The Steve McGarrett Story – No 112 #H50 Epi 5:19- The Mirror has Two Faces

We continue our story from here

Sorry, but this all became a lot longer than I ever thought it would. My first thoughts were that I will say, “I enjoyed this one, now enjoy the pictures”. But in the end I think ones passion for something can’t be hidden.

I guess no Alex fangirl can ask for more than nearly a whole episode of Steve fighting off baddies all on his ‘own’ ……. 🙂 The rollercoaster of Steve’s emotions and reactions during this episode, reminded me a bit of how his life changed around from lite banter, going on through anger and BAMF-ness to total disbelieve, from the start to the end of the season finale of Season 1 (The full menu, perfectly portrayed by Alex …… )

I like the idea of Steve taking time off to take care of himself, to pamper himself a bit, so to speak. And that shaving scene was done beautifully…. *sigh*

Odell: You clean up nice McGarrett.

Steve: Not bad.

Odell: I like to see myself as an artist. You know some canvasses are better than others.

(I’m kinda sure that who ever wrote this scene and that dialogue, has got a small man-crush on Alex/Steve 😆 )

But the history of Steve over the past five years of never being clean-shaven unless in uniform, makes his sudden need for a clean shave a bit odd to me. Especially calling in a special favour from Odell to get it done so early in the morning. I would have liked a small motivation behind it – just to make it more real (more believable, in character – call it what you will). Something like Steve pampering himself for a blind date that evening (high time for our boy to get out there and test the waters of a new relationship. 😛 ) Or probably more believable, a military function he was invited to later that day,  that he needs to attend in full dress uniform. No need for adding any extra scene – just a small sentence about it could have been a nice touch to keep Steve in character.

I really love the idea of a barber/ lawyer character for the show. For me, allowing somebody to give you a  straight razor shave, is the ultimate form of trust. For some reason Steve trusts and likes Odell and after this ordeal they should be even closer friends (Great interaction between the 2 actors and I hope we see more of it in future. They gave us a good verbal duel, without any venom and resentment attached too it – if that makes any sense). 😀

At least we know where Steve’s mind is at – Mother Doris. I guess his thoughts must be going around in circles, since she helped the team to rescue Danny. I know I am very much in a minority, but I still believe in Doris. Her life has been a string of actions of doing so many wrong things but for the right reasons. I still want to believe that there is goodness in her heart. Something far beyond our expectations of who she really is…….

Some laughs and thoughts of this episode:

• I guess product sponsors  would not like it if someone claims something is wrong with their phone, like a dead battery – hence Steve’s phone in the car as an excuse. Which was not at all unbelievable to me either – some people do give themselves some space for a short time, without distraction.  I saw some comments of why Steve would have his gun but leave his phone. He would have  had it strapped on him, on his way to work. And they always keep it strapped to their bodies – never take it off while driving. And an officer will never leave his gun unattended. (Not sure about American law on carrying guns, but where I come from you either have to carry it on your person or lock it in a safe)
• Eran got shot in his knee cap – and is still capable of walking and running. And then later shot in the right shoulder, but still using that arm very easily when keeping Odell hostage. 🙂
• Eran running into the barbershop – but the gang rolls up in SUV’s only after a while (not really close on his heals were they? 😀 ).
• The light streaming through at the bottom of the security door in some scenes. (not very tightly closed and secure there, is it?) 😀
• This laugh I got from some comments on twitter: I totally missed the dialogue at first, but the comments about it gave me a good laugh – The Armenian guy asking Steve to think of the story of the ‘Three Little Pigs” – as far as I can remember the wolf landed in the pot of boiling water at the end of it. (Not a good analogy for the Armenian guy to use then – or was it?  😕 )
• I have also seen quite a number of online debates on the gunfire and HPD (lack of quick) response to it. Trust me, to pin point the location of the source of gunfire is not that easy. First of all you are not always sure you hear correctly at first. Then the direction of the wind and the ricochet of the sounds against buildings obscures the recognition of the direction from where it is coming. And then if anybody even called in to report it (many think somebody else will), there might as well have been many calls, all giving different locations and direction. However it is odd for a policeman to patrol on his own, I think. But surprising and killing them both (if there were two), could have been just as easy for the gang to do.

Just some trivia: A word of welcome to the crazy world of Steve McGarrett, to Alex’s new stunt double Paul Lacovara . He’s got an impressive resume, but also big shoes to fill here. I like what I have seen (but not always noticed of him at first 😀 ), in the episodes he’s been in. (Smooth transition, good resemblance)

Back to Steve……..

