By Stu Robinson,
Episode 9 of CBS’s new Hawaii Five-O didn’t leave me with any deep thoughts, but did feature three epic gunfights. It also included a sexy assassin, night-vision equipment and evidence that Grace Park’s Kono can tackle better than any of the guys on my college’s football team did this weekend.
The team’s assignment this week was to prevent the assassination of a visiting Asian dictator. Gunfights ensue as the team pursues a suspect through the Aloha Tower Marketplace in Honolulu, thwart the actual assassination attempt and hold off a team of bad-guy commandos while holed up in McGarrett’s house.
In mid-October, I griped that viewers never had a chance to solve the mystery in Episode 4. Episide 9 was the opposite: Danno and I both ID’d the bad guy in a split second.
Daddy Issues
The dictator, Gen. Pak, is accompanied not only by his wife but also a young son, from whom he appears to have maintained a chilly distance. But a change of heart by the general earns him a big hug from the boy at the end.
“I will accept whatever punishment the international court hands down for my crimes,” Pak tells McGarrett and Danno. “Today was the first day my son was proud of his father.”
Guest Stars
Here is an interesting factoid: While researching this blog entry, I discovered that Ric Young, the actor who plays Gen. Pak, appeared in a 1976 episode of the original Hawaii Five-O as “Chinese travel agent.” Seems like 34 years is a long time to wait for a callback – but cool nonetheless.
The sexy assassin is played by Emmanuelle Vaugier, who has had reoccurring guest roles on Human Target, Two and a Half Men, CSI: NY and One Tree Hill.
Secondary Characters
Kelly Hu resurfaces as Laura Hills, the governor’s public-safety liaison, to give the team its assignment. Unfortunately, she appears to be wearing the same boxy gray suit as in Episide 7.
Strangely missing is McGarrett’s sister, Mary Ann. When we last saw her in Episode 5, had taken up temporary residence in the McGarrett family home. Yet there was no sign of her this week when the team used the house to make its stand against the bad guys.
Product Placement
While McGarrett was piloting the familiar Chevy Camaro for most of the episde, Gen. Pak’s motorcade comprised Chevy SUVs and crossovers.
The fact that they mentioned Aloha Tower by name makes me wonder if it was a product placement, but I didn’t connect it with any particular pitch.
Final Thought
This was the fourth straight episode without a “Book ’em, Danno” at the end. I hope the writers bring it back.
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Stu Robinson, a college friend of the TV Tyrant, is a writer, editor, media-relations practitioner and social-media guy based in Phoenix.