‘Five-0′ finale draws 9 million

BY MIKE GORDON / mgordon@staradvertiser.com

CBS ended its third season of “Hawaii Five-0″ Monday night with a cliffhanger for its lead character Steve McGarrett and its largest audience since February, according to Nielsen ratings released by the network.

The show drew 9 million viewers to win the hour over ABC’s new crime series “Motive,” which drew 6.55 million viewers and NBC’s “Revolution,” which drew 5.64 million viewers.

“Five-0″ hasn’t topped the 9-million-viewer mark since Feb. 18 for an episode that featured former “Magnum, P.I.” star Larry Manetti. That episode drew 9.11 million viewers.

Among adults 18-49, a coveted audience, “Five-0″ drew 2 percent of the total viewing audience Monday and 6 percent of those watching TV at the time, CBS said. Those were the second-highest demo­graph­ics since the March 25 episode.

“Five-0″ is now done with Monday nights. CBS announced last week that it will be moving the show to Friday nights and also to a time slot that’s one hour earlier. In Hawaii it will air at 8 p.m. between “Undercover Boss” and the cop drama “Blue Bloods,” which stars former “Magnum, P.I.” star Tom Selleck.

Loyal fans will no doubt remember previous “Five-0″ season finales: The first season saw McGarrett — who is played by Alex O’Loughlin — carted off to prison on murder charges, and last year he discovered in the closing seconds that his long-dead mother, Doris … was alive.

On Monday he was paired with arch nemesis Wo Fat — played with polished evil by Hawaii native Mark Dacascos — as an unknown number of machine gun-wielding bad guys with a torch were forcing their way into Wo Fat’s fortified cell.

Five-0 Redux: Until we meet again

Kono (Grace Park) bids farewell to her Five-0 team in the season three finale of “Hawaii Five-0.” (Courtesy CBS)

BY WENDIE BURBRIDGE / Special to the Star-Advertiser

Well, ladies and gents, we made it to the end of season three. And like the third year of life, college, or a smokin’ hot love affair, it had it’s share of bumps and bruises — but it sure kept up with all the action. While we nurse our scrapes and wipe our tears, the action and nail-biting drama will sure keep us coming back during season four.

Most of us will probably come back just to have our questions answered. Because wouldn’t you know it — most of them were left dangling off the proverbial television cliff with just enough rope left to keep us hanging on.

So not fair.

But of course, the creative team behind “Hawaii Five-0,” this week headed by director Bryan Spicer, and scripted by Peter M. Lenkov, Ken Solarz, and David Wolkove, delivered a good punch tonight—ending with a tearful good-bye, as well as knock-out on the cliffhanger front.

I did love this week’s title, “Aloha. Mālama Pono,” used to not only describe several dramatic good-byes, but uttered by Kono in the last few minutes of the episode. While her goodbye had more of a sad and bittersweet tone, it was not the type of farewell I was expecting according to the promos.

The “four become three” tag line made me think someone was going to die. And why wouldn’t I think that? In the season one finale they killed Laura Hills (Kelly Hu) and Governor Jameson (Jean Smart), in the season two ender they killed Malia (Reiko Aylesworth), and tried to kill Kono. So naturally, I thought more blood would be shed — and it was, just this time it was of a bad guy and it still didn’t solve anyone’s problems.

Michael Noshimuri (Daniel Henney) goes out with a bang — literally — in the season three finale of “Hawaii Five-0.” (Courtesy CBS)

Yet even though “Five-0″ definitely ratcheted up the drama with the stabbing of forensic “Geek God” Charlie Fong (recurring cast member Brian Yang) by Michael Noshimuri (Daniel Henney), and then ended Michael’s Yakuza career with a Cain and Abel fight for the gun with his brother, Adam (Ian Anthony Dale). Coupled with the side story of Wo Fat imprisoned in Hannibal Lecter’s cell, and McG and Momma playing the “let’s confront each other but not really tell each other anything” game, I was involved in the episode, loving the tension, but still feeling frustrated with the lack of payoff.

