It is time for The Different Points Of View post with a couple of other reviews. Because we typically do more of a recap right after the episode, hope you are enjoying these other diverse reviews from Manu and Linda. Seems to be going well so far so let us know and we will keep it up.
Also as we have been doing, we added our flair to the reviews so they are a little different even if you already read them elsewhere. This week we did some episode gifs. Hope you enjoy!
Emanuela Pari- Manu
Alooooha Fellow Five 0 fans 🙂
What did you think about episode 7.03? I hope you liked it as much as I did! Very different fro the 007 vibe from last week but full of all the things that we like in our favorite show.
First of all we got to know better the lady that I believe is the “new player” fro the title. Episode two introduced Alicia Brown (Claire Forlani), retired FBI Agent, specialised in profiling serial killers. Alicia was very adamant in refusing to get involved in the case when Steve and Danno asked for her help in catching the serial killer that terrorised Oahu in episode 7.01.
She was however persuaded otherwise by the villain himself (or is it herself?) when she awoke in a puddle of blood after the corpse of the latest victim was placed in her bed while she was sleeping. As she tells McGarrett, the killer knows that Five 0 came to her for help and decided to make her part of his (her) twisted game. This time the victim is not a willing participant to the game, but merely a sacrificial pawn to get things moving in the direction the killer wants them to move.
I found Steve’s comment about finding Alicia’s shaken up attitude funny, even though she has been hunting serial killers for a living all her life I don’t think anyone would stay cool finding a bloodied corpse in their bed. Oblivious Steve, just the way we like him 😉
If he thought she was a bit cold and distant in the previous encounter, this time we see a more pro-active, even slightly cheeky Alicia, when she has Detective Lau’s body exhumed, finding out that he was murdered and didn’t commit suicide, using McGarrett’s name, and forged signature to obtain results. Steve doesn’t seem to be bothered, I guess the aim justifies the means, righteously so in this case.
We see Alicia teaming up with Steve again towards the end of the episode, to go to visit the police psychologist that Detective Lau consulted before being killed, Dr. Madison Gray (Elizabeth Rohm). After a funny exchange with the Commander, which shows the two characters are getting a bit more comfortable in each other’s company, Alicia spots a book about “History of Medieval chess” in the Doctor’s office. I’m pretty sure we’ll find out in next episode the implications of that discovery for the case and in order to find out the identity of the villain. Is Doctor Gray the mastermind behind the game or just another pawn? Intriguing plot.
The second opening scene, after the credits, brings us back to Chin and his niece Sarah’s storyline. Chin seems to be resigned to loose custody of his niece after finding out that her relatives in Mexico have apparently a spotless record and very good jobs, but as Kono points out the fact that Sarah going to Mexico is “for the best” doesn’t make it hurt any less. Will Chin follow her advice of fighting for Sarah? I hope so, they are incredibly cute together and the role of daddy seems to suit Chin very well, as we saw in the sweetest scene of him combing Sarah’s hair in the previous episode.
The scene also offered a nice moment of comic relief with Kamekona and Flippa “working out” together, meaning that Flippa walked a full 54 steps from the parking lot and burned the amazing amount of 2 calories.
At the end of her conversation with Chin Kono receives a telephone call from Duke, whom always seems to be present when there’s a need for connecting Five 0 with different members of Ohana or friends, calling her to HPD in order to bail out of jail one of her ex surfing competitors, Rosey Valera. Apparently the young lady doesn’t have anybody else to rely onto.
Some fans might not particularly like when members of our team are taken out of the weekly action to attend to personal matters but I do. It helps us to get to know them better, to find out more about their past and the way they have changed over time. 12 years previously to this episode Kono and Rosey were rivals, nearly forbidden from being friends, afraid of the other’s strength and skill and faking smiles when all they wanted was to beat each other.
Now we see a very different Rosey, a veteran that has lost, as her mom says, not only her legs in Iraq but also a part of herself. During the episode the relationship between the two women goes from awkward to friendly to actually being based on trust and respect towards the end. Rosey tries to hide from Kono the fact of being homeless and tells her that she needs to sort out her life on her own. Kono doesn’t accept that and pushes Rosey towards accepting her help.
A very clever and thoughtful way of Five 0 to talk about the veterans and their difficult reintroduction into life after the trauma of war, and a way to give hope that even the most difficult hurdles in life can be overcome with help from caring people like Kono.
