S07.E25: Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono (The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness)

[BW Manilowe]

McGarrett risks his life when Five-0 attempts their most dangerous rescue yet of young girls trapped in the sex trafficking ring they have been tracking this year. Also, Kono, deeply affected by the case, makes a life changing decision, on the seventh season finale.

Original Airdate: May 12, 2017

SOURCE: https://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/hawaii-five-0/releases/view?id=47610

[Babalu]

The title of this episode is Hawai'i's state motto (not that I can ever tell what he episode titles ever have to do with the plots).

[Mittengirl]

I was underwhelmed by the whole thing.  Sure, it had some cool stunts, but the storyline was pretty flat, especially for a season finale.  And Steve and Danny's bickering was annoying as hell.  

 The scene in the grocery store with Kono and Sara - did anyone else think Sara was going to disappear momentarily, and scare the hell out of Kono?

Are we to believe that the kidnapped girl had not been previously questioned about any accomplices?  Or did she just now remembered what he looked like?  

And there was only one person, in the vast crime databases that 5-O has access to, that resembled her rather generic sketch?  Seriously?! 

[Vermicious Knid]

I thought it would have been hilarious if Steve jumped and missed. So, Steve got a minor case of radiation poisoning and there will be some side effects. Pretty much the only side effect is cancer. Haven't we already had enough medical storylines?

Since when is Kono so rabid about human trafficking? I thought it was strange in the original episode, she hadn't demonstrated any great passion about the subject. Unless I missed some tortured backstory about a best friend or family member? Now she's run off to be Crusader Kono. And, the sad fact of the matter is, people who are trafficked in Nevada are in Las Vegas, not Carson City.

[dwmarch]

Why did the HPD cars EXPLODE when they were hit? Were they carrying the rocket pod ammo for Duke's aerial assault fleet?

Kono's pants kept switching from shiny black to matte black during the action sequence.

That was one focused driver in the cab of the rig. He didn't see McGarrett dangling off the side of his truck and didn't spot him climbing down right behind him.

Since when are Flippa and Jerry such good friends that Flippa would sing "The Wind Beneath My Wings" to him in front of a room full of dudes?

I think I know why McGarrett has been so close to Charlie lately, in light of the radiation poisoning reveal. The battery wasn't hanging down very far, was it?

[Traveller519]

I don't know if anyone puts as much effort into their end of season action sequences as Hawaii 5-0 but that topped last year's Honolulu pursuit. Even the green screen work was well done by TV standards. The tension during the off loading (when did they have the time to custom build that rig?) Was palpable.

Danny wearing the hat at the party was exceptionally cute.

[Mittengirl]

Not only do I not get Kono's newfound fixation on child sex trafficking, I fail to see how working on a few such cases makes her, or any of 5-O, such experts on the case that they know more than any cop anywhere.  Surely most big cities, not to mention every state, have sex crimes experts - people who have actually spent time studying the issue from many angles.  And have familiarity with their area's unique issues.

[pinkglove]

That's a weird way to send Kono away - couldn't they just make her pregnant, even move somewhere else with Adam? She herself said something about resources needed to pull it off, and there she goes with no backup, no official assignment and risking everything. What about Adam? You would think that after cutting ties with Yakuza, doing his time in prison and all kinds of other problems, they could finally go on with their lives...

The writers could at least come up with some sort of explanation why it gets to her so much. 

Also, why would they bring Steve's radiation poisoning in the season finale? Doesn't look like something that could affect him in season 8, unless they want to end it with him having cancer... but it doesn't seem like a good way to end a series. 

Anyway, does anyone know at what point is the script ready? Because it looks to me like they weren't sure who will come back for season 8 and they prepared exit stories for everyone. Or maybe it's just their way of keeping people interested but I don't buy it. For me, seemingly breaking the team spirit (like at the end of season 1) leaves a bad taste instead of making me want to see what's next. BTW, does anyone else think that team chemistry was especially bad today? We only got Steve's moments with Danny which were okayish (I don't mind the bickering) and Kono's with Grover but her mind wasn't really there. 

[MissLucas]

There wasn't a single plot in this episode that made sense - that's quite an achievement. Well you could say that Steve's bravado could be seen as a bit suicidal since he knows the 'side-effects' will sooner or later catch up with him but I doubt the show's got that much subtlety up its sleeve. And Kono's about to turn into a (pregnant) army of one against human trafficking - okay show, if you say so.

The stunt-work was stellar though.

[BW Manilowe]

5 hours ago, pinkglove said:

That's a weird way to send Kono away - couldn't they just make her pregnant, even move somewhere else with Adam? She herself said something about resources needed to pull it off, and there she goes with no backup, no official assignment and risking everything. What about Adam? You would think that after cutting ties with Yakuza, doing his time in prison and all kinds of other problems, they could finally go on with their lives...

The writers could at least come up with some sort of explanation why it gets to her so much. 

Also, why would they bring Steve's radiation poisoning in the season finale? Doesn't look like something that could affect him in season 8, unless they want to end it with him having cancer... but it doesn't seem like a good way to end a series. 

