Two of the most important women in Steve McGarrett’s (Alex O’Loughlin) life take center stage as the third season of Hawaii Five-0 begins shooting in Honolulu.
McGarrett celebrates Valentine’s Day last season with Catherine (Michelle Borth) on Hawaii Five-0.
The summer break is over for the cast and crew of the popular television series, as they report back to work on the Monday following the July 4th holiday. As with the previous two years, the shooting season began with a traditional Hawaiian blessing. All the principle actors were on hand, although at least one made a last-minute return to the islands. Daniel Dae Kim has been Tweeting from Korea, where he is revisiting his ancestral homeland as a member of the Presidential Delegation to the Republic of Korea to attend the United States National Day at the Yeosu Expo. His official title is: “Honorary United States Cultural Ambassador to the 2012 World Expo.” He did fill in for Alex O’Loughlin on the Hawaii Five-0/NCIS-LA cross-over last season while Alex was in rehab, so he would qualify for an excused absence.
A veteran actress is a new face in the H50 ensemble. Christine Lahti is joining the cast in a recurring role as Doris McGarrett, Steve’s thought-to-be-departed mom. Recall the pilot episode: McGarrett’s dad tried to send a cryptic message to his son before being killed, a message that seemed to connect to his investigation into the death of Steve’s mom. At his father’s funeral, the female governor of Hawaii, played by Jean Smart, enticed him to stay in the islands to combat bad guys (and his own personal demons). Now, his dad and that governor are dead, but his mother is somehow alive, if we are to believe the final word of the season two cliffhanger: “Mom?” Well, that and the press release from CBS, which quotes Executive Producer Peter Lenkov: “The mysterious character of Doris McGarrett is a pivotal one to the mythology of our show and we are thrilled to have a seasoned and beloved actress such as Christine to portray her. She’s a wonderful addition to the H50 family and the fans will certainly enjoy what we have in store for her. Let’s just say that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
Kono (Grace Park), Chin (Daniel Dae Kim), McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin), Danny (Scott Caan) and Max (Masi Oka) at the site of a historical war re-enactment, where a man dressed as a Hawaiian NaKoa warrior is found murdered.
The CBS press release includes another clue to the women in Steve’s life. Season two included an attempt by the new governor to rein-in H50 by adding Lori Weston (played by Lauren German) to the team. Her convenient but unconvincing exit following an ankle sprain while hiking Koko Head cleared the way for the return of Steve’s OG – Original Girl – Catherine. Sure, her satellite connections made traffic surveillance a snap in season one, and Steve did spend last Valentine’s Day with her, but she’s apparently gotten a non-military promotion. After appearing in just two episodes each in 2010 and 2011, CBS now lists Michelle Borth as a “series star,” along with O’Loughlin, Kim, Scott Caan, Grace Park and Masi Oki (the second season addition to the line-up).
We won’t see the on-air results until September, but the return of the cast and crew means those of us in Hawaii may soon see the familiar “EYE” sign around the islands meaning that a restaurant, beach, market or hotel is now a shooting location. Welcome back, and hana hou 5-0! (Encore 5-0!)
Photo Credit: CBS Television Network
