[Hawaii Five-0] Episode 3.04 "Popilikia" Reaction

[eumelia]

Well that was a disappointment.

I was reminded far too much of the fail that was last year's Halloween episode (2.07), I mean the show even went out of its way to remind me of the last time they were horrible when it comes to Orientalism and spirituality.

And once again, Danny is the patsy.

I don't know what to make of Danny's lack of scepticism with regards to the psychic. Psychics and fortune tellers are notorious cold readers and confidence artists, I mean, she played that silly little rich girl so well, I could have cold read that girl! I can only imagine Danny has heard (or even busted?) of these con artists who prey on people's weaknesses.

On a personal note, this kind of Josses something I had intended to write that alludes to what I had thought would be Danny's reaction to psychic's. Well, I'll just have to fix that bit a smidgen.

But the murder really was just a coincidence, something narcissistic entitled girls who believe the universe revolves around them wouldn't consider. Even in the show, there's no evidence to connect the Psychic to the murder - Bai Ling was just there to be... oriental, which is gross and racist, especially in a show in which half the cast is Asian. If she'd have been exposed as a con artist I would have felt better about, because at least it would have been a bit more akin to reality.

I'm surprised Danny was used as the voice of delusion. I mean, okay, so he experienced a time in which a woman who obviously witnessed something and wanted fame came forward and used her "powers".

Danny saw and he believed. He can't see ghosts so he doesn't. Also, he's Santa Clause.

I did, however, like him being the voice of class, he's been this before and it's used to great effect. His mockery of Polo (I mean, c'mon!), him having only small bills with which to pay Madame Esmeralda and actually saying the words "one percenters". Even when you're a dum dum, you're my working class hero, Danny.

Let me talk about the fact that Steve was unapologetically sexist in this episodes. When Catherine called him out I was very pleased, because yes, Steve can be a caveman, this is something that was established way back in season 1. It's also interesting that both Danny and Cath make this observation, but from totally different perspectives.

When Steve called Danny a "girl" I was incredibly offended. It was said in such a tone of derision, so much mockery. I found it hard to believe that was the Steve I know and love, the guy who out of the pair of white dudes on the show was always the one who wasn't so casually crass. Not to mention sticking his gun the perp's guy's crotch. I get that he was playing bad cop, but that was... very disturbing and questionable and something else I'm far too uncomfortable associating Steve with and Danny witnessing (and doing nothing).

I had been spoiled by Steve's decent behaviour.

In the context of the show, I'm used to and have been known to root for the brutality the team show perps and when it concerns child victims this is pretty solid, I like that they are moved - however in this instance, the implication of Steve sticking his gun to the kidnapper's groin moved it out of grey area television violence and into something that again, I would rather not associate with this show. But now sorta must.

Kono is very much coming into her own. I wish they gave her the screen time she deserves. I liked her and Danny acting as foils to each other, they have a very sibling-y dynamic, which is why the psychic's observation was really funny.

That also should have clued Danny in that she was full of shit.

Doris, how much do I need love thee you lying liar who lies. I love the old school style McGuffen! It was like "North By North West"! What are hose negatives. The plot thinnens!

All in all, the horses were pretty.

Comments

[silveradept]

I agree that the framing with Danny and the psychic didn't work out for antigens benefit, although I initially thought Danny was being highly skeptical of her instead of credulous. Guess I was reading in what I thought his character was, instead of what it actually was. Same thing with his indifference to Steve pointing a gun at the genitals of the suspect. Steve is still corrupting Danny - if the fight over Grace gets ugly, I can see Danny borrowing Steve's playbook in full.

Show needs more Kono. Much more Kono.

[eumelia]

SO MUCH KONO!

At first I thought Danny was being sarcastic, but ugh, I wanted to mess up his earnest face!

Danny was always corrupt, but it's interesting to see how far he'll go this season.

[silveradept]

Yeah. Danny seems like the person who will do everything so long as he has a good excuse for it. Steve keeps giving him good excuses.

We demand more Kono. Her story arc is the interesting one at this point, given she's the only character that seems to change over time.

[eumelia]

Danny is lucky he fell on the "right side" of the tacks in life. Ish. As their behaviour is criminal in "real life" terms, but we'll hand wave it for the show.

I think there was a lot of character development in this ep and in all the eps up till now - Kono's story is interesting because she's a cop dating a mob boss, I want conflict! :D

[silveradept]

Conflict, yay?

I suppose I should say that Kono is the only one who appears to have visible change, with perhaps the exception of Chen Ho, if we see more than just the bit where we have about him morning his wife. Steve and Danny are still the break-the rules buddy-cop couple who could be together were it not for the obvious No, We're Straight Just Merry the writers throw in every so often. Chen Ho was the guy working for redemption for a crime not committed as the faithful lieutenant.

I spouse I shouldn't be surprised, then, that Kono is the one with visible growth and change - she's the woman of the team, so she gets to emote or something in the presence of all the Emotionless Men?

[eumelia]

I whole heartedly disagree that because she's the woman she gets to emote in the presence of all the "emotionless men". The men of the H50 are the most sensitive men that have ever graced my tv screen - Steve is notorious for emoting all over the place, Danny is the most empathic and compassionate member of the team and Chin is the smiliest (and darkest) member of the team.

I'm really curious where you came up with that?

[silveradept]

It's a bad analogy, and not well thought out, apparently. I think that it was the idea that it seems like Danny is always trying to get Steve to express emotions other than anger (and its family) and Steve seems to want Danny to be a bit more stoic (like him). Chin takes on the big brother role a lot of the time (obvious reasons are obvious). It seems like, of the main cast, Kono gets to display the biggest range of emotions, perhaps because she gets put into the most different situations?

That's what it appeared like to me. But I may not be right. So "emotionless men" was more "single-emotion men", I guess. And that's still probably wrong.

[eumelia]

Steve feels things very deeply and can't quite keep them bay, even though he is very reserved in expressing them, unlike Danny who runs hot and boiling and you're gonna get burned. I think Chin tries to take things as they come (Malia's death obviously an exception) and is thus much more relaxed about various turns of event, he doesn't seem surprised by things as much as the others, if you ask me, kind of like, "well, this was a possibility I knew could happen."

Kono takes her cue from Steve mostly - in this episode that feeling was very strong and she tends to be a bit of a bulldozer with her anger. I don't think emotions are the correct analogy, considering the team are a bunch of emotive lunatics.

I think Kono's story is more interesting because it touches on the mytharch, by associating with Adam, she is now associated by default with the Wo Fat revenge story, which is the arc that propels the show.

[silveradept]

That mytharch is a very good story propulsion.

And emotions isn't the right word...but I'm having trouble figuring out what the right one is.