Anyway, does anyone know at what point is the script ready? Because it looks to me like they weren't sure who will come back for season 8 and they prepared exit stories for everyone. Or maybe it's just their way of keeping people interested but I don't buy it. For me, seemingly breaking the team spirit (like at the end of season 1) leaves a bad taste instead of making me want to see what's next. BTW, does anyone else think that team chemistry was especially bad today? We only got Steve's moments with Danny which were okayish (I don't mind the bickering) and Kono's with Grover but her mind wasn't really there. 

Regarding the bolded: Some TV-related sites (see my most recent post in the Media thread) are speculating that the radiation poisoning storyline was started in the event Alex O'Loughlin chooses to follow through with leaving the show at the end of S8 (he said this in an interview with an Australian newspaper which was published in the early-mid part of this just past S7, I think; I'm also pretty sure it's mentioned somewhere in the Media thread). At the time Alex said this--he thinks he'd be ready to leave at the end of S8--S8 had yet to be announced, but he said he thought he'd be ready to leave then because of the physical toll the show has taken on his body, from doing stunts that didn't go quite right or that he did himself though he probably should've left them to the real expert stunt doubles (among other things, he's got a bad shoulder/unrepaired injury all the way from S1--he needed surgery on it, but has never had it because of the impact it might have on his activity level during filming). He doesn't want to let his body get too much more beat up so he can still function well enough to play with his (eventual) grandchildren, he also said in the interview (& probably he wants to be able to play with his still young son & stepson with his wife Malia).

I don't know how far ahead a script has to be ready (just that it does so they can prepare/book all the necessary elements--costumes, sets, locations, stunts, etc.) in time for the anticipated start of shooting. A few seasons ago, in the 2nd ep with Jorge Garcia's Jerry character (the ep with his & Chin's High School Reunion) they did a "create an episode" thing where the viewers could vote on various elements of that ep but I forget how far in advance of the episode the different elements were voted on (you voted on  the CBS website for 1 element a week for at least a month, as I remember).

Having said what I said in the previous paragraph, I'm reasonably sure that the actual script was written after Alex did that Australian interview (so they probably knew he said he thinks he might not go past S8 if the show itself does) although I think they work on ideas/outlines for all the anticipated episodes' storylines as far back as the beginning of the season (for this ep, they may have brainstormed the sex trafficking aspect that far back then worked on the cliffhanger type stuff--Kono going off to chase the traffickers/help with the Nevada end of the investigation & Steve discovering he has radiation poisoning which will probably have negative effects in the long term--closer to when the script was due/the ep was to start production (which, I think, was in the last 1-2 months).

Edited May 13, 2017 by BW Manilowe
To fix a spacing issue.

[luvmylabs]

My husband and I used to like this show.  The stunts this episode were wonderful. But the constant bickering between Steve and Danny is SO annoying.  I guess some people must enjoy it or it wouldn't be there.  Or maybe it's an easy filler for lazy writers.   Also Kono going off on her own in the end...give me a BREAK!!!!

[pinkglove]

17 minutes ago, BW Manilowe said:

Regarding the bolded: Some TV-related sites (see my most recent post in the Media thread) are speculating that the radiation poisoning storyline was started in the event Alex O'Loughlin chooses to follow through with leaving the show at the end of S8 (he said this in an interview with an Australian newspaper which was published in the early-mid part of this just past S7, I think; I'm also pretty sure it's mentioned somewhere in the Media thread). At the time Alex said this--he thinks he'd be ready to leave at the end of S8--S8 had yet to be announced, but he said he thought he'd be ready to leave then because of the physical toll the show has taken on his body, from doing stunts that didn't go quite right or that he did himself though he probably should've left them to the real expert stunt doubles (among other things, he's got a bad shoulder/unrepaired injury all the way from S1--he needed surgery on it, but has never had it because of the impact it might have on his activity level during filming). He doesn't want to let his body get too much more beat up so he can still function well enough to play with his (eventual) grandchildren, he also said in the interview (& probably he wants to be able to play with his still young son & stepson with his wife Malia).

I don't know how far ahead a script has to be ready (just that it does so they can prepare/book all the necessary elements--costumes, sets, locations, stunts, etc.) in time for the anticipated start of shooting. A few seasons ago, in the 2nd ep with Jorge Garcia's Jerry character (the ep with his & Chin's High School Reunion) they did a "create an episode" thing where the viewers could vote on various elements of that ep but I forget how far in advance of the episode the different elements were voted on (you voted on  the CBS website for 1 element a week for at least a month, as I remember).

Having said what I said in the previous paragraph, I'm reasonably sure that the actual script was written after Alex did that Australian interview (so they probably knew he said he thinks he might not go past S8 if the show itself does) although I think they work on ideas/outlines for all the anticipated episodes' storylines as far back as the beginning of the season (for this ep, they may have brainstormed the sex trafficking aspect that far back then worked on the cliffhanger type stuff--Kono going off to chase the traffickers/help with the Nevada end of the investigation & Steve discovering he has radiation poisoning which will probably have negative effects in the long term--closer to when the script was due/the ep was to start production (which, I think, was in the last 1-2 months).

