S09.E01: Ka ʻōwili ʻōka’i (Cocoon)

[BW Manilowe]

Quote

After Steve’s CIA agent friend is killed, McGarrett lets himself be captured by the group he thinks is responsible and endures a torturous sensory deprivation tank to find the killer. Also, Tani wrestles with whether or not she will tell McGarrett about the murder weapon she found at Adam’s house, on the ninth season premiere.

The episode, titled “Cocoon,” is a retelling of the original series’ pilot episode and was written by the late Leonard Freeman, creator of the original “Hawaii Five-O,” and current executive producer Peter M. Lenkov. Mark Dacascos returns as McGarrett’s nemesis, Wo Fat.

Original Airdate: September 28, 2018

SOURCE: https://cbspressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/hawaii-five-0/releases/view?id=50827

 

Edited September 5, 2018 by thewhiteowl
Removed date because formatting

[kassygreene]

Adding a re-watch of the original H50's Cocoon to my to-do list.  Thank you CBS All Access.

[BW Manilowe]

1 hour ago, kassygreene said:

Adding a re-watch of the original H50's Cocoon to my to-do list.  Thank you CBS All Access.

The episode is always described as being the pilot for the original series, but it’s the last 2 episodes of the original’s season 1 (it appears Peter Lenkov has condensed the original 2-part episode into a single episode of the reboot, from everything I’ve seen about it). At least according to the way the S1 episodes of the original are loaded into CBS All Access. So you’ll need to have a subscription to CBS All Access to watch it; only the eps they show as, like, the first 5-10 eps of S1 of the original Five-O are available to watch for free. I have to watch the original ep before S9 starts too.

Back in Season 3, or whenever it was, the reboot did a “retelling”, as they seem to be calling their versions of the original episodes, of the original version’s “Hookman” episode. They included the Jack Lord version of “Hookman” as an “extra” on that season’s reboot DVDs, I guess so fans of the reboot could see that episode if they hadn’t watched the original or didn’t remember it, or so they could do a compare/contrast between the 2 versions. I’m hoping the original version of “Cocoon” will also end up on this season’s DVDs.

This is really gonna be a “retelling” of “Cocoon”. I assume Chin & Kono were in the original version of the episode. This version will have at least Tani & Junior in it, maybe Adam (if Ian Anthony Dale finished filming the current season of Salvation by the time they started filming this), but no Chin & Kono thanks to the departures of Grace Park & Daniel Dae Kim before S8 started filming.

Also, from what I heard they didn’t film this episode first, although it’s airing as the season premiere. I’m pretty sure “retelling” this ep is part of the reboot saluting this year’s 50th anniversary of the original version’s premiere.

[kassygreene]

The two hour pilot to the original series aired September 20, 1968 (with an actor named Tim O'Kelley as Danny "Danno" Williams).  This episode was broken up into two which aired June 3 & 10 in 1969, three months after the first season ended.  CBS All Access is apparently listing season one in hour-long episode order, and not showing the pilot in its original form.

Chin & Kono were in the original, and it did involve sensory deprivation and Wo Fat.  Unlike Hookman (which matched as many original location shots as they could find, and managed to tell pretty much the same story with seven minutes less in running time), matching what is probably about 100 minutes of original to 44 minutes modern doesn't seem feasible.  But what do I know, I'm not a writer.  I have seen the original pilot (in two episode format) once, and it absolutely explains David Gerrold's willingness to resign as a CBS script typist after only four days on the job, during which he claims to have typed the first 53 drafts of the pilot for the original H50, which would be this episode.  (A script typist typed or "cut" mimeograph stencils for mass printing.  It was a bridge between setting type for a printing press and using a photocopier.)  I expect CBS will make the original Cocoon available, as they did with Hookman.  If they don't, it might be because it was dreadful.  I never did understand how it sold the series.

