The Case Against McGarrett

The last time I saw this episode, I thought it was rather gripping, as another reviewer described.

But I saw it again last night, and ohhhhh was it dull.

First off, it begins with a recap of a previous episode.....and seemed to go on forever. I understand why they did that, but it bored me to tears. Then, when the episode itself started to take off I was intrigued. but.......

.......The long scene in the prison was just too much to take. It was way too unbelievable that "Mister Vashon" would be that oblivious. I can understand a con being obsessed with a grudge, but this was ridiculous.

By the eighth season, this wonderful show was showing signs of weariness.

The sole surviving Vachon male is in jail. Despite being a model prisoner (so far as anybody knows), the parole board denies him released, due in part to McGarrett's impact statement. But since Honore Vachon is not in jail on a murder charge, why shouldn't be released? To prevent him from committing any future crimes? What is this - Minority Report?

Vachon then elicits the help of some hardened cons to kidnap some prison officials, in a bid to trade their lives for McGarrett's. Vachon issues his ultimatum, and waits for McGarrett's answer. Are we to believe he can't overhear McGarrett's plotting a counter-offensive? Especially given his beyond obvious hemming and hawing before answering? Then there's the trial itself. Vachon makes his case, however tenuous, then allows McGarrett his defense. Bad move all around. We are then subjected to several of McGarrett's self-serving, pretentious monologues about justice. Yikes! I'm surprised Vachon doesn't just waste him, then and there to shut him up. And of course, the ending is lame, predictable, and utterly unsatisfying. With this installment, the verdict is guilty........of being a waste of time.

This would have been a ten except for two things:

One, and they had to do it in the day, it seems like 10 to 15 minutes of the episode was taken up by recapping the crimes of Vashon's son and what led to the exchanged shots where McGarrett shot him. When this aired, it had been a few seasons since the Vashon trilogy, so they had to do it. To a recent viewer who's regularly watching Hawaii 5-0 in syndication or streaming, it's not that long since we saw those episodes.

Next, the "Case against McGarrett" doesn't really last that long and is mostly Vashon's grief, denial, and anger raging against McGarrett, rather than the real "trial" the episode seemed to set up in title and premise. It would have been more interesting if they'd let the trial play out and the inmates voted to acquit. :-)

So the show is entertaining as aired ... the writers just missed a chance to make it unique and special.

Definitely a solid late episode in the series, with some tense scenes and great acting by its leads.

Someone mentioned in their review that this was dull, which is hard to understand, considering, there are many episodes in the upcoming seasons that definitely relate to being 'dull'. This episode, once again, shows the comradery between the 5-O team and in particular, Dan's continued loyalty to McGarrett.

This is a nice follow-up to the 'Vashon Trilogy' from season 5 and true fans won't be disappointed.

As always, Harold Gould is excellent.

This episode, has about 4 minutes of footage, from the Vashon trilogy episodes of season 5.

Stellar acting, and police work.