There’s a good writing technique that writers often use, and that is where they pose questions for the audience to think about and want the answers for, and then they have the characters reveal the answers as the story moves along. The writer then makes sure the audience gets an answer — a reward, you could say — so that the audience stays with the story and the characters. Writers will always add a new question when at the same time they answer a question to keep the audience on their toes—and always intrigued by the character.

For me, this season had too many questions and not enough answers—to the point that the rewards were sometimes too small and not enough for me to feel satisfied. Sort of like eating a piece of chocolate cake that looks delicious, but was made with ersatz cocoa and Splenda. Just not the same.

I want to be filled up with answers, but eager to find out the answers to the next question, the next case, the next storyline. While I enjoyed McGarrett putting Doris on the spot and getting into her face (finally!), I was so let down with the “To Be Continued.” I know I am not the only one.

Yes, I know some of you will write to me and say — but now you will come back and watch so you can find out what she means! Yes, yes, I will, but throw me a bone here — is Doris Wo Fat’s Momma too? Is she Momma Fat McG? Please just answer that question — who is Wo Fat to Doris? I know a million more questions will arise just from answering that one question. And then we get a reward, and we’ll be so much more inclined to watch another season answering the questions that follow. Oh, and they will follow, I know they will. This if “Hawaii Five-0.” There are always more questions and more problems to solve. No disappointment there.

Mark Dacascos as Wo Fat. (Courtesy CBS)

As Wo Fat, Mark Dacascos was completely scary half-burned and twitching in pain. I am eager to find out how his “enemy of my enemy is now my brother” McGarrett can save him. And does this mean that now McG and Wo Fat are allies? This storyline I’ll stay tuned for. It is worth the wait to find out who’s coming through the door, guns and torches blazing.

And of course, I’m dying to know what will happen to Kono and Adam. Will their love survive? Will Momma McG take care of them as well as she takes care of herself?

I was not sad to see Doris get on the boat, but I was sad to see Kono go. I have really loved the Kono/Adam storyline all season—well, since it was set up in season two, and I thought the writer’s really handled the pacing and the tension in that subplot very well. I liked the romance, the sexiness, and the almost “Romeo and Juliet” quality to their storyline.

I know we’re all eager to hear the official story to why Grace Park seems to be written out of the storyline for a while — but how long, we all wonder? We can only wait for someone from the show to let us know. I, for one, hope it is not long. I know I disliked when Kono wasn’t part of the team during the first few episodes of season two. But at least she was on the show.

While the essential McG questions weren’t answered this week, I thought the episode was entertaining and had many elements that I love about the show. The opening car chase was slick and cool and I always love when the team goes rogue. One thing about the team, they only break rules when it is “pono” — righteous, just, virtuous. And usually when they are trying to save one of their own, or find out information that could save lives.

They went rogue to save McGarrett when he escaped from prison, they disobeyed orders to fly in to save Chin in Halawa, and McG covered for Danno when he broke a few rules to save a little girl. They don’t just bend the rules to benefit themselves, but they do it to find justice. All elements we love about our team. And which is why we keep coming back, no matter if our questions are answered or not, but because we know what they are doing is right and good.

This week’s title is definitely bittersweet, as “Hawaii Five-0” says “Aloha, malama pono,” to the fans and viewers until season four. Many changes are headed our way next season, a change of night, a change of time, and now a change up within the cast.

So aloha ʻoe, until me meet again — to Kono and Adam, to Doris, and Fong. May season four come quickly for all of us who want to know your fate.

Redux Side Note:

Dennis Chun had an intense scene in the opening moments of the episode, and while we always love Sgt. Duke Lukela, we know it must be hard to be a cop and understand where McGarrett and his team are coming from, but having to still do the job.

Dennis Chun. (Courtesy CBS)

Chun understands the idea of “the job” well, as his father, Kam Fong — who played Chin Ho Kelly in the original version of “Hawaii Five-O” — was a Honolulu Police officer for 16 years. Last weekend, Fong was inducted into the HPD Hall of Fame. Be sure to read the “Five-0 Redux” next week, when I share my experience attending the dinner honoring Fong, as well as all the 2013 HPD retirees. It was a very special night that I was privileged to attend and share with the Chun ‘ohana.