[BW Manilowe]

1 hour ago, kassygreene said:

The two hour pilot to the original series aired September 20, 1968 (with an actor named Tim O'Kelley as Danny "Danno" Williams).  This episode was broken up into two which aired June 3 & 10 in 1969, three months after the first season ended.  CBS All Access is apparently listing season one in hour-long episode order, and not showing the pilot in its original form.

Chin & Kono were in the original, and it did involve sensory deprivation and Wo Fat.  Unlike Hookman (which matched as many original location shots as they could find, and managed to tell pretty much the same story with seven minutes less in running time), matching what is probably about 100 minutes of original to 44 minutes modern doesn't seem feasible.  But what do I know, I'm not a writer.  I have seen the original pilot (in two episode format) once, and it absolutely explains David Gerrold's willingness to resign as a CBS script typist after only four days on the job, during which he claims to have typed the first 53 drafts of the pilot for the original H50, which would be this episode.  (A script typist typed or "cut" mimeograph stencils for mass printing.  It was a bridge between setting type for a printing press and using a photocopier.)  I expect CBS will make the original Cocoon available, as they did with Hookman.  If they don't, it might be because it was dreadful.  I never did understand how it sold the series.

CBS All Access has the original version of “Cocoon” in the 2-part format you referred to, with the airdates of June 3 & 10, 1969 you also referred to. They have an episode named something like “Full Fathom Five” as the first episode of S1.

I’m also aware someone else besides James MacArthur played Danny (later aka “Danno”) in the episode (another reason I’d like to see it—to see if I can tell why they might’ve recast the role of Danny between this ep & the rest of S1).

I’m still under the impression they’re trying to tell the original story in a single episode. Particularly since the CBS press release for the reboot version, which is linked above in the plot synopsis I posted to start the thread, doesn’t say anything special about the episode other than it’s the ninth season premiere episode. If it were in multiple parts, or a 2-hour episode, I’m pretty sure that would’ve been noted in the press release. I also haven’t heard/read anything anywhere else that says it’s anything other than a single episode of the regular length.

It’ll be interesting to see if the “retelling” just gives the original Chin & Kono dialogue verbatim to other characters, like Tani & Junior—the de facto Kono & Chin replacements—or if that dialogue has been reworked in any way to acknowledge that characters other than Chin & Kono are saying it in this “retelling” of the episode.

Edited August 26, 2018 by BW Manilowe
To fix spacing.

[kassygreene]

They can probably chop out a lot, since the original Cocoon was a pilot and would have spent screen time and story lines establishing the "milieu" (I have fancy words today), whereas this is just the season 9 premiere and we know the characters, the setting, and the concept of the show....  In the meantime I also have a season 8 rewatch to finish....

[Passepartout]

Yeah as really season 8 was so so. But can't wait and hope season 9 is better. And really not enough McDanno moments last year. But in a sense, they toned own the bickering.

[fishcakes]

On 8/25/2018 at 8:05 PM, kassygreene said:

I expect CBS will make the original Cocoon available, as they did with Hookman.  If they don't, it might be because it was dreadful.  I never did understand how it sold the series.

It really was terrible. I have all of the original series on DVD and rewatch it every few years, but I always skip Cocoon because it is boring AF. For me, the series starts with Full Fathom Five, featuring Kevin McCarthy and his baked bean teeth.

[GustheCat]

I watched the original Cocoon last night...it is pretty dated in terms of technology. They use an overhead projector to try to solve an important clue, but it would have been more realistic if the bulb blew out after 5 minutes. It would be a challenge to do the new one exactly like the 1968 version so it will be fun to see how they present it,? The original also had Leslie Nielsen in it and many other character actors you would have seen in other shows at the time. The technology comparisons are what stand out the most to me when you are watching the original series versus the reboot. Oh, and the original one had "hippies" so I wonder what fringe group shows up on the 28th?

[LizDC]

Did anyone else find the footage jumpy? I wasn’t sure if it was some sort of flaw in the telecast or something artsy they were trying. 

