Christmas on “Hawaii Five-O” is the season for bonding as “ohana” and counting blessings for the favorite Friday night crime-fighters in TV land. Faithful fans put aside wrapping packages to enjoy their usual party with the best perpetrator-busting team in paradise, and the ratings for Season 8 still tell a great story. Even with a fractional downward adjustment of .1, “Hawaii Five-O” swept the night, by the numbers, for the crucial 18-49 demographic. The 9 PM ET first part of the holiday two-parter garnered 8.5 million viewers, and the second warm and cozy Christmas tale of stealing Santas had 7.7 million tuning in, making the show the top-viewed show in its timeslot.
Maybe some fans got a little sleepy since they are not used to watching in the 10 PM slot.
No one was sleeping during the gut-wrenching struggle to save Detective Danny Williams’ life after a gunshot to his lung in “I ka wa ma mua, I ka wa ma hope” (The Future Is in the Past). Fans who were sure they had seen Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett do everything over the last seven years saw him perform surgical feats to save his partner, all while everyone in “Five-O” was trapped by a bomb in quarantine.
Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan continue to demonstrate a kind of kinship, between the two characters, that appears to go far beyond blood. The new members of the team, Meaghan Rath as Tani and Beulah Koale, as Junior, are proving their worth and earning their badges, much as Junior did at the close of the second episode, “Oni kalalea ke ku a ka la’au loa” (A Tall Tree Stands Above the Others).
Here are a few more Christmas episodes “Hawaii Five-O” that are “can’t miss” heart-warmers, and worthy of a holiday revisit.
Hana’a’a Makehewa (Desperate Measures)
Despite aging extremely well, the members of “Hawaii Five-O” certainly looked a lot younger back in this 12th episode of Season 1. Danny’s daughter, Grace (Teilor Grubbs) was just a little girl back then, too, looking forward to spending Christmas with dad.
The story opens with Danny trying to get a Santa suit better tailored to him than the one worn by Kamekona (Taylor Wily). When Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim) is taken hostage and strapped to a bomb at the bidding of Victor Hesse, unheard-of measures are taken to spare his life. Hesse (James Marsters) was the man who killed McGarrett’s father, and Steve must deal with this arms-trading terrorist in order to free Chin.
Performances are captivating and gripping throughout this episode, that brings the first appearance of nemesis, Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos), who torments and mystifies the noble Steve McGarrett for years. Chin is rescued, and Christmas comes. Sweetest of all is the ending scene, with the team providing seamstress skills on daddy Danny’s suit, all worth the hug from Grace.
Ke Kaha Mamao Aku (Longshot)
A search for a reasonably-priced Christmas tree leads to an epic “cargument” in this Season 5 episode. Danny insists that Steve is a “ruiner of Christmas” after the Commander convinces the detective to let him cut down a tree from a national forest reserve. Meanwhile, Dr. Max Bergman (Masi Oka) is confronted by a rival medical examiner, from his past, while the team investigates some ugly deeds, on a ranch, resulting in the death of a young cowboy.
Ravi Patel guest stars as the unwelcome medical examiner. Both professionals resolve their issues in peace, but not before airing their grievances.
The tree looks lovely in the Williams living room. Officer Pua knocks on Danny's door, with a summons for him and the tree, but the detective convinces him that the matter should wait until after Christmas morning.
Ka’ili aku (Snatchback)
This Season 7 episode is set days before Christmas and includes a tour de force performance of heart and heroism by Daniel Dae Kim as Chin Ho Kelly. Chin has already taken his niece, Sara (Londyn Silzer) to his heart. He has given her a home and is considering plans to adopt her. He and “Hawaii Five-O” are celebrating his birthday and the holidays when he departs in a desperate rush.
Sara has been kidnapped from her “family” in Mexico, and he and the team now race to her rescue.
Drug lords and danger on every side fill this episode, along with a revelation about the shocking identity of Sara’s father. Seeing Chin in “father mode," as protector and provider and with such tenderness, is a touching experience. Daniel Dae Kim’s face portrays all the emotion needed as he reads Sara’s list to Santa. His tough side has to fight in the following episode which occurs in Mexico.
These glimpses of “Hawaii Five-O” Christmas joy will leave any viewer craving more, so beware that giblet gravy and grandma’s pie may not be proactive to binge-watching.
