First Four in a Nutshell

[darksea]

Ok, just to give a general view on my take of things, and feel free to spring off any conversation as long as you can play nice and intelligent from these views.

The first four episodes of Season 3 are 4000X better than the majority of last year's shows, and I am pretty sure that what makes it to screen will remain such. Season 2 was a sophomore effort that fell short because they were trying to shove the critter in, making her the true square peg in a round hole. And when they didn't get the hint the first four episodes, they made sure to shove her even tighter and harder for a few more after that. The action was stunted, the character interaction was stunted, even the guest star roster choked.

This season, the action quotient is back up, there is character development and progression, there is definitely a more concerted effort to give Ohana rather than 'wtf'? The actors themselves seem to be a lot more relaxed, and with the addition of Michelle Borth there definitely seems to be a lot more comfort rather than the fact that all but Scott Caan seemed to look like they were being waxed with Gorilla Tape between takes with the critter.

That being said, I do have a few bones to pick, and I still have to be conservative in my picking, but I still get to state my views:

1) Love adding Cath to the crew, but she needs to find a place soon, before this starts getting to be the land of total continuity disasters. Yes, this is one hell of a long leave, and she is blowing the law straight to hell even beyond the strains of the 5-o norm. The relationship is definitely awkward now, but that should eventually work out. I'm not too sure that the shippers are going to be all that happy, but they supposedly are going for a happy medium.

2) Could anybody else have predicted that Mommy McG is a CIA superspy? This one was so pure comic book plot, it's even an example in a textbook. It's kinda going from the Velveeta straight to the cheese dip. Does she have special bracelets hidden somewhere?

3) Mommy McG is a bit of a beotch. Her attitude and conquering is just a bit over the top. Her just deciding to not hide anymore...don't swallow it, people. This is getting bigger. And the Wo Fat connection...think back to that comic book. And one can hope that the Mommy McG doesn't go the way of the previously beaten horse known as Harmon Rabb's mommy issues from JAG, or Gibbs' dead wife and daughter issues from NCIS, etc.

4) There is a definite focus on adding some form of shock value in each episode, and it is getting a lot of the personal stuff cut out. We have to wait for sweeps for the good personal stuff to hit, which really kinda bites. Poor Gracie. Chin recovered relatively fast. Kono slipped off into quiet. Some bases are being ignored, and others are being pulled out of thin air and rushed. Almost comical how they killed that old series connection by making August March into road salsa. Kind of a metaphor for obliterating all illusions of the old series. Kind of questionable how with Mommy McG's return, that some people aren't absolutely floored by the woman coming back from the dead with all the people that knew Steve's father.

Other than these little hitches, this is still way better than last season. Let's put it this way: I managed to miss the season finale, plus the episde previous to it mostly, because I was getting ready and undergoing my business trip. It didn't wound me, and I caught up afterwards. Now, I am back to the habit of throwing the dogs outside and waiting for commercial breaks to let them in, because that is how decent this season actually is. Maybe if they get some ghanas and move it to Tuesday night after NCIS: Los Angeles, there might actually be more of the good stuff and particularly a season 4.

[davilarose]

Hi darksea.....good to hear from you!!!

I think your assessment is spot on. Totally agree with #1. Other than saying she is on leave--they haven't explained much else....and that needs to be cleared up. Soon.

I do love the feeling of Ohana that is back.....way better than it was in season 2.

Look forward to hearing (reading) more of your views on the show this season.

[scottiedog]

I agree with your assessment.

The only thing I think won't happen is Hawaii Five-O moving to Tuesdays. They have a hit with "Vegas". They won't move a hit. They might, I say might, move them to Fridays b/c "Made in Jersey" tanked. I know it is a 'death' move, but they might do it or replace Fridays 9 pm time slot with something else, who knows.

Anyway, Hubby and I like Season 2 but I do have to agree that it didn't have any of the 'sparkle' that Season 1 had. I think H50 now has it's sparkle back with Season 3.

[cookiejar]

Glad to see you are back on the boards, darksea. Missed your input, comments, opinions, etc.

Agree we need to see more about Cath.

Can't figure out how I feel about Mama McG - like her, don't like her, like her - can only imagine how confused Steve is!
Where is this whole storyline going? Will we ever get back to the Champ box??

This season, though, way better than last, as far as I am concerned.

