Years ago, before TVs were in every room of the house, before TiVO and DVR, even before the remote was invented, there was a lot of jockeying for the right to choose which show would be watched in a household. In a family of six kids where I was one of the “babies”, my rights were relatively nonexistent. This meant I became more familiar with certain shows than I would’ve otherwise chosen.
For instance, one of my older sisters (not Lord Bessie) was a huge fan of Hawaii Five-O, and when you’re a kid, a five year age difference really means something… such as, she got dibs and I watched Hawaii Five-O. So, when rumors of this remake started surfacing, I admit I was intrigued. (The previews of a shirtless Alex O’Loughlin didn’t hurt either.)
Anyway, I’m a few episodes in, and I’m thinking I like it. Granted, part of the reason I’ve been watching it is because none of my other favorites are on at the same time. Well, that’s why I gave it a chance anyway. But the reason I keep watching it is yes, partly due to the lovely Alex O., but also I am an increasingly bigger fan of Scott Caan every time I see him.
I remember thinking during Ocean’s 11 (and its we-exist-only-as-way-for-a-bunch-of-gorgeous-friends-to-hang-out sequels) that he and Casey Affleck were the best part of that movie. Their chemistry and comic timing were priceless. Even so, it’s not as if I began hunting down every movie of his or kept an ear open for future projects. Now I’m hoping I didn’t miss out, because once again I’m impressed. His delivery on H5O is spot on.
If you haven’t caught an episode yet, I encourage it. To prepare you, you should know that Alex’s Steve McGarrett is almost too good to be true. He’s a former Navy SEAL (of course), tough as nails, plenty of MacGyver-style analyses when needed, connections to improbable resources and a six pack and tattooed biceps to carry it all home. He’s beautiful. If he lacks anything, it’s possibly a sense of humor. Not that he doesn’t have one, but in most cases he plays the straight man to Scott’s Danny “Danno” Williams. And boy, does that man know how to serve up the sarcasm. It makes me all quivery inside. I can’t help it; I’m a sucker for the wise guy.
Danno also keeps Steve from being too full of himself or taking himself too seriously. But serving as a reality check is only a slice of his role. He too is a smart detective with great instincts, and that keeps him from just being a glorified sidekick. Plus, he’s got a bit of his own arc going on. The writers have carved out an interesting back story for him, taking him from the streets of New Jersey all the way to Hawaii to be near his daughter, who lives with his ex-wife. His fatherly instincts show a softer side that complements the easy confidence he wears on his oft-rolled up sleeve. I find this combination very appealing.
The direction for his character seems wide open. I may or may not even foresee a possible connection for him with Kono (played by a Battlestar Galactica alum I don’t know), the rookie cop and native Hawaiian. Usually there’s at least one hook up within a group like this, right? I’m saying that only to point out that it makes sense to me that she’d choose him, even over Steve, and even though she may be half a head taller than he is. Rounding out the cast is Daniel Dae Kim (as Chin Ho Kelly), lately of Lost fame. I’m easily short-changing him with this passing regard, but knowing he’s part of the 5-O team can only serve to impress you, right?
Whether or not I’ve made a compelling case, trust me on this one. It’s by no means perfect (yet), but there’s nothing annoying me to the point of distraction… especially in light of the engaging characters, solid acting and guaranteed eye candy. Yes, it’s still basically a cop show, but the exotic feel of the locale mixes it up a little bit. So there you go: perfect speciMAN Alex O’Loughlin, wise-cracking Scott Caan, and a bunch of pretty beaches and rainforests. Plus, you’ve got TiVO, you lucky dogs, so no excuses.
I am sold. I am going to watch as soon as I can...
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