It’s been an interesting couple of months for “Hawaii Five-0.” In February, fans spent four weeks with their favorite show on the back burner as CBS aired a special “Celebrity Big Brother.” These last few weeks, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament again sidelined Five-0. Still, even with only two episodes airing in March, there has been a lot of buzz and excitement surrounding the show.

There are several episodes scheduled for April and May, which will complete Five-0’s eighth season. This week, CBS announced that the season finale will air Friday, May 18. With all of the behind the scenes sightings of the Five-0 cast and crew shooting around Oʻahu, fans are enjoying the increased coverage about their favorite actors and the minor spoilers about the end of season eight. Between reading about newcomer Beulah Koale, and seeing editing clips from future episodes posted on Instagram by executive producer Peter Lenkov, it has been a great start of spring.

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Next week’s episode, “E hoʻokō kuleana” (“To Do One’s Duty”), is the directorial debut of series star, Alex O’Loughlin. The storyline is one that fans have been waiting for, as it will reveal the identity of the man who shot Danny (Scott Caan) in the December episode, “I ka wā mamua, I ka wā mahope” (“The Future is in the Past”). The episode will flashback to when Danny was a uniformed officer in the New Jersey Police Department during a time when he protected a young woman in a dangerous domestic dispute. The woman is the ex-wife of Dannyʻs shooter, and she comes to Oʻahu to reveal how Danny helped save her life.

It should be interesting to see how O’Loughlin directs an episode focused on Caan, who plays his partner in crime and friendship. The actors share such great chemistry, and their characters are more than just best friends, so the episode should be one fans will enjoy.

The growing friendship between Tani Rey (Meaghan Rath) and Junior Reigns (Koale) will also play a part in the episode, as the pair are assigned to walk the beat as uniformed officers. Fans are really enjoying watching the “kids” and their backstories unfold as they get to know the newest members of the Five-0 Task Force. Many are curious to see if their relationship just grows into a strong partnership, or if it becomes something more. Yet no matter what happens, most are just content to continue to watch the two young ones blossom under the guidance of McGarrett (O’Loughlin), Danny, and Lou (Chi McBride).

Another season eight storyline will take a scary turn next week, as Adam (Ian Anthony Dale) is framed for the murder of the crime boss he has been tracking. Fans are still on the fence about how they feel about Adam’s story arch and how his Organized Crime arm of Five-0 works within the show. Most are curious how Adam will continue to be a part of the team when his wife, Kono– as well as the actress who played her, Grace Park– is no longer attached to the show.

Fans are also curious who Jessie Nomura (Christine Ko) really is, if she is playing Adam, or really on his side. If Adam is framed for killing Hideki Tashiro (Aaron Yoo), will Jessie help bail him out or will she let him hang to save herself? Right now, Jessie is the enigma that might develop into something that could really hurt not only Adam but McGarrett as well.

Besides the fact that next week’s episode will get the ball rolling toward the end of the season, fans are also in a tizzy about the return of Michelle Borth as Catherine Rollins in the April 13 episode, “He lokomaikaʻi ka manu o Kaiona” (“Kind is the Bird of Kaiona”). Catherine asks McGarrett and Jerry (Jorge Garcia) to help her track down a uranium deposit thought to be hidden on an abandoned Hawaiian island before a suspected terrorist can make dirty bombs with it.

After this week’s news story about Alex O’Loughlin’s desire to continue playing McGarrett if “Hawaii Five-0” is picked up for a ninth season, fans are even more curious to see what will happen between Catherine and McGarrett. There seems to be a need for closure– between the fictional characters, as well as with the fans. While Borth has returned at least once a season since her departure in season four, there still seems to be a connection between her and the show. Fans want to know if there is still a place for Catherine in McGarrett’s life or if that ship has officially sailed.

The other big news that has surrounded Five-0 this week, is the hype involving the reboot of “Magnum P.I.” Five-0 executive producer Peter Lenkov will write and executive produce the new show, along with fellow Five-0 executive producer and writer Eric Guggenheim, who will also do the same on Magnum. The show starting filming this week on Oʻahu, with “Suicide Squad” star Jay Hernandez in the lead role as Thomas Magnum. After the success of Lenkovʻs rebooted “Hawaii Five-0” and “MacGyver” the potential for “Magnum P.I.” to be picked up as a series is very high.

The good news for Five-0 fans regarding Lenkov’s newest reboot adventure is the fact that it is happening in Hawaiʻi, and there may be a way to tie both Five-0 and Magnum together– both in storylines and crew. It also opens several more doors for local actors and businesses that would be supported by Five-0 and Magnum. While most fans truly believe that “Hawaii Five-0” will get another season, there are always a lot of anxiety toward the end of Five-0 filming.

Yet with the news that OʻLoughlin is on board to sign up for another season, it looks very good for our Five-0 ʻohana– for both the end of season eight and a strong start to season nine.

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