Next week starts a summer of reruns, and like the last two breaks, the “Redux” will return with more information about the cultural elements of Hawai’i that the show touches upon, as well as interviews with local actors who have had small parts, but still made an impact on “Hawaii Five-0.”

If you have any interesting ideas for me to write about, research, or an actor you’d like me to interview, send me an email at Five0Redux@gmail.com. I’d love to know what you’d like to read about or learn about during the hiatus.
———
Wendie Burbridge is a published author, playwright and teacher who lives and works in Honolulu. Reach her via Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

‘Five-0′ moves to Fridays

Michelle Borth, Peter Lenkov, Christine Lahti, Alex O’Loughlin, Daniel Dae Kim and Kahu Blaine Kama­lani Kia pose for a photo at the season three blessing. (Courtesy CBS)

BY JASON GENEGABUS / jason@staradvertiser.com

When “Hawaii Five-0″ returns to CBS for its fourth season this fall, it won’t be on Monday nights.

The network announced today the show will replace “CSI: NY” on Fridays, opening up a Monday time slot for the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced “Hostages” starring Toni Collette and Dylan McDermott.

The move also includes a time change, with “Five-0″ airing at 8 p.m. in Hawaii between “Undercover Boss” and cop drama “Blue Bloods,” which stars former “Magnum P.I.” star Tom Selleck.

“Hawaii Five-0″ executive producer Peter Lenkov remained upbeat on Twitter, telling followers to “celebrate we got picked up” and “continue to show up and we’ll be around for a LONG time.”

The move to Fridays was also a “chance (for) more live eyes,” he said.

The complete CBS fall schedule:

Monday

“How I Met Your Mother,” 7 p.m.
“We Are Men,” 7:30 p.m. (NEW SHOW)
“2 Broke Girls,” 8 p.m.
“Mom,” 8:30 p.m. (NEW SHOW)
“Hostages,” 9 p.m. (NEW SHOW)

Tuesday

“NCIS,” 7 p.m.
“NCIS: Los Angeles,” 8 p.m.
“Person of Interest,” 9 p.m. (NEW TIME)

Wednesday

“Survivor,” 7 p.m.
“Criminal Minds,” 8 p.m.
“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” 9 p.m.

Thursday

“Big Bang Theory,” 7 p.m.
“The Millers,” 7:30 p.m. (NEW SHOW)
“The Crazy Ones,” 8 p.m. (NEW SHOW)
“Two and a Half Men,” 8:30 p.m. (NEW TIME)
“Elementary,” 9 p.m.

Friday

“Undercover Boss,” 7 p.m.
“Hawaii Five-0,” 8 p.m. (NEW TIME)
“Blue Bloods,” 9 p.m.

Saturday

“Comedytime Saturday,” 7 p.m. (NEW SHOW)
“Comedytime Saturday,” 7:30 p.m. (NEW SHOW)
“Crimetime Saturday,” 8 p.m.
“48 Hours,” 9 p.m.

Sunday

“60 Minutes,” 6 p.m.
“The Amazing Race,” 7 p.m.
“The Good Wife,” 8 p.m.
“The Mentalist,” 9 p.m.

Five-0 Redux: All in the ‘ohana

Christine Lahti returns as McGarrett’s mother in this week’s episode. (Courtesy CBS)

BY WENDIE BURBRIDGE / Special to the Star-Advertiser

Can you imagine how much more bad-ass Steve McGarrett would be if he had actually grown up with Secret Agent Mom instead of the sweet Momma McG of his memory?

The momma who made fried baloney sandwiches, was on the PTA, and taught “little Stevie” magic tricks — not the woman McGarrett currently knows who is guilty for a myriad of questionable crimes—like hacking into the FBI database, letting Wo Fat escape, torturing and almost killing a man, and of course, never really telling her own son the straight skinny about well, anything.

