Episode Title: ‘Ki’ilua’
Writer: Peter Lenkov and Paul Zbyszewski
Director: Kate Woods
Story:
When a reporter turns up dead, H50 is on the case. The team learns that the woman was working on a story about a CIA operation codenamed “Switchback.” Meanwhile, McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin) meets with Jenna Kaye (Larisa Oleynik), who asks for his help in rescuing her fiance from Wo Fat in North Korea.
After learning that the woman the reporter was least seen with was Jenna, Danny (Scott Caan) reaches out to McGarrett. However Jenna made a deal with Wo Fat to exchange McGarrett for her fiance. When she learns her fiance is dead, Jenna knocks out a guard and calls Danny, letting him know about the situation.
Commander White (Terry O’Quinn), along with SEAL commander, Wade Gutches (David Keith), help Chin Ho (Daniel Dae Kim), Konno (Grace Park), Danny and Weston (Lauren German) arrange transportation to North Korea. Elsewhere, Wo Fat (Mark Mascascos) has McGarrett tied up in a cell, questioning the Navy SEAL about Joe White and someone, or something, known as “Shellburn.”
Once they arrive in Seoul, Joe brings the team to a bar to meet with Frank Bama (Jimmy Buffett), an old friend and helicopter pilot who owes Joe a favor. He takes the team across the border. However, Wo Fat has already fled the compound in a caravan with McGarrrett as a prisoner. Weston, remaining on board the chopper, has Frank follow Wo Fat’s convoy. She blocks their path with a well placed shot from an RPG. When they double back, Wo Fat’s men come up against a road block, with the rest of the 5-0 team in place. Danny frees McGarrett but Wo Fat manages to escape into the jungle.
Breakdown:
‘Ki’ilua’, which means “Deceiver” felt like a Robert Ludlum novel with a “Margaritaville” twist. And once again, “Hawaii Five-0” proves itself as one of the most competent, action-packed procedurals on TV.
Touching back to the Wo Fat mystery, the team headed to North Korea to get wannabe boy scout McGarrett out of tight spot. I was a bit surprised by the anti-climatic disposal of Jenna Kaye, but her death at the hands of Wo Fat felt right at this point in the story. So much for those of you shipping a Jenna/McGarrett hook-up…
Of course the highlight of the hour was Jimmy Buffett flying “Tangerine,” a rickety old chopper better suited to housing livestock than leaving the ground. As always, “H50” has fun with its subject matter, even if it is a top secret rogue SEAL team mission in North Korea.
And it was kinda sweet to see Chin Ho pop the question to his old flame, Malia. “H50’s” been a bit touch and go with the love connections, (see Danno and ex-wife, Danno and Dr. Asano, McG and bootycall, Lt. Rollins and Konno and Fong) I’m interested to see what the angle is here. Plus, I happen to be a Reiko Aylesworth fan so call me biased. And it was also great to have Terry O’Quinn and “Lonestar’s” David Keith return to back up the team on “Operation Save Steve.”
The question now is how much more of the Wo Fat storyline will we get when “H50” returns? After spending a few hours in a North Korean dungeon with a stun gun for a wake up call,McGarrett’s got to have taking out his father’s killer on the brain. Not to mention the situation Wo Fat put Jenna in and her untimely fate.
A few additional observations on ‘Ki’ilua:’
– Did Jenna really dig a lock-picking tool out of her dead fiance’s knee? Damn, that’s gangsta.
– Since when does McGarrett speak Korean?
– Danno turns down a drink from Jimmy Buffett, saying he’d prefer a Margarita. See what they did there?
– Gotta love the 8-track player in Buffett’s chopper blasting The James Gang.
– Awww, Chin Ho’s gettin’ hitched. This won’t go well, will it?
‘Ki’ilua’ hit all the sweet spots for a sweeps worthy episode of “Hawaii Five-0.” Guest star Jimmy Buffett was put to good use as hippie helicopter pilot, Frank Bama, McGarrett was in action hero mode and we got some serious movement on the Wo Fat storyline. North Korea isn’t exactly “Margaritaville” but somehow “Hawaii Five-0” managed to pull a rather dark episode off while accommodating a very colorful guest star.
Crave Online Rating: 8.5 out of 10.
