We continue our story from here
There are three more episode to cover until we get to No 100. I presume the show does not take itself too seriously and so I hope they will forgive me for having some “fun” with it (or maybe making some fun of it). We’ll be doing this episode a bit differently – going to recap the story fairytale that started three and half years ago. During our count down, when we reach that period, we did not have all the details of what was happening at the time. But it’s been revealed to us over the first few episodes of this season and we saw it in the countdown the last few days. This story is not about Steve’s personal life, but it reflects upon him and will definitely affect him and his Ohana for the time to come……
BE AWARE:
This story might contain loads of #nitpicking, #sarcasm, #drama,#realism and maybe even #blackhumour.
And if you thought that the ending to this episode was one of the best ever done on Hawaii Five-0 – please don’t read further. I don’t want to spoil your fun.
Three and a half years ago, Matt Williams came to Hawaii to visit his brother Danny. But it was just a smokescreen, because he was actually on the run from the FBI. The poor guy made some mistakes with hedge funds he was administrating and lost $58 million in one day, then stole money to hide it and then he turned to criminals and by helping them to launder money, trying to get some money to cover his tracks with and replace that which he lost.
I’m not sure exactly when or how Matt got Marco’s money. Either he arrived in Hawaii with some bags full of cash (supposedly $18 500 000, that would weigh around 185 kg ), or it was handed to him while he was already on the island. But it does not really matter when and how he got it, it still would have been a bit difficult to manage anything like that, while being under surveillance of the FBI at the time. Also a bit difficult to imagine how he would be transporting cash like that on planes and through customs?
(But that’s his problem, not mine or apparently that of the writers 😀 )
Matt really had a busy time while he was on the island for 2 or 3 days. He looked after his niece, Grace Williams for a whole day and then hang with Danny’s family and Steve for the whole evening. The next day he was also relaxing on the beach with Rachel and Grace and kept an appointment with some other Colombian drug dealers (Pedro Fuentes, accountant of the third most powerful cartel in Colombia). They negotiated that Matt would launder 10 million dollars for him via Singapore. I deal that apparently fell through – or did it?
When Danny learns about some of Matt’s transgressions via the FBI, he confronts Matt, who realises that he will have to flee the country. He needed to find a spot to hide the money…..He somehow evaded the FBI that afternoon and found a remote spot, two hours drive from the city. Then without anybody seeing him, he dug a hole (or two) big enough to bury a number of bags in it. The most amazing thing about this, is that he must have found really magical bags that could keep the money clean, dry and save underground for the 3 ½ years since then. After that he must have taken a shower and boarded a plane in his white suit, while Danny stood helpless watching him leave…
It took Marco all this time to find Matt and try to force him to give his money back. According to him, Matt told him that the money is on Oahu and that his brother Danny knows where to get it. And over the last few days we see how Danny realises where to find the money. (And the moral of the story is, don’t throw away old postcards 😀 )
But let’s continue with our present story…….
We see Steve rushing over to Danny’s house with screeching tires, to find a distraught Danny with the money.
Just for some mindless fun: Hawaii must have the best and quickest guys, that do auto body repairs, anywhere. A perp landed on Steve’s truck that afternoon and that evening the repairs are done. (If you don’t believe me, go and watch Epi’s 503 and 504 again) They worked so quickly they forgot to replace the Chevy sign 😀
Steve: Whoa. You all right?
Danny: Yah, except for the fact that Reyes said that Mattie owed him eighteen and a half million dollars. You see this, it’s only thirteen million dollars.
Steve: Are you sure?
Danny: Yes, I am positive. I counted it three times.
Steve: So Mattie must have taken some to help himself disappear.
Danny: Yeah. And now I am Five and a half million dollars short. And I have two days to come up with it all of it or my brother is dead.
I wonder what Steve was doing when Danny called 😛 , because he came rushing over and running in. Did Danny not call him as soon as he found the money. Danny had a 2 hour drive back from the remote spot and he had time to count the money 3 times, before Steve got there 😀
And I am also wondering, how sure Danny can be that he found all the money that was buried there. Maybe the rest was still under the ground around there. Realistically Matt only had that one case with him – hardly enough space for 5½ milion dollars. Did he have enough space to take that much with him?
