Rolling a lucky number seven

If seven is a lucky number, then perhaps for “Hawaii Five-0” it will also be a magic charm. When the news broke this morning that the show was among the eleven being renewed for another season by CBS, fans were elated. Last year everyone had to wait until the week after the season five finale to learn the fate of their favorite show. So season six will end without any anxiety wondering if Five-0 will return. It will be a happier way to end the season, and for the most part, fans around the world are thrilled knowing that the biggest stress they have for the next few months is wondering if there will be seventh “Sunset on the Beach” premiere.

Luck is usually about success that comes from chance– not because of one’s own work or effort. I think there could be some fans out there who think that this season seven was definitely a stroke of very good luck for the “Hawaii Five-0” cast and crew.

Because while some fans still adore the show and are faithful each week, some have drifted away from the drama, citing writing problems, the lack of screen time for their favorite character, or the release of a favorite actor.

Still, the show has hung on, despite moving time slots and evenings, and what some have deemed less than stellar ratings and critiques. The show averages roughly about 9 million viewers each week, and that has been fairly consistent since season two. Some fans complain that the show lacks vision– is it a police procedural or just an action show? Is it a romantic drama? Is it a crime drama? Is it just trying to be “Criminal Minds”/“NCIS”/“CSI”?

One thing I do know about the show is that it is not rocket science. It’s strictly for entertainment and written for all of us to enjoy. Yes, we have to be invested in the characters, we have to care about what happens to them, and we have to want to see how it all turns out each week. But beyond that– it’s not really about learning how to cure cancer or creating world peace.

I guess for some fans– it is that serious, but for me– it’s just fun. It’s fun to see characters I love– and in some ways also love to loathe– chasing each other around my beautiful homeland, shooting at each other, blowing things up, and fighting it out. It’s exciting to see how the characters help each other out of sticky situations, pull each other out of tight spots, and love each other pretty fiercely for a weekly television drama.

So being lucky is all about chance– I don’t think season seven happened because of luck. It came from hard work and effort. This includes all the fans who pushed for more Five-0 because of their desire to see how McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin), Danno (Scott Caan), Chin (Daniel Dae Kim) and Kono (Grace Park) all end up. Whenever the series decides that they have been lucky enough.

As someone who has been writing about the show for five years– I think I understand why some fans have stopped watching and why they may have moved onto other shows. Some left after the show moved from Monday to Friday in season three. Some left with the departure of Michelle Borth, whose character Catherine seemed to have been unceremoniously sent on a secret mission– which may or may not bring her back to the Five-0 fold. Some left after Scott Caan seemed to be in fewer episodes than his main cast counterparts O’Loughlin, Kim, and Park. And some left because they felt that the show was not the same after season one and two.

But for the loyal ones, they have continued to hang on– perhaps because of their love of O’Loughlin, the series star, or because of their combined love of the original core four of McG, Danno, Chin, and Kono. Some, like me, enjoy the show as a whole, and love the combination of the characters, the extended storylines, and the mix of beautiful Hawaiʻi and Hawaiian culture.

I think many would like to see the wrap up of a few storylines in season seven. Call in the lucky numbers or make a wish– whatever you’d like– but some stories need to end.

I know I am not alone in hoping that the Doris McGarrett storyline ends in a way that answers all of our questions and leaves McGarrett with as little heartache as possible. I know, this will probably never happen, as I’m sure Momma McG can’t end without dragging poor Steve along with her– but I would be willing to cash in my lucky numbers in hopes that she won’t do that to her own son. I can hope– but I bet luck is not going to be with me on that one.

I also want to know what the deal is about Wo Fat’s father. What is he to Doris? And did she really help Wo Fat these last few years because she raised him? Is the story Wo Fat told Steve in “Inā Paha” (“If Perhaps”) true? Still, the questions keep Wo Fat in the Five-0 world, and if that means actor Mark Dacascos comes back in a flashback to tell the truth behind his story, I’ll count that as definitely lucky for all the Five-0 fans.

I also would like Adam (Ian Anthony Dale) to make it out of prison alive and well– and hopefully be able to find some sort of happy ending with Kono. That seems to not be in the cards right now, but I suppose I can gamble and cross my fingers that my wish for Adam and Kono comes true. Gabriel (Christopher Sean) seems to still have his fingers in their lives, and that does not bode well for our sweet couple.

Still, I have a love/hate relationship with Gabriel. I love when he shows up in lives of our  Five-0 heroes, but he does bring a lot of bad luck to our crew. As a fan– it’s the best, but I still want our team to win each time they face him– and that is not always a wish that comes true.

The last roll of my lucky dice I want to take is the gamble that the FBI investigation that Abby (Julie Benz) is involved in will just go away and stay away. I know I wrote a bit about it before— but it is just the most inane storyline ever. Really. If success comes from hard work and not just blind luck– then there needs to be more work done to write a different storyline for Abby. Why not let she and Chin be happy and chock up their relationship hiccup to new love jitters? It happens. What doesn’t happen is FBI agents going rogue because they are mad their brother got bested by a prison inmate and blame it on other police officers. That just doesn’t happen. Really. Well, it does happen– in bad movies from the 80’s, but I know I have mentioned this before.

Really folks– if you think that “Hawaii Five-0” was renewed because of luck– then you aren’t paying attention to all the hard work the cast and crew put into producing each episode. Nor are you noticing the writers and directors who put it all together and make it look seamless. The action and the stunts are amazing and the actors make it all look so great, but it’s the entire crew that make it happen– on all levels.

And maybe it’s a small bit of luck that helps them each week– but truly it’s the hard work and deep aloha they all have for each other, and the show they produce, that make it all a success. But really– we’re the ones who are fortunate enough to be able to see their work week after week– and now into a lucky season number seven.

REDUX SIDE NOTE

No April Fools’ Day jokes for “Hawaii Five-0” fans as the last seven episodes of season six will start on April 1 with “Kanaka Hahai” (“The Hunter”). The episode deals with the Five-0 team uncovering a deadly slave trade operating aboard an illegal fishing vessel. Look for the return of Hawaiʻi actors, Al Harrington and Teilor Grubbs in next week’s episode. Harrington has not been seen since season five, when he helped Kono find three surfer suspects in “Ka Nalu Hope Loa” (“The Last Break”), and Grubbs was seen early this season in the Halloween episode “Na Pilikua Nui” (“Monsters”).

Fans have had the pleasure of watching both actors basically grow up on “Hawaii Five-0.” Harrington started his television career in the classic Five-O, playing small parts from 1969-1971 until he was cast at Det. Ben Kokua, a role he played from 1972 to 1975. Grubbs started playing Grace Williams, Danno’s daughter, at the tender age of 8. She will turn 15 this year, soon after the start of season seven.

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