him to keep it generic to curtail those types of things.
I have no problem with this. After all, filming only ended a couple of days ago, Alex is just starting his well-deserved and much needed hiatus. He’s probably exhausted. The fact that he was willing to do this for the fans when all he probably wanted to do was crash, sleep and play with his kids, is very sweet. If he maybe had someone on hand to do the actual tweeting or re-used a few quotes, who cares?
- Steve McGarrett playing the Portuguese guitar while Frank Bama sings along in his office. Jimmy Buffet singing while accompanied by Alex O’Loughlin on guitar! My week totally made!!!!!
- The one thing I really wish we could have had, even if I have no idea where Alex could have fit it in, was for Steve and Danny to have at least one scene together at the end of the episode where they could have discussed the closure of who shot Danny. Just a couple of minutes to show that both men got the closure on what was a very traumatic incident. Danny almost died but it was a horrendous experience for Steve as well. It would have been really great if they could have spoken about it, even if only for a couple of minutes. But like I said, I have no idea where they could have fit it in. Since Danny isn’t in the next episode, I’m sure it will probably never be brought up again. Such a shame.
Well, that’s it my friends. There was a lot more in this episode I chose not to touch on but please feel free to bring up anything you feel I missed in the comments section. Also, as I said, I know I’m in the minority with many of my opinions on this episode but please, feel free to express your own in the comments as well. Even if we don’t all agree, all are welcome to express their feelings as they chose. This is a no scolding zone! ♥♥♥
I hope everyone is having a wonderful Easter or Passover weekend! Have a great rest of the week and I’ll see you next weekend!
Aloha. Malama Pono
All screen caps are mine unless other wise noted
FINAL NOTE: Although we have seven episodes coming up in the next seven weeks, filming has ended for the cast and crew for Season 8. We haven’t gotten any word on a Season 9 pick up as of yet, but I’m confident we will be back for Season 9. I’m not even going to entertain any other alternative. Glass half full, remember?
I just want to thank the entire cast, crew, writers and production for another wonderful year. I have enjoyed pretty much every moment of it, with a few exceptions and I’m positive I’m going to enjoy the rest of this season as well (with at least one exception). Thanks to everyone who brings this great show to our screens every Friday night. Have a wonderful hiatus everyone and we’ll hopefully see you in July!
Hawaii Five-0 Kool-Aid 
Linda, as usual, you covered so much so well! I always say I don’t have too much to add but then I get carried away. lol I know we both hate those multi-story eps and this one was no different for me. I do agree that, thanks to Alex’s smart direction, all three stories flowed very well and worked wonderfully. Even though Adam’s story still doesn’t do a lot for me, both the car and foot chase were executed skillfully…kept your eyes following it all the way through! And like the intriguing ending concerning Adam’s half-sister…hmmm. Also Junior and Tani with their cute chemistry and the most honorable patrol duty. But I loved, loved, loved Danny’s story. From how Alex set it all up (with such challenges!), the lighting, the scenes, the action…wow! Add in talented guest-stars who helped it all seem so real. Finally, there’s Scott getting a chance to shine in scenes rich with dialogue, emotion, and action all wrapped into a powerful story. There were some really effective touches, ranging from scenery to body language and facial expressions to visual imagery and editing. But that’s where I get frustrated. I truly feel that, if they couldn’t give this its own episode, it should’ve at least have been half of a two-story ep. But three? Ugh. For me, even though the other stories were done well, I still didn’t like switching between three stories. Especially when one of them is incredibly serious and also very meaningful to anyone who cares about Danny. Don’t get me wrong. It still worked. It worked beautifully. I just wanted more. *sigh Nothing new. lol
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Tani an Junior were my favorite story because if was just so much fun. I simply adore these two and having them on the screen together, out of their element, was pure joy. I was so worried when Chin and Kono left that I’d never feel the same way about the team, but these two have made me love it even more.
But I’m with you. I loved Danny’s story for all the reasons you state. And I also agree I wish this episode had been either all Danny’s story or at least been only two stories. Maybe Tani and Junior could have helped on Adam’s case and then Alex could have gotten a bit of a break and not had to do so much. Or better yet, bump Adam’s story to another episode. But I think because Ian needed to be done filming so he could head off to Vancouver and “Salvation”, they needed to get this done now so the story can wrap up soon.
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Best review I have read. To the point and covered everything with a clear point of view.
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Thank you! Welcome to the blog! I’m glad you decided to join us!
