
Alex O’ Loughlin and Adam Beach go mano a mano this week. Sadly, only O’Loughlin is shirtless (foiled!) The episode centers on McGarrett getting onto the USS Missouri to talk down Graham Wilson (Beach), a former Navy SEAL accused of murdering his wife, who has taken tourists on the ship hostage.  McGarrett has to hold off SWAT while the rest of 5-0 works the murder.
The episode begins with a classy still of the original Danno and In Memoriam tag for the late James MacArthur, who died last week. Then we start with Wilson running up the street, dressed in civvies and clutching a bloody knife, interspersed with images of a woman being thrown around her living room and then killed. He ends up at the USS Missouri and pockets the knife but when the police arrive, he grabs a hostage and heads up to the bridge, where a retired Marine, Ed McKay (played by none other than Robert Loggia!) is giving a tour.
When 5-0 arrives, they’re debriefed by guest star Kelly Hu, the new public safety liaison to the (unseen) governor, and as soon as she says “former Navy SEAL,†McGarrett flips into “no man left behind†mode, takes his training to heart, strips down to his cargos (whee!), bags the rest of his clothes and then Aqua Man’s (TM Danno) it over to the ship to sneak on board. There, he handily unpacks the dry clothes and tries to blend in with the hostages (we don’t get to see him change out of his wet clothes; sigh). Once civilian-ized, McGarrett gets an assist from McKay, who we of course later learn, knew McGarrett Sr. Sr. from the USS Arizona but was not onboard the vessel the morning of Pearl Harbor when grandpa McGarrett was killed.
Danny and Kelly work the Wilson house and find out that Wilson has raging untreated PTSD and the wife had a past—she and her daughter were Russian and she changed her name after she was widowed (glaring red herring, anyone?). She met Wilson at base bar in Germany, they quickly dated and married and he’s been raising her daughter, Lily, as his own. Back on the Missouri, McGarrett gets himself thrown in with the hostages, headshrinks Wilson, and they commiserate on SEAL things. McGarrett even takes the time to super glue a hostage’s head wound after Wilson smashes him into the wall.  Then Wilson gets tired of him and locks him up in the bathroom, where McKay sets him loose.
Kono takes Lily for a shaved ice and eases her into revealing that her mom fought with a man in a language she didn’t understand and behold, Russian papa is alive and well and in Hawaii to fetch his daughter (and kill his wife). While Kono is processing the reveal, he strolls up, Lily panics, and then a crew kidnaps her right out from under Kono. The team scrambles to figure out who he is and how he came into Hawaii, and once they do, they track him to an airstrip, drive right up under the nose of the private plane, and rescue the girl. On the ship, McGarrett, with an assist from McKay (who takes a bullet in the shoulder for his trouble), gets the hostages, and Wilson out alive, and Wilson is reunited with Lily.
No Mary this week, so we’re family drama-free except for the sweet scene between McGarrett and McKay about Pearl Harbor. Hu had little to do here but I’m guessing that will change. Scott Caan is off the cane and back to his normal swagger. This week, Danny and McGarrett have to argue over the phone, and in earshot of McKay, who asks if McGarrett is talking to his wife. (Hee. And, yes.)  Beach’s role involved a lot of yelling and threatening and gun waving and I always find him more compelling when he gets to be soft spoken, but I was happy to see him working.
I’m not sure if there was a no-AC clause in shooting on the actual USS Missouri, but everybody, from O’Loughlin to Beach to Loggia to the hostages, looked like they were screwed from the heat—ruddy-faced and sopping wet—which worked for the story but made me worry for the actors. Sidebar: I’m glad O’Loughlin doesn’t have to cover up his tats here, but it makes me wonder why they did cover them on Moonlight, when a post WWII-era guy would have likely had them (pre-vamping).
Next week, Jason Scott Lee guest stars as a detective and Will Yun Lee is back again. Coming up later this season, we’re going to revisit the original H50 rivalry between McGarrett and Wo Fat, who will be played by Mark Dacascos (sweet!). I am so digging the casting on this show.