[preeya]

And we still have bickering Danny "what's that supposed to mean" Williams acting like the proverbial infant.  He brings/adds nothing to the show.

[dwmarch]

Steve's ex-girlfriend: There's a mole in the CIA!

Me: It's probably you because you're being so helpful!

Episode: Hey man, we can only work with what they give us.

Speaking of Steve's ex, it would have been funny if when he asked her why she had responded with something along the lines about the terrible time she had in Morocco.

I have heard of sensory deprivation before (Snake Eyes used to chill out in a sensory deprivation tank back in the old G.I. Joe comics) but I feel like it wouldn't be a great torture device. It is used as such in Tom Clancy's The Cardinal of the Kremlin but that is on an office worker who has no idea such things exist and is augmented by voices whispering in her ear "what have you done?" But try that shit on a Navy SEAL and tell him in advance that you're doing it? I don't think it would work (and indeed it doesn't unless the show really does want to try some dumbass Manchurian Candidate twist later on).

Tani wears jeans to the office but when it's time to go out on a tactical raid she decides to wear Kono's old leather pants. I guess when one is kicking ass, it should be done in style!

I was surprised by how emotional Steve's answer of "50 years" was when Danno asked him how long they had known each other. It was a fairly subtle tribute to the show's history (and I say that because if I hadn't read about the anniversary on here the line would not have made sense on its own) but it worked so much better than CGI-resurrected Jack Lord!

[BW Manilowe]

On 9/8/2018 at 8:35 PM, GustheCat said:

I watched the original Cocoon last night...it is pretty dated in terms of technology. They use an overhead projector to try to solve an important clue, but it would have been more realistic if the bulb blew out after 5 minutes. It would be a challenge to do the new one exactly like the 1968 version so it will be fun to see how they present it,? The original also had Leslie Nielsen in it and many other character actors you would have seen in other shows at the time. The technology comparisons are what stand out the most to me when you are watching the original series versus the reboot. Oh, and the original one had "hippies" so I wonder what fringe group shows up on the 28th?

I watched the original Thursday night. Was the American guy who seemed to be working with Wo Fat when McGarrett was being held & put through the sensory deprivation tank the guy with Naval Intelligence McGarrett had talked to After his friend died? I hope he wasn’t the Governor. 

I’m not necessarily sure why they recast the guy who played Danny between this & the original series; he seemed good enough, from what little we saw of him. Unless he wanted to leave the role because of family time elsewhere vs. the location filming time in Hawaii, or something, & he wasn’t recast at CBS’ request. I also noticed McGarrett did call him “Danno” once (I think in Part 2); so the nickname started that far back, as opposed to later in the series like I think it always seemed it had. I remember it was said Jack Lord had a real life friend he used to call “Danno”, or so I’ve always heard, & he used it for Danny in the show (apparently now as far back as the pilot), & it stuck as a periodic nickname.

[BW Manilowe]

3 hours ago, dwmarch said:

Steve's ex-girlfriend: There's a mole in the CIA!

Me: It's probably you because you're being so helpful!

Episode: Hey man, we can only work with what they give us.

Speaking of Steve's ex, it would have been funny if when he asked her why she had responded with something along the lines about the terrible time she had in Morocco.

I have heard of sensory deprivation before (Snake Eyes used to chill out in a sensory deprivation tank back in the old G.I. Joe comics) but I feel like it wouldn't be a great torture device. It is used as such in Tom Clancy's The Cardinal of the Kremlin but that is on an office worker who has no idea such things exist and is augmented by voices whispering in her ear "what have you done?" But try that shit on a Navy SEAL and tell him in advance that you're doing it? I don't think it would work (and indeed it doesn't unless the show really does want to try some dumbass Manchurian Candidate twist later on).

Tani wears jeans to the office but when it's time to go out on a tactical raid she decides to wear Kono's old leather pants. I guess when one is kicking ass, it should be done in style!