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Well I’m definately on the same page as you Linda. I made the mistake of going to Tweeter (a place i’ve been avoiding recently because of horrible comments) and I don’t get it – I honestly didn’t see Danny as anything other than the good guy he is. I think all the down time with no new episodes messed with people’s concept of time I think it’s why some questioned the morgue scene. .Loved the ‘kids” out on patrol and totally see how they have charmed their cast mates. It was nice to learn a little more about Junior’s back story and Tani is a hoot! Unfortunately Adam’s story still isn’t doing much for me, but maybe it will pick up. I was so looking forward to this episode and was not dissapointed. Alex did a great job…..if he gets tired of acting he definately could switch to behind the camera……I too thought the episode had a different feel. I guess that means he made his mark. Really hope he gets to do it again next season.Another new epi next ……feels so good to say that.
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I’ve been taken back recently, like you, with all the negativity on Twitter. I’m used to it from a certain segment of the fandom and blocking has limited my exposure to them, thankfully. But it’s friends, people I like and respect who have gotten so negative lately, it’s rather sad to me. They, of course, are fully entitled to their opinions and since they also respect mine, we’re totally cool.
But it does sadden me because I still find so much about this show to love. Perhaps my rose tinted glasses cause me to miss what they see as major problems but they also allow me to enjoy the show and just have fun. If the alternative is finding fault and watching the show just to see what’s going to bother me this time, I think I’ll keep my rose tinted glasses firmly in place and keep enjoying myself.
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Exactly- my love for the show goes back to the original so seeing “fans” rip it apart hurts. It’s not perfect, but it’s my show…….no one is making them watch. Unfortunately social media has created a whole new way to behave badly with no consequences. Thanks again for giving me a sane place to hang out.
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Totally my pleasure babe! ♥♥♥
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Just one word I have to say about your review AWESOME. You have put your heart on your sleeve about Danny’s story and I thank you for it. I can’t add any more.
Loved the way Alex directed this episode. All 3 stories flowed and it was great to see him here there and everywhere. I loved the different camera angles especially the one in the blue room where he and Lou were questioning Jessie. Chi went to the right as the camera went to the left. A very talented man.
Junior and Tani together so funny. They make a great pairing.Both seemed more relaxed and comfortable than in other episodes.
Hopefully all will be back in season 9. I have my fingers crossed it will happen.
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Hi Rita! Welcome and thanks for joining us! I’m glad you enjoyed the episode and the review! ♥
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It’s like you climbed into my head & put my thoughts into words for this review! I agree with everything. Loved the episode & thought for a 3 story episode that it so well put together (thank you Alex!). I thought the acting was fantastic- the regular cast & the guest actors were convincing & spot on. Danny’s protectiveness is something we’ve seen from day one…with his kids, his brother, sister & of course with Steve. It’s clearly a trait he’s always had & he sacrificed himself to put Ray away to protect Brooke. Alex was amazing both on & off screen, is there anything he can’t do? . Thank you for such a well put together review & know you aren’t alone!
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Thanks babe! I was afraid after reading tweets on Friday night and early Saturday morning that I was going to be the only one who liked this episode. People were so adamant in their disappointment and sometimes. downright anger, I couldn’t figure out what I’d missed. I’m glad I wasn’t the only one to enjoy this episode and to see Danny as the kindhearted, compassionate person he is.
I don’t know. Maybe some people need their heroes to be flawless. No harm in that. I don’t expect my heroes to be flawless. I expect them to be human. And human beings make mistakes. We all stumble through life the best we can.
In the grand scheme of things, Danny and Brooke hooking up wasn’t the smartest thing but it was something that obviously helped Brooke emotionally heal and allowed her to move on with her life. She obviously looked back on it with extreme fondness. If she was taken advantage of by Danny, I think someone better let her in on it because she seems to be just fine with it all.
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Love this review! Can’t add much. Just want to say that you made an excellent observation about the scene when Ray is slammed on the car hood and Danny is on the ground looking at him. It is exactly the scene from the isolation room. Such a striking moment. I’m guessing it was Alex’s idea, and what a genius one it was.
I wish we could have had more time with Steve and Frank. Being a Parrothead, I love JB, and pairing him with my favorite actor is icing on the cake. I certainly enjoyed those precious few moments. Would love to have heard more of their music.
I mostly avoid Twitter now. The amount of hate and vitriol stuns me. If the plots of H50 are so upsetting to some people, why do they bother to watch anymore? Why attack fellow fans? Just because their opinions differ? Something’s really wrong there.
Looking forward to next week to see and Steve/John McGarrett centric episode!
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There are certain people who get no pleasure out of anything that give pleasure to other people IF what those people enjoy differs from their view of the show. They are narrow minded, mean spirited and low individuals who only watch the show for the “pleasure” of bashing it and the fans who still love it.
I’d feel sorry for their miserable existence but as Sidney Freedman once said to Colonel Flagg in M*A*S*H they are “such an unbelievable example of walking fertilizer that it’s hard for me to care.”
