Hawaii Five-0s Most Underrated Episode Is a Family Affair

The Big Picture

• James Caan's portrayal of retired detective Tony Archer on Hawaii Five-0 steals the show with charisma and wit.
• The on-screen chemistry between Scott Caan and his real-life father creates a seamless and strong bond.
• Season 2, Episode 18 of Hawaii Five-0 , "Lekio (Radio)," showcases an underrated episode with perfect comedic timing.

The Hawaii Five-0 reboot kept us on our toes for ten seasons with its in-depth crimes, quippy humor, and great characters. There are so many great storylines and plots that picking the best episode of a season is tough. They deal with some notorious criminals in their time, like Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos) or Gabriel Waincroft (Christopher Sean), who added intensity to the series, gave the team a more significant challenge, and introduced higher steaks. On the opposite end of the scale, some episodes are pure fun, like when Danny Williams's (Scott Caan) ex-mother-in-law (Joan Collins) comes to town for a book signing, and McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) and Danny have to babysit her, or when the 5-0 gang has to work a case in the 1940s. However, one of the early episodes that stands out as one of the most fun and has the best guest star is Season 2, Episode 18, entitled "Lekio (Radio)."

Hawaii Five-0

When Steve McGarrett returns home to Oahu to find his father's killer, the Governor offers him the chance to run his own task force: Five-0.

What Happens in 'Hawaii Five-0's "Lekio (Radio)"?

The procedural's episode starts with notorious radio host Bobby Rains (Dennis Miller) and his producer on the air when Bobby pushes one of the sound effect buttons, and the boat explodes, killing Bobby, destroying a good portion of his boat, and causing minor damage to the producer (David Stanley). The 5-0 comes onto the scene, and their number one suspect is retired New York cop Tony Archer (James Caan), a bomb specialist who brings the heat and lives on his houseboat. After clearing the gritty retiree who was best friends with Bobby, they enlist his help for the rest of the case. Tony is old school but has some tricks up his sleeve that McGarrett and Danno haven't mastered yet. He follows his gut along with the evidence and uncovers some crucial clues, like asking Kamekona (Taylor Wily) where they might find illegal explosives.

Together, this newfound team uncovers a sweetheart scheme set in motion with Bobby Rains's daughter Brandi (Heather Sossaman) being the victim. Brandi's husband Todd (Ben Bledsoe) was a grifter but fell in love with Brandi for real and didn't want to be part of a scheme, but his grifter partner Karen (Tanya Clarke) was pressuring him and wanted a payday. It turns out Karen blew up Bobby to get a payout from Todd after they had inherited all his money. In trying to get Karen to leave them alone, Todd ends up killing Karen. The brilliant detective trio used their skills of detection, evidence finding, and a little roasting to solve this crime and become buddies. Of course, the team couldn't have solved the case without the help of Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim), Kono Kalakaua (Grace Park), and Max Bergman (Masi Oka).

The Father, Son Duo We Never Knew We Needed But Can't Live Without

Before we get too far into why the episode is an absolute gem that everyone should know, as many die-hard fans already must know, James Cann, who plays the retired cop Tony Archer, is Scott Caan's (Detective Danny Williams) real-life father. Knowing that makes the episode that much better, makes the roasts hit harder, and explains why their chemistry is so good. You can notice how similar the father/son duo is in the way they talk or look. Having family work together can take its toll, but these two make it look seamless and had a strong bond. Of course, James Caan was a brilliant actor in his own right and is a seasoned acting veteran known for roles like The Godfather, Elf, Misery, and The Gambler.

James Caan Steals The Show As Retired Detective Tony Archer

James Can kills (figuratively) in every scene and utterly steals the entire episode with his charisma and hilarity. One of the best scenes has to be his entrance. Picture it: McGarrett and Danno find his boat docked in the marina and climb aboard. He steps out from the helm, barefoot, with a beer in hand and a gun pointed at McGarrett. From this moment, you know Tony Archer is old-school and isn't afraid of a little confrontation. In fact, he loves it. After his attempt to gain the upper hand fails, we see him sitting in handcuffs while the boys grill him. Tony's sarcasm and wit ultimately make the scene so much better, saying to Danno, "You got me there, Hairdoo," and calling him "Muscles," showing a complete lack of respect. He even goes so far as to ask Danno for a beer, to which Danno responds by pouring it out right in front of him. As McGarrett and Danno are questioning Tony, they hear a noise and discover Tony was keeping a suspect in the chum box, covered in bait. He was conducting his own investigation.

Caan's character, Tony, constantly roasts Danny for being a pretty boy and for his all-around personality. It's a very underrated episode and not widely mentioned as one of the best, but the character chemistry and storyline work so well that it should be adored more. Some of his best quips include: "Book em muscles" when talking to Danno and constantly messing up McGarrets name with others like McGoo or McGruff. He says stuff like, "Although I bow to your prowess of detective work," then proceeds to explain to them why there is another avenue they should explore. Tony is dripping with sarcasm, but you can tell he's trying to work with McGarrett and Danno. The comedic chemistry and timing these three have is perfection. Danno even got a good dig in when Tony wanted to go with his gut and says he can usually see this kind of stuff coming. Danno responds with, "This afternoon, you couldn't see anything without your glasses," which shows how Danno can clap back once in a while.

The ending scene is also an adorable wrap-up of their adventure. Tony invites McGarrett and Danno to his boat for New York-style pizza. They all take their shoes off, adhering to Tony's idea of, "I'm in Hawaii; what the hell do I need shoes for?" and chill. That's when Tony brings up a fresh pizza, and they each take a piece, fold it in New York style, and start chowing down. Then they start joking around, and Tony says he'll be their marriage counselor for the bromance of Danno and McGarrett. It's the perfect ending to a fun-filled episode.

As the episode goes on, we see that if they had made James Caan a series regular, he would have stolen every scene for the rest of the series. The relationship Tony forged with Danno and McGarrett in one episode would be nothing compared to if they had him on multiple seasons. It makes you want to know more about him, his past, and what other kinds of cases he might take on the side.

Hawaii Five-0 is available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Watch on Paramount+

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