Of course there was also a crime of the week in the episode, a quite complex case involving DEA good and corrupted agents, a drug cartel and their greedy members and a bag containing a million dollars and eventually a very sharp shooter.
To be honest my favourite part of the crime of the week story was that it gave us quite a few funny and very likeable McDanno moments. Priceless the scene where, after being once again reminded that he only had liver transplant surgery and a near death experience six weeks previously, Steve decide to turn into Spider-man and chase the car driven by Hermando Sanchez on foot, just to realise that a very cool Danno could once again save the day just taking the elevator and shooting at the car just millimeters before it would run him over.
Another cool scene was the one in the blue room, where Steve asks Danno to play “good cop” while he pretends to be trigger happy “bad cop”. Very funny the fake disagreement between the two perfectly played with words and gestures between Alex and Scott. Danno’s references to “having an expensive suit ruined” and getting the drain clogged” were other cool interrogating gems that I really enjoyed.
Say what you will but team McDanno was, is and will always be one of my favourite parts of the show.
Another inventive way of getting rid of the bad guys was “literally” introducing Kono in the case, at the end of the episode and in the bag that contained the money. I noticed how Steve put the bag gently on the floor but was never expecting to see Kono coming out of it. Not sure if he could really have carried her like that but definitely a clever way to close the case.
The episode, on the other hand was closed with the heart lifting scene of Kono and Rosey surfing together, in this case also the music that was played was very meaningful, inciting to never surrender. BTW, Kono’s suit was just gorgeous as well in that scene.
And now of course we know that McGarrett and Alicia will get in deep trouble in next episode and I’m really curious to see how they’ll get themselves out of it and if the serial killer’s identity will be finally revealed as Dr. Gray or someone else.
Until then thank you for reading and have a great weekend and week ahead.
Linda Stein
Of all the things I have been labeled within this fandom, some nice, some rather nasty, I will easily own up to at least one. I am an eternal optimist when it comes to this show and while I am not blind to things that could be better or things that don’t make sense, I choose to concentrate on what’s great and not waste too much time with what’s not. An episode like this one makes that so incredible easy. Even though it juggled three different stories (with a discussion about a fourth), I honestly could not find one thing to complain about. Zero. Zilch. Nada.
So let’s get to it:
Chin and Sara: The discussion between Chin and Kono on the beach was a nice little bridge in Sara’s story without having to have an actual scene with Sara. Chin has reconciled himself to letting Sara go to her relatives in Mexico. He’s had them thoroughly investigated and they are good people. “Everything Gabriel was not”. That doesn’t mean he’s happy about it, in fact, he’s just as sad as little Sara is but Chin doesn’t want to put her through a custody case after all she’s already been through.
And Chin is right. After all, he has no real claim to Sara. He is not a blood relative and his living situation isn’t ideal. Of course, we know Chin would be an awesome father and we also know that with Chin’s network of family and friends there would always be Ohana there to help with Sara. We know that but a Court of Family Law will see it differently. They will see two stable, well off, blood relatives for parents in Mexico as the better option.
But, who didn’t love Kono’s little side eye about going down to Mexico to plant something on the relatives to “stall the adoption”? Chin, as well as the rest of us, know she’s only kidding but we also know our Ohana. If there was something any of them could do for Chin and Sara, they’d do it in a minute.
But you just know that even when Sara leaves, Chin will do all he can to be there for her and protect her. We will see that cutie pie again; I have no doubt. Mexico is hardly a stable place and Sara is still Gabriel’s daughter. Who knows what may come down the line with this story.
Kono and Rosie: “I don’t want to be your full-time reclamation project. I just gotta do this part on my own”. What an absolutely wonderful story this was. I love stories that allow Kono to revisit her past and her connection to the sea that gave her and taught her so much. We know how Kono’s story went. Blowing out her knee and all that came after. But Rosie’s story was simply heartbreaking.
When Rosie is arrested, she asks for Kono’s phone number, to make her one call, because she’s heard that Kono became a cop. It’s Duke who escorts Kono back to the cell where Rosie is, asking her how it is she and Rosie know each other. When she tells Duke how they were on the Pipeline Tour together and how Rosie was one of the best, you can instantly see Duke’s face change. He, of course, has seen Rosie and Kono has not. You can see the instant Duke realizes that Kono doesn’t know about Rosie. You can also see the immediate sadness in his face when he realizes how much Rosie has lost. Great bit of subtle acting there on the part of Dennis Chun.
