Even on Halloween, “Hawaii Five-O” carries a message or moral with its storytelling. The October 26, fifth episode for Season 9, "A'ohe mea 'imi a ka maka” (Nothing More the Eyes to Search For), teaches the viewer how past history can be rewritten, and how the silence of a child can still speak volumes. Jerry (Jorge Garcia) assembles his loyal, ragtag gang of friends, including forensic lab technician (and Danny's nephew), Eric Russo (Andrew Lawrence) to join him for more than reminiscing.
The group returns to the campsite of their adolescent days, and Jerry, portrayed as his youthful self by Joshua Gonzalez, relates his tale of witnessing an axe murderer, Bo Bradley, wiping the blade of his weapon after burying a victim's body.
Once he's done further in-depth research, Jerry persuades everyone to buy into his certainty about the victim's identity, Susannah, a young woman who disappeared at precisely the same time. Taking lead from Jerry, they set out to seek justice for her.
The haunting mission for Steve (Alex O'Loughlin), Junior (Beulah Koale), and Tani (Meaghan Rath) begins with the discovery of a beautiful, red-haired victim’s body in a church, and a mother's revelation that her daughter might have drawn the crime scene in pictures days before. As it turns out, the daughter was not the artist, but another girl, Molly (Jaycee Cryan-Cadiente), whose horrendous victimization by her father was even more wicked. Mom and dad first believe that Molly is an imaginary friend of their daughter, Katie, but she and her ordeal are very real.
A deep dig
Kudos are well-earned for writers, Zoe Robyn and Sean O'Reilly for this perfectly spooky story. “Hawaii Five-O” fans are treated to virtually every classic horror movie device, from a girlfriend (Olivia Jordan) left stranded to discover decomposing victims, to perfect lighting and shadows to amplify suspense in every scene.
The name, Bo Bradley, is purposely akin to “To Kill a Mockingbird’s” Boo Radley, and characterization of each of Jerry's grown-up camper friends is completely believable, as in when one declares “I’ll dig till the vodka runs out.”
Another delight is when Noelani (Kimee Balmilero), unexpectedly, shows up to join the cause dressed as Velma from “Scooby Doo,” and bearing ground-penetrating radar.
It doesn't take long for the intrepid excavators to hit on something, but Noelani confirms that the bones are canine. Jerry is still convinced about where the wronged woman lies, and he turns out to be right about that, but not about the killer.
Not long after asking Katie (Saini Tuimanuel) a few gentle questions, the little girl tells Steve and Junior that it was Molly who did the drawings. Steve takes a big leap in investigative technique, insisting that each of three drawings depicts a separate crime. Tani keeps her focus on the jewellery worn by the victims, and especially a gold cross. Molly returns to Katie's room one night, but escapes through a window, biting Katie’s mom in her getaway.
She eludes a full-blown police search, so “Hawaii Five-O” cannot glean further evidence from this tiny witness.
True scares
Jerry refuses to give up on his hunches and returns to the site of the dog bones during a rainstorm. His friends are furious when they discover that their cell phones and keys have been confiscated. Jerry feels vindicated, returning with human evidence after digging deeper, and Noelani concurs. Just as he is swearing to his buddies that he had nothing to do with their missing essentials, a knock comes at the door, from Gordie (Michael Spellman), another of the gang, dressed in ghoulish mask, much to the delight. He confesses that he is the one guilty of confiscating the keys and phones and goes to get them from his car.
He doesn't make it far, quickly returning, with blood draining from his neck, which has been slashed. Now sure of the killer after the camp group, they begin to barricade themselves with everything possible to keep the murderer out, but they have a dying man in their midst, and the killer only a breath away. As Jerry charges out the door, a gunshot comes from behind, dropping a masked man, who turns out to be the camp counselor, Blane Morgan (Noah Moore). On the spot, Jerry thanks Bo Bradley (Pat Gilbert) for “saving all our lives.”
When another possible victim, of the redhead killer, comes forward (Carly Casey) realizing she escaped with her life after reaching out to little Molly, Tani has the idea to test the gold cross for DNA.
The result reveals that it belongs to Jane Martin (Ashley Chewning), who was in drug rehab when her ex-husband took their daughter, Molly, and began his demented killing spree. They go to the home of the killer, Richard Coleman, just quickly enough to apprehend him, and Tani tenderly rescues Molly from a closet, trembling with fear. In another tender scene, Molly gives Tani a picture of her own, just before another of the trademark “Hawaii Five-O” family reunion scenes happens.
Jerry brings a basket of hot cocoa to Bo Bradley, apologizing for all the misplaced guilt that he had heaped upon this gracious soul over the years. All is well that ends well.
The same cannot be said for Tani when she takes a call from Captain Keo (Eric Steinberg).
He tells her that the tests on the gun have come back with certainty that it belongs to Adam, and his victim was Noriko, his sister. Dread sweeps over Tani, and the storyline should come into full focus when Ian Anthony Dale returns to “Hawaii Five-O” as Adam in November.