Steve  realisation that he protected a criminal and his reaction was phenomenal to watch. Then sharing the news of Eran’s death with his dad. Steve showing some compassion towards a thug, who raised a monster – that already gave me a big lump in my throat……

Garig Dobrian: He is dead, right?

Steve: I’m sorry.

Garig Dobrian: He was a monster. But he’s still my son. Thank you, for doing what I couldn’t.

Then at the end we see Steve going to a basement alone. In the basement is a door with 5 external locks (all opened up already), leading to a room. There we see evidence of objects (toys and clothes) associated with children. Not sure if they are supposed to be memorabilia of the killer, toys to play with for children he kept there or toys he used to lure the children? In a shoebox Steve finds a stack of around 30-40 pictures of young children staring up at him – all apparently the victims of a monster!

But it is not just any monster, it is somebody Steve spent, the better part of a morning, protecting. Protecting and comforting and in the end killing, while in the process risking his own life and nearly losing a new friend.

The scene is maybe very underplayed, with the bare minimum of information to make us care. But Steve’s display of emotions and tears are not only coming from a day of high tension, fending off a gang of killers, in the end stopping (killing) a serial monster, but also the knowledge of the extent of what was already lost. A very powerfully emotional end. A very heavy load for Steve to carry alone in this moment…….

It does however raise a few questions for me. How could they be sure that all the kids were already dead? Did he ever keep them there? Or did he just capture them to kill them immediately? Where are their remains? But most of all, the most pressing question, is that with so many children missing, why was the State of Hawaii’s finest not involved with solving the case of the children missing? And even that is most probably possible even in a smaller community like Hawaii. It easily happens that these kind of cases occurring in crime riddled, gang “owned” maybe poorer communities, somehow falls through the cracks. And that makes the horror of it even worse.

My personal afterthoughts:

Maybe a shorter more condensed and believable gunfight at the barbershop could have been done, with a small bit more detail of Steve actually working out where to find Odell and Eran at the pier in the end. And just a few more details to the extent of Eran’s transgressions, to make his evilness more real to us as viewers.

 We now have 6 episodes left for this season and with a ‘small’ break of 3 weeks coming up, I thought to share some of my thoughts of the season thus far.

Things I’ve been missing about the show this season:

• The Governor – is Five-0 even still working for him? We have heard small references to him, but have not seen him since Episode 4:08.
• Steve in uniform (only once in Epi 507) – no real references to his roots and connections as a Navy SEAL.
• Steve shirtless: I know this is shallow – but it is part of the pretty of the show (He is an athletic and physically active Navy SEAL, living in Hawaii – totally out of character for him to be dressed all the time. 😉 )
  
• A real Ohana/Team feeling (especially with this episode – not even one point of connection between Steve and his team.) I am one of the people watching this show purely for Alex/Steve, but for me his connection with his team, has always been what the show is about. As seen even and especially in a ‘disconnected’ odd episode like 320 – Steve on his own mission, but never more connected to them particularly in that episode’s last scene at the grave. Why and how is that missing now?
• Apart from killing off WoFat, the lack of any real development in Steve’s story.

Things I like about Season 5

• Grover’s one-liners. ( I do not know how much the writers and how much Chi himself brings to it – but they are pure gold)
• They actually found good ways to incorporate Jerry in the show. (I am really amazed that they found some odd circumstances that fit his character perfectly)
• Interesting twists to the cases of each week, even if it is sometimes a bit far-fetched and disconnected from reality.
• Great guest stars – with excellent performances and actual recurring roles and proper dialogue (in many episodes having to fill in for the missing main cast members).
• The new pants. I know most of you would like lighter pants, but for me the shape and size and hugging fit, together with all the interesting zippers on those pants, are fascinating (Small things amuses small minds I guess. If those are small things? 😛 )

Things I still wonder about (not that they are significant at all)

• From last season – Why did WoFat kill Ian Wright (Nick Jonas)?
• Why did WoFat think Steve would know where his father was? And where is his father?
• What is in “Uncle” Leonard’s parcel? (The one he left with Steve when he and Deb got married)
• Will Jason (The Exterminator) ever use those matches……?

Interesting what a big difference our reflexion makes in the mirror. The more even or alike the features on both sides of our faces are, the closer the likeness are of what we see and what other see when they look at us. But what is real? Is it what we see of ourselves or what others see of us? Or is it what we let them see……. ?

A well deserved rest for our Koalified smart-ass?

– Hawaii Five-0: Episode 519 –

Kahania (Close Shave)

To be continued ……..