Thanks for the reply :) Yeah, I know about the interview with Alex but it still doesn't make much sense to me. Season 8 will end a year from now, and I'm talking about the timeline of the story. I know that those things can be unpredictable but isn't it too early for those long-term consequences to kick in? Not sure why I'm even thinking about it since they'll probably come up with some completely unrealistic plot, which I can't predict and will enjoy anyway :)

[GustheCat]

After the show about the dirty bomb (Season 7 Ep 18), both Ganesh and Icommented about how the uranium that was in that bomb was NOT harmful to humans. It was not depleted uranium, which is the only type of uranium that could cause harm when used in a bomb. Uranium is a better radiation shield than lead, it simply is not going to kill you or cause issues for the type of exposure that Steve had in the episode. Why do the producers and writers think the viewers are so gullible? Why not just change the source of the uranium that was stolen so that it would have been highly radioactive and dangerous?

Aside from that, I thought the finale was a bit flat. Kono picks up a pregnancy test and that event is dropped, was there really no better method of trying to stop the truck (once in the tunnel they should have been able to slow it down, no available cliff at that time. They could have boxed it in and shot out the front tires, sent out paint to cover the windshield)? I'm not an expert but I imagine there are procedures for handling that situation that doesn't involve jumping on top of it but at the same time it was enjoyable stunt work. The guy in the truck with the automatic weapon...you would figure the police are not going to start shooting holes in the container. The guy has started a hole, so you figure that would be the entrance point, so you wait for that to happen and shoot him. Instead, you don't wander the trailer with your back to the hole. Well, you can't take the show literally and enjoy it.

It would have been great to have seen all the semi-regulars at Jerry's party as well, maybe they weren't available. On to re-runs!

[jhlipton]

12 hours ago, Mittengirl said:

I was underwhelmed by the whole thing. 

I deleted it when I saw three extremely boring storylines -- Kono the sex-trafficing-crime-stopper, Chin and "the San Francisco Treat" and Steve-Danny-and-Charlie.  Bleh/

9 hours ago, Mittengirl said:

Not only do I not get Kono's newfound fixation on child sex trafficking, I fail to see how working on a few such cases makes her, or any of 5-O, such experts on the case that they know more than any cop anywhere. 

Have you seen this show?  5-0 are the experts in anything and everything!

[Artsda]

So what does Kono expect to accomplish by running off alone to Carson city? She's also possibly pregnant too, think of your own possible child. 

Steve's dropping his radiation poisoning news seems like a cancer set-up. Or at least sets up a lesser schedule for Alex. Episodes he's not on like Scott has.

Edited May 13, 2017 by Artsda

[jhlipton]

37 minutes ago, Artsda said:

Or at least sets up a lesser schedule for Alex. Episodes he's not on like Scott has.

That would mean either Chin & Grover (plus [ick] Jerry [yuck]) with or without Danny and/or Kono.  Maybe they'll do like one of the multi-hero shows where each one carries an episode with minimal involvement from the rest of the cast.  Kono in Nevada, Chin in San Francisco, Steve and Grover in Hawaii and Danny... somewhere...

[MissLucas]

s

56 minutes ago, GustheCat said:

was there really no better method of trying to stop the truck (once in the tunnel they should have been able to slow it down, no available cliff at that time. They could have boxed it in and shot out the front tires, sent out paint to cover the windshield)? I'm not an expert but I imagine there are procedures for handling that situation that doesn't involve jumping on top of it but at the same time it was enjoyable stunt work.

Nothing here made sense starting with evil dude's threat to drive the truck off a cliff. It would probably have killed him too and even if he managed to jump out of the driver's cabin without injury they'd pick him up pretty fast. Since he's a human trafficker and not a terrorist his best bet once he realized that the police was in pursuit was to try and gain a couple of minutes advance, stop the truck and make a run for it.

And what exactly did he think would happen after he had made his threat? That the police would let him drive away and allow him to simply vanish? There was no way out for him - they just had to keep him under surveillance (truck on an island - not that hard). Yes, his Diesel would last for days according to Jerry's calculation - but the human body does not. So instead of a mad pursuit they could just have turned this into waiting game - and probably try to figure out where he's headed to and wait until he unloads the girls.

Or they could have simply steered him onto a route where they could have blocked him in and then force him up a runaway truck ramp (auntie Google tells me there are three on Hawaii) - less logistics involved than in having a make-shift rig wielded together in no time, sending Steve on a hike to the mountain where the tunnel was (seriously, he was hiking there instead of getting dropped by a helicopter) and then pulling a crazy rescue in the middle of normal traffic - why was the highway not emptied? Why am I spending so much time thinking about this?

[illdoc]

At the first roadblock (the one where the SF treat almost got run over), why didn't they lay down that spike chain to blow the tires of the truck (even the evil guy on the season finale of Criminal Minds knew to do that!)???  BTW, after Steve took Charlie to the vending machine, what happened to him? Charlie was not seen again until the party at the end. Who was watching him? Everyone was in the war room (or whatever it was called), dealing with the white slaver.

[Just my 2 cents]

2 minutes ago, illdoc said:

At the first roadblock (the one where the SF treat almost got run over), why didn't they lay down that spike chain to blow the tires of the truck (even the evil guy on the season finale of Criminal Minds knew to do that!)???  BTW, after Steve took Charlie to the vending machine, what happened to him? Charlie was not seen again until the party at the end. Who was watching him? Everyone was in the war room (or whatever it was called), dealing with the white slaver.