[darksea]

Oct 21, 2012 10:25:36 GMT -5 scottiedog said:

I agree with your assessment.

The only thing I think won't happen is Hawaii Five-O moving to Tuesdays. They have a hit with "Vegas". They won't move a hit. They might, I say might, move them to Fridays b/c "Made in Jersey" tanked. I know it is a 'death' move, but they might do it or replace Fridays 9 pm time slot with something else, who knows.

Anyway, Hubby and I like Season 2 but I do have to agree that it didn't have any of the 'sparkle' that Season 1 had. I think H50 now has it's sparkle back with Season 3.

Sorry, but Vegas isn't a hit. Vegas is on the list of shows that has a ratings decrease that is akin to 'Unforgettable' and is already considered a 'bubble' show. It is losing over 50% of its NCIS Los Angeles lead-in audience, and has November Sweeps to prove itself, and has to gain at least 15% of NCIS Los Angeles' lead-in audience back to be considered for potential renewal.

Many of these are easily found reports from Variety, Hollywood Reporter, and CBS' releases themselves. Other information comes from CBS itself.

[beadmeup]

It's so good to hear from you again, Darksea. I love how you cut to the chase and tell it like it really is - with the support to back you up.
As I've said in previous posts, they need to give Cath her backstory so we can really like or dislike her - but at least we will have 'reasons'. Last year, we waited all season long for a 'reason' for the alien to have landed. She wasn't much of an actress and spoiled many scenes with her non-abilities, so it was easy to get on the crusade against her. This season, people have a 'liking' for Cath, so they seem willing to let a reason slide for now, but we need to resolve this so we can get on to the meatier issues.
I hope there is a really good story in line for Momma McG. Enough of these scenes where we like her- don't like her - and like her again. She is supposed to be signed for a limited number of shows, let's get on with it and not be in a rush on her last episode so that we are left scratching our head saying 'Is that all there is?'. This show is great at building up stories and suspense, but not so good at resolving them. I'm looking for a good resolution here - maybe not a 'happy' one, but one that fits the circumstances.
Overall, this season has great promise and is moving along far better that S2. The sophmore slump is a thing of the past and S3 looks like it could erase some of those bad feelings.

[scottiedog]

Oct 21, 2012 14:43:02 GMT -5 darksea said:

Oct 21, 2012 10:25:36 GMT -5 scottiedog said:

I agree with your assessment.

The only thing I think won't happen is Hawaii Five-O moving to Tuesdays. They have a hit with "Vegas". They won't move a hit. They might, I say might, move them to Fridays b/c "Made in Jersey" tanked. I know it is a 'death' move, but they might do it or replace Fridays 9 pm time slot with something else, who knows.

Anyway, Hubby and I like Season 2 but I do have to agree that it didn't have any of the 'sparkle' that Season 1 had. I think H50 now has it's sparkle back with Season 3.

Sorry, but Vegas isn't a hit. Vegas is on the list of shows that has a ratings decrease that is akin to 'Unforgettable' and is already considered a 'bubble' show. It is losing over 50% of its NCIS Los Angeles lead-in audience, and has November Sweeps to prove itself, and has to gain at least 15% of NCIS Los Angeles' lead-in audience back to be considered for potential renewal.

Many of these are easily found reports from Variety, Hollywood Reporter, and CBS' releases themselves. Other information comes from CBS itself.

I stand corrected. So...H50 could go to Tuesday nights. Interesting. That could actual work. With the crossover from last year, it could be interesting if they include NCIS:LA or NCIS for an actual crossover for this season.

[Dannos Dani]

For sure this season is better than last season at this time, when we had all gone into collective shock followed by apoplexy.
The guys are back, the women are great, the bromance is on, the Fab 4 is interacting... but yeah, the personal touch is missing. Wasn't there something about a custody case happening? Someone remind me, I haven't heard one peep about it, although it was a major thing in the finale....
But I'm willing to wait. I know we have lots of Monkey coming so it's a no brainer that Danno gets custody. Not really caring how or why, that whole Danno+Psycho+Monkey story should've been swept under the rug right around the last couple of episodes of the first season. Not that it's not great to see Danno agonize over Monkey, but enough already with the push me-pull you thing between him and Psycho.
Mama Doris sure is a puzzler. Comic book thinking, huh? During Monday's chat I unleashed my latest theory - mama is actually the real Doris's twin, because Doris really did die. Now she's back to avenge her twin, and this is why she shows no maternal feelings. And why did she not shoot Wo Fat, or him her? Because she really is his mommy, which makes Wo Fat and Steve not half brothers, but full cousins.
Is that comic book enough? November sweeps, here we come!