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I agree with Sidney Freedman (I always enjoyed his visits to the 4077th), but what bothers me most is this — if Lenkov or some cast/crew ever read those tweets, they may say “screw this” and stop giving us any bts info again. And who would blame them.
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I wouldn’t worry. Peter is not an idiot and he remembers names. He knows who’s who in this fandom and what they stand for. He’s not going to be influenced by anyone, either negatively or positively. He has his vision for his show and no one is going to deter him from it, one way or the other
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Great review as usual! For his first directorial effort, Alex was superb-he made the three stories flow so well! Loved the bit with Frank & Steve! Tani & Junior made an awesome”cop on the beat”team and in the process,we got to see them get to know each other a little better-couldn’t help but wonder if that was part of the reason Steve went along with Junior’s idea that she join him on the streets,besides the HPD graduation requirement. I’m with you on the Adam story-hope the revelation that he has a half-sister means we are nearing the conclusion of it. Can’t wait to see who she is! Loved Danny’s story and how it was done-it’s understandable now that Danny didn’t recognize the man at the time of the quarantine-he looked totally different! Was nice to relive Danny & Rachel’s first meeting,although some things were changed from season one and seeing them now at her home. While I don’t really want them to get back together, I am totally fine with them having a close friendship-that way they can still be a family without the formal ceremony. Does that make sense. Looking forward to the next episode and like you, I am optimistic that there will be a season 9!
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Yes it make total sense! I have zero problem with them being friends. They are awesome co-parents to Grace and Charlie. But, there is just too much for me to believe Danny could ever forget the things she’s done and I’m not just talking about Charlie, even if that was the huge straw that broke the camel’s back.
I’m not talking about taking Grace to Hawaii. That is something that happens when marriages break up and one or the other remarries. Sometimes, it necessitates a move and it’s always heartbreaking for the parent who watches their child moved away. I never blamed Rachel for that, it’s just something that happens and, thank goodness, Danny had the type of job that allowed him to follow after Grace, even if it was heartbreaking for him to move away from Jersey and his family.
But other things happened. She allowed Danny to unknowingly help deliver his own son while at the same time letting Stan believe Charlie was his. She tried to take Grace away from Danny a second time forcing him to go to court to stop it. She lived with the lie about Charlie for 3 years and it’s easy to believe that if Charlie hadn’t gotten sick, she would still be living that lie, denying Danny his own son while allowing Stan to believe Charlie was his.
Danny may find it in his heart to forgive all of these things, because, as we know, Danny has a heart the size of all outdoors but I can’t see how he could ever forget about it all. I think if the writers were to do that, have Danny put it all aside and get back together with Rachel, they would make him look like even more of a fool that Steve would if he took Catherine back. Catherine’s deceit hurt Steve greatly, but there was no collateral damage. Rachel’s deceit hurt Danny, Grace, Charlie, Stan, all of Danny’s family….. there is a whole lot more there to forgive and forget.
So yeah, Danny’s heart may allow him to forgive, but I pray the writers don’t allow him to forget.
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There is no way Danny can ever forget Rachel’s deceit,that’s for sure and I hope the writers remember that.
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Well as usual once again, like minds see it the same way. I totally agreed with your review. I adore Tani & Juinor especially when they work together. I think they have a great chemistry going on & I think they would be a good couple that would also work for the show. I too am surprised at the comments made on Twitter with regard to Danny that also spills over to Scott. I find that Twitter seems to be a place for rude and obnoxious people who bully behind the keyboard, ( my personal opinion) not all but most, so I don’t go there much. Danny is a caring character and was in no way out to abuse this woman at all. What happened, happened. And when I saw Ray with the beard & hair I was sure it was not the same guy that shot Danny. I thought it was a different actor. As for Scott, he to is a kind and caring person. I understand he and Alex are the best of friends off camera so for the life of me I don’t get how people claim to love Alex and hate on Scott forgetting that Alex and Scott are great friends. Alex knocked this episode out of the park. He was amazing. He directed it with precision and detail especially considering he was in the episode as much as usual. It was good seeing how Rachel & Danny met but your correct, I don’t think they should be back together, not any more than Cathrine & Steve should be back together. Both those women are secret keeping liers. Although I will say, in my opinion Cathrine makes Rachel look like a saint compared to her. Rachel never almost got Danny beheaded like Cathrine did Steve. And noway would Danny allow a woman to dump him 3 times. For Gods sake KILL Cathrine off. As for the new information on Adams half sister I love it. I can’t wait to see who she is a exactly why she wants Adam dead. GREAT Reviw Linda. I hope your Easter was wonderful. Thank you for your reviews ❤️
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Well, I disagree just a bit about Catherine and Rachel, I think Rachel’s deceit was much worse because her actions affected and hurt many more people along with Danny. I am no fan of Catherine, that’s for damn sure, but she didn’t almost get him beheaded. He followed her to Afghanistan on his own accord. She didn’t even ask him to go with her, he just showed up at the airport.