It’s sad these two really couldn’t be friends in their competitive years. As rivals they didn’t get to know each other that well. Making this connection now, Kono can see that Rosie’s issues go well beyond the loss of her legs. I really love how they, very quickly, form a mutual respect for each other, a respect neither knew was there when they competed. Kono doesn’t patronize Rosie or try to preach to her about the way she is living her life. Kono realizes that Rosie is right. There are some things a person just has to work through in her own time.
But that doesn’t mean Kono can’t help Rosie recapture a time when life was whole and fun. Watching Rosie get back on her board and once again ride those waves was another one of those moments where this show had me reaching for the tissues. Damn, they do these types of stories so well.
Alicia and the Chess Piece Killer: There is an old joke that a Republican is a Democrat who’s been mugged. I guess the same goes for the criminal profiler who refuses to be part of a case until she finds the dead body of one of the victims in her bed. While she is sleeping in the bed. In his blood. Something like that does tend to send a message. Anyone else get a “Godfather” flashback?
We knew last week that this killer is bold. It’s now obvious he is watching every move Five-0 makes. The killer knew Steve and Danny had visited Alicia’s house but he also knew she went to HQ. What’s the body in the bed supposed to do? Scare her away from the investigation? Or, draw her in? Another worthy adversary, like Steve, being taunted to “catch me if you can”?
I’m really loving Alicia. Having Officer Lau’s body exhumed on falsified authority and signatures from Steve, to telling Steve to be sure to pay for the robe she stole from the Hilton… she’s damned ballsy. I can see why Steve’s impressed with her. She’s strong, independent, unorthodox, thinks completely outside the box, does what she wants, doesn’t follow sets of rules, finds it easier to ask for forgiveness rather than permission, is basically…. Steve! The mutual respect I see forming between these two is going to be fun to watch. Will Alicia hang around after the Chess Piece Killer is caught? Will she be part of the new longer term “big baddie” arc that’s supposed to be coming down the line? I don’t know. But, I wouldn’t mind one bit if she did.
Dr. Madison Grey: Is it really possible this is our Chess Piece Killer? From the looks of next week’s promo, Steve and Alicia have gotten too close to something… something that’s going to put their lives is extreme watery danger. The “History of Medieval Chess” book in her office is no mere coincidence, that’s for sure. When I thought Michelle Shioma was going to be our new big bad, I was thrilled. A woman mastermind… how awesome. That wasn’t meant to be, I guess, so this would be the next best thing. A woman serial killer. If Dr. Grey is our perp… I hope they don’t catch her next week. I hope somehow she gets away so this story can go on longer. I’m loving the set up and the bits and pieces added each week. Like a great crime novel, I’m flipping the pages chapter by chapter, dreading the end of the book.
COTW: Honestly, of the three stories in this episode this was the least interesting. That’s not saying it wasn’t a good story or that I didn’t enjoy it, because I did but I was more wrapped up in Kono and Rosie and in our ongoing serial killer arc. I have to say the best thing about the COTW, what did make it so enjoyable maybe wasn’t the crime itself but what revolved around it. Meaning, the great individual scenes that occurred because of it. BAMF Kono, Good cop/Bad cop, and the continued resurgence of the wonderful relationship between Steve and Danny.
BAMF Kono: With Kono not involved in the COTW for the entire episode, it was a fantastic WTF moment when she emerged from that bag. I was wondering why Steve was walking so carefully with the bag and why he set it down so gingerly. I thought at first that maybe it was a subtle nod to the fact that he is still healing. It never occurred to me Kono was inside. Even my husband jumped a bit when she emerged from that bag and he is not as easily impressed as I am! This entire episode was a slam dunk for Kono. From her story with Rosie to her BAMF bad-guy take down. And that bag!!! What a contortionist she must be. Adam is a very lucky man.?
Steve and Danny: I sure as hell hope the writers continue to give us the Steve and Danny we have grown to know and love. Three episodes in and the boys are BACK! I don’t know if Peter and the writers actually do monitor what fans say online but it sure seems like over the last year or so they might have. Might have heard us saying how much we still loved the bromance but not the bitching. How much we hoped the boys could return to the wonderful banter of old without the nasty edge to it. Well, here it is folks and I am thrilled!
Since I couldn’t figure out a way to say this any better I concede the floor to my friend Lynnette: “The garage chase was a perfect example of the difference in the way the guys’ minds work! Steve is take the bull by his horns and hang on for dear life, while Danny uses his brain first to figure out how to get said bull through the gate with a minimum of effort. It’s how they work, and there has never been a better example of it in all the previous seasons combined! That scene will go down in the annals of this show as classic H50.” I could not agree more!