[cookiejar]

Oct 24, 2012 12:30:04 GMT -5 Dannos Dani said:

For sure this season is better than last season at this time, when we had all gone into collective shock followed by apoplexy.
The guys are back, the women are great, the bromance is on, the Fab 4 is interacting... but yeah, the personal touch is missing. Wasn't there something about a custody case happening? Someone remind me, I haven't heard one peep about it, although it was a major thing in the finale....
But I'm willing to wait. I know we have lots of Monkey coming so it's a no brainer that Danno gets custody. Not really caring how or why, that whole Danno+Psycho+Monkey story should've been swept under the rug right around the last couple of episodes of the first season. Not that it's not great to see Danno agonize over Monkey, but enough already with the push me-pull you thing between him and Psycho.
Mama Doris sure is a puzzler. Comic book thinking, huh? During Monday's chat I unleashed my latest theory - mama is actually the real Doris's twin, because Doris really did die. Now she's back to avenge her twin, and this is why she shows no maternal feelings. And why did she not shoot Wo Fat, or him her? Because she really is his mommy, which makes Wo Fat and Steve not half brothers, but full cousins.
Is that comic book enough? November sweeps, here we come!

WOW! My head is spinning with that theory. But you never know you might be on to something.

[sunnyirish08]

oh so i wasn't dreaming when you came up with that theory. lol

i can't remember i commented on it in my half asleep state, but that would be comical.

[trina]

Kind of questionable how with Mommy McG's return, that some people aren't absolutely floored by the woman coming back from the dead with all the people that knew Steve's father.

I also thought there was something odd about that, too. However, the only people we know of who knew Steve's dad are either dead or have not re-entered the storyline yet. Governor Jameson was killed off at the end of Season 1, and Joe White has yet to return. Maybe when and if he does, and if he knew Mrs. McGarrett as well, that could conjure up an interesting storyline. Though Mrs. McGarrett knew about Chin, there is no indication they knew each other personally. Chin seems as clueless about her as everyone else.

It's also odd how Mrs. McGarrett thinks she can walk around Oahu without worrying about Wo Fat or any of his men being out there, waiting to strike. She wouldn't let Chin drive her home, insisting on taking a cab. How did she know she wouldn't get taken down by a sniper's bullet when she left the Five-O office, or that the cab driver wasn't working for Wo Fat? The writers are taking too much liberty there.
As for the demise of August March, I don't think there was any metaphor for obliterating all illusions to the old series involved. They've got George Takei coming on in a few weeks, who guest-starred on the original. The road salsa was an illusion to Lenkov injecting his comic book background into the show.

[darksea]

I'm guessing that you don't watch the show very carefully, probably doing something else while it is on?

Joe White was the one hiding Momma McG, as she was Shellburn, Shellbourne, however you want to spell it. He would be the one who led Steve to his mother, so I am guessing he would know Mrs. McGarrett pretty darn well.

Chin was Steve's Dad's partner, she knew him. There was every indication that they knew each other pretty personally, from that standpoint. Up to and including knowing his quarterback history. I don't know exactly what you mean by Chin being as clueless about her as everyone else. He knew she was dead, the team was informed of what happened to bring her back, he was assigned to protect her and she dismissed him. He was told she was alive.

The writers aren't taking 'too much liberty', the fact is Mrs. McG faced Wo Fat down, and 'missed'. Her own son knows different, knows that Wo Fat is not really a danger to her, that she is hiding something much larger. It's actually part of the mystery that will play out in multiple episodes in what is called an arc. She knows she is not in danger, so she is coming out and living life. Wo Fat could have killed her in the house, he didn't. She could have shot his butt off...she didn't. That's the point.

I think what most people are referring to when they say that it is surprising that more people are not reacting to her coming back from the dead, is such individuals as Duke, who was around when even Chin was under investigation previous to 5-0. Mamo, many of the people at HPD who were old-time officers. Hawaii is not very big, most people know Steve's past, and the fact that his mother is suddenly back from the dead, not a crispy critter in a burned out car. There is an actual writing reason for that too, but that's a spoiler.