Yeah, but Mr. Scratch is a genius.  You know that without 5-0 running the entire operation HPD is incompetent.  I guess 5-0 forgot to suggest that or perhaps doing some stunt bordering on insanity was the best option to rescue those girls.  If Kono is going to go stop human trafficking I guess we'll never see her again.  They only named a few states.  Let's not forgot the states that have truck stops along several highways that lead throughout the entire country and into Mexico, Central and South America, and Canada or the cargo ships they can load them up on and take them to other countries.  Will she also be crusading for the young girls shipped in to America from other countries as well?

[jhlipton]

Charlie got high on Snickers, Twinkies and Ho-hos then used the "desk-screen" in the main room to watch HBO and Showtime for free.

[MissLucas]

1 hour ago, illdoc said:

At the first roadblock (the one where the SF treat almost got run over), why didn't they lay down that spike chain to blow the tires of the truck (even the evil guy on the season finale of Criminal Minds knew to do that!)???  BTW, after Steve took Charlie to the vending machine, what happened to him? Charlie was not seen again until the party at the end. Who was watching him? Everyone was in the war room (or whatever it was called), dealing with the white slaver.

They did actually cover their bases on this one. According to Jerry you'd need at least three spike strips and then the truck could crash and/or turn over. Once the writers had dealt with the most obvious solution to the problem to their satisfaction they moved on to crazy-land because somebody on the team had seen 'Speed' one time too many.

[fishcakes]

I enjoyed this episode but it was so ridiculous that I have to say it like Dr. Cox from Scrubs and give it several more syllables: rihihihihidiculous. Probably at the top of the dumb list was why they decided to pursue the truck while it was on the move, instead of keeping it in sight with the police helicopter and waiting until the sex trafficker got where he was going, parked, and stepped out of the cab. But then the episode would be over in five minutes, so I guess they had to do it this way.

More impressive than Steve jumping onto the top of the truck moving at highway speed was him using the mini blowtorch on top of the trailer and having it result in a perfect circle.

Abby, it's not necessary to stand in front of the roadblock with your arms up and your badge in your hand. The guy can tell you want him to stop by looking at all the police cars blocking the road and he can tell you are the police by looking at all the police cars blocking the road. I actually thought Abby was going to be responsible for the biggest LOL of the show, but then they had Chin zoom toward the camera while perched on top of the grate, all flattened out like Monorail Cat, and I was done for.

[buckboard]

So they couldn't use spike strips, because the truck might turn over, but it was okay to detach the cab from the rest of the truck and the truck wouldn't just keep rolling down the highway until it crashed?

If Kono was so concerned about working in human trafficking, I'd bet there is a department in the HPD that deals with that problem.  Or any number of federal agencies.  And yes, I'd like to know where this deep dark concern for victims of human trafficking came from.  

Did they ever mention the offer Chin got to move to San Francisco?  Was that also written in in case he didn't resign his contract?

 

[Passepartout]

Think that the Chin thing moving to SF, as really won't do that. As he says Hawaii is his home and that is where he belongs.

And how that Steve getting radiation poisoning. Danny with all of his whining, is a concerned friend. And cares about Steve. And really may hopefully stop and smell the roses with Steve.

But really Steve as great as he is a SEAL and leader, but as a team player not so much.

Danny and Charlie were so cute together. The boy does look like a childish Scott Caan.

And Kono going off without Chin knowing it and others. Really hope that she can come on back.

I give this a 8/10! Better than season 6 finale however! 

[Raja]

20 hours ago, dwmarch said:

 

Since when are Flippa and Jerry such good friends that Flippa would sing "The Wind Beneath My Wings" to him in front of a room full of dudes?

 

Flippa was just singing from the the lounge singer fake book to the entire party. Jery was off to the side admiring his badge with the doctor.

[Vermicious Knid]

The trailer ripped up 100 or so feet of asphalt too. That's how many hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs?

[VegetasMom]

Is this a universe in which the FBI does not exist?  Why would the individual localities be dealing with this on their own?  Interstate sex trafficking sounds like the feds to me.  

[Just my 2 cents]

Quote

58 minutes ago, Raja said:

Jery was off to the side admiring his badge with the doctor.

 

I can't understand why he would be so proud and showing it off.  I wouldn't want a badge from 5-0.  It seems that anybody associated with 5-0 is either kidnapped, killed, or put in some kind of danger.  It's better to just work with them in secret.  Now Jerry will be showing off his new badge and end up getting shot in some kind of crossfire or blown up due to his connection with 5-0. 

[Princess Lucky]

I liked the finale. The truck stunt was wild enough for a season finale, and I thought Danny's whining was totally justified and not as annoying as it can sometimes be. I've felt that all season, as I've said in many of the episode threads. The writers had gone overboard with it, and it used to come off snappish and angry, but throughout season 7, I think the "banter" was spot on. The nastiness was gone, and it was mostly the friendship shining through. Both Steve and Danny can be annoying, but this season that was less aggravating to me as a viewer, and more of a character flaw that makes them imperfect but still likeable.

And the radiation poisoning scene was sweet. Scott Caan is very good when he tries. I liked how he played the juxtaposition between Danny's "normal" worry about Steve ("Steve is jumping off a bridge, and he could possibly die, except of course he won't, because he's a badass, but I'm still gonna whine about it to annoy him"), and the very real worry that Steve might eventually get sick, and they won't be able to do much about it ("my dear friend might not have long to live and I'm deeply upset").

