Hookman

Season 6, Episode 121
Original air date: 9/11/73

Written by: Glen Olson and Rod Baker
Directed by: Allen Reisner
Music by: Morton Stevens

"Hookman" is one of my favorite episodes of the series and many other fans seem to feel the same way. It's one of those episodes that sticks to your memory - the show's direction, acting, music, and writing all come together very effectively. The "reboot" of the show is going to remake "Hookman." Due to this fact, I decided to review this episode now and have put a little more effort into my recap of this episode (and it may take a little longer to load the screen caps).

Any episode that begins in a cemetery is setting a dark tone right off the bat. We're left to wonder who this man is and the mystery is only deepened when it is finally revealed to us that he has hooks for hands. That doesn't stop him from being an effective sniper.

I have a guitar just like this.

His target is a cop escorting a funeral. I've read that the casket coming out was improvised during filming. The repeated extreme close-ups of Hookman, Kurt Stoner, are very disconcerting. Jay J. Armes is unnerving in the role.

Beau van den Ecker sighting!

With a slain police officer, Five-O wastes no time getting to work on the case. McGarrett is edgy, snapping as the mental gears grind away. He tells Duke to go over the entire area "inch by inch." He's never short on doling out the mind-numbing tasks, but I'm pretty sure Duke is eager to take this one on.

A peculiar trademark for a killer.

McGarrett speaks to Keoki's partner to see if there were any personal issues that led to his murder. He asks as tactfully as he can if Keoki was into any gambling or the like.

Stoner savors his success (but probably not his dinner). He listens to a police radio while he meticulously documents his first kill and prepares for his next.

The extent of Stoner's murderous plan is revealed in this chilling sight.

Che reviews the evidence with McGarrett and Danno. He says the letters were "hand-stamped."

We watch the oddly compelling process of Stoner creating his next victim's nameplate. Morton Stevens's score here is terrific.

Danno, Chin, Ben, and Duke arrive at a shootout, the kind that drives your neighbors crazy if you have the TV volume too loud. They debate whether they've got the man who killed Keoki. The shooter's name is McKinney, which I resent as a matter of family pride.

Officer Ookala, Keoki's partner, is killed in the shootout. Ookala's fellow officers and McGarrett grieve for another sudden, inexplicable loss among their ranks.

Doc Bergman provides McGarrett with the autopsy results which are puzzling in that they reveal Ookala was shot from above, not from the house where McKinney went down in a blaze of glory. They also learn that McKinney just got out of prison and can't be Keoki's killer. This prompts a return visit to the scene of the shootout.

Gun #2 is found. Props to the prop department for not getting any fingerprints on the nameplate.

If I worked in Hawaii, I'd conduct all my conferences on rooftops. McGarrett is really pissed off. He yells, "Right under our noses!" and declares the killer a "psycho."

The governor summons McGarrett and asks if he can help take some of the heat off over these police killings. McGarrett says "I've felt heat before." He says he's "coming down hard on this guy, harder than I've ever hit before."

Stoner is already working on target #3 and we discover who that is in a startling fashion. It's a quiet, potent scene.

Che provides McGarrett with shreds of additional evidence. Danny interrupts them to report that they've had a call about the gold nameplates from a local vendor.

In a scene that has stuck with me ever since I first saw it, McGarrett and Danny interrogate the vendor, Norm, hoping his records reveal the identity of the purchaser of the nameplates. He says its been about five years (has Stoner been planning revenge all that time?). They have no luck and as they leave Danny thanks him for calling them. In a gut punch moment, Norm says, "Call? I didn't call."

Stoner is ready for his shot at McGarrett.

Sorry, Norm doesn't take American Express.

McGarrett has the luck of the Irish. Stoner is interrupted by a painter. That's right. He gets the hook.

Steve and Danno have a frightening moment of realization. I think it's smart of the script to not have them say anything to each other. They just have this moment of, "are you thinking what I'm thinking?" And then they quickly duck down just as Stoner fires at them. It's a nice small touch showing the high level of teamwork they share.

The crowd looks pretty calm given there's just been a shooting. Folks in Hawaii are so chill.

And thus begins a great Five-O car chase in which Stoner nearly runs down McGarrett. I like that Lord was willing to hop on the car for the punch-in.

