Hawaii Five-0 – A family affair

When I tell people that Hawaii Five-0 is my favorite drama, I usually get a lot of incredulous looks. Because, really? A re-make of a cheesy cop show? Isn’t that supposed to be regulated to guilty pleasure status? Isn’t that something you’re supposed to watch secretly and pretend you’re so much cooler than?

After this week’s episode, I say, “Screw that.” It has absolutely earned its status as my favorite drama.

I actually had a really hard time writing this review. I e-mailed An (who co-covers the show with me) with a bullet-pointed list of things that were magnificent and I had no idea how to process, begging her to help me by doing a back and forth, but alas, she was busy.  The bullet points weren’t very coherent, though, so I’m not sure even that would have worked.

One thing I think we can all agree was pretty beside the point this week was the main crime, which — and this is my one criticism of the episode — I thought was a bit of a waste. It seemed to be a crime perfectly-tailored for a mid-season episode that could have been more fleshed out and used to explore Danny and Steve’s collective issues with fatherhood It maybe could have even given us insight into Chin and Kono’s family lives. Instead it seemed more like it was giving Chin and Kono something to do for the sake of filling time. I would much rather have had an entire episode dedicated to just dealing with Danny’s brother (played by Dane Cook, whom I usually hate, but was extremely impressed by this time around). That subplot was just … it was magnificent. I think that’s really the only way I can describe it: magnificent on every level.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Scott Caan deserves all the awards in the book, in my opinion. He’s the heart of the show, the one who yanks your emotions this way and that, and he does it with effortless grace and maturity. It would be easy to lavish him with all the well-deserved praise in the world for making this episode work so well, but I think part of what allows him to be so gosh-darn good is his chemistry with the actors who played with him.

I am consistently impressed by the way the show handles Danny’s divorce and relationship with his ex-wife, Rachel (Claire van der Boom). It’s so rare in TV shows to see a divorce handled well; to see that two people can (and clearly do) love and care for each other, but are so clearly not meant to be married. (Actually, I’m still pretty surprised they ever got married in the first place, considering how fundamentally different from each other they are, but what can you do.) I live in mortal fear, however, that the writers are going to take the approach of having them always be a longing, bitter, will-they-won’t they — or worse, have them backslide into a relationship. For the love of God, I need that not to happen. First of all, it would be trite; second of all, I think Danny deserves a chance to move on and find some love of his own; and third of all, I’m still stuck on the fact that I cannot see how they ever worked together as more than friends. I enjoyed the episode-ending hug for what it was — Danny seeking comfort from the one person who had known Matt before the whole mess began — but please, please, please, writers, let’s just leave it at that.

And then there’s the Steve and Danny relationship, which … oh man, let’s be honest, that’s what’s been holding up this review the most.  I really have no idea how to discuss it without devolving into happy, incoherent hand-flapping. Honestly, it’s better and more fulfilling to me than 90% of the actual romantic couples on television. The way those two characters play off each other, trust each other so implicitly, and are such a dynamic, perfect fit is what writers and showrunners and anyone who is involved in creating a show dreams of. You could have an entire episode entitled “Danny and Steve argue like an old married couple while driving around Hawaii,” and it would still be a great show. There’s something about the chemistry between Scott Caan and Alex O’Loughlin that makes them both become better actors by virtue of being with each other, and neither of them is exactly a slouch. Sure, Danny is a more obviously well-acted character because Steve’s character is intentionally stoic and wooden, but put them together and  you get the most emotional, gut-punching scenes in the show.

Part of me, especially after this episode, wants to start one of my classic Merlin-esque campaigning for Steve and Danny to get together — you know, like that — and part of me recoils at the idea. I mean, I certainly would not object if it ever came to pass, but I also can’t help but feel it’s a little redundant. They’re already functionally a couple, as far as I’m concerned. What would change if they did get together? They already discuss all their deep and personal feelings, grab and touch each other with unnecessary frequency, and give each other lingering and meaningful puppy eyes at the end of every emotional scene. (Alex O’Loughlin, in particular, is gifted at these looks. If there was an award for “Best Face Acting: Eye Category”, I would hand it to him in a heartbeat.) What I really want, if I get down to it, is more of what’s already going on between them, only in every episode. Maybe with a bro-hug.

Actually, that’s a good summation of  what I want from every Hawaii Five-0 episode; something exactly like this, but perhaps with bro-hugs. Between any members of the Five-0 team, really. I’m not picky. I just want more.

Clacked by Julia Hass
on Feb 23, 2011 @ 15:00 EST5EDT