In this week’s episode, “He welo ‘oihana” (“Family Business”), McGarrett learns more about his mother’s secrets and begins to reconcile the idea of the mother he lost, with the mother he found. In a parallel storyline that has been ratcheted up these last few weeks, Kono is thrust into more of Adam’s family business and it also looks like she’s going to be hung out to dry in the season finale.

(One good thing — they can’t shoot her again. Or can they?)

But if “Magic and secrets, they go together,” like Danno says to McGarrett after a night of Momma McG covert op shenanigans gone awry, then maybe some of the magic that we have missed in a few of this season’s episodes will return after some of the secrets are finally put to rest.

Do I sound frustrated? Perhaps because I’m a bit tired of the dragging on of this Champ Box/Shelburne/Momma McG storyline. I find it a bit too unrealistic that McGarrett’s thought-to-be-dead mother really was a covert assassin, and that she can do some of the same cool secret spy SEAL stuff her son can. I think Christine Lahti, who plays Doris McGarrett, is a great actress, but at times she gets glassy-eyed much too quickly and slips into Momma McG a bit too easily for someone who spent more years being a secret agent than Little Stevie’s mom to be realistic.

Danno, left, and Chin Ho question Kono’s boyfriend’s brother. (Courtesy CBS)

This week’s episode was another trip to Never Never Land for me, as it was complete with “Mission Impossible”-style wire action, a runaway elevator, and a helicopter as a getaway vehicle. I wondered why they didn’t have Kamekona flying the chopper, but I think writer Eric Guggenheim probably figured there was enough comedy in this week’s episode that they didn’t need to add helicopter humor to the mix.

I am a huge fan of all of the action that Five-0 infuses, and with a stunt coordinator like Jeff Cadiente, coupled with a great director like Larry Teng, the action was very well done. I know, who doesn’t like watching McG strap on some Kevlar, ride a freight elevator, and kickbox security guards with guns?

I just wish the stellar action scenes were supported by better storylines.

I know, you all are going to comment about how it’s a television show and can’t I suspend my disbelief for one hour a week? Why yes, I can, but I also know the action can be better supported by a stronger story. This is not always the case for “Hawaii Five-0″ — there are episodes where the action is fully engaged and works well within the story.

But with the Momma McG story, it just seemed so silly and over the top. Really? A covert op maneuver to get back the stolen microfiche from political bad guy Tyler Cain (Craig T. Nelson) that will keep the McGarrett’s safe from Doris’s past. And her current boyfriend Mick Logan (Treat Williams), and Joe White’s SEAL friend Wade Gutches (David Keith), along for the ride to help to orchestrate the “op.”

I really wanted them to stop calling it a “covert op” as it was just ridiculous. They were dressing up in black and stealing something. Yes, they were prepared and they had the technology and expertise to do it, but covert ops are for national security — not Mom’s who are have an empty nest and parenting issues.

Kono, left, and her boyfriend have a serious conversation in this week’s episode. (Courtesy CBS)

Yet even though I found the breaking-and-entering scene unbelievable, the humor throughout really helped, as it made me not take everything so seriously. And I did enjoy the incorporation of the magic trick — that worked. As slick looking as the action scenes were, the humor reminded me that “Five-0″ can make fun of itself. McG talking about the age of Doris, Mick, and Wade and what they should be really doing “at their age,” and Doris having McG do the magic “breath,” helped to lighten the mood. And so the over the top storyline almost reconciled itself as more comedic action than serious spy games.

This was of course helpful when coupled with the return of Adam (Ian Anthony Dale) and his all-bad baby brother, Michael Noshimuri (Daniel Henney), which I thought was a stronger storyline. Kono and Adam reuniting, Chin and Danno confronting a super cocky Michael in the gym, and Kono being shot all seemed well constructed around the opening procedural.

I did love how the episode became more about the team than the case, as Kono’s personal life now seems to be impacted by her lover, his brother, and their family business. I do look forward to seeing how this plays out. The ending with Max arriving to tell McG and Danno that Kono’s gun seems to have killed one of the victims she found in a Yakuza warehouse was not that surprising, as I’ve been waiting to see what happened to Kono’s gun. Now, I just want to know who will come to Kono’s rescue.