I was surprised by how emotional Steve's answer of "50 years" was when Danno asked him how long they had known each other. It was a fairly subtle tribute to the show's history (and I say that because if I hadn't read about the anniversary on here the line would not have made sense on its own) but it worked so much better than CGI-resurrected Jack Lord!

Original McGarrett was never a SEAL, like McGarrett 2.0, just in Naval Intelligence like he was. I wanna say maybe that’s why it was scarier, or at least more daunting, in the original than it was in the reboot. Plus, I’m pretty sure even some SEALs are capable of being broken by use of the tank on them, even though (I think) they’re supposed to be trained to withstand pretty much any (known) form of torture.

[Passepartout]

Yeah as really Steve is not an ordinary cop. And that being a SEAL he can endure torture more. And in the process that again he is a SEAL and also with intelligence there in Naval.

The banter is back with McDanno and really glad it was not mean spirited. Love it when the two gained up on the CIA there in the hotel.

But really glad to see WoFat back though it was a cameo. Think this double agent will be the new WoFat.

Glad they had the fifty years comment as an inside joke. BTW, it seems Tani has done more on this show as Kono did in seven seasons though miss Grace and Daniel.

Hope season 9 is the best. 10/10!

[UncleChuck]

That tank as shown was not a true sensory deprivation tank because Steve was tethered by his hands and feet.  All he needed to do was move his arm or leg and the tether would provide resistance to his pull.  Since he could then FEEL the tug on the line, all of his senses were not "deprived".  He could tug with left arm, left leg, right arm, right leg,  two tugs, three tugs, etc., etc., and keep his mind occupied that way. 

[ganesh]

17 hours ago, preeya said:

And we still have bickering Danny "what's that supposed to mean" Williams acting like the proverbial infant.  He brings/adds nothing to the show.

Wow I forgot how much I can't stand it. 

Good fight scenes though. 

Edited September 29, 2018 by ganesh

[GustheCat]

6 hours ago, UncleChuck said:

That tank as shown was not a true sensory deprivation tank because Steve was tethered by his hands and feet.

Adding to Uncle Chuck, did I blink and miss something? When the guy was cutting the hood off of McGarrett, I don't think he had the gutta percha in his eyes, nose and ears? Even less of a sensory deprivation experience in that case. Personally, I would probably fall asleep and drift off for several hours.

On an unrelated note, is it just me or is the idea of burying $500,000 in a plastic lawn bag in the backyard that is probably no more than a few feet above sea level (based on the popular shot of the McGarrett backyard in many opening scenes) incredibly stupid? Something a bit more waterproof might be more sensible.

And, at least they cleared up the gun mystery that had me puzzled from last season. It is simply a gun that fires the same caliber bullet as the one that killed Noriko. It has not been tested as being the murder weapon, which was very unclear based on Tani's comments in the finale of S8.

Lastly, I would have love to have seen Steve and Danny driving and go past a VW Camper with the psychedelic stickers and such and have one of them comment "These hippies have been around forever". In the original, McGarrett hooks up with the girlfriend of the slain CIA agent who describes herself as a hippie. Oh well, I guess I'll have to send a script to Lenkov someday.

19 hours ago, BW Manilowe said:

I watched the original Thursday night. Was the American guy who seemed to be working with Wo Fat when McGarrett was being held & put through the sensory deprivation tank the guy with Naval Intelligence McGarrett had talked to After his friend died? I hope he wasn’t the Governor. 

[GustheCat]

Quote

19 hours ago, BW Manilowe said:

I watched the original Thursday night. Was the American guy who seemed to be working with Wo Fat when McGarrett was being held & put through the sensory deprivation tank the guy with Naval Intelligence McGarrett had talked to After his friend died? I hope he wasn’t the Governor.

