Millions of “Hawaii Five-O” fans may be reading these words through bittersweet tears and heavy hearts, as news broke yesterday, February 28, in Deadline and other sources that the beloved Friday night crime-fighters will bid their own “aloha” with the current Season 10. “Hawaii Five-O” will end its unprecedented reign of 10 years with Episode 22 on April 3. No other reboot has endured so stridently while carving out its own unique identity from the Leonard Freeman original. Rather than be forlorn, fans can be grateful for the “carguments,” the humor, the heart, the unforgettable adversaries, and most of all the true sense of family beyond blood, “the ohana,” that only this incarnation of “Hawaii Five-O” delivered for a decade.

“Hawaii Five-O” initiated each new season with a blessing ceremony, and executive producer and creative force, Peter Lenkov, could not have been more gracious in his statement of gratitude for the series success. He called the entire experience “a blessing,” applauding everyone involved, and especially crediting Alex O'Loughlin as “our hero.” In every public or fan event for the drama, O'Loughlin continually displays genuine humility giving credit to Lenkov, his castmates, and everyone involved in the crew to keep the production going. He realized that “Hawaii Five-O” became a major employer for many people who otherwise would not have the same jobs. That kind of awareness and compassion deserves respect.

Heroism took many forms in the February 28 Episode 18, "Nalowale i ke 'ehu o he kai" (Lost in the Sea Sprays). From Adam’s (Ian Anthony Dale) pledge to take down Kenji (Fernando Chien) and the ultimate crime lords to the untimely passing of Noelani’s (Kimee Balmilero) noble uncle, “Hawaii Five-O” is on the side of investigation and assuring justice.

Vengeance comes calling for Adam on ‘Hawaii Five-O’

It's date night at the McGarrett house, for all except Danny (Scott Caan) and the kind of McDanno squabble that every “Hawaii Five-O” fan savors even brings in Alexa to the fray. The electronic assistant refuses to take sides. “She likes me because I bought it for you,” Danny contends.

“She just doesn't know you well enough yet,” Steve counters.

While the Lt. Commander attempts to “iron in peace,” with Junior (Beulah Koale) next in line, Captain Grover (Chi McBride) calls en route to Adam's apartment, saying that there is gunfire in progress. When he and HPD into the apartment, bodies, and weapons are everywhere, and Adam is covered in blood and wounds of battle. He insists that they have to go after Kenji “right now” and that he has the evidence he needs to take down the evil enterprise.

Hails of gunfire surround Kenji as he attempts to make his escape. Adam personally pursues him. Kenji demands that Adam “Finish it,” but then he says that he will talk to authorities and “I have a lot to say.” Adam doesn't shoot, instead, assuring “I'll take my chances” as he calls for medical help.

No matter how Adam defends his actions, Steve is understandably hot during their “discussion” at the “Hawaii Five-O” headquarters. He directs that Adam has to explain the whole situation to the higher-ups. A call comes in that pirates have attacked a cargo ship, and the report is that the US Coast Guard is the villain.

Noelani knows it was no suicide for her uncle on ‘Hawaii Five-O’

Noelani arrives at her uncle's wake just as much in suspicion as in sorrow. When she greets her family, she is introduced to Councilman Mikala (Max Phyo). She tells him her official job as the medical examiner for the county and confesses that her parents find it “weird” that she spends time with dead bodies. Mikala passes a sizable donation in honor of her uncle’s work with youth.

Already, Noelani is suspicious.

Her suspicions are confirmed when she pays her respect at her uncle's casket. He has signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, but nothing about that is noted in his autopsy report. She calls Steve for “Hawaii Five-O” backup support. He sends Quinn (Katrina Law) to be another set of eyes and ears on the case, and it turns out that Quinn and Noelani have much in common.

The trail of evidence points to suicide for the uncle, but Noelani insists that her uncle would never commit suicide, since “those kids were his life.” Her uncle had turned his life around from drugs and gangs, and he was bringing others from the darkness to the light by his example. Initially, a close friend with a murder conviction (Stephen Lau) was thought to be a suspect, but after he explained that he and the uncle had corresponded for years through his prison term, Quinn and Noelani knew he was not guilty.

He was, however, the person who found the uncle in the car with the garden hose running from the exhaust. Wanting to save the uncle's reputation, he confronted the medical examiner (Peter James Smith) demanding that he report the cause of death as a heart attack.

This moving episode is the finest “Hawaii Five-O” showcase for the talents of Kimee Balmilero since Episode 22 of Season 9 when dutiful Noelani was forced by her medical mentor to perform surgery on a heinous killer. The actress embodies the full range of emotion through the loss of a loved one, from regretting the lost moments to her unmerited shame in dishonoring her family. In a moving exchange, Quinn tells of the loss of her brother by suicide and the damage done by never talking about it.

She reminds Quinn that “he was so much more than the way he died.”

Out of the mouths of babes, truth flows, so they say. After a talk with one of the youth closest to Noelani’s uncle uncovers the drug-dealing and bribery scheme run by Councilman Mikala, it was easy to crack the case. Fingerprint evidence left on teacups matched those on the donation envelope. Fittingly, Noelani confronts Mikala at the site of her uncle’s burial service. She relates how he was given a rupee by the corrupt city official, and then posed to make it appear like a suicide. He is arrested on the spot, and justice is celebrated along with a worthy life. Noelani’s mother (Jean Ota) at last affirms how proud she is of her daughter, just as the uncle is.

‘Hawaii Five-O’ battles pirates from the sea to the drug house

When “Hawaii Five-O” boards the cargo ship, the chief mate, Lawson (Ian Verdun) makes the case that the pirates looked just like the Coast Guard on a routine check. The suspense of seeing the full contingent moved through the tight passageways of the ship was reminiscent of so many “Hawaii Five-O” episodes revolving around crimes of the sea.

Junior and Tani (Meaghan Rath) make their apologies, over the missed date, with their guns drawn, and Tani has to summon every ounce of her girl-power fighting skill when she encounters the wounded pirate in the galley. Once more, she pulls some straight-out ninja moves, along with swinging saucepans and anything else in reach.

Junior has to summon Steve for help to get into the room, but by then, Tani reports “I got him,” with Danny saying, “you don't say…” in reply.

It doesn't take much deep investigation to reveal that Lawson was in cahoots with the robbers. The extra cargo they were after wasn’t cash, it was a store of drugs—but deadlier drugs than they ever imagined.

Lawson is grabbed up by masked assailants, who take apart a police car. “Hawaii Five-O” ultimately traces the robbers to their hideout, where sacks of the white powdery drug are stacked and the pirates are dead. Steve calls for backup and hazmat because they are not dealing with heroin. The drug is fentanyl and Danny nearly doesn't make it out of the house from the effects.

Zachary Knighton has a fun cameo as Rick from “Magnum P.I.” He and his friend, Oz (Rodney Rowland) risk getting arrested by Tani, but Rick finally gets his dance with Quinn. The “Hawaii Five-O” tradition of celebrating a case closed features a delightful dance floor scene. While Quinn and Rick are putting their best foot forward, literally, Tani and Junior step out to up the playful competition. They bring their best to “Rock Your Body.” Singer-songwriter, Donavan Frankenreiter, appears as himself.

The closing moments of this “Hawaii Five-O” help to ease the coming farewell. All kinds of perpetrators, calamities, and crises, have come against this “family” in a decade, but nothing sways the loyalty or devotion in this “ohana,” and they have left fans with many memories and much joy. Few TV Shows leave such a legacy of grace.

Mahalo
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