Hawaii Five-O (TV Series) Use a Gun, Go to Hell (1979) User Reviews

How Many More Times, Oh Lord...

[stephenw-thompson · 6/10 · 8 January 2021]

Throughout most of the 70s it seems every police show or detective show on television used the premise of how one gun becomes involved in a series of violent episodes. While I appreciate how hard it can be to come up with a script that is well-meaning, sometimes a picture of violence results in, dare I say, overkill.

In 1974, Richard Link and William Levinson wrote a movie of the week called The Gun which basically followed the "life" of a gun through its different owners. This seemed to spark a copycat effect throughout the television industry as everyone did their best to take their idea one step further. By the time this episode aired, Five O had already mined this territory once before and this one seemed more preachy than the original episode.

I'm pretty sure the NRA wasn't happy about this one! Nor should anyone that wants a well-written episode!

[planktonrules · 2/10 · 1 May 2014]

In real life, Jack Lord was in favor of severely restricting handgun ownership and the show "Hawaii Five-O" was set in one of the toughest states in the US to own a gun, so it isn't a surprise that the series did a couple overtly anti-handgun episodes. The first, from season seven was episode 23 "Diary of a Gun"--and it was an excellent show--whatever your beliefs are about gun ownership. However, here in the final season, they reworked this previous episode an injected all sorts of speechifying about the evils of gun--and ended up creating a horrible episode! Even the title, "Use a Gun, Go to Hell" is terrible, as it's anything but subtle!!

Like in "Diary of a Gun", a single handgun is passed from one hand to another to another through the course of the show and lots of folks end up getting hurt--and three killed. However, there is an interesting subplot involving a senator that was very interesting--but it seemed like an afterthought and really needed an entire episode on its own instead of just being one part to all the killings by this one apparently demon-possessed 9mm! It's all a bit confusing--as they tossed in too many plot elements, shamelessly ripped off their own prior episode AND had McGarrett making speeches that were obvious speeches to the audience. Subtlety was in no way present in this episode--and that's what had made "Diary of a Gun" so good. This earlier episode had much of the same content but without the obnoxious speeches that ruined this season 12 clunker--it allowed the audience to understand the message without hammering it home in such a ham-fisted manner. All in all, this is a great example of how far the quality of the episodes had dropped during the last couple years of the show. Truly terrible compared to what the show had been.

By the way, if you don't believe me about this particular episode, read through the summary by Peter Harris. It ends with the comment "Inspires a McGarrett tirade at the end". That it did!

Good Episode!

[tub51461 · 10/10 · 3 January 2016]

I disagree with the previous reviewer. This is a good story. Sure, it's not as subtle as the other episode, but it still pushes a worthwhile debate. I am biased. I don't like guns, I don't need guns, & am happy with a gun free life. Once again, every possible worse case scenario like the previous episode in Season 1 has been reviewed and examined.

This episode is 36 years old this year. Can you imagine how many people died in 36 years as a result of casualties of gun-related deaths? That number is definitely in the millions or 10s of millions since 1980 I'd imagine. As was the writer's point back then, the moral of this story.

How many times do we have to beat our heads against the wall before we accept that it's unnecessary and that it hurts when we allow people to gain such access?

Have Gun, Will Travel...To Another Gun User

[CDRTV · 10/10 · 7 October 2022]

Yes, this episode does recycle a plot from another episode, but it's still good to see any show that illustrates some of the dangers of careless gun owners. Just minutes before logging onto this site my Yahoo news feed is filled with developing stories of innocent people, including children, being shot to death. Considering the political climate of 2022, this show still has resonance, unlike some of the other politically charged episodes from this era. Good to see Duke getting some more screen time too--I thought he might be completely phased out like some of the other cast members. For the final season, this is one of the better episodes though it still falls short of previous season episodes.

A Welcome Return to Form

[sphillips-7 · 8/10 · 1 June 2017]

After several disappointing episodes following the departure of veterans Chin Ho Kelly and Danny Williams, "Use a Gun, Go to Hell" is a welcome, if temporary, return to some of the best features of the series. Those include half-crazed small-time hoods, a strained father-son relationship, an attempted cover-up, and a surprise ending. The main characters are well cast, Andrew Duggan and Richard Dmitri having made guest appearances in previous episodes.

Another reviewer faults McGarrett for making speeches against lax gun control laws and for doing so in a ham-fisted way. But McGarrett's conduct in this respect is entirely in keeping with his character. In fact it has been a hallmark of McGarrett throughout the series to rail against the evils of organized crime, contract killings, and the drug trade. If he seems sanctimonious and didactic at times, that's a well established part of his persona. Driven by a passionate loathing of senseless violence and of those who commit it, McGarret is often moved to lecture crime bosses, plus less seasoned felons, on the harm they do to society. Subtlety is not a quality one associates with McGarrett.

Given the epidemic of gun violence that afflicts the United States, this episode is bold and insightful in its depiction and condemnation of Americans' dangerous addiction to guns. In fact its message has never been more compelling given the power wielded today by the NRA, a truly malignant organization. In that respect, the episode stands up remarkably well.

Excellent

[samwa-27311 · 10/10 · 17 January 2020]

I will match this against anything from Season 11.

Anything with Andrew Duggan, is good.

By this time, and even by Season 10, McGarett usually has a small role, and only administrative.

Here, the two hoods do a fine acting job.

Yes, this is to discourage gun use, but it is done in an honest way.

Hard to imagine anything without Danno and Chin, but this episode was good and keeps your interest every minute.