I won't lie, I skipped all the Kono scenes. This show does not do serious crimes well. I remember a similar storyline on Without A Trace, with Mariane Jean-Baptiste's character, but that one made perfect sense. First, because that show was about people missing for years (as trafficking victims often are), and secondly because it was a serious, (mostly) well-written show that wasn't about explosions and gunfire. On Hawaii Five-0, I don't expect that level of sincerity. And that's okay, because that's not what this show is about. That said, all the Kono scenes felt flat, as a result.

Julie Benz looked fantastic. Better than usual, I think. As did DDK. I like them together.

17 hours ago, illdoc said:

At the first roadblock (the one where the SF treat almost got run over), why didn't they lay down that spike chain to blow the tires of the truck (even the evil guy on the season finale of Criminal Minds knew to do that!)???  BTW, after Steve took Charlie to the vending machine, what happened to him? Charlie was not seen again until the party at the end. Who was watching him? Everyone was in the war room (or whatever it was called), dealing with the white slaver.

Right? And Steve grabbed the backpack with the toy cars/trucks to demonstrate his crazy idea. Which means Charlie was still there, somewhere. Where was he?

And while I'm asking questions, I missed a handful of the previous episodes (I'll catch up over the summer), but did Danny break up with that weirdly young girl? Or is he "closer" to/"in love with" his ex-wife regardless of  that relationship? And did Steve break up with that girl with the bad wig? Or was she missing from the finale for budgetary reasons, like Adam?

Anyway, this entire season was a lot of fun, and that was very surprising to me, after a couple of underwhelming seasons. Like I said when the renewal was announced, I'm actually happy the show gets to go on. It's enjoyable again. I'll definitely be watching Season 8.

[Just my 2 cents]

1 hour ago, Princess Lucky said:

And while I'm asking questions, I missed a handful of the previous episodes (I'll catch up over the summer), but did Danny break up with that weirdly young girl? Or is he "closer" to/"in love with" his ex-wife regardless of  that relationship? And did Steve break up with that girl with the bad wig? Or was she missing from the finale for budgetary reasons, like Adam?

We lucked out because Julie Benz who plays Abby is no longer filming for Training Day and since Bill Paxton has passed, I'm sure it will be canceled.  Danny's girl, played by Lili Simmons got a role on HBO's Westworld, so she might be filming.  Adam, Ian Anthony Dale, is filming Salvation, which will be on this summer.  Lynn, Sarah Carter, is busy working on an album, she's in a band.  She's also at home resting and nesting.  Her husband posts Instagram pics of her and she is very pregnant.  The problem with a show like 5-0 is that they use some characters so sporadically that they book other jobs and have other projects.  Grover's wife is filming Blindspot and might have a few other acting jobs so we haven't seen her this season.

[illdoc]

Notice, BTW, Adam was not invited to the party (again), since Chin kept calling Kono and asking "where are you?", not "where are you guys?" He's certainly not on "babysitting duty" (both Sara & Charlie were at the party). Do you think Kono even talked to Adam before getting on the plane??? 

[pinkglove]

I guess they just didn't feel like "inviting" Ian Anthony Dale for five seconds; otherwise Adam would surely be invited, after all he's kind of close with Jerry. 

Kono should take Adam with her, last time they had their little unofficial adventure (when they were kidnapped by a death cult), they seemed to work well together. And it looked like each of them felt much safer because the other one was there. Since Adam doesn't have a job or any other commitments, he could as well follow Kono. Not sure where would they get money from... but this issue doesn't seem to exist for Five-0 so it shouldn't stand in their way (not that I mind, just saying).

[illdoc]

Adam might be on parole. If so, he can't leave Hawaii (officially, that is). I assume that's why he's not with Kono. 

[Raja]

If the theory that this episode was conceived as a possible series finale is correct then Kono began her career as a decoy for Wo Fat and Sang Min's human trafficking cartel. Her going after a similar business created the other bookend for her character 

[pinkglove]

53 minutes ago, illdoc said:

Adam might be on parole. If so, he can't leave Hawaii (officially, that is). I assume that's why he's not with Kono. 

Right, I forgot :) 

BTW, if Kono is really pregnant, on one hand it makes much less sense to do something like that... but in a way, it may also explain her weird behaviour. Maybe that's why she's more emotional about the case (and the one that involves children). Also, perhaps she did find out she's pregnant and she panicked. Then she made an emotional decision which was not only about sex trafficking but also about running away for a while. (I'm aware you can't run away from a baby you're carrying, but she might have wanted to deal with difficult emotions or not feeling ready by herself.)

[jhlipton]

22 hours ago, ally said:

Now Jerry will be showing off his new badge and end up getting shot in some kind of crossfire or blown up due to his connection with 5-0. 

We can only hope.

6 hours ago, illdoc said:

Adam might be on parole. If so, he can't leave Hawaii (officially, that is). I assume that's why he's not with Kono. 

Eh, one word from 5-0 and he's good to go.  Laws are for other people, not 5-0 and their friends!

[Passepartout]

Well wonder if H.P.D. gets jealous of Five 0? Over the immunity and means. 

Adam over on the parole thing. As he probably can't leave Hawaii over it.

Kono probably kept her so called mission out of the eye of the Five 0 team.