The episode’s theme was “family business,” with Doris and the business of her past affecting her family, just as Adam and Michael’s business with the Yakuza affected Kono and her Five-0 family. The theme was well supported throughout, and while I’d like more realistic storylines, as long as the ʻohana is infused into the episodes, I can hang on and get through until the end.

Redux Side Note:

Only one more episode of season three, so make sure you clear your calendar for next week’s season finale.

“Aloha. Mālama Pono” will bring back Christine Lahti, Ian Anthony Dale, Daniel Henney, Autumn Reeser (who plays Dr. Gabby Asano, and stood up an eager Danno at the airport this week), as well as Marc Dacascos as Wo Fat.

I am eager to find out who is bidding “Five-0″ good-bye this time. I’m sure we’ll have a bit of a cliffhanger as we have had in the last two season finales. I’m sure it will be a great episode to end the season.
———
Wendie Burbridge is a published author, playwright and teacher who lives and works in Honolulu. Reach her via Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

Five-0 Redux: Ripped from the headlines

Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim) helps in the search for a missing girl during this week’s episode. (Courtesy CBS)

BY WENDIE BURBRIDGE / Special to the Star-Advertiser

“Hawaii Five-0” has had an interesting third season; one week they are up, another week they are just so-so, and sometimes they are on fire.

This week I’d say they are on an upward slope, with a pretty solid episode melded with a thread of realism that would soften even the most strenuous Team Five-0 naysayer. Between the intense moments of a heart-wrenching case, and a deeper look into Danno’s Daddy psyche, we got to see the team really work a good procedural, as well as get some movement in the Kono-Adam storyline.

This week’s episode, “Hoʻopio” (“To Take Captive”), for the most part centered on the murder of Amanda Morris (Kanani Rogers), who had been kidnapped 10 years earlier and found dead in a shallow grave. Her murder leads the Five-0 team to uncover clues about a recent kidnapping of another little girl, Ella Bishop (Mykayla Sohn). Both Amanda and Ella seemed to have been kidnapped by the same person, and Danno and McGarrett use everything within their power to find little Ella — as well as Amanda’s murderer.

Tip Gilbert stars as himself in this week’s episode. (Courtesy CBS)

I think the best part of the episode, besides the really intense moments when Scott Caan really had a chance to shine as not only a sympathetic cop, but as an empathetic father, was the “ripped from the headlines” aspect of the case. The kidnapping of both Amber and Ella is a reminder of Maile Gilbert, who was kidnapped and murdered in Hawaiʻi in 1985.

Maile’s name was used to create Hawaiʻi’s MAILE AMBER Alert. MAILE stands for “Minor Abducted in Life-threatening Emergency” and has been referenced before on “Hawaii Five-0,” most notably in “Ua Lawe Wale” and when Danno’s own daughter Gracie (Teilor Grubbs) was kidnapped in “Mai ka wā kahiko.”

The moments when Danno recalls the inner panic he felt while they tried to find Gracie when she was kidnapped by his former partner, and when he shakes the hand of the Harley-riding, Good Samaritan father of Maile, Tip Gilbert, who plays himself in the episode, was Scott Caan at his best.

Danno (Scott Caan) is reminded of the pain he felt when his own daughter was kidnapped in this week’s episode. (Courtesy CBS)

I know some of you will take issue with the fact that he used his fists to get information out of sadistic scam artist Ray Beckett (played with creepy weirdness by former punk rocker and spoken word artist Henry Rollins), but as a mother, I understood his extreme action. I did appreciate how McGarrett instinctively knew that Danno needed to get that information, and that in order to protect his partner — he needed to take Danno’s badge and just walk away. Not because he was punishing Danno, but to protect him. They needed Beckett to tell them where Ella was hidden, and it looked like it couldn’t be Detective Williams who would get that information out of their suspect, but Danny Williams, father and concerned citizen, who would get him to talk, no matter what.

Often I wonder why “Hawaii Five-0” uses the “red herring” as much as they do — the one character who is a shoe-in for the suspect, but who is, of course, not the real killer/kidnapper/villain. But I guess it is so we can see a famous face for a few minutes, and this week was no exception.

