While most of the world is enjoying March Madness and the NCAA College Basketball Tournament– Five-0 fans are going a little mad as they face two weeks without “Hawaii Five-0.”

Not that this is a new emotion. It seems that every March, “Five-0” takes a couple of weeks off as basketball fans enjoy watching the battle of the bracket. This is also the time when fans can take a short breath as they wait impatiently for all the hoops talk and bracket busting to end. The next episode is set for April 1, when “Kanaka Hahai” (“The Hunter”) returns “Hawaii Five-0” to its regular time slot.

March also marks the month where fans start the countdown to the season finale, which airs on May 13. Filming will officially wrap in the next few weeks, and everyone will cross their fingers as they wait to hear if “Five-0” will be renewed for a seventh season.

So perhaps basketball fans are not the only ones experiencing a bit of “March Madness” this year. Last week’s latest episode,  “Waiwai” (“Assets”), left us with a bit of a cliffhanger which could lead us toward a very explosive end of the season. Between McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin) finding out the truth about where Catherine (Michelle Borth) disappeared to after leaving him hanging on his planned proposal, to Chin (Daniel Dae Kim) hopefully getting the truth out of Abby (Julie Benz)– “Waiwai” set us up with a few answers, yet presented us with a whole new set of questions.

This season has been an interesting mix of character drama and unique storylines. From the start we have had pirate tales, fire bugs, reclusive millionaires, and motorcycle hitmen. The team has chased a modern-day Dr. Frankenstein, an artful dodger, and a Russian spy. They have helped an underdog boxer, an autistic sleuth, and an honest criminal. They uncovered a World War II Japanese spy ring and a murder plot similar to Hitchcock’s film “Strangers on a Train. Interesting doesn’t even begin to cover the variety of storylines “Five-0” has shown us this year.

But for the most part, everyone wants to see how the main characters deal with their relationships, as well as with the extended ʻohana that is connected to the Five-0 team. This season has been equally as revealing as the last five seasons, and nicely enough, we also have had a chance to get to know a few of the recurring characters better, as well.

While McGarrett has been dealing a lot more with his love life, he also seems to be a little more settled. Perhaps not having to look over his shoulder for Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos) helps to calm his demeanor. Or maybe he has found some peace about this father’s murder. My favorite McGarrett storyline this season was when his sister Mary Ann (Taryn Manning) and his niece Joanie returned, even if it was to say aloha ʻoe to their Aunt Deb (Carol Burnett). Deb returned to scatter her husband Leonard’s ashes, and got McG and Mary Ann to help her finish her bucket list, only to pass away peacefully in their family home.  I also loved seeing McGarrett mentor Nahele (Kekoa Kekumano); his first date with Lynn (Sarah Carter); and watching him save kidnap victim Laura Ioane (Lauren Murata).

Really– McGarrett with the underdog is always the best– especially when he helps them to become the hero within the investigation. He helped Neil Palea (Joe Egender), an autistic young man, find out who killed his beloved friend. He helped local boy boxer Luke (Lewis Tan) find justice for his brother, and he also helps his barber buddy Odell (Michael Imperioli) come to terms with his relationship with his father.

For most fans, the relationship McG has with Danno (Scott Caan) is the cornerstone of the show. The bromance this year has definitely matured into two men who try to take care of each other, yet still share the kind of relationship where they can good naturedly punch each other like school boys on the black top.

I did love watching Danno try and protect McG’s heart by asking Catherine if she was going to stay at the start of the season, and then when he checks on McGarrett after they have found out about Catherine’s deal with the CIA. Really, when Danno has McG’s back– we want that to happen every week.

I also love how Danno always wants to protect his family. We haven’t seen much of his daughter Gracie (Teilor Grubbs) this season, but Daddy Danno did save her from a Halloween party and danced with her at Kono and Adam’s wedding. There was a cute little moment with Charlie (Zach Sulzbach) when Danno takes his little cowboy trick-o-treating.

Danno also has again come to his mother’s rescue, when Clara (Melanie Griffith) is questioned by the FBI about the money his brother Matt left behind. Of course, this is just a guise to get Five-0, and Danno sees right through it. He knows when his family is threatened– whether they are his blood or his ʻohana.

I think all of the characters have that kind of spidey sense– an internal switch that goes off when one or more of the team is threatened. Chin (Daniel Dae Kim) seems to have that same sense when it comes to his cousin Kono (Grace Park), especially after what happened to her after she married Adam (Ian Anthony Dale). Chin always seems to know when Kono may need him, and he has tried to support her now that her love is currently in prison.

I wish his intuition had spilled over into dealing with Abby and her behind the scenes action with FBI agent Robert Coughlin (Ingo Rademacher). I am so not a fan of this new story, so I am hoping that when she visited Chin last week in the Five-0 headquarters, she will reveal what current-Coughlin is up to, and put an end to his revenge tactics.

But my track record with hoping for happy endings for Chin, is pretty weak. Chin spends a lot of time getting beat up, and I think we might be in for more Chin disappointment in the next few episodes.

I do think Chin seems a little more light-hearted this season and he’s had some funny moments– especially during the Valentine’s episode when he sees Duke (Dennis Chun) and his wife Nalani (Laura Mellow) dressed only in a small towel. He has a bit of a laugh with Kono and the rest of the team when he admits the story, and I have to say, I do like when Chin laughs more than when he broods.

As for Kono, while she is always great at long-range sniper shots, and she can hold her own in a fight as much as the gents can– yet, this seems to be her season of tears. I thought we would be done with Kono crying after she and Adam tied the knot. But once Gabriel (Christopher Sean) ruined their honeymoon, I guessed that Kono and Adam were going to continue to have a rough road ahead.

I suppose I could go on and on about all the different elements of season six that are great– the team participating in the Tough Mudder, when they all helped to clear Sang Min (Will Yun Lee), Steve and Danny attending couples therapy, seeing how Chin and Kamekona met and eventually connected with Five-0, Danno masquerading as a college professor— just a few of the moments that moved and entertained me. But I think overall, this season has been one that has really allowed us to watch the team’s friendship and deep emotion for one another continue to develop and grow.

REDUX SIDE NOTE

Hawaiʻi actor Dennis Chun sent the Five-0 Redux a bit of good news this week. “Hawaii Five-0” will be honored by The University of Hawaiʻi School of Travel Industry Management (TIM) at their “Celebrate a Legacy in Tourism” gala event to be held on Thursday, March 31. The UH TIM School will honor the show for being a major promoter of Hawaiʻi tourism since 1968.

Chun and veteran television personality Emme Tomimbang will emcee the UH TIM School’s 50th Anniversary gala event. The legacy of “Hawaii Five-0” will be honored with recipients Peter Lenkov, executive producer of the reboot, and the late Leonard Freeman who created the “Hawaii Five-O” in the 1960s.

“I think it is great that finally the creative community through “Five-0” is being recognized for their contributions to Hawaiʻi,” said Chun via email.  

Chun is best known as Sgt. Duke Lukela, the steadfast HPD officer who is always there to help the Five-0 team, but some may also remember that Chun’s father, Kam Fong, originated the role of Chin Ho Kelly.

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Wendie Burbridge is a published author, playwright and teacher. Reach her via Facebook and follow her on Twitter  and Instagram.