The crack crime-fighters of “Hawaii Five-O” had their hands full on the January 19 Episode 14 of Season 8, “Na keiki a kalaihaohia” (The Children of Kalaihaohia), with matters far beyond their case. Danny and Steve (Scott Caan and Alex O'Loughlin) were embroiled in a serious spat over stolen tools from their restaurant.
Naturally, the discussion diverted into everything from cargo pants versus pajamas, and who should lock the door. Adam (Ian Anthony Dale) aims to recruit a prime confidential informant, straight out of prison, for his gang division.
Tani (Meaghan Rath) contends with a terrible crisis with her brother that goes far deeper than any despicable plot of a perpetrator.
“American Idol” fans be on alert for “Home” hitmaker, Philip Phillips, in this one. He definitely captures a darker side as a diamond thief.
Sharp and shiny
Anyone willing to go through the gruesome task of digging up a corpse will do just about anything, and when a call comes in that a body has been taken from the cemetery, and the guard shot and put in his place, “Hawaii Five-O” knew that the deceased was holding something very valuable. This was not the typical drug “mule” who became a casualty in the middle of a crime, but a diamond mule, willing to go to any lengths for his cut.
Jerry (Jorge Garcia) had some fun with Danny and Steve, probing into his trove of weird and ritualistic tribal information, trying to discern just who would be involved in these gory crimes. In the meantime, Danny and Steve recruit Officer Pua (Shawn Thomsen) to track down their missing tools. He may not know the ins and outs of parlaying shrimp into information from Kamekona (Taylor Wily) but he does know how to work the case and keep the partners from coming to blows.
Adam plays personal chauffeur for Jessie Nomura (Christine Ko), greeting her right at the gates as she exits prison. He pitches to her the new profession of becoming is a confidential informant, but she declines, being wary of their past lives and connections. This role for Ian Anthony Dale is really fleshing out and is sure to be critical in coming episodes.
Adam does another solid favor for Tani, getting her brother, Koa (Kunal Sharma) on a construction crew. The dutiful sister drills him on the blessing of this opportunity, and pleas for him not to squander it. Adam pledges to stop by for lunch.
Real treasure
The team is summoned to the scene of a van, stolen from a deployed serviceman. The “cargo” is particularly ripe and reeking, with a victim’s intestines pulled out and wide open. Junior (Beulah Koale) tries to keep things light with a joke but gets rebuked by Danny for “stiff” delivery. Medical examination reveals all manner of sutures, and “Hawaii Five-O” realizes that dead or alive doesn’t matter to this villain, Voss, played by Philip Phillips, who is willing to steal even dead bodies for his precious contraband.
They go to a mortuary, finding the proprietor, an intermediary in the smuggling chain, Mr. Rice (Walt Gaines), gagged and bound, and fearing for his wife at home, doomed to become Voss’ next victim. Voss fakes a flower delivery to get in the door and forces her to open the safe. The team is hot on the trail and heads off the thief before his getaway. A fatal shot to the abdomen already reveals he ingested the precious stones, hoping to get them out of the country without notice. The sparkling stones trickle down, covered in blood.
Officer Pua finally locates the stolen tools, sold at a pawn shop, and being put to very good use by the local residents whose homes were destroyed by the devastating fire (set in the premiere episode for the season).
He doesn't have the heart to take from these resilient and determined families. He tells Steve and Danny that the lead on the tools never panned out. Danny becomes discouraged, but Steve assures him that they will keep going with their culinary dream.
A call comes for Tani that she could never imagine on her brother's first day of work. Adam finds Koa in a portable restroom, nearly dead from an overdose. Knowing the consequences for both brother and sister, Adam rushes him to Noelani (Kimee Balmilero), and she revives him from the brink of death. Tani is beside herself, stricken and speechless, as she rushes in to see her brother.
Any fan who has ever experienced a far from the ideal home situation, or been touched by the demons of drug addiction, can feel the power Meaghan Rath’s delivery in the scene.
All the emotion that Tani’s character tries to shut down comes pouring forth to her sibling, and Rath’s eyes say what words cannot.
“You need help—you’re going to rehab,” comes the resolve after he reveals that he's been using for a year. Once the hurt and shock pass, it’s positive that these two will overcome and grow together. The tough sister can’t hide her heart. The actress’ chops here prove she earned her role on the team.
Adam returns home to find Jessie on his front steps. She asks about how his brother Michael died, and he tells her the full truth of how he shot his own brother. The conviction of that confession does all of the necessary convincing for her, and she agrees to become his informant.
“Ohana” and history are the priceless treasures on “Hawaii Five-O.”