But wonder if they will watch wind of this?

Steve is on borrowed time. And needs to really stop and smell the roses.

What I would love for the end is that Steve finally gives Danny the chance to drive his Camaro with him!

[LotusFlower]

On 5/13/2017 at 4:51 PM, fishcakes said:

Abby, it's not necessary to stand in front of the roadblock with your arms up and your badge in your hand. The guy can tell you want him to stop by looking at all the police cars blocking the road and he can tell you are the police by looking at all the police cars blocking the road. I actually thought Abby was going to be responsible for the biggest LOL of the show, but then they had Chin zoom toward the camera while perched on top of the grate, all flattened out like Monorail Cat, and I was done for.

And she was wearing heels, too!  I was laughing so hard at that.  Trying to be so bad-ass, but it was just ridiculous.  As well as against procedure, I'm sure.

 

I'm with those that think this was written with a series finale in mind.  Steve gets sick, Danny retires, remarries his ex and opens his restaurant, Chin moves to San Francisco, and Kono's on a new mission to stop human trafficking.  Only the show then gets renewed for season eight, so the writers just tweaked it a bit and called it a night.  Lazy!  

Speaking of which, wasn't there supposed to be a wedding this season?  Did I miss it?

[pinkglove]

Maybe they did have series finale in mind... but I wouldn't be so sure, they like their season finales to be like that. Season 1 ended with McGarrett and Kono arrested, Danny planning to move back to New Jersey and Chin joining HPD. In the Season 3 finale Kono left Hawaii with Adam and McGarrett was visiting Wo Fat when the prison was attacked. And in Season 6 finale there was the whole liver transplant thing and we weren't sure if McGarrett would ever be back in ninja mode. 

I surely hope series finale will be more positive than people ending up sick or going on crazy suicidal missions :) 

 

Do you think that Steve being sick may mean Doris or/and Cath will be back? I'm sure he won't tell them but Danny or Mary might. Alex doesn't like to work with Michelle Borth and claims that Cath is not a good match for Steve... but writers seem to think otherwise. And I guess it's about time Doris did something else than making Steve's life miserable. I still can't believe that she can keep beating herself up over what she did to Wo Fat's family and keep trying to make up for it but she can't face that she did more or less the same to her own family... I guess Steve's illness could be a wake up call. 

[Raja]

6 hours ago, LotusFlower said:

And she was wearing heels, too!  I was laughing so hard at that.  Trying to be so bad-ass, but it was just ridiculous.  As well as against procedure, I'm sure.

 

 

Ha, high heels cease to be a problem when the woman wears the magical boots with high heels. On a more grounded show it is not done. But here we have the super SEAL and skinny mini Kono

[blackwing]

The stunt with Steve leaping onto the truck and the team rescuing the women using that convenient extending platform on top of a pickup truck was amazing.  But everything else about this episode?  Seriously underwhelming.  Especially considering it was the season finale.

For starters, it was the return of Steve and Danny bickering, multiplied by 100.  I loathe the bickering, and this episode had the classic bickering, including Danny's tired reference to "my liver".  That liver joke is played out.  And of course the bickering had to pepper throughout the entire episode.

I don't understand the point of Kono buying a pregnancy test.  They didn't even show us the payoff.  Surely she would have gone home and peed on the stick immediately?  What was the point?  To tell us that Kono is possibly pregnant and that's why she has so much empathy for those kidnapped girls?  They already showed us the previous time that she was greatly affected by it.  No need to add in the possibility that she is pregnant.  Why now?  Didn't the show already ship Kono off somewhere before when Grace Park was real life pregnant?  Is she pregnant again?  If Kono is pregnant, it seems kind of irresponsible for her to just leave for Nevada (apparently without telling either her husband or her colleagues).  

Ugh, now that San Francisco Police Lady's show has been cancelled, I hope this doesn't mean that she joins this show full time.  I find her character pointless and she adds nothing to the show other than to give Chin a love interest.  I was really hoping that the truck would run her over.

Was Kamekona at the party?  Seems odd that Flippa would be there and not Kamekona.  Why was Charlie at the party but not Grace?  Why wouldn't Adam have been there?  He wasn't with Kono.  I get that maybe the show just didn't want to pay the actors to show up for a cameo, but it just seems odd to me that for as much talk there is about "ohana" on this show, that often times people just disappear or aren't seen without any explanation.  For example, Mrs. Grover.  I get that the actress is killing it as the insane Shepherd on "Blindspot".  But why couldn't they have had a line early in the season about how the daughter has the opportunity to do a year long study abroad in Paris, and Mrs. Grover went with her?  Something like that.

I do have to wonder about all the purposeful potential exits for the main characters.  Steve has cancer.  Kono is on a crusade.  Danny is going to open up a restaurant called Steve's.  Chin is possibly moving to San Francisco.  It's almost like they were potentially planning for cancellation and would want fans to think of their own imaginary endings for the show.

[MissLucas]

1 hour ago, SweetTooth said:

I would hope if they thought the series was ending, they would come up with a happier, more satisfying ending than "Steve has cancer, and Kono has gone bonkers. Have a fun summer!"

That made me laugh and since that was a particularly exhausting Monday - thanks!