 

The American guy working with Wo Fat was the "agency" (I believe they never said the name CIA in that episode?) buy McGarrett talked to, and he was the one who leaked the information to McGarrett. The other agency guy in the episode, who also smoked a pipe so the Director would have you guessing "which one could it be?" was none other than Leslie Nielsen of "Naked Gun" and "The Forbidden Planet" fame. The twist to the new version is that the character was changed to a female who knew Steve from the service. I don't think the Governor appeared in that episode. I think they did a good job "shrinking" the original 2-parter down to one episode without losing most of the original plot. Although, they didn't have the nightclub scene with the Tahitian dancer. Part of that clip was used on the opening credits for the original show as well.

[Tony Dickson]

Jerry mentioned The Manchurian Candidate, which featured Khigh Dhiegh as an interrogator, Dhiegh went on to play Wo Fat in "Cocoon" and the rest of the original series.

[Ursula Parrott]

Quote

Oh well, I guess I'll have to send a script to Lenkov someday.

Somebody should. Boy, is this show tired. 

[kassygreene]

Actually, I thought this season opener was well done.  As I watched the original Cocoon Friday morning (and then managed to be unable to watch the remake until tonight), I was very impressed with the amount of matching they did while tightening up a lot of sequences (the removing the "it" from the tank sequences, the entire thing in Hennessey's apartment, the overall exposition (Kray oversaw all the putting together of pieces, autopsies and so on, instead of McGarrett making the case at great, passionate length), Danny being Steve's "plus-one" in the apartment and later, the mole being the old friend/acquaintance who was also the source of intel.  Shout-out for using original series fonts and captioning, including the title in quotes.  The interweaving of modern bits, Adam's gun, the money (seriously, tsunamis, supermoons, and rising seawater, as well as inescapable damp? if you live near a coastline (I do), you have an immediate experience of groundwater issues and a large supply of Lysol), all filled what little bits of time were left over after the original hippie chick sub-plot (a gorgeous Nancy Kwan) was removed.  Jerry was actually usefully useful, Lou (former SWAT) was a very good shot, Junior provided a tactic that made a way on board the ship AND stranded it at the dock, Tani has no vertigo, and Danny, once again, knows how to save Steve's neck.  All that night shooting was gorgeous.

Best of all, the Wo Fat fake-out.  I was seriously trying to figure out how Wo Fat could have faked his death in episode 100 when they reset to a different bald Asian guy all in black.  Nice!

Edited October 2, 2018 by kassygreene

[fishcakes]

On 9/29/2018 at 8:29 PM, GustheCat said:

Adding to Uncle Chuck, did I blink and miss something? When the guy was cutting the hood off of McGarrett, I don't think he had the gutta percha in his eyes, nose and ears? Even less of a sensory deprivation experience in that case. Personally, I would probably fall asleep and drift off for several hours.

The opening sequence was confusing. I had to watch it twice to understand what happened. The first guy that cut the hood off Steve (when he didn't have the gutta percha) was a barely recognizable Wo Fat, and the reveal is that Steve is dead. Then it cuts back to Steve in the tank having a seizure; someone says, "he's hallucinating," they pull him out, and the guy who cuts the hood off to reveal Steve with his orifices all plugged up is a different guy. So apparently, the first reveal with Wo Fat was just Steve's hallucination that he'd died.

[Chick2Chic]

On 9/29/2018 at 12:23 AM, preeya said:

And we still have bickering Danny "what's that supposed to mean" Williams acting like the proverbial infant.  He brings/adds nothing to the show.

I thought it was just me. I find I enjoy the eps where he is not in them much more. And they seem to flow better cause we don't have to stop so that he can kvetch and bicker with Steve. 

This ep was fine. I'm intrigued by Steve's ex-gf. And I always like to see Eddie. 

[Roselle]

So, is nobody else going to mention the full on fetishism? So much latex/zip/mask action! Those repeated lingering shots of all that shiny red rubber ... I'm sure someone on that writing/design team was enjoying themselves A LOT! 