Last week, with regard to little Sara, we talked a little about TV tropes (cute moppets, etc). The good cop/bad cop bit is about as classic as they come. How does this always work? Honestly, don’t bad guys on TV watch TV? Regardless, this one was hysterical and done perfectly.
“Pretend to disagree with me for a minute.” “That’s not difficult, but why?” Perfection! Considering the amount of time these two spend actually arguing, this came completely natural. I also loved that Danny chose this moment to finally explain, six plus years in, what that drain in the floor is for. “You don’t want him to get involved, because when he gets involved, things get messy. Expensive suits get ruined, the drain gets clogged….” ROFLMAO
And I absolutely loved that Steve stood back and let Danny get into Sanchez’s head. Reminded me of all the way back to the second episode of Season 1 when Danny tried to get into the head of the guy before Steve hung him off the roof. Nice to see Steve letting Danny take the lead on this one. And Danny was fantastic. He played Steve’s plan absolutely perfectly. I just love it when the writers allow Danny to be the great detective he’s always been.
6 weeks after surgery: Yes… we heard liver again. Personally, I have no problem with this and have reconciled myself to the fact that yes, we’re probably going to hear about it forever. But, to be honest, it’s not the liver mentions that bother me but the online moaning and groaning we’re subjected to for days every time it happens. I honestly wish the writers would stop it just to shut those people up!
Liver mention or not, Danny’s concern is genuine. He watched his brother almost bleed out and die in front of his eyes. If he’s over melodramatic about not wanting to risk ever seeing something like that again, so be it.
As far as Steve’s swimming is concerned:
According to Dr. Emily Blumberg, University of Pennsylvania Health System:
“It’s safe for liver transplant patients to swim in chlorinated pools. In most cases, the ocean is also okay, but patients should avoid swimming in the Chesapeake because the presence of some dangerous bacteria has been found there in recent years. If liver transplant patients experience any kind of abrasion while in the ocean, the abrasion should be thoroughly cleaned with soap and an uncontaminated water source — not the water they are swimming in — to minimize the risk of infection.”
http://penn-medicine-liver-transplant.blogspot.com/2015/07/is-it-safe-to-swim-after-transplant.html
The time frame, of course, is pure TV fiction. It’s not the swimming, per se, that’s the issue, but the fact that it’s been only 6 weeks since the surgery. So yeah, it’s too soon, ergo, why Danny is upset Steve did it!
UK National Health Service:
“Exercise: It’s a good idea to get plenty of rest when you first get home from hospital, although you should start moving around as soon as you feel able to. Start off with gentle activities, such as walking, and gradually increase how much you do over time. You may see a physiotherapist, who can advise you on specific exercises to try. Contact sports and swimming should be avoided for several months until you have fully recovered, as there is a risk of picking up an injury or infection.”
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Liver-transplant/Pages/Recovery.aspx
Lest I be accused of not doing my research or, worse, of being too stupid to read it or comprehend it properly, I have supplied the links to the pages I have quoted. For those so inclined, please feel free to read these pages and all pertinent medical information at your leisure and critique all the inaccuracies of the show to your hearts content.
Me? I’ll just be over here, enjoying the action, the suspense, the chases, the explosions, the surprises, the dialog, the Ohana, the bromance and all the damn fun. I know all my loyal readers, those who come here to enjoy all the great things this show has to offer, will be right there with me. Wine and popcorn in hand, “enjoying the ride”!?
Have a wonderful week my friends. Next week’s episode looks to be an intense thrill ride. Can’t wait until we can all share it together! Aloha. Malama Pono
Story arc comment came from Peter in an article he was being interviewed. He mentioned it would be coming after episode 7.
Good points on the other stuff too.
I think that given Chin’s job which implies being in dangerous territory as a cop, it could be very difficult for the court to grant him custody of Sara, remmeber that Danny went through a smilar thing with Grace.
There is a big bad story arc coming?? Where did you read that?
I agree about what Linda said regarding the “liver”issue.
Also I like the story of the chess serial killer but I if the story has to continue let it continue for a while but not in episodes in a row but random so it makes it more interesting and there is more mistery on it. For instance they talk about it in one episode but then in the following like 4 more episodes no talk about the case until it returns 4 episodes later and so forth. Cause if the serial killer story ends too soon, the following episodes could be a bit boring and not interesting with no drama and intensity.