They might want to lay down some groundwork in case next season is going to be the last one. Steve and Danny open a restaurant where nobody ever gets any food because the two chefs are constantly bickering with each other - in the end Kamekona buys the place as the next step in his empire building. Chin moves to SF and may even get a spin-off. It's been a long time since 'The Streets of San Francisco' and Chin riding up and down those hills on his motorcycle (with no helmet since he's special task-force) would be a soothing sight. Grover takes over Five-0 or he returns to Chicago to make sure his girl is safe at North-Western because all cops in Chicago are insane *side-eyes Chicago PD* Anyhow bottom line is with the exception of Kono's plot those all look like valid exit strategies. (To be fair we don't really know why Kono is on that plane - but since the show failed to give us a good explanation we are of course stuck with the bonkers idea that she intends to stop human trafficking in the States all on her own.)

[GustheCat]

7 hours ago, blackwing said:

Was Kamekona at the party?  Seems odd that Flippa would be there and not Kamekona.  Why was Charlie at the party but not Grace?  Why wouldn't Adam have been there?  He wasn't with Kono.  I get that maybe the show just didn't want to pay the actors to show up for a cameo, but it just seems odd to me that for as much talk there is about "ohana" on this show, that often times people just disappear or aren't seen without any explanation.  For example, Mrs. Grover.  I get that the actress is killing it as the insane Shepherd on "Blindspot".  But why couldn't they have had a line early in the season about how the daughter has the opportunity to do a year long study abroad in Paris, and Mrs. Grover went with her?  Something like that.

Kamekona was at the party, as was officer Pua and the coroner Noelani. I didn't see Mamo and half-expected to see Dog who seems to enjoy parties but he wasn't there, either. Grace was in the first few episodes this season but haven't seen her for a while. I checked Teilor Grubbs' acting credits, but nothing else shows up. At the same time, she is 15 so maybe she is focused on school or some other activities. Adam's absence seemed the oddest to me, especially after Jerry helped him with the bones a few episodes ago (to where he was fired, but, hey, Jerry was just being helpful). I don't think we've seen Lou's daughter all season long, but Paige Hurd is almost 25 so a little tough to pass for 18, maybe? I find it very irritating as to the long unexplained absences of various recurring characters, especially when it seems that some shows could easily include them if schedules permit. Also, did anyone see Duke at the party? Lastly, when the season premiere beach party is announced, someone, please post! It might be worth the trip as it could very well be the last one.  

[Mittengirl]

What kind of "spells" would radiation poisoning cause?  Or would it IRL?

[pinkglove]

19 hours ago, blackwing said:

I get that maybe the show just didn't want to pay the actors to show up for a cameo, but it just seems odd to me that for as much talk there is about "ohana" on this show, that often times people just disappear or aren't seen without any explanation.  For example, Mrs. Grover.  I get that the actress is killing it as the insane Shepherd on "Blindspot".  But why couldn't they have had a line early in the season about how the daughter has the opportunity to do a year long study abroad in Paris, and Mrs. Grover went with her?  Something like that.

I have a different view on this one. Being "ohana", both on a TV series and in real life, doesn't mean being together all the time. Sometimes even on a big day people who we are close to have different plans and that's fine :) I actually like those moments in H5-0 when people like Joe White appear out of the blue and it's clear that they're "ohana" too (like when he came to rescue Danny from prison).

4 hours ago, Mittengirl said:

What kind of "spells" would radiation poisoning cause?  Or would it IRL?

I think that IRL if Steve got poisoned enough to have symptoms few weeks later, he'd also show some right after exposure (which he didn't because he was having fun at Danny's with everyone else).

[illdoc]

BTW, when Danny saw Steve taking pills, he said something like "Why are you still taking pills? I thought you were done with pills." Wouldn't Steve have to take pills (anti-rejection pills) for the rest of his life? Wouldn't Danny know that???

[gryphon]

I have never liked Abby. She just annoys me. I can't see Chin with anyone, really, just a great single dad with his daughter. 

I like Kono a lot.  I think she just went off to make some decisions....and I like Jerry's glee, and Flippa can sing anytime for me.  I heart him and Kamakona. I am not a fan of the Danny/Charlie scenes. I

Annoying as some of the things are, I will still watch the show.  

[MissLucas]

1 hour ago, illdoc said:

BTW, when Danny saw Steve taking pills, he said something like "Why are you still taking pills? I thought you were done with pills." Wouldn't Steve have to take pills (anti-rejection pills) for the rest of his life? Wouldn't Danny know that???

Yes, he would have to take immunosurpressants for the rest of his life (there are rare cases of liver transplant receivers who can slowly reduce/wean off their medication).  But this is tv where organ donations are used as a plot device to cause some short-term drama and then it's back to normal. Also Steve has shown Wolverine like healing properties so I'm not blaming Danny for assuming that he just willed his immune system into submission and does not need any meds.

[BW Manilowe]

On 5/15/2017 at 2:46 AM, LotusFlower said:

And she was wearing heels, too!  I was laughing so hard at that.  Trying to be so bad-ass, but it was just ridiculous.  As well as against procedure, I'm sure.

 

I'm with those that think this was written with a series finale in mind.  Steve gets sick, Danny retires, remarries his ex and opens his restaurant, Chin moves to San Francisco, and Kono's on a new mission to stop human trafficking.  Only the show then gets renewed for season eight, so the writers just tweaked it a bit and called it a night.  Lazy!  