I know it's a small island, but only 190 miles on McGarrett's car? Surely he tripped that thing. Commendably, he has a full tank of gas.

McGarrett may have been saved by the pesky painter but Stoner gets away due to a very convenient bit of road construction.

Stoner staggers back home as McGarrett reviews the autopsy of the painter with Doc Bergman. The corpse is a bit gruesome.

Stoner's Mustang is lifted out of the water. Finding one of Stoner's artificial limbs in the car, McGarrett pieces it all together and rushes to warn victim #4, Larry Thompson, but it's too late. Danno arrives to give him the bad news. Danno is quite the grim reaper's errand boy in this episode.

Some very nice shots.

And McGarrett finds the only clue he needs to know at last who he's dealing with.

McGarrett reviews the facts for the Governor. His plan is to sweep the cheap rent districts in search of Stoner who he believes is "scratching out an existence." An interesting choice of words. He points out that a man with hooks for hands can't hide them very well.

A great shot of McGarrett and the Guv. McGarrett isn't all that discriminating about which window he stares thoughtfully out of.

The hunt is on while Stoner prepares to take out his last victim, McGarrett.

I love that Steve carries a magnifying glass around with him.  Add that to the gun, the badge, the plastic bag, the handkerchief, and the pencil we routinely see him pulling out of his jacket, it's a wonder he doesn't look like he's wearing a life vest.

The next 3-4 minutes, I think, are some of the best of the show. There is no dialog during this time, just McGarrett methodically honing in on his adversary's path and studying what he finds. It's an impressive bit of direction and acting on Lord's part. And it doesn't hurt to have Morton Stevens helping out.

After all this silence, it is jarring to the viewer (and McGarrett) when the phone rings in the room.

Stoner tells McGarrett he has something for him in the dresser. The grisly gift triggers another "oh, shit" moment for McGarrett. Again, he ducks just in time to miss Stoner's bullet.

This is McGarrett's super-cool shiny gun (chrome-plated?). I only remember seeing it in one other episode.

McGarrett and Danny, and the rest of the Five-O crew, display more excellent teamwork to take down Stoner once and for all.

 

Badass Ben provides McGarrett cover as he tosses the sniper rifle to Danno.

Pau.

While You're at It, Bring in the Moon

Season 4, Episode 91
Original airdate: 2/8/72

Written by: E. Arthur Kean
Directed by: Michael O'Herlihy

McGarrett gets owned by an eccentric billionaire but helps him escape murder charges in the end.One of my favorite episodes, I've nicknamed it "Steve McGarrett's Guide to Handling the Press" in honor of the press briefing he gives in this episode.

Things begin on a roll, with McGarrett summoned to the estate of Morgan Hilliard, played spot-on by Barry Sullivan, where a murder is reported. While Danno and Chin head to the estate, McGarrett is intentionally delayed by a mysterious phone call.

In one of my favorite scenes in the series, director O'Herlihy sets up a visually interesting view of McGarrett walking into Hilliard's trap. Six hired guns are waiting to "escort" him to Hilliard. They disarm him and tell him, "No one wants to tangle with you, Mr. McGarrett, but we have our orders." You can tell they know they're on thin ice, but they've chosen their paychecks over any quibbles over the illegality of what they've been tasked to do by their wealthy boss.

Not realizing that their boss has been kidnapped, Danny and Chin start reviewing the crime scene, which conveniently comes with an audio recording of the murder.

No, these guys don't look suspicious at all.

A great shot as the McGarrett kidnapping brigade makes its way toward the docks.

McGarrett doesn't like this guy.

And he doesn't like him either.

And he contemplates the terrible fate that may be awaiting him at the end of this ride.

Danny and Chin go over the murder with the witnesses and realize that Steve hasn't arrived yet. The opening credits are unique in this episode, using a freeze frame of the underlying action for each card.

McGarrett is escorted aboard a yacht. There's a group of gawkers on the boat in the next berth watching the filming.

McGarrett is caught off guard by a sudden burst of decontaminating mist as he boards the yacht.

Hilliard gives McGarrett his assignment - find out who really killed his associate. McGarrett rants that no one takes him captive and gets away with it.

Hilliard is one of very few characters in the series who stands square against McGarrett and challenges him as an equal.

Would you care to see our wine list, sir?

