Season 3, Episode 20 of CBS’s Hawaii Five-0 is little more than a time killer.

Actors Terry O’Quinn and Jimmy Buffett guest star as McGarrett mentor Joe White and helicopter pilot Frank Bama, respectively, but add little to the plot – which is ridiculous.

It was ridiculous when McGarrett infiltrated North Korea in Season 2, Episode 10, accompanied by White, Bama and a Navy SEAL team, supposedly to rescue a live hostage. In Season 3, Episode 20, he’s after the remains of a SEAL buddy and accompanied only by girlfriend/Naval Intelligence officer Catherine.

So what was the point?

• An attempt to show the origin and depth of the relationship between Steve and Catherine? Nah, not really. The scenes with Catherine are in the present, and the two work together just as they have in plenty of H50 episodes.
• The episode’s flashbacks were to Steve’s SEAL training with the guy who’s remains Steve is after. I guess we’re supposed to learn something about perseverance and loyalty, but all we see is Steve helping the guy get through training by, well, being Steve.

All I really can really say about this episode is that it was an hour I’ll never get back. That begs the question: Why waste any more time blogging about it?

On to Episode 21.

###

Stuart J. Robinson, a college friend of the TV Tyrant, is a writer, editor, media-relations practitioner and social-media guy based in Phoenix.