The best moments of ‘Hawaii Five-0’ Season 9

In September, “Hawaii Five-0” started its ninth season celebrating its 50th anniversary. Fans love their favorites Steve McGarrett and Danny “Danno” Williams, played by series stars Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan, and they are certainly enjoying new series regulars, Meaghan Rath as Tani Rey and Beulah Koale as Junior Reigns, as well as Chi McBride as Lou Grover, Jorge Garcia as Jerry Ortega and Ian Anthony Dale as Adam Noshimuri. Add in the Hawaii actors who are also main cast members — Kimee Balmilero as Dr. Noelani Cunha, Dennis Chun as Sgt. Duke Lukela and Taylor Wily as Kamekona — and you have the kind of show viewers have come to love over the last nine years. With the season finale set to air at 9 p.m. Friday on CBS, here are some of the best moments from the ninth season.

BEST USE OF FOLKLORE

The legend of Morgan’s Corner
Episode 5: “A’ohe Mea ‘Imi A Ka Maka” (“Nothing More for the Eyes to Search For”)

Usually, the Halloween episode uses a familiar Hawaiian legend to frame the episode, in this case, the story of Morgan’s Corner. Jerry (Jorge Garcia, pictured above) tells his childhood friends the story about a young couple whose car breaks down at Morgan’s Corner, and after the boyfriend leaves to get gas, a killer hangs him in the tree over their car. It is his dripping blood that wakes his sleeping girlfriend locked in the car below his body.

The story is based on the 1948 murder of Therese Wilder, a wealthy widow who was kidnapped by two escapees from an Oahu prison. Wilder lived on Nuuanu Pali Road across from the home of Dr. James Morgan, which is how the story got its legendary name.

BEST DUO

Steven McGarrett and Milton Cooper
Episode 7: “Pua A’e La Ka Uwahi O Ka Moe” (“The Smoke Seen in the Dream Now Rises”)

The best duo of this season has to be watching Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan play two HPD detectives from the 1940s. They play imagined versions of McGarrett’s grandfather (O’Loughlin) who died on the USS Arizona on Dec. 7, 1941, and Milton Cooper (Caan) an old friend of the elder McGarrett.

When modern-day Milton (Richard Herd) brings McGarrett the last unsolved case of the legendary Chang Apana, a real-life HPD detective from the 1910s and ’20s, Milton tells his friend’s grandson that it was a mystery they tried to solve before the bombing of Pearl Harbor took his friend’s life.

McGarrett falls asleep looking at the evidence of the case of Lila Kekoa, a hula girl who disappeared in 1932, and in his dream imagines the Five-0 team involved in some way within the case. The episode was a treat for fans as they saw every cast member in a version of their characters in the 1940s, and O’Loughlin and Caan as fedora-wearing detectives dodging Tommy gunfire outside the original HPD station on Bethel Street in Chinatown.

McGarrett’s dream ends as the sirens fill the skies, alerting the island to the impending attack on Pearl Harbor. When he awakes, he has all the pieces he needs and he and Five-0 finally solve Apana’s last case.

BEST ALOHA OE

The death of Joe White
Episode 10: “Pio Ke Kukui, Po’ele Ka Hale” (“When the Light Goes Out, the House Is Dark”)

The fall finale was one of the most emotional of the season, as McGarrett is threatened by a hit team intent on killing him and Joe White, played by Terry O’Quinn (pictured). The pair make their way to Joe’s ranch in Montana where they face the hit men, but Joe is badly wounded and dies in McGarrett’s arms.

For McGarrett, losing Joe is heartbreaking. As a SEAL he knows what it’s like to lose team members, but the death of the man who was like a father to him is tough enough. As they watch a beautiful sunset, McGarrett is given a chance to say goodbye to Joe, something he was not able to do when his own father was murdered in the series pilot nine years ago.

BEST MCDANNO MOMENTS

After losing Joe (Episode 11) and after Grace is in a car accident (Episode 12)
11: “Hala i Ke Ala O’i’ole Mai” (“Gone on the Road From Which There Is No Returning”)
12: “Ka Hauli O Ka Mea Hewa ‘Ole, He Nalowale Koke” (“A Bruise Inflicted on an Innocent Person Vanishes Quickly”)

Some of the best McDanno moments of the series happen when the two friends comfort each other in great times of need — and these two moments are no different. Danno comes to Montana where McGarrett is trying to grieve, and avenge, the death of Joe White. And McGarrett comes to the hospital to help Danno deal with the fear of losing his daughter Grace (Teilor Grubbs) after she is in a near-fatal car accident. Both episodes show how much the two are more than just brothers in arms — but each other’s true family.

BEST OHANA MOMENT

The Five-0 team welcome back Mary McGarrett
Episode 23: “Ho’okahi No La O Ka Malihini” (“A Stranger Only for a Day”)

Mary McGarrett (Taryn Manning) returned this season to visit her brother Steve, and he brings her to Kamekona’s to see the team. Kamekona and Flippa (Shawn Mokuahi Garnett) are serving up the beer and shrimp plates as Danno and Lou argue about where their children should be taking their prom pictures, all while they tease Tani and Junior about going to a wedding together “as friends.”

The team welcomes Mary with open arms, and asks about her daughter, Joanie, who Adam realizes is now 6 years old. McGarrett is a little bitter that his baby sister is not going to stay with him, just because she is allergic to his new cat, Mr. Pickles. The entire scene is comfortable, full of laughter and good-natured ribbing. Much like any ohana who know each other inside and out.