When she saw him captured she did exactly what she should have done. She protected those children and called Danny because she knew if there was one person who could help Steve it would be Danny. I have zero problem with her actions in Afghanistan or the fact that she stayed there to find Najib.
I don’t even blame her for not telling Steve she was recruited by the CIA because, obviously that’s was classified and she was probably under orders not to tell anyone anything. So she should have done just that, not told him anything. When she told him not to wait for her, that she had found her place, that should have been it.
She could have just let him believe she’d found her place in that village, teaching and protecting the children and that would have been that. But no, she had to come back for Kono’s wedding (yeah…. right!) then made him believe that she was back in Hawaii for good, that she was going to stay. If she could’t tell Steve she was in the CIA and she was under orders not to reveal her mission, why did she go back to Hawaii at all. For one reason and one reason only. To USE Steve to establish a cover. She deliberately set him up. That’s what I can’t forgive.
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Welll we finally got to witness Alex’s directorial debut and what a debut it was. He did a fantastic job. Though I’m not ready to not see his handsome face gracing our screens I can easily see him finding a comfortable home behind the camera. Can’t wait to see what his writing debut will give us! I would love to see Alex direct and Scott write an episode next season!
I enjoyed this episode. I’m not a fan of the triple plots but Alex handled them masterfully. I’m more than ready for Adam’s sl and task force to be done and over. While Jesse may not have betrayed him she’s not trustworthy. Having a new Yakuza head with a vendetta against Adam will hopefully be handled quickly and not dragged out. His 1/2 sister, no surprise there. Guess sis has figured daddy did her wrong and Adam is her ticket to the big time or at least big money.
Junior and Tani’s plot was cute but I’ll admit to being super annoyed with Tani. She was annoying, condensending, irritating and obnoxious. She has an edge to her and over the season its worked for her but not in this episode. I get the chemistry between the kids but the aggressiveness, for me, was just a tad to much. She was getting into trouble and found her way but with her attitude and mouth it can easily happen again. Hopefully it won’t.
Danny’s store was handled well. I agree with you that I would have loved for Steve and Danny to get screentime together to discuss the outcome but unfortunately it didn’t happen. The Danny we know and love now was exactly the same Danny way back then. Full of heart and caring. Should he have had an affair with her, probably not but … I wouldn’t have recognized Ray. I wasn’t sure if it was even the same actor who portrayed both young and old Ray. Seeing Rachel was an added bonus and yes, hoping they remain friends and nothing more.
I’m eagerly waiting on renewal notice because I know this just can’t be the end! We need more, much more!
Thanks for a great review Linda and screencaps!!
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It’s so funny how we can look at the same character and see such different things! I absolutely love Tani. I think she’s strong and no-nonsense and doesn’t take crap from anyone. You saw aggressiveness. That’s so interesting. Other than jumping to the wrong conclusion over the guy who went to the hotel, when was she aggressive? Just curious because I didn’t see it, but obviously you did.
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Don’t get me wrong, I like Tani. She’s definitely not someone you want to mess with. The “mansplaining” bit just seemed nasty and mean. Maybe snarky/snarling is a better word rather than aggressive. Then laughing (again more mean/snark) when Junior was maced – the “aww, poor you” gene seems to be missing. Not a terrible trait I guess and that’s probably why in Danny’s dream sequence she’s leading the task force. Hopefully we’ll get to see some feminine wiles!
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Ahhhhh I get it now! The “mansplaining” thing I can sort of see your point but I have to tell you, I’d be telling everyone the mace story too if I were in her shoes! ROFL
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I totally agree with everything you said in your review. Although, I’m not sure if Danny really had an affair with that girl or if he was just saying that to get a reaction from her husband. But, we do agree, Danny is a caring and compassionate person. He always has been. And he wears his heart on his sleeve. What you see with him is what you get. And I thought Junior and Tani added the right amount of humor to this episode. They were hilarious. I found myself really looking forward to their scenes. I’m not getting into Adam’s story at all. But I am intrigued by this sister that is out there. Hopefully, it will pick up from here. Well, Alex did a great job. Hopefully, we will see more of him directing next season. As long as he can act and direct in the episode, it will be okay.
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Right before Rachel hit the back of Danny’s car, he was remembering his time with Brooke. Some could say he was just fantasizing about something that he wished had happened but didn’t OR it was a real memory of them being together.
From the way warm way Brooke acted with Danny at their last meeting in 1999 and the way she was extremely warm and caring with him in the present day, I believe Danny was remembering them together.
So, yes, he DID say those things just to provoke Ray so he could have him arrested on more series charges but it wasn’t a lie. It really did happen.
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