So first thing next morning Danny rushes off to a loan shark in town. Lucky for him, the guy turns him down. #wiseguy 😀 . Think this guy must have made his calculations properly – give Danny the money and when he can’t pay it back, you can hardly go on and break his bones to get it back (because he is Five-0). And a good betting man would also not put that amount of money at risk for somebody that might not get back from visiting a Colombian drug lord. And can you think of the repercussions for the team and their work in future, if a guy like that gave Danny the money and then have a hold on him he can use against them. Not to mention that it would take Danny a lifetime (or more) to give back!
In comes Chin to the rescue……..
Chin: Listen, Steve told me about the money. I figured you’d come here first.
Danny: Ah-ha. Well he turned me down
Chin: Danny, that’s a good thing. The last thing you want in this world is to owe a man like Ko.
Danny: Right. Well, if it meant saving my brother, I’d go for it, you know.
Chin: I hear that. But there are other ways.
Danny: Really. I’m short five and a half million dollars. I really don’t see any other ways.
Chin: I may have one.
So Chin, who knows he is under IA surveillance, rushes of to see his ex brother-in-law, Gabriel, and ask him for money. But “luckily”, Gabriel also turns him down.
I fail to see how this is any different to ask him for the money, than to ask any other criminal for money, which he warned Danny about? Does Chin really want to owe Gabriel anything?!! 😕
But just as luck might have it, someone started knocking Gabriel around in prison and he wants some protection. He offers Chin the five and a half million in exchange for moving him to a more secure facility with a private cell. And even luckier for Chin the local auto bank teller in prison carried enough cash on a Saturday and Gabriel was able to draw him the $ 5 500 000. #sarcasmgalore
And I’m wondering how much of these dealings did IA picked up on and how long will it take them to do anything (maybe another 10 episodes)? And for all his effort, I really think Chin should have asked for a bit more – just so that the team could have enough to throw a nice Christmas party this year. Or maybe for a nice wedding present for Kono & Adam. But that’s just me 😀 (IA won’t distinguish who it was for, so why not a bit extra?)
And I am starting to feel like I’m watching “The Shield” and its corrupt cops. When will they cross the line and forget how to get their way back?
We must have missed the operation that happened of camera, because somewhere along the line, highly train and decorated Navy SEAL and Task Force leader Steve McGarrett, must have had a lobotomy! That can be the only explanation for what happened next. Together with his best friend and police partner, he flies to a foreign country. With them 18,5 million dollars of illegal money. They have no back-up. They have no fire power. They have no intel of the place they will visit. They walk in to a place, without keeping back any form of insurance or leverage. And they expect to find Matt there without even getting any proof of life. What happened to the SEAL’s view of minimizing risk he told Chin about, three years ago?
To get there, Steve and Danny travel the 9000 km to Colombia – of course it is about a 11 hour flight (Most probably by private plane, speed boat or maybe a spaceship 😀 ) I’m not sure about rules on these private planes and how they are checked for what goes on them – but maybe immunity and means makes traveling with that kind of money possible? No nasty hassles by immigration to get it passed them I presume?
They arrive at the address in Colombia, where Reyes is (just as Danny expected) surrounded by a whole “army” of 3 men. 😀 Interesting place to be hanging around in and waiting for that minute, if and when Danny might pitch up with the money (Not very comfortable for such a high roller I would say). And if we ever wondered about it, Danny and Steve are really really very strong dudes, because between the two of them, they carry the 185kg easily. Hardly breaking a sweat (oh sorry, they did look hot and sweaty and sexy 😛 ) , but they hardly looked like they struggle to manage that 92 kg each (46 kg in each hand)
And of course, I could have told them so…… Reyes does not even bother to count the money. They could have easily arrived there without the added 5,5 million dollars Chin got them, and Reyes would have not been the wiser.