I hate to sound rather nasty here, trina, but when I said that August March was a metaphor for obliterating all illusions to the old series, I didn't mean by 'bringing back old guest stars', as you and joe and others have mentioned numerous times, they are not like the old series, and getting rid of an original series CHARACTER in such a graphic and dramatic fashion was kind of an answer to all of those who keep complaining that the new one isn't the same as the original. You may not think there was a metaphor there, but others can see it plainly. Your comment about 'the road salsa was an illusion to Lenkov injecting his comic book background into the show' actually doesn't make sense.' That wasn't an illusion, that was a plain up front representation, and he does it quite often; re: snatching Wo Fat's transport off the road with a giant magnet attached to a helicopter.

[trina]

I hate to sound rather nasty here, trina, but when I said that August March was a metaphor for obliterating all illusions to the old series, I didn't mean by 'bringing back old guest stars', as you and joe and others have mentioned numerous times, they are not like the old series, and getting rid of an original series CHARACTER in such a graphic and dramatic fashion was kind of an answer to all of those who keep complaining that the new one isn't the same as the original. You may not think there was a metaphor there, but others can see it plainly. Your comment about 'the road salsa was an illusion to Lenkov injecting his comic book background into the show' actually doesn't make sense.' That wasn't an illusion, that was a plain up front representation, and he does it quite often; re: snatching Wo Fat's transport off the road with a giant magnet attached to a helicopter.

Dark Sea, I'm not referring to bringing back old guest stars as others have. When I said "illusion" it might have been the wrong word, but it has been said by many that Lenkov is making this show like a comic book, and he has and still does comic book editing. The way March was killed and the giant magnet snatching Wo Fat's car off the road are the types of things that are done in comic books, so it's no coincidence that Lenkov uses these devices.

As for Chin being clueless, look at how he reacted when he went to see Mrs. McG and gave her those bakery items, and she spoke to him in a sarcastic tone and wanted to know if Steve sent him there to babysit her. The look on Chin's face said he was confused and was trying to keep calm and not antagonize her any further.

Even though Chin was Steve's dad's partner, the dialogue between him and Mrs. McGarrett doesn't reveal how well they knew each other. Mrs. McGarrett talks about his football days in the episode where she first appeared and then when he comes to Steve's house to talk to her, but she says nothing to him about his partnership with her husband or says anything about her memories of that time.

About the people on Oahu knowing Mrs. McGarrett, I was responding to the comment you wrote in the original post, " Kind of questionable how with Mommy McG's return, that some people aren't absolutely floored by the woman coming back from the dead with all the people that knew Steve's father."

If it's a storyline element for a future episode, and not something overlooked by the writers, then we didn't know that till you said it now. Going by your original comment, I thought you were also pointing out the lapse in logic of that scenario.

[darksea]

Trina, I know that your response was in reply to my statement. Kinda obvious. However, the examples you responded with are what is in question. You referred to Joe White, etc. I explained how Joe White knows about her not even being dead in the first place.

Now, as for Chin's relationship with the family as a whole, that has been established all along. Why would Momma McG bring up the memries of that time, seeing as they both know where they stand. He looks semi-astounded at the fact that the woman saw through his attempts at niceties while being assigned to her, and being dismissed. Anybody would have that look.

There is a lapse in logic and reaction, but then there is also a major lapse of her being exposed to a lot of people and being in witness protection. She was not wanting to know if Steve had sent Chin, she KNEW and she made it clear that she wasn't going to stand for it, and she dismissed him like a little boy. You would be confused too, not to mention, the camera cut away right after while they sat down and had coffee and pastries. The audience does not know what is discussed.

As for the comic book concept, yes, I know, I am the one who first pointed it out. Lenkov also writes comic books.

A lot of the lapses are not lapses at all. That much as been made clear not even by me since the beginning of the series, by Lenkov.

[beadmeup]

I think what many people here see as 'lapses' are actually areas that are left 'unresolved' and things left 'unsaid' because they will be addressed and make sense in the final resolution. At least, that's what I hope. I know Lenkov and his writers are not always right on top of continuity, but I'm beginning to think that some of it is by design and not sloppiness. Usually - in novels and movies - I like things wrapped up nicely with a bow on top, but I think Lenkov is going for the long haul here and not showing all of his 'tricks' until absolutely necessary.