[kassygreene]

5 hours ago, Roselle said:

So, is nobody else going to mention the full on fetishism? So much latex/zip/mask action! Those repeated lingering shots of all that shiny red rubber ... I'm sure someone on that writing/design team was enjoying themselves A LOT! 

In both versions the rubber stuff made me think of early Doctor Who.  Also of Nine, and the two parter that finishes with (I think) The Doctor Dances.

[roamyn]

So Steve broke up w/Lynne and hasn’t had a date since?  I got the impression when Steve said it was gonna take more than 50yrs to forget Danny, that his feelings have grown toward his partner.  Just the look in his eyes.  Or maybe it was just my slash glasses.  (I wonder if Danny is still w/Melissa?)

That Chinese scientist guy was wicked w/a knife.

So how long is this spy arc gonna be?  I hope not the whole season. 

And I half expected Jack Coleman to be the mole, since he’s played a bad guy in everything I’ve seen him in.

If Tani tests the weapon, can it be used as evidence, since she gained it unlawfully?

[ganesh]

She did have permission to be in the house, so that's a good question. The gun was left in an accessible location; it's not like she was snooping in their closet. 

[Lovecat]

23 hours ago, Roselle said:

So, is nobody else going to mention the full on fetishism? So much latex/zip/mask action! Those repeated lingering shots of all that shiny red rubber ... I'm sure someone on that writing/design team was enjoying themselves A LOT! 

 

18 hours ago, kassygreene said:

In both versions the rubber stuff made me think of early Doctor Who.  Also of Nine, and the two parter that finishes with (I think) The Doctor Dances.

I zoned out for a while, and tuned back in during the big fight, only to wonder, "Why is Steve dressed like The Flash?"

[sweetandsour]

Episode would have been better with two additions to the credits -

1.  The opening credits - "with Chi McBride" "and EDDIE!!!!!!"

2. The guest star credits - "and Britney's 'Oops I Did It Again' catsuit"

[roamyn]

Forgot to mention, I wonder if Steve got the idea to bury the cash from Matt Williams?  That was near a water line for several years.

It’s still a stupid idea.  Just like w/the tools, he’s setting himself up to be a robbery victim. And not just him & Danny this time, but also Kamekona.

Edited October 2, 2018 by roamyn

[Mittengirl]

Doesn’t Steve have a floorboard he could pry up?  I thought that was where everybody hid their extra money.  Never having had extra money, I can’t speak from personal experience.

[ganesh]

Or safety deposit boxes at different banks?
 

[Dancingjaneway]

While not illegal most banks will not allow you to store money in a safety deposit box. If something happens to the box the money is not insured by the bank. 

[ganesh]

That's a risk the owner takes on though. 

[Mittengirl]

Why did Steve have all the money?  Danny should have had half of it.  And they should have each put the max amount in a bank.  

 

If you dont want Steve driving your car, don’t give him the keys.  Problem solved.  

Does the state pay/provide their auto insurance?

[roamyn]

3 hours ago, Dancingjaneway said:

While not illegal most banks will not allow you to store money in a safety deposit box. If something happens to the box the money is not insured by the bank. 

What abt that early episode where Frank Delanno’s Money was in the accountants wife’s SD box?  That bank didn’t know, or didn’t care.

[Dancingjaneway]

I worked for a bank for 5 yrs and this was one of the rules they taught me. Whatever is in that box is not insured. Not even if the bank burns down or someone steals the money. So the show either didn't do their research or they just didn't care. It wouldn't surprise me if it was the latter because this show is not a stickler for being true to life. 

[ganesh]

I completely understand that whatever is in the box isn't insured. But, if I come in and buy a box, I get to put whatever I ever in it. 

[BW Manilowe]

I’m pretty sure there was a large amount of cash in a safety deposit box in an episode (at least 1) of Law & Order too. That was how they zeroed in on the right perpetrator after suspecting at least 2 others who were actually innocent. So yeah, TV takes liberties/uses dramatic license—but I think we already knew that.