HAWAII FIVE-0 – How does McGarrett survive all he’s been through?
After a series has been on the air for twelve seasons and rebooted for seven, there’s not much to film that hasn’t already been done. With the 7th season finale airing tonight at 9/8c on CBS, in this final part of comparing the main characters of Hawaii Five-O and its reboot, I thought it might be fun to just see what bad luck McGarrett has gotten into over the years (particularly in light of the fact that Alex O’Loughlin revealed to TVLine back in November that Season Eight will be his final one with the series).
Let’s face it, though, Jack Lord is still very much an icon when it comes to Hawaii and this series. No one could ever really take his place. This list, if you will, is not meant to be all inclusive. I just thought it’d be cool to see what the two “McGarrett’s” have gotten themselves into.
Of course, we know that much more personal information was revealed about the reboot’s McGarrett. He is a decorated Navy Seal. He was named after his grandfather, who died on the Arizona at Pearl Harbor. His father, John, was killed in the pilot, and he has a younger sister, Mary. The only thing we really ever found out about the original McGarrett was that he was also a decorated Naval officer.
Let’s take a look at the mischief and mayhem of Jack Lord’s McGarrett in the following episodes (and ponder the question “Could one person survive all of this?”):
Season One, Episode 10: “Yesterday Died and Tomorrow Won’t Be Born”
McGarrett, is shot three times (in the arm, the side, and the abdomen).
Season One, Episode 12: “Pray Love Remember, Pray Love Remember”
McGarrett breaks some ribs in a fight.
Season Two, Episode 6: “A Bullet for McGarrett”
McGarrett is shot in the shoulder by a brainwashed police officer.
Season Two, Episode 7: “Sweet Terror”
McGarrett is stabbed in the left arm.
Season Three, Episode 7: “Force of Waves”
McGarrett’s left arm is broken in an explosion from a bomb.
Season Four, Episode 24: “R & R & R”
McGarrett’s left palm is sliced by a knife.
Season Seven, Episode 10: “A Gun for McGarrett”
McGarrett suffers a concussion and shrapnel injury to his left arm.
Season Eight, Episode 2: “McGarrett is Missing”
McGarrett seriously injures his leg in a plane crash.
Season Nine, Episode 13: “Man in a Steel Frame”
McGarrett is hit in the head and drugged.
Season Nine, Episode 19: “Blood Money Is Hard to Wash”
A bomb goes off in McGarrett’s office, temporaily blinds him, and puts him in the hospital.
Season Ten, Episode 14: “A Short Walk on the Longshore”
McGarrett seriously injures, maybe breaks, his hand when he punches Danny.
Has McGarrett changed his ways in the reboot? Apparently not. If anything, he’s exponentially expounded on them:
Season One, Episode 7: “Ho’apono” (Accept)
McGarrett is held hostage aboard the USS Missouri.
Season One, Episode 9: “Po’ipu” (The Siege)
McGarrett is cut during a fight with an old SEAL buddy during an investigation.
Season One, Episode 24: “Oia’i’o” (Trust)
McGarrett is arrested for the Governor’s murder.
Season Two, Episode 1: “Ha’i’ole” (Unbreakable)
McGarrett is stabbed by a fellow inmate seeking revenge.
Season Two, Episode 10: “Ki’ilua” (Deceiver)
McGarrett is kidnapped and tortured by Wo Fat.
Season Two, Episode 16: “I Helu Pu” (The Reckoning)
McGarrett is hit by a car while chasing a suspect.
Season Three, Episode 8: “Wahine‘inoloa” (Evil Woman)
McGarrett is tortured by a psychiatrist who murdered one of her patients.
Season Three, Episode 10: Huaka’i Kula” (Field Trip)
McGarrett is held hostage by a diamond thief.
Season Four, Episode 14: “Na hala a ka makua” (Sins of the Father)
McGarrett, along with Danny, is held hostage by a convicted murderer.
Season Four, Episode 19: “Ku I Ka Pili Koko” (Blood Brothers)
McGarrett and Danny are trapped following an explosion.
Season Four, Episode 21: “Makani’Olu a Holo Malie” (Fair Winds and Following Seas)
McGarrett is injured when he travels to Afghanistan with Catherine to help a friend.
Season Five, Episode 7: “Ina Paha” (If Perhaps)
McGarrett is kidnapped, drugged, and tortured by Wo Fat. (McGarrett kills Wo Fat in this episode).
Season Five, Episode 19: “Kahania” (Close Shave)
McGarrett is trapped in a barbershop when gunmen open fire.
Season Six, Episode 25: “O Ke Ali’i Wale No Ka’u Makemake” (Until We Die)
McGarrett and Danny go undercover, and McGarrett is seriously injured. He eventually needs a liver transplant.
Season Seven, Episode 4: “Hu a’e kea hi Ianakila a Kamaile” (The Fire of Kamile Rises in Triumph)
McGarrett and profiler Alicia Brown are kidnapped by a serial killer.
Season Seven, Episode 21: “Ua Malo’o Ka Wai” (The Water Is Dried up)
McGarrett and the Five-0 team are captured by a nemesis they are tracking.
Whew. Are you tired? I know I am.
The Finale for Hawaii Five-0’s Season Seven airs Friday, May 12, at 9 P.M. on CBS; we’ll find out next week where on the schedule O’Loughlin’s final season will air!