Don Swayze (yes, brother to the late Patrick Swayze of “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost” fame) played this week’s not-quite-our-guy, Lloyd Grimes. Grimes is a perfect suspect with a long rap sheet coupled with the team’s proof he was near the scene of the crime—but alas, he was just a thief not a kidnapper. He did look the part, and when McG plays chicken with Grimes’s van to catch him and then Danno breaks the hinges of the interrogation chair to make him talk, it was all good Five-0 action to keep us guessing.

Too bad Swayze didn’t have more lines and could have offered Danno some relaxing dance lessons to loosen up. That would have really been a way for Swayze to utilize his guest star moment to its fullest potential.

Henry Rollins guest stars in this week’s episode. (Courtesy CBS)

A good portion of the episode was used to further develop the side story of Kono and Adam. Kono and Catherine have a couple nice scenes where Kono asks Catherine to investigate Adam’s dealing with a man named Sato. It’s not really what we want to hear for our romantic couple. What happened to hot shower and bubble bath scenes? I guess when your boyfriend used to be in organized crime and you’re a cop, it can get tricky, but it doesn’t mean you should lie to your cousin and search your guy’s house. I know he’s not answering your calls, but that just means you have to stalk him through your BFF who can use her Navy intel connections to hook you up with good info.

At least now Kono knows where Adam is and who he’s been hanging out with — albeit it’s in Japan and he’s hanging with the Yakuza — but Chin did say to let Adam explain first before she decided if she could trust him. And it looks like Adam has a lot of explaining to do.

Besides the intense moments of the procedural and Kono trying to figure out what’s up with Adam, there were many sweet moments in this episode as well. The good-natured ribbing of McGarrett’s super short hair, which was a smart way to let actor Alex O’Loughlin ditch the horrible wig he had to wear in last week’s episode “ʻImi Loko Ka ʻUhane.” And Danno taking time to get a hug from daughter Gracie during her cheerleading practice, was a moment we needed after seeing two sets of demolished parents, as well as watching the difficult minute when Tip Gilbert offers his services to McG and Danno with a picture of his lost daughter Maile pinned to his leathers.

The ending voice over by Kanani Rogers reading Amanda Morris’s journals as her parents weep and Danno looks on was nicely done. Many times television shows go too far, and have characters use melodramatic screaming and sobbing to portray sadness and suffering. But I thought the tears and the pain was very realistic in this episode and evenly handled. Nice direction by “Hawaii Five-0” veteran Steve Boyum, based on a great story by Peter Lenkov and teleplay by Noah Nelson.

If the last two episodes are like this one, we could end season three with a bang.

Redux Side Note:

This week, several Hawaiʻi actors — as well as a Hawaiʻi Olympic athlete — were featured in the episode:

» Jodi Jarvis and Brent Scott Dupuis played Joyce and Don Bishop, the parents of the missing little girl, Ella Bishop.

Shawn Mokuahi Garrett. (Courtesy CBS)

» Kanani Rogers, who most recently was seen in Manoa Valley Theatre’s “Next to Normal,” played brave Amanda Morris, the girl who had been kidnapped and held captive for ten years.

» Former newscaster and current Star-Advertiser blogger Diane Ako was seen on Henry Rollins’s television reporting on the death of the alleged kidnapper Helen Cantera.

» U.S. Olympic wrestler Clarissa Chun, who is credited as “Petite Young Woman,” help separate Shawn Mokuahi Garnett, Kamekona’s cousin Flippa, from a shrimp dinner as well as his dignity.

» Dennis Chun shined yet again in a short scene with the team finding Amanda’s body and catching McG and Danno up on the chain of evidence.
———
Wendie Burbridge is a published author, playwright and teacher who lives and works in Honolulu. Reach her via Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

Outtakes Online: Gilbert inspires ‘Five-0′ episode

BY MIKE GORDON / mgordon@staradvertiser.com

The memories are unavoidable for Tip Gilbert, even now, 27 years after the kidnap and murder of his daughter. Whenever he hears about a missing child, he thinks of Maile. She was only 6.

