Several thousand “Hawaii Five-O” fans celebrated a unique Veterans Day “Sunset on the Beach” celebration with the police drama’s all-star cast last night in Waikiki. Blessed are the fortunate and the patient, who get to share the glow of the smiles from Alex O'Loughlin, a very dapper Scott Caan, and the buoyant Beulah Koale in living, breathing real life, along with all the other favorites.

Most loyal viewers had to be content with seeing the team in television land, with the islands on screen, for Episode 6 of Season 8, “Mohala i ka wa ka maka o ka pua” (Unfolded by the Waters Are the Faces of the Flowers).

The well-meaning Danny convinces the team to engage in an intervention for Steve, to little avail, and a "cop" who kills makes the team dive into the mind of a murderer with dissociative identity disorder.

Fun but failing intervention

Danny is so concerned about Steve's seemingly “casual” approach to dealing with his health issues from radiation poisoning, that he stages an intervention right in his partner’s living room. Steve actually seems quite at ease after a swim with Eddie, who gives a shake and a shower to Danny. Nonetheless, each member of the “Hawaii Five-O” extended “ohana” takes part in describing why better attention physical and mental health is important for the commander. Kamekona (Taylor Wily) threatens a price hike in shrimp if measures are not undertaken.

Junior Reigns (Beulah Koale) pipes in with a vigorous defense of his benefactor and future boss, noting how his military and life experience is put to use and reflected in daily life. In a very playful exchange, Danny’s tinges of jealousy regarding the relationship of Reigns and Steve flare momentarily. He insinuates that the views of the rent-free tenant should be taken lightly, and the expressions are priceless.

Enter Chloe Gordon (Jolene Purdy) straight from Steve's kitchen, saying she will be shadowing him through the day to recommend stress-reducing practices to facilitate sound health. Steve responds to a call from a crime scene with more politeness than ever, but the stress-reduction attempts are already rendered useless. They approach the scene of two tourist surfers shot dead and caught on cell phone camera, apparently by an Officer Mathis, but Duke (Dennis Chun) is in disbelief since that officer died several years ago.

The stress coach is already toast from seeing dead bodies, and the road doesn't get any easier with Steve's usual driving style and the boisterous exchanges between the “bromance buddies,” this time getting into it over intimate matters with girlfriends, who happen to be friends with each other. The personal matters get too close for comfort for public servant Steve, and just one "cargument" provides enough notes for the coach to have a book!

The trigger man gets triggered

Details reveal that Officer Mathis died of heart disease and that he has a 30-year-old son and an ex-wife on the island. Danny and Steve go to the home to find the mother, Ms. Nelson, long-deceased in bed, and a variety of psychotropic medications prescribed for the son, Oliver Nelson (Michael Weston), on the counter, along with children's blocks.

The son has moved into defense mode with his mother's death and without medication. Another victim is nearly beaten to death, and relates that his assailant “became like a different person” from the one who said, “Mommy said I could watch TV.” Alicia Brown (Claire Forlani) is called in to provide details and background into dissociative identity disorder, and she presumes that Oliver is under the command of his “protector” personality, generally violent, and may kill many more times. During the investigation, Oliver calls wanting “Mommy’s” help with his latest victim at his feet.

Alicia intervenes, trying to allow time for the team to track Oliver, but he successfully eludes them, even after Duke lures him into a police station office and locks him there.

He drives a cruiser to his home, and Alicia convinces Steve to let her put on the mother's dress and “go in and get” the child who is truly at the root of this killer.

Meanwhile, Ms. Gordon is completely committed to providing her full-day assessment of stress-reducing strategies, never realizing how ridiculous it is to even picture Lt. Commander McGarrett behind an exercise treadmill with an office plant. Her suggestions to Danny, and his retorts, clearly are evidence that the “back-and-forth” contention between these life-and-death partners is what they live for, no matter the cost.

With the mother, preparing a tuna sandwich with extra mayonnaise and banana slices, cut long ways, Brown entices Oliver into an embrace and removes the gun from his hand.

This murderer will be safely contained, and the team celebrates with a typical shrimp dinner.

Ms. Gordon is allowed to make her recommendations without being interrupted, but Steve and Danny depart for a heart-to-heart over this "silly" effort. Steve admits that he is grappling with fears about his condition himself, and assures that the bond between them is “forever,” per the meaning of “BFF.” Before they can get back to the table, the familiar bickering resumes.

Next week is set to be heart-wrenching, as Steve’s hand is forced during a bank heist. Have tissues handy.
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