In the first couple seasons, Steve McGarrett was a lot more actively involved in cases--going undercover, chasing crooks and the like. It was a lot more exciting, but having the head of all police in Hawaii doing this grunt work seemed a bit odd. Well, in this episode, his involvement gets REALLY odd! The show begins with a car being chased by the police. In the car is a man (Don Knight) and a young lady. When the lady awakens, she panics and starts struggling with Knight. Then, in a crazy move, she jumps out of the car--while it's going 100 mph! The police car is forced to stop and help the lady--allowing the car to get away. On the lady is an earring belonging to the crown jewels of an unnamed nation--the first clues to what happened to the stones that were stolen a few days earlier. When McGarrett arrives, the lady is dying but manages to say "the ways of love" twice and then dies.
A wide variety of clues fall into Five-O's laps and eventually they learn two things. First, the dead girl's boyfriend (James Patterson) was just recently extradited to California because of an outstanding warrant. This boyfriend could have easily committed the jewel robbery and then got picked up on an unrelated charge. So, McGarrett travels to the mainland to become the guy's new cell-mate. The plan is for Steve to "escape" from prison and take Patterson with him--hoping that Patterson will eventually show him where the loot is hidden. Second, after Steve leaves for prison, the Hawaiian police find x-ray equipment indicating that they used it to crack the safe by x-raying the tumblers.
Eventually, the fake escape occurs--leading to some really crazy adventures. While this was actually very well thought out in some ways (and very interesting), it was also pretty crazy. First, why would they send Steve? Considering he's the head of Five-O you'd think some of the prisoners would recognize him! Second, after they escape, Steve stands there as Patterson starts slapping around Knight--is a cop really allowed to do this?!?! NOT! Third, after Patterson shoots Knight, you'd think the undercover assignment would end there--but Steve runs away with Patterson to look for the loot!! Again, would any police agency let a guy shoot someone right in front of them and NOT arrest him--but continue to let the guy be free?! It's sad, because the IDEA of going undercover and the whole escape was neat--but why did they have to leave so many holes in the scheme?! Overall, interesting and a lot of fun but a bit dopey at times.
By the way, when Steve and Patterson are escaping on the roof of the prison, the area surrounding the prison looks NOTHING like California but looks amazingly just like Hawaii--with its lush green hills. Perhaps this is why later in the series they filmed parts of each episode on the mainland AND Hawaii.
A wide variety of clues fall into Five-O's laps and eventually they learn two things. First, the dead girl's boyfriend (James Patterson) was just recently extradited to California because of an outstanding warrant. This boyfriend could have easily committed the jewel robbery and then got picked up on an unrelated charge. So, McGarrett travels to the mainland to become the guy's new cell-mate. The plan is for Steve to "escape" from prison and take Patterson with him--hoping that Patterson will eventually show him where the loot is hidden. Second, after Steve leaves for prison, the Hawaiian police find x-ray equipment indicating that they used it to crack the safe by x-raying the tumblers.
Eventually, the fake escape occurs--leading to some really crazy adventures. While this was actually very well thought out in some ways (and very interesting), it was also pretty crazy. First, why would they send Steve? Considering he's the head of Five-O you'd think some of the prisoners would recognize him! Second, after they escape, Steve stands there as Patterson starts slapping around Knight--is a cop really allowed to do this?!?! NOT! Third, after Patterson shoots Knight, you'd think the undercover assignment would end there--but Steve runs away with Patterson to look for the loot!! Again, would any police agency let a guy shoot someone right in front of them and NOT arrest him--but continue to let the guy be free?! It's sad, because the IDEA of going undercover and the whole escape was neat--but why did they have to leave so many holes in the scheme?! Overall, interesting and a lot of fun but a bit dopey at times.
By the way, when Steve and Patterson are escaping on the roof of the prison, the area surrounding the prison looks NOTHING like California but looks amazingly just like Hawaii--with its lush green hills. Perhaps this is why later in the series they filmed parts of each episode on the mainland AND Hawaii.