Wrapping up season five
Just as the seasons change and spring is in the air is when I usually begin to realize the saddest part of the year is just around the corner — here come the last few episodes of “Hawaii Five-0.”
The realization usually becomes more acute after a few No “Five-0” Fridays, as the show is preempted for two weeks because of the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship. Next Friday we’ll have a new episode, but it sadly also begins the countdown to the end of season five. Add the fact that viewers still do not know if the show will return for season six, and it’s a recipe for true March Madness among “Five-0” fans.
If nothing else, “Five-0” fans are devoted — maybe a bit obsessed? — and definitely passionate about what will happen to McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin), Danno (Scott Caan), Chin (Daniel Dae Kim) and Kono (Grace Park). While Grover (Chi McBride) seems to not have too many worries this season, that could all change very quickly.
There’s been a bit of debate online in the last few weeks about the quality of this season. I really am enjoying season five. While I’ve always had enough to write about, for some reason I’ve been able to write quite a bit more about season five. There just seems to be more details and story angles to analyze and discuss.
Believe me, I’m not complaining. It speaks to the strength of the storylines and the depth of the characters.
So while we cheer for the basketball teams who continue on in the Elite Eight, let’s break down this season’s major issues and review which storylines still need to be wrapped up.
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MCGARRETT’S MOMMY ISSUES
I was going to leave the biggest issue for last, but I thought I would address the elephant in the room first. Will McGarrett ever get the answers he wants from his mother? I know I have been asking this question from season three, and yes, we did get a few more answers — shocking as they were — from an unlikely source.
When Wo Fat revealed to McGarrett that they are “brothers” raised by the same woman, it gave McGarrett the answers to some questions, but raised a whole host of others.
And when Doris helped Joe get McGarrett details about the CIA wanting to railroad Danno into being the fall guy for the Colombians in “Pono Kaulike” (“Justice For All”), I was surprised she came out from under her rock to help her son. I know she has helped McG and crew before — she helped Kono and Adam (Ian Anthony Dale) hide out in China at the start of season four — but this time her help seemed to come when McGarrett least expected it and when he needed it the most.
I know McGarrett wants to hear Doris’s story from her own mouth, but I still wonder if that will ever come. Perhaps it will happen when McGarrett needs it the most.
DANNO’S NIGHTMARE
I’m still wondering if Danno is going to ever really find peace about his brother, Matt. Even though he discovered the heartbreaking news of his death and executed his own revenge against Matt’s killer, Marco Reyes (Anthony Ruivivar), he still seems haunted by his actions.
Danno seemed to find some sort of resolution to his guilt in the explosive “Pono Kaulike” when he was extradited to Colombia for murder. While Danno thought he would die for his crimes in that horrible prison, thankfully, he was saved by his friends, and he was able to make amends in some way for his crime.
I only hope that his nightmares, both real and imaginary, have been erased for the most part.
WEDDING BELLS FOR KONO
Kono hasn’t had a very easy time in her relationship with Adam. While I have loved watching their relationship grow and really move to another level, it’s mostly been on shaky ground. The fact that Kono is a cop and Adam is a man whose business has only recently been legitimized really effects their future.
I know on one level we all understand the reality of their relationship, but in a way it just makes their union even more realistic. Every couple has a conflict that they have to overcome before they take the big step into marriage, and thankfully Kono and Adam seem to have come to some sort of solution. Kono seems to have decided that Adam’s former life is not as important as their love for each other.
Still, I wonder if the hurdles they face in meshing their lives together aren’t the same ones that could possibly tear them apart.
CHIN VS. GABRIEL
I saved the most interesting dilemma for last. This one is two-fold. What will Chin do when Gabriel (Christopher Sean) comes calling again and what will Gabriel want from Chin when he does?
Gabriel’s “You’re welcome” farewell phone call after he killed Coughlin (Robert Knepper) in “Pono Kaulike” was quite telling. It seems as if Chin and Gabriel are quite even, but I’m afraid Gabriel doesn’t see it that way. I think Gabriel is going to ask Chin for more than just help to get out of Hawaii (as noted in the press release for the April 10 episode).
I think my biggest question is how Chin will handle the request. Chin is not a heartless person, and no matter what his brother-in-law Gabriel has done to him — killed his father, hurt his wife, and nearly ruined his career — Chin still remembers that Gabriel is Malia’s little brother. Gabriel is part of his wife’s memory and Chin seems to hang onto those memories as much as he can.
I hope Gabriel asks for something manageable and doesn’t selfishly push Chin into doing something he will regret. Chin has enough regrets in his life, and I hope Gabriel doesn’t add to his list. But for some reason I think my hopes will be completely dashed. Still, I can’t wait to see how Gabriel takes the lead as the new villain.
OVERALL, season five has been great, but I’m torn between being excited about seeing the rest of the episodes unfold and being sad about the wrap-up of this season. Like all of you, I am dying to find out the answers to all of the above questions and seeing whatever else the “Five-0” crew can serve up.
REDUX SIDE NOTE
The title for the season finale was leaked by an Instagram picture of the cover of the script by Daniel Dae Kim. “A Make Kāua” is the last episode of season five.
According to Big Island film commissioner T. Ilihia Gionson, the title means “until we die.”
“The ‘we’ translates as ‘the two of us, you and I,’ so ‘we,’ or ‘til death do us part,’ if I was being fancy,” Gionson said.