McGarrett has to face the very curious press which knows he's been missing during a very high profile investigation. For now, he blows past them. Oh, but he'll give them the press briefing of their lives a little later.

McGarrett gets up to speed on the evidence while one of Hilliard's spies keeps tabs on the team.

The one thing that bothers me about this episode. Chin says the bullets must have come from the sauna yet the arrows at his feet make it clear they didn't. 

One of the witnesses, threatened by McGarrett as a potential suspect, uses the press against him. This has all the impact on McGarrett of a gnat smashed against the grill of a Mack truck.

In another great scene, McGarrett busts Hilliard's spy and records a message for the billionaire - he's going to the DA to get a murder charge against him.

Best McGarrett screencap ever.

Walking to the DA's office.

McGarrett gives the press their due in his briefing with them. You haven't had an effective press conference unless the reporters hit the deck.

The reporters are uneasy with McGarrett having the gun. They say they know he's sore with them and half-jokingly ask if the gun's loaded.

McGarrett goes into the sauna and suddenly the reporters take cover as they hear shots.

Or maybe this is the greatest McGarrett screencap ever. 

McGarrett leaves them with frayed nerves and a mystery to explain. 

Having finally convinced Hilliard back to shore, McGarrett goes over the scene again, this time making a discovery - one of the shots came from overhead.

This is Steve's happy face. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Danny, I think he's smiling. What do we do?

McGarrett smugly moves in for the kill only to be informed by Byers (played by the great Ed Flanders) that a high-powered rifle is aimed at the base of McGarrett's skull.

Just a hair-trigger away from death.

In thanks, Hilliard offers McGarrett a variety of riches. McGarrett just asks for a thank you which he finally gets.

Pau.

Once Upon a Time Part 2

Season 1, Episode 20
Original airdate: 2/26/69

Written by: Leonard Freeman
Directed by: Michael Caffey

The trial begins and McGarrett desperately tries to find solid (or really, decomposing) evidence against Dr. Fremont. He's irked that the most they can charge her with is one "lousy" count of interstate sale of goods.

Hey, let's stand right in front of the elevator full of people trying to get out to have our conversation.

Freeman. The Man behind The Man.

McGarrett and Zipser quickly develop a close bond. Rainy days will do that to you.

McGarrett is not above using his charm on Zipser. Of course, he gets his way...and Zipser's car.

Tom and Mary Ann have it out. She knows he sent for Steve whom she won't talk to anymore.

 McGarrett goes digging through the death records for any suspect death handled by Fremont. This is a scene that should be boring (tediously flipping through death records) but aside from the rather engaging qualities of McGarrett and Lord (see also, e.g., the scene where McGarrett is quietly, methodically inspecting the suspect's room in "Hookman"), the involvement of the "chickie baby" clerk, who enjoys having a "live one" in the records office for a change, provides a nice twist. It's a nice twist for her at least.

 

 

 

McGarrett finds a family that recently lost someone to Dr. Fremont. The writing and acting is very good in this scene, and I always find it moving. McGarrett expresses great compassion for them while also trying to talk them into an exhumation. The mother says to him, "It's so easy for you. It's so easy for cops." Not this cop.

 

Unearthing the coffin in the middle of the night. The autopsy fails to determine a cause of death because the casket was of poor quality, allowing air and water in. Zipser asks McGarrett how many autopsies he's been on. He answers, "Hundreds, thousands..." Zipser asks if any of them were easy. McGarrett concedes that none of them were easy.

 

 

 

The circus resumes. Zipser and McGarrett pull a stunt that catches Fremont in her great fraud. In the process, we learn how much personal info Mary Ann provided Fremont about Steve, including a history of polio and an appendectomy.

Who doesn't love William Schallert? He chews up a lot of scenery here as counselor Herbert. He told an interviewer that Lord said to him that he liked the Southern accent he was using but suggested pronouncing Hawaii as "Huh-why-ya" because that's how Southerners pronounce it. At one point, the judge says to Herbert, "I presume you are coming to a point with all this verbiage?"

If looks could kill.

Zipser and McGarrett switch the blood sample for food coloring and down goes Fremont in grand fashion. Steve leaves the courtroom quietly alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mary Ann and Steve overcome the terrible rift Fremont had caused.

Pau.