Speaking of which, wasn't there supposed to be a wedding this season?  Did I miss it?

The wedding was offscreen, during the first half of the season but before ep 13. It was between Max & his girlfriend Sabrina, who was the bank teller who got shot in a robbery while Max was in the bank a few seasons ago. She was played 2-3 times (I think) by Bruce Willis & Demi Moore's eldest daughter, Rumer Willis. And I say the wedding was before ep 13 last season because (I think) that was Masi Oka's last episode (at this point) as Medical Examiner Max Bergman. He left the show because he felt the character had done all he could. His character, Max (with Sabrina), went off to join Doctors Without Borders in Madagascar. He had been on a sabbatical, working with them, earlier in S7.

[BW Manilowe]

On 5/15/2017 at 0:41 PM, blackwing said:

The stunt with Steve leaping onto the truck and the team rescuing the women using that convenient extending platform on top of a pickup truck was amazing.  But everything else about this episode?  Seriously underwhelming.  Especially considering it was the season finale.

For starters, it was the return of Steve and Danny bickering, multiplied by 100.  I loathe the bickering, and this episode had the classic bickering, including Danny's tired reference to "my liver".  That liver joke is played out.  And of course the bickering had to pepper throughout the entire episode.

I don't understand the point of Kono buying a pregnancy test.  They didn't even show us the payoff.  Surely she would have gone home and peed on the stick immediately?  What was the point?  To tell us that Kono is possibly pregnant and that's why she has so much empathy for those kidnapped girls?  They already showed us the previous time that she was greatly affected by it.  No need to add in the possibility that she is pregnant.  Why now?  Didn't the show already ship Kono off somewhere before when Grace Park was real life pregnant?  Is she pregnant again?  If Kono is pregnant, it seems kind of irresponsible for her to just leave for Nevada (apparently without telling either her husband or her colleagues).

Ugh, now that San Francisco Police Lady's show has been cancelled, I hope this doesn't mean that she joins this show full time.  I find her character pointless and she adds nothing to the show other than to give Chin a love interest.  I was really hoping that the truck would run her over.

Was Kamekona at the party?  Seems odd that Flippa would be there and not Kamekona.  Why was Charlie at the party but not Grace?. Why wouldn't Adam have been there?  He wasn't with Kono.  I get that maybe the show just didn't want to pay the actors to show up for a cameo, but it just seems odd to me that for as much talk there is about "ohana" on this show, that often times people just disappear or aren't seen without any explanation.  For example, Mrs. Grover.  I get that the actress is killing it as the insane Shepherd on "Blindspot".  But why couldn't they have had a line early in the season about how the daughter has the opportunity to do a year long study abroad in Paris, and Mrs. Grover went with her? Something like that.

I do have to wonder about all the purposeful potential exits for the main characters.  Steve has cancer. Kono is on a crusade.  Danny is going to open up a restaurant called Steve's.  Chin is possibly moving to San Francisco.  It's almost like they were potentially planning for cancellation and would want fans to think of their own imaginary endings for the show.

Yes, when Grace Park was pregnant in real life between the end of S3 & midseason of S4 they wrote her off of the show. She & Adam went on the run from Adam's brother Michael's Yakuza allies, whom it was felt would go after Adam & Kono after Adam killed Michael in self-defense when Michael was trying to kill Kono. They somehow maintained contact during this with Chin. Once all of Michael's allies had been captured (aka Grace P had given birth), Adam & Kono returned to Hawaii. We don't know if Grace P is pregnant again, or not. She didn't even make any official announcements about it during her time off in S3 & 4. So why would she now? As for leaving without Adam, someone pointed out he was probably on parole (they actually mentioned he was when he went to help when Chin's niece, Sara, was kidnapped), & therefore couldn't leave Hawaii. As for leaving without the rest of Five-0, well, they gotta stay in Hawaii & do what they usually do.

As far as I know, CBS still hasn't officially cancelled Julie Benz's other show Training Day. If for some reason Grace P has been permanently written out with her cliffhanger, I hope they can get Julie on full time. I like her.

Charlie was probably at the party & not Grace because he'd already spent much of the day with his dad, Danny, & Uncle Steve; Grace, being a typical teenager, probably wanted to hang with friends her own age, or had some other commitment. Also Zach Sulzbach, who plays Charlie, lives in Honolulu; Teilor Grubbs & her family moved to LA during this past season, to try to expand her opportunities for work--so she'd have had to commute for a basic cameo.

As for why Mrs. Grover's absence, for example, wasn't explained, half the time they don't bother to explain the now regular absences of your much-hated Danny/Scott Caan. So you REALLY expected them to explain why the characters who weren't at the party missed it? And I find it interesting you don't give a crap where Danny is, but you seem to expect explanations for everybody else's absences. If Samantha Grover were doing a study abroad program, it's doubtful her mother would go with her. I've never known of any parents who went with their children. Besides, Grover just said (twice) earlier this season that Samantha was accepted by Northwestern University & she wouldn't be starting there, theoretically, until this fall.

Steve DOESN'T have cancer...yet. Right now he's being treated for radiation poisoning, as a result of moving that dirty bomb earlier in the season, but the implication is that he could end up with cancer in the long term as a further result of his proximity to the dirty bomb.