Finale Fun: Hawaii Five 0's "Aloha, Malama Pono"

I learned last week that CBS can put Hawaii Five-O anywhere on their schedule and it won't matter a darn because the show pulls in great international numbers. Thus, Hawaii Five-O will move to Friday nights beginning next fall where even less people will notice it. Hawaii Five-O has a nice and loyal fanbase, though, that'll follow it wherever it goes. I won't count myself among the loyal fans since I forget plot points. I'm glad Hawaii Five-0 is able to beat bad numbers domestically because of its numbers internationally. I wonder what international fans love most about the series. Perhaps it is Steve and Danny's playful buddy cop relationship or the character Kamekona. For me, I just enjoy the episodes most of the time. I'm entertained, often engaged. I like the characters. I like the relationships. The shots of Hawaii are lovely, breathtaking, and momentarily transports one to the paridisal isle.

Season 3 wasn't different from the first 2 seasons. I mean, the series won't change its formula or structure. 23 episodes of Five-0 is not ideal over a 9 month span. The ongoing arcs move at a snail's pace. Joe White's shelbourne nonsense took me out of season 2 completely. I can't even tell you what happened. Last week's adventure spy time with Christine Lahti and Treat Williams had its delights, mostly Lahti and Treat Williams. Alex O'Laughlin must play his scenes with his mother so seriously because Steve's ever mistrustful of her. The McGarretts get what they needed by the end of the episode because, of course they do. The whole Yakuzi plot is mostly a drag because of Adam's involvement. I think Adam's the blandest character, and it doesn't help that any memory of a Serious Kono plot causes me to curl up in the fetal position, rocking back and forth madly, uttering, "No...no...no." So, how did the finale resolve these bits of nonsense?

-The finale's the kind of Hawaii Five-0 episode I get into, for lack of a better phrase. There's excitement, adventure, good character stuff, and more Wo Fat nonsense. When McGarrett heard gunshots and explosions, I immediately thought, 'here goes Wo Fat blowing stuff up again" only to be surprised by the cliff hanger, somewhat. My memory of past episodes isn't the strongest, but I remember one in which McGarrett needed to protect Wo Fat. A couple of episodes of McGarrett begrudgingly protecting the man responsible for his father's death should be fun. McGarrett's scenes with Doris don't go anywhere, and she ends up leaving on a boat with Adam and Kono to Shanghai. I think she just said, 'to be continued' to Steve, and Steve just stared at her. Hawaii Five-0's all about incremental steps in its serialized storytelling. Wo Fat's burns add a more menacing aspect since he looked like a model before the burns and was not intimidating.

-The Adam/Kono nonsense had a nifty payoff. Adam ends the episode on the run from the Yakuzi. Kono, out of love for him, leaves with him on the boat. Adam's forced to shoot his own brother during a scuffle. Michael used the gun to frame Kono, which the team should've predicted last week. I mean, Steve and Danny should've told Max that someone must've stolen Kono's gun and used it. Max acts like Kono turned into Embrace The Hate Kane. The previews guaranteed Kono would be out of the team by episode's end. Any promo that promises the team will lose a member always means the team will lose Kono. Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park had a lovely scene together as Chin and Kono said goodbye. I felt sad for Chin; he lost his wife, and now his cousin was going away. I cheered, sort of, when he called prison riot lady for a second date.

-Autumn Reeser came back to the show after being absent for a full season. Reeser was busy on ABC's Last Resort, which is why you are forgiven for forgetting about Danny's girlfriend. Danny didn't do much this season, so hugging Autumn Reeser takes the cake for his shining moment.

-The stand-alone terrorism plot repeated the basic beats of the kidnapping episode from two weeks ago. Lenkov never fails to introduce some bad guy in need of protecting, e.g. this villain in the finale who killed five CIA operatives but then needs protection because he knows the target of a terrorist attack. The kidnapped child was actually kidnapped by the CIA for leverage. I'll always remember Five-0 being tasked with protecting a brutal dictator and then being celebrated as heroes because the dictator chooses to pay for his crimes. Hawaii Five-0, everyone. I kid. It is part of the show’s charm.

-Anyway, good season. That’s all, folk.