We can only speculate what that could mean for the Five-0 team. I only hope no one dies and that it will be a happy ending, with maybe a wedding to wrap up the season. The storyline is by Peter Lenkov, the script written by the awesome writing duo Steve Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt and Bryan Spicer directs.
With that title and that team putting this episode together, paired with our favorite actors, it should be an amazing season finale.
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Wendie Burbridge is a published author, playwright and teacher. Reach her via Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
13 responses to “Wrapping up season five”
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What about Wo Fat’s father?
Like you, I hope that the title of the finale refers to marriage vows and Kono and Adam getting married. But with this team of writers who like to put the main characters into all sorts of big trouble, somebody might actually die – it doesn’t have to be a Five-0 team member. It could be just a relative or so.
In any case, I’m 100% sure that the finale will be the sweet cherry on top of what has been an absolutely amazing season – no matter if the finale will be nerve-wrecking, emotional, funny or, as so often, all of those adjectives.
If you intend to make one of those annual fan surveys at the end of this season about the fans’ favorite episodes, I probably won’t even try to answer it. While the 100th episode definitely stood out as the best, there were too many great episodes to choose from.
As to the Season 6 renewal – I think it’s “fan torture” by CBS to make us wait until May 13 to find out whether or not the show will get renewed. I just hope so much that CBS takes into account how well the show has done this season and how much all of us fans love it. Peter (Lenkov) just told a fan on Twitter not to worry about the renewal, so I have hope for at least one more season of my favorite show.
I think it has been a great season. Almost as good as the first season. Of course, I have always loved 50 and all seasons have been great, but the first and this one have been my favorites. The only complaint is, I wish we would see Danno more. I wish he was in all episodes, because he is my favorite. But, it’s okay. I’ll keep watching as long as I know he’ll be back in the next episode. I hope we don’t lose any major characters in the finale. Please don’t do that to us. Let’s hope it’s a wedding.
Great wrap up Wendie. The two main things for me now are Chin and Gabriel and Steve and Doris. Like you said, I’m not sure if it will ever happen but Doris needs to literally FACE Steve. Everything Steve has gone through, and if you think about it, everything Steve IS, is because of her, Steve deserves to have it out with her face to face. I really hope we do get to see that some day.
As for Gabriel…now that WoFat is dead, I love the idea of Gabriel being the new big baddie. It some what fits, actually. Steve was after the man who killed his father…now Chin is doing the same. I like that bridge between them. Gabriel is just so wonderfully evil and non-repentant. I’m looking forward to seeing where that storyline goes!
I really, really want that elephant out of the house! If I wish for one thing before the end of this Season 5, it is that Doris and Steve have their face off and Steve squeezes the truth out of Doris! Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening. I’m sure there will be some progress on that story arc, but I highly doubt it will be completed this season.
Having said that, I love the deliciously unrepentant, dastardly evil Gabriel taking over the controls as Five-0’s number one nemesis going forward!
Adam and Kono deserve a happy ending to their romance. Let’s get then married off in the finale – with most television shows, no one ever stays happy forever, but for now, I’m in favor of marrying them off.
Not sure if we are all done with Danno’s story for the season – seems there should be something more yet to happen, perhaps with Amber (or is it Michelle, now?)
Anyway, it’s been a great season to date, with the promise of a really strong couple of episodes to finish on a high note! I have complete confidence that H50 will be renewed for at least one more season.
Thanks, Wendie!
Amber was discovered to really be Melissa, not Michelle. But I’ve already forgotten the last name she changed from. I think Chin, or whoever discovered she’d changed her identity, said she was born “Melissa Simpson”, then it became “Melissa (something else, which I forget)” when she married the guy who stalked her & Danny & stabbed Danny. Then she changed it to “Amber Vitale” when she ran away from her husband because he was abusing her.
Oh, thank you Carmen, that was a slip of my tongue! Somehow I seem to have “Michelle” on the brain this week. Thanks for correcting me, it is Melissa. I am curious as to what name she will go by when she next appears in an episode!
You have asked all the questions I have been asking and I can’t wait to find out the answers! I feel confident that there will be a season six,but I would love to hear that as soon as possible. It will be interesting to see what Gabriel has in store for Chin and the rest of the team-I,for one,would not trust him no matter what he asks for!
Yes all those storylines and MORE I am sure Peter and crew will “address” in some fashion. Whether it is just a moment in a line or that last final seconds of show that will leave us yelling SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!!!
Peter had stated that unless he knew otherwise he planned to write a cliffhanger ( I am SURE everyone knows what cliffhanger I have been waiting for! ) and there is so many possiblities to what and how they leave season in a cliffhanger- i personally am looking forward to it!
I would still like more clarification on the meeting back from season 1 between Wo Fat, Governor Jamison, and Sr. McGarrett. Here’s hoping for Season 6!
Considering they’re all dead I doubt that it I’ll happen unless, in true Lenkov fashion, Daddy McG isn’t dead, reappears and the truth is learned. Of all the characters that 50 has introduced us too, I would have loved if Dad wasn’t killed off. I loved him from the get go and think he would have added the most substance and depth to some of the storylines.
I have enjoyed this season more than last season. I have yelled at the tv, laughed until tears running down my face and then it made me cry, (I hate to cry), I hope we have a season 6 and more because 50 is getting its grove back. I have also enjoyed your reviews, too.
Season 5 was great. There has to be a season 6 – I watched the original 5-0 – never missed it. Love this one more. What do the fans need to do to have another season? It has to happen