(Tip for TV crooks – If you do not want to look like an idiot counting the money, but you still want to be sure your money is all there, weigh the money. Apparently $1 000 000 weighs 10 kg. Therefore the eighteen and a half would have weighed 185 kg – That’s what I got when I Googled it, so hopefully it is accurate 😀 )
And Danny asks to see Matt. And they wheel out the barrel with what they say is the remains of Matt. And Danny reacts the opposite of what most normal people would do. Most would want confirmation, get closure and make sure it is true……… But no, he does not even try to open the barrel to see if it is really Matt’s remains in there. But then again, maybe he realised that Matt can hardly be identified in there and must have been liquidized, because that would be the only way for him to be inside that barrel. Take a closer look! This is a barrel for liquid. One without a lid! Only a small opening with which you surely would need a funnel to get anything in there and only in liquid form. But hold on………
This week we learned that with a crowbar or pliers, it can be opened and does have a lid. And that must be the reason why Danny did not open it – he was in such a hurry to get there, he forgot to pack the crowbar.
After Danny tries to hit Marco (his go-to reaction over the past few episodes ), the men takes Steve and Danny upstairs and leave only Marco behind. The two of them overpower the “Army of 3” and throw one of the guys downstairs. Seems to me that if you are angry, one also become bulletproof, because without protection, Danny walks down the steps to challenge Marco (In my opinion most crime bosses might have been armed and could easily shoot unprotected Danny – I might have seen to many movies) At least Steve was wise enough to wait a bit to come downstairs. (What happened to going through the door first, oh brave one?) 😀
And then in an #Oscarwinningperformance (#pardonthepun #getawaywithmurder), Danny shoots Reyes……..
What then?
According to Steve a coroner examined the body……. and I am asking myself how things could have possibly played out after Danny shot Reyes?
- Did they call the Colombian police? And how did they explain their presence there with the illegal money that they had with them. And the dead unarmed real estate businessman lying on the table?
- If they did not get the police there, did they maybe smuggle the barrel with the dead Matt back on a plane of to the States? (And I’m imagining how they carry that barrel upstairs, load it in a car, with all their money bags) Wracking my brain to think how they would explain that one to the guys at customs when they arrive back home? – ‘This is my fugitive brother that got killed by criminals in Colombia and we are just bringing him home……’
My questions:
- Why did Marco take such a long time to set his ultimatum for Danny? Why did he not just arrive and say to Danny that he’s got Matt and that Danny needs to bring him the money of Matt will die.
- Why did Marco kill Matt before he told him where the money was? Was it an accident? What kind of dumb criminal kills his only leverage?
- What kind of dumb policeman believes him? Sorry Danny, Steve and Chin, but somebody had to ask it! NO matter if they believed him, while they had the money and on home soil, they always had the power.
- Without anybody asking the question, I am wondering, what did Matt die off? Was he shot? Did Marco shoot him? Maybe he was already shot /wounded when Marco found him and he couldn’t save him to ask where his money was? Maybe Marco did not even kill Matt? In Epi 413, Steve said: “Suspecting and proving murder are two very different things.”…….
My personal opinion:
Lots of viewers, including some in my household, doubted if Matt was really dead. For me that is not good storytelling, if a crucial fact like that is not clear to viewers. I really think this story should have taken up a whole episode (and not lasted over several ones, with silly mistakes in it). And by showing some proper investigation and planning, the team could help Danny properly. They could get to the bottom of what happened to Matt and then deal in a properly planned manner, like real cops would.
I really do not like that this storyline made Danny out to be a mindless murdering criminal, who did not think twice to take his two best friends down this hole with him. I do not even want to think about the repercussion this will have for Chin. And did he think for one minute of his daughter and what will happen to her if he dies while he went on this egotistical crusade to “save” his criminal brother? Is this really Danny?
And most of all, I do not like that they took away my image of Steve as a highly trained leader, with savvy and who would protect his people, even from themselves. What would he have told Gracie, if Danny was killed on this unplanned senseless mission? In the movie Troy, Briseis tells Achilles that she thought he was a ‘Dumb Brute’ – and this is what comes to mind when I see this Steve. He is projected here as someone without any sane training or leadership skills ……… Sorry but that is not the Steve that I have seen for the past 4 years now. He’s done some crazy stuff, but never on this level of insanity. Where is real Steve and what have you done with him?!!
😥
I know I might be a bit twisted, but after this one, I have the very nice drinking song Polka, ‘Roll out the barrel” in my head – Sorry, but I’ll have a drink now. (Maybe not from a barrel 😦 )
– Hawaii Five-0: Episode 504 –
Ka Noeʻau (The Painter)
To be continued here
Alex O´Loughlin ~ An Intense Study 