By Stu Robinson,

Season 2, Episode 18 of CBS’s Hawaii Five-0 took its obsession with fatherhood to a whole new level.

In a long-anticipated bit of stunt casting, the show’s producers reeled in James Caan (Brian’s Song, The Godfather, NBC’s Las Vegas). He, of course, is the father of Scott Caan, who plays Danny “Danno” Williams on H50. There is precedent, however. Oscar-, Emmy-, Grammy- and Tony-winning actress Helen Hayes appeared in a 1975 episode of the original Hawaii Five-0 with her son, James MacArthur, who played the original Danno. In both cases, the character played by the visiting parent helps the squad solve a crime.

Episode 18 begins with a ranting talk-radio personality broadcasting from a boat offshore. For this part, the producers brought in Dennis Miller, who’s had the same role in real life as well as in the David Spade movie Joe Dirt. When he hits the button for the “Boom” sound effect, an explosion rocks the boat, killing him instantly. I enjoy Miller’s schtick, so it was a bummer to have him killed off before the boffo opening theme song.

Fingerprints found on the damaged boat lead McGarrett and Danno to their first suspect, retired New York cop Tony Archer (the elder Caan). Following a brief, armed standoff and some enjoyable bickering with McGarrett and Danno, Archer persuades them that he was a friend and unofficial security consultant to the radio talker – and that he’d already started investigating the murder. He accompanies the Five-0 guys, first in handcuffs and later as a motivated volunteer, as they continue following clues.

The case is convoluted, involving scenarios we’ve seen separately in past episodes:

• a father angry about being separated from his son;
• a male/female couple of grifters hoping for a big payoff; and
• the guilty spouse of a victim’s loved one.

It doesn’t really matter, the case is simply a pretext to introduce Archer to the show’s main characters. But Archer does uncover some clues that help resolve the case, and the writers leave a opening for him to reappear in the future – if the producers can afford Caan’s acting fees.

The banter among Archer and the regulars is amusing. At one point, he tells McGarrett and Danno that they’re wasting time chasing down a lead. “I got a guy,” he says, who can get the information. His “guy,” it turns out, is Kamekona (Taylor Wily), Hawaii Five-0‘s resident fixer, snitch, shave-ice vendor and food truck impresario.

While Scott Caan was acting with his real-life father, Danno was experiencing his own daddy issue after seeing his daughter, Grace (Teilor Grubbs), enjoying the company of a boy at the water park.

I usually have pretty strong opinions about stunt casting, and this case is no different. Caan and Miller fit the roles written for them and contributed to one of the more enjoyable episode this season.

Episode 17

A week earlier, Hawaii Five-0 gave us one of those forgettable filler episodes. In this case, a Hawaiian-warrior re-enactor is found dead in the forest. The need to identify the murder weapon provides the pretext to bring back Danno’s new love interest, museum curator Gabrielle Asano (Autumn Reeser). That opens a subplot involving Danno’s anxiety about introducing Gabrielle to his daughter, Grace.

In a rather random bit of stunt casting, the first suspect is played by Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, whose performance is adequate but unremarkable.

The second suspect is the leader of a radical environmental group. After Danno pulls him from water following a lengthy chase, McGarret gives us a “Book ’em, Danno.” “Book me a towel” is Danno’s instant comeback.

Kono (Grace Park) had been skeptical that the environmentalist would have killed for their cause, but McGarrett wasn’t so

sure. After the killer was found to be the victim’s greedy business partner, McGarret and Kono share a bonding moment:

• McGarrett: “That was a really good call on Creed and Urthstrike.”
• Kono: “Thanks.”
• McGarrett: “You listened to your gut.”
• Kono: “I learned it from you.”

Al Harrington appears for the third time as Mamo, notable because Harrington appeared as various characters on 64 episodes of the original Hawaii Five-0 from 1969 through 1975.

Through the episode, characters allude to an invitation from Danno for dinner Friday night at the Hilton. (Product placement!) In getting the gang together, Danno creates the opportunity for Gabrielle to meet Grace. “You did real good,” says Kamekona, of all people. “You picked a controlled environment to reduce expectation and pressure for all three of you. Good job.” Thank you, Dr. Phil.

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