Episode Title: “Wahine’inoloa” (“Evil Woman”)
Writer: Stephanie Sengupta
Director: Steve Boyum
Previously on “Hawaii Five-0”
Episode 3.07 “Ohuna” (“The Secret”)
“Hawaii Five-0” mixed it up a bit this week, pitting McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin) against a cunning madame posing as a therapist in a deadly mind game. And taking a break from all the high-speed chases, gun fights and fisticuffs to watch an “Evil Woman” try to get the best of McG was totally worth it.
When a local man is shot, doused with gasoline, burned alive and then hit by a car the team is on the case. And man, it sure sucks to be that guy, who as Kono put it, was having a pretty bad day. It turns out the victim was a patient of therapist, Olivia Victor (Vanessa Marcil). When McGarrett and Kono (Grace Park) pay the doctor a visit, she immediately gets under McG’s skin as she successfully profiles him while destroying evidence. McGarrett is quickly convinced she’s the killer. Of course, savvy viewers were on to the good doctor as soon as we laid eyes on her. When was the last time you saw a shrink hosing down her car in cutoffs and cowboy boots?
What was fun about this scene and subsequent interactions between McG and Olivia was just how easily and calmly she was able to call him out on his “Mommy/Daddy issues.” Danny (Scott Caan) had the right of it – no one stands up to Commander McGarrett without getting cold cocked, cuffed or both. As Olivia burrowed deeper and deeper into Steve’s head, he became increasingly obsessed with proving her guilt. We know McG’s a pretty smart guy, which is why it was obvious he was acting on emotion when he decided to meet with Olivia after she slapped him with a restraining order.
In the end, McGarrett was right. Oliviawas a “therapist,” that is if you consider paying for sex therapeutic. But she was also a murderer whose blood trail began when a private investigator started blackmailing her clients, which included the poor fool who was shot, burned alive and hit with a car. And we, the viewer knew McGarrett was right as well. The real question was whether Olivia would get over on McGarrett, even after pretty much confessing to the crime. It’s too bad she didn’t as I think Olivia Victor would have made for a fun reoccurring villain.
Unfortunately, the rest of the episode wasn’t quite as satisfying. While McGarrett tangled with the murderous madame, Catherine (Michele Borth) was visited by Agent Channing (Carlos Bernard), the WITSEC guy she hustled over a game of pool a while back. Remember him? Well, he showed up at Catherine’s house demanding answers about a guy named “Mangosta,” another ghost from Momma McGarrett’s past. According to Channing, Mangosta is on the island and after Doris, though she’s convinced she successfully assassinated him thirty years ago.
All of this; the sudden appearance of Agent Channing, the Mangosta backstory and the confusion over Momma McG’s assassination mission feels rushed and isn’t all that interesting. If anything it seems like a thin “B” story attempt to keep the Doris McGarrett plot going. I kinda wish Mary and Morty were still in town. Though I will say that watching Christine Lahti torture a man with a car battery and jumper cables was ridiculous and awesome.
With Catherine’s promise to Doris to keep her attempt to “jump start” Mangosta in a warehouse a secret from McGarrett, you can imagine what happens next. As we were reminded in this episode, McGarrett doesn’t like it when people defy him. Adding another needless layer to Doris McGarrett’s already shady storyline wasn’t necessary, especially when there’s already so many questions lingering. Like where is Wo Fat? Why did she let him get away again? Oh wait, she didn’t but McGarrett doesn’t believe her. So what’s he going to do about it and when? All of this needs to be resolved soon, rather than compounded with another shadowy figure from Doris’ past who we don’t really care about. The point is “Hawaii Five-0” needs more madams who play mind games with McGarrett and less terrorists looking to take out his momma.
