Season 2 of Hawaii Five-O continues with episode 7 “Sweet Terror” and episode 8 “King Kamehameha Blues”. In the former we have a fun terror plot run by an eccentric bad-guy-for-hire and in the latter we have a group of college kids “putting the squeeze on the establishment” with a daring theft.

The fun part of watching these episodes in order is that you get pairs like this one in which I really loved one episode and totally loathed the other. “Sweet Terror” features Theodore Bikel as a fun villain with a certain air of sophistication and Soon Tek Oh is back playing another not-so-nice character. “King Kamehameha Blues” just straight up gives me the blues.

You can listen to my raving and ranting on Soundcloud, iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher.

Instead of a picture from one of the episodes, here’s a pic of King Kamehameha I’s cloak. You can read all about how it was made here.

I’ve got two more second season episodes for you. “Savage Sunday” pulls Five-O in on their day off to take on some Latin American revolutionaries and “A Bullet for McGarrett” features a seriously mesmerizing Eric Braeden. But then, isn’t he always? There’s a soap opera worthy subplot that has nothing to do with the soap opera vet and a surprise appearance by Wo Fat. Listen on Soundcloud, iTunes, Spotify, and Stitcher to see which episode has which.

Apologies for the background noise. The neighborhood insisted on being particularly loud while I was recording. As if I’m not loud enough as it is.

Please enjoy this picture of Kono on his day off as compensation.

It’s episode 15 of Book ’em, Danno and season 2 is just getting started. In episode 3, “Forty Feet High and It Kills!”, Wo Fat is back, baby, and he’s kidnapping…Grandpa Walton? And in episode 4, “Just Lucky, I Guess”, Five-O finds themselves looking for a killer and a witness. Come for my excessive praise. Stay for my complaining.

Listen on Soundcloud, iTunes, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Behinds the scenes note: When I record Book ’em, Danno, I’ve found it most effective for me to record my blathering about the first episode I cover on one day and then the second episode the next. It’s less stressful and it saves my voice. However, this episode, for whatever reason, my voice was kind of rough when I started talking about “Just Lucky I Guess” and ended up straying into phone sex operator territory by the end of it. Sorry about that. To be clear, I wasn’t intentionally trying to arouse anyone while talking about John Randolph’s credits.

To keep this from getting even more awkward, he’s a picture of Steve (not from either of the episodes) embarrassed to be associated with me.

Season 2 is underway!

We start off with a murderous life insurance scheme (that’s not deadly in the way you think) in “A Thousand Pardons–You’re Dead!” and continue on with a man carrying out a plot twenty-eight years too late in “To Hell With Babe Ruth”. Danno goes undercover and Steve learns about ninjas. Kicking off the season in style.

Yes, it only takes two episodes until we once again get a heavy dose of racist casting, but we also get some gratuitous James MacArthur and BarBara Luna frolicking on the beach, so. I’m not saying it balances out. I’m just saying that with this series, we have to take the good with the bad.

Anyway, listen on Souncloud, iTunes, Spotify, and Stitcher.

I’d post a pic of the beach frolicking, but that might be too much for you. So, here’s a picture of Danno in uniform. Which also might be too much for you.

It’s the final episode of season one, “The Big Kahuna”, and a quick little look back on the season. We’ve got the Pele the Goddess of Fire attempting to evict one of the last members of Hawaiian royalty from his house (or so it would seem) and I’ve been keeping track of all of the times Steve McGarrett has uttered the words “Book ’em, Danno”.

Oh, and if you usually don’t pay attention to and/or skip through the guest cast info, you may want to listen this time. There’s a hidden gem or two in there that you might appreciate.

And you can do that on Soundcloud, iTunes, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Thanks for hanging out with me for the first season. I did say that getting through season one would be the test of whether or not I’d stick with this podcast. And since I did, I guess I will. On to season two!

I don’t have any pics from this episode, so here’s a picture of happy Kono because who doesn’t love happy Kono?

The first season of Hawaii Five-O is winding down with episode 22 “Not That Much Different” and episode 23 “Six Kilos”. Only one episode left! Can you believe it?

But first, Steve and the rest of Five-O have to contend with a shooting involving some peace demonstrators, and then he has to go undercover to capture some criminals plotting a big heist.

Check it out by listening on Souncloud, iTunes, Spotify, and Stitcher.

And here are your visual aids in regards to Steve’s undercover wardrobe. You will never find anything more marvelous.

Until you see Steve’s later wardrobe choices.

Another long episode, but this time not because of a special guest, but because I’m covering three first season episodes: “Along Came Joey” and the two-parter “Once Upon a Time”. Gird your loins. Not just for the overload of episodes, but also because they’re all emotionally draining. In “Along Came Joey”, Frank DeKova is a Maui lieutenant turned avenging angel when his son is killed. And then in “Once Upon a Time”, Steve goes after the quack doctor who has preyed on his sister and her son.

It’s pretty somber episode, folks. Listen on Soundcloud, iTunes, Spotify, and Stitcher.

I don’t have any pics from these eps, so here’s a picture of Frank DeKova (left) as Chief Wild Eagle on F-Troop.

Episode 8 is Danno heavy. First, he’s shot and held hostage in “King of the Hill” and then in “Uptight”, he goes undercover after failing to save a young woman from a cliff. Come for the Yaphet Kotto excellence, stay for the acid trips.

Listen on Soundcloud, iTunes, Spotify, and Stitcher.

No, it’s not the crappy quality of the picture. That really is Richard Bull with a mustache.