By Stu Robinson,

Before we get started on Episode 6 of CBS’ new Hawaii Five-O, take a moment to remember actor James MacArthur – the original Danno – who passed away yesterday at age 72. MacArthur starred on the original show from 1968-79 and is the only one of the show’s actors that I remember other than Jack Lord, who played McGarrett. That’s probably because my mother always would point out that he was the son of legendary actress Helen Hayes.

According to The New York Times:

“One of his favorite Hawaii Five-O episodes, Mr. MacArthur said, was ‘Retire in Sunny Hawaii Forever’ (1975), because it was one of the rare times that he worked with his mother. Miss Hayes played Danno’s Aunt Clara, who visits Hawaii and helps the detectives solve a murder.”

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported today that CBS had hoped to find a role for MacArthur in its new version – and that, as recently as last month, the actor’s personal website said he had agreed to appear in an episode.

Both newspapers noted that MacArthur was the last of the original Hawaii Five-O‘s main actors: Lord died in 1998; Kam Fong, who played Chin Ho Kelly, died in 2002; and Gilbert Lani Kauhi (credited as Zulu), who played Kono Kalakaua, died in 2004.

◊ ◊ ◊

The plot of this week’s Hawaii Five-O was so tightly wound, so packed with exposition, that it included none of the secondary characters that the writers used the two previous episodes to introduce. No time, I guess.

Instead, actress Grace Park gets the spotlight as the plot enters Oahu’s surfing subculture – and Kono’s past. Recall the character’s back story: Kono was a teen-age pro surfer who blew out her knee and ended up going into “the family business” – police work.

Episode 6 involves the murder – while surfing, of course – of the surf-industry mogul who had brought Kono into the circuit. Chin Ho, her cousin and fellow Five-O’er, notes that the victim “was like a second father to her.”

Here we go again with the Daddy issues! And not just for Kono. A leading suspect is the estranged son of the victim’s business partner and another former protege of the victim. He and Kono share not only paternal issues but also a past relationship. While it’s unclear if they were romantic in the past; it’s clear they have feelings for each other in the present.

Though her colleagues suggest she sit out the case – “Part of doing this job is knowing when you’re not the one to do the job,” Chin Ho counsels – Kono will not be dissuaded, telling Danno of her debt to the victim for changing her life.

Park shines in this episode, and not just because the writers put her in bikinis for the opening and closing scenes. Her voice and facial expression emote a range of feelings: grief for the victim; competing emotions when the man for whom she has feelings becomes a suspect; and anger when the true perpetrator of the killing is revealed. Ultimately, she demands to be the one to make the arrest, forcing McGarrett to abandon Hawaii Five-O‘s most famous line in favor of a simple “Book ‘im.”

Product Placement

After a scene-setting shot of a high-rise building with an iconic rainbow design on the side, McGarrett and Danno pointedly meet a contact at “Tropics Bar & Grill.” Sure enough, a quick Google search reveals that Tropics is one of the signature restaurants at the Hilton Hawaiian Village resort in Waikiki. Here is Hilton’s news release about its participation.

Once again, McGarrett is back in a new Chevy Camaro. But is it realistic to suggest a rear-wheel-drive muscle car could keep up with a Jeep during an off-road chase? And would tires squeal on a dirt road?

Dialogue

Danno: “I hate it when rich people get killed.”
McGarrett: “Why?”
Danno: “They’ve got something everybody wants.”
McGarrett: “Yeah … money.”
Chin Ho: “Which means plenty of suspects.”

Guest Stars

The victim’s business partner in this week’s episode was played by B-TV star Kevin Sorbo from Hercules and Andromeda.

Next week’s show will include guest stars Kelly Hu and Robert Loggia, according to the CBS website and IMDB.com.

###

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