"Hawaii Five-O" was a wonderful 1960s and 70s TV series--it's one of my favorites. However, by season 11, the well of ideas had run dry and the show was clearly well past its peak. In fact, season 12 managed to limp along even with a mostly new cast and some of the worst writing you could imagine. Here with "The Gold Noose", you have an oddity--a decent idea for a show. But, in true season 12 fashion, they STILL managed to make the episode stink!
The show begins in some fictional Asian country that looks a heck of a lot like Hawaii. An American geologist has just discovered uranium and is thrilled that this fledgling nation will soon become rich. After telling his girlfriend this, he meets his boss, Halloran (the very familiar character actor, Ed Lautner). Halloran inexplicably then has the man killed! Why? Because now that he knows about the fortune in uranium, he's going to start a revolution and run the place!
So how does Hawaii come into play? Well, the prime minister and his entourage (including Halloran) is in Hawaii to meet with the governor and pick up a supply of gold that was in the States for safekeeping during the nation's last revolution! Little does the prime minister know that his own right-hand man is planning on stealing the gold.
All this sounds pretty interesting. So why do I STILL think it's a bad episode? First, the dead geologist has a girlfriend who has come to Hawaii to talk to Halloran and get some answers. However, most of the time she acts like a third-rate Nancy Drew--running around on her own and nearly getting herself killed twice. Yet, despite this, she STILL avoids going in to protective custody and plays the lone wolf!! Second, one eyewitness thinks this lady killed a man--but the man was actually trying to kill her. When he described the woman as 'looking like a foreigner' it made me laugh, as she looked just like a native Hawaiian!! I think, if I am not mistaken, that Hawaii actually has a few natives!!! Third, the way they steal the gold is silly--like something out of a James Bond film!! All in all, an amazingly poorly written show even though it started well.
The show begins in some fictional Asian country that looks a heck of a lot like Hawaii. An American geologist has just discovered uranium and is thrilled that this fledgling nation will soon become rich. After telling his girlfriend this, he meets his boss, Halloran (the very familiar character actor, Ed Lautner). Halloran inexplicably then has the man killed! Why? Because now that he knows about the fortune in uranium, he's going to start a revolution and run the place!
So how does Hawaii come into play? Well, the prime minister and his entourage (including Halloran) is in Hawaii to meet with the governor and pick up a supply of gold that was in the States for safekeeping during the nation's last revolution! Little does the prime minister know that his own right-hand man is planning on stealing the gold.
All this sounds pretty interesting. So why do I STILL think it's a bad episode? First, the dead geologist has a girlfriend who has come to Hawaii to talk to Halloran and get some answers. However, most of the time she acts like a third-rate Nancy Drew--running around on her own and nearly getting herself killed twice. Yet, despite this, she STILL avoids going in to protective custody and plays the lone wolf!! Second, one eyewitness thinks this lady killed a man--but the man was actually trying to kill her. When he described the woman as 'looking like a foreigner' it made me laugh, as she looked just like a native Hawaiian!! I think, if I am not mistaken, that Hawaii actually has a few natives!!! Third, the way they steal the gold is silly--like something out of a James Bond film!! All in all, an amazingly poorly written show even though it started well.