Maile Gilbert. (Courtesy photo)

But the experience will go a step further on tonight’s episode of “Hawaii Five-0,” in which he’ll play himself and discuss the case. Gilbert and his friends in the Pacific Knights motorcycle club will help Five-0 investigate a kidnapping and its connection to the discovery of the body of a girl who vanished a decade earlier.

“I’m playing me,” said Gilbert, a 58-year-old project manager for the commercial dive company Sea Engineering. “Everything I basically said I’ve said before in real life.”

“Five-0” has previously mentioned the state’s Maile Amber Alert program, which is named for Gilbert’s daughter and Amber Hagerman of Texas, who was also kidnapped and murdered. That led to a lunch meeting with Peter Lenkov, the show’s executive producer, and Gilbert told him his story.

Maile was abducted during a family party on Aug. 25, 1985. Her body was found the next day in a shallow grave near Kaena Point. Her killer is serving a life term in prison. Gilbert worked with law enforcement agencies, the Hawaii Attorney General’s Missing Child Center of Hawaii, state civil defense officials and the local broadcast community to create the alert program that began in 2002.

“Peter wrote a story inspired by Maile,” Tip Gilbert said. “I think she inspired his creativity on this episode.”

Lenkov wrote the story and the teleplay was written by Noah Nelson. The episode was directed by “Five-0″ regular Steve Boyum. It also features guest star Henry Rollins, punk rocker-turned-actor.

Gilbert spent three days on set last month. But even though he has been on camera before, explaining the story to journalists, it wasn’t any easier this time.

“When I was shooting ‘Five-0’ I actually in my mind, journeyed back to the day Maile was missing,” Gilbert said. “It was pretty intense for a while but the people at ‘Five-0’ were understanding and supportive. They treated me very well.”

State officials estimate that more than 3,000 children are reported missing in Hawaii every year but authorities are able to locate the majority of them. But time is always crucial. Nationwide, most children kidnapped by non-family members are killed within a few hours of an abduction. An alert system improves the chances of survival for abducted children.
———
Mike Gordon covers film and television in Hawaii for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Email him at mgordon@staradvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his weekly “Outtakes” column Sundays in the Star-Advertiser.

Outtakes Online: Welcome to the jungle

Alex O’Loughlin as Steve McGarrett, taking aim at Wo Fat’s helicopter. (Star-Advertiser photo by Craig T. Kojima)

BY MIKE GORDON / mgordon@staradvertiser.com

Even in the world of television, which operates at a much faster pace than in feature films, it can take half a day to shoot a scene that’s over after just a few minutes.

The climactic jungle shoot-out between the crime-fighters of “Hawaii Five-0” and ruthless terrorist Wo Fat in this week’s episode was shot in early March at Kualoa Ranch and took repeated takes to get right.

Daniel Dae Kim (as Chin Ho Kelly) rides an ATV during filming. (Star-Advertiser photo by Craig T. Kojima)

The scene — shot in Hakipuu Valley between passing ranch tour vehicles filled with wide-eyed, photo-snapping visitors — often filled the air with the sound of machine guns. The show uses scaled down rounds that create noisy, blast-spewing weaponry without the bullets.

Nearly everyone on set wears ear plugs, even the actors.

The final scene, as “Five-0” exchanges gunfire with Wo Fat, was shot around a real helicopter wreck. Burning pressed logs and gas-fed tubes were used to create smoke and fire. Before each take, a production assistant would walk through the set with a smoke machine, but the smoke kept drifting away.

Mark Dacascos as the severely burned Wo Fat. (Star-Advertiser photo by Craig T. Kojima)

The make-up that was used to turn actor Mark Dacascos into the severely burned Wo Fat was better looking on the set than on TV. The small screen didn’t do it justice.

He really looked bad, his head and upper torso painted red and half of his hair missing. It will be interesting to see how disfigured he becomes in future episodes.
———
Mike Gordon covers film and television in Hawaii for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Email him at mgordon@staradvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his weekly “Outtakes” column Sundays in the Star-Advertiser.