Heather M
Related posts
Classics
John Griffin and Harold Perrineau Talk From on EPIX Season 1 Finale
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] How are we doing, #FROMily? In case you missed it this morning, the very good news is that that cliffhanger will be followed by a second season, which was gifted this morning ahead of the linear broadcast of the finale. I always legitimately appreciate when we…
Elizabeth Saunders Talks EPIX’s From
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] One of the things that makes EPIX’s From such a fun ride is the abundance of Canadian cast members. Elizabeth Saunders, who plays Donna, is a favorite from her turn on the third season of Mary Kills People, which US audiences still have not been able…
Corteon Moore Talks From “Broken Windows, Open Doors”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Tonight’s episode of From had us all in our feels as we learned through flashbacks about the Sophie’s Choice Boyd had to make to save his son, and back in the present as Boyd said his piece with Ellis before heading into the woods with…
Pegah Ghafoori Talks From “All Good Things…”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode] Tonight on From, Fatima’s anniversary celebration turned into a Colony House of horrors when a misguided Kevin let his monster bae in and she promptly killed him and left the window open for her crew. While the party devolved into terror and sent everyone running,…
Shaun Majumder Talks From “Book 74”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Tonight on EPIX’s From, Father Khatri made a bold move, kidnapping Sara instead of turning her in, and then recognizing her as a vessel for some big messages. That startling realization speaks to him on multiple levels–as a man of faith, a man trapped in…
Avery Konrad Talks About Sara’s Struggle in From “Silhouettes”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Over the course of the season so far on From, we’ve witnessed Sara’s battle against the voices telling her to to do terrible things, and tonight we saw her unravel further, threatening the Matthews and lashing out in a moment of terror with horrifying results….
Hannah Cheramy Talks From “Choosing Day”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Tonight, on EPIX’s From, the Matthews participate in the show’s version of the sorting hat, choosing where to call home–the town or Colony House. At the end of the episode, Julie makes the decision to split from her family and instead settle in with Fatima…
Ricky He Talks From “The Way Things Are Now”
[Warning: Spoilers for episode 102 of EPIX’s From.] Epix’s new series From is two episodes in and it’s already laying the groundwork for a seriously spooky season. Tonight’s episode demonstrated the careful balance of relief and horror that the show hits, with our characters’ worst fears realized, just not when…
Catching Up with Ted Lasso and Previewing Season 2
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] The not so dirty little secret about how I approach a new series is that I sometimes make a call based on the headspace I’m in at the time. It’s been a minute since I’ve picked up a show after the first season and then binge…
Interview: Henri Esteve on Grown-ish Season 3
An interview with Henri Esteve, who plays Javi on Freeform’s Grown-ish. He talks about his season three experience.
What They Said: Three Revealing Conversations from Survivor’s Remorse “Closure”
WARNING: Spoilers for Survivor’s Remorse “Closure” The latest episode of Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse featured conversations that showed characters really digging deep into their thoughts, emotions and motivations.
Two Takes: The Catch “The Knock-Off”
Who can you trust? If this episode of The Catch was any indication, the answer is just about nobody. Betrayal was running rampant as Felicity (Shivani Ghai) arose from the dead to seduce-con Margot, Gretchen (Maria Thayer, Gotham, The Mindy Project) played gold-hearted Alice 2.0 before swindling Ethan, Tessa jumped…
What They Said: Top 3 Quotable Moments from Preacher “El Valero”
Both Quincannon and Jesse refuse to give up on what they each think is rightfully theirs. While Jesse is struggling to face the consequences of his actions, Quincannon has laid his past demons to rest and is hellbent on moving forward and putting Annville on the map again. Despite a…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Supergirl “Worlds Finest”
Oh, Supergirl. That ending was cold. But I can’t hate on you because the latest episode has quickly become one of my favorites.
What They Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Black Sails “XXIII”
The dialogue in “XXIII” is phenomenal. It’s always a fun ride when Black Sails carries its viewers along without giving them the chance to catch their breath. When an episode moves at this unforgiving pace, there is no chance for a breather nor is there a respite from the information…
What Lucifer Said: Favorite quotes from Supernatural “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
Supernatural episodes are almost always funny but thanks to the dialogue and a certain man speaking said dialogue, I laughed a lot during “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” You know, when I wasn’t busy fearing for Sam’s life or wondering what in the world was going on with Dean and…
What They Said: The Flash, “Legends Of Today” and Arrow, “Legends Of Yesterday”
Two nights of Arrow + The Flash = what more could we ask for?! I don’t know what it is about blending these shows, but I can’t help but feel that every time they come together, they somehow become greater than the sum of their parts. And that’s saying a lot…
What they Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Graceland “Little Bo Bleep”
Shoot outs. Fake outs. And long-awaited revelations. “Little Bo Bleep” was a jam-packed episode that wrapped up some loose ends and totally frayed others. Â It finally gave us one Sarkissian in jail and pulled back the curtain on Briggs’ master plan, but it also set up Jakes for a world…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Poldark “Part 4”
“What have I told you, I don’t require my wife to crochet and sip tea, but I do require her to remember she’s not a beast of burden.†No, I’m not talking about The Rolling Stones! I have to admit though, just for a second, the lyrics popped into my…
3 Moments of Goodness from Brooklyn Nine-Nine “Johnny and Dora”
The most satisfying part of this season’s finale has to the Jake and Amy kiss. Well, they kiss three times but the last one is the best one — and it means something. The Charles and Rosa dynamic was also great. I love how she’s convinced he doesn’t know anything…