My thoughts: The increasingly questionable morals of H50

[4thoffive]

The increasingly questionable morals of H50I’ve been thinking about this since last night’s episode and I need to get it out so all of you have to suffer through my ramblings. Sorry

Comments

[allthemiles]

I agree with you. I've become really turned off by the blatant violation of civil rights and frankly downright abuse that the team has been increasingly exhibiting and how no one seems to bat an eye at it anymore

[4thoffive]

You've captured my thoughts very well. In season 1 Steve did some crazy things that went against the rules and that was ok with me but now they are outright breaking the rules and beating and killing people.

I don't care for a lot of violent shows but to me shows like Justified are somehow easier to bear because we know Raylan is an anti-hero. He started out the series that way and hasn't changed.

Steve and Danny and Chin started out wanting to protect their island and it's people and do it with some honor, not to be vigilantes who rain justice down on people like hells angels.

[landrews]

It's become like a fantasy show for law enforcement- what one might WISH they could sometimes do, but never would in real life. Fun for the inner mind, but bad for real life :-) It's funny, too, to me, how the producers get all squicky about details like sexual assault, but have no boundaries on excessive force. Still, I like seeing the character work- it'd be nice to see the follow-through on darker and deeper into the abyss that we can't get on network TV. Remember The Shield? And I like the way the cast is filmed for the pretty, lolol.

[4thoffive]

I guess for me the pretty isn't enough. It's great for sure but I'd just like to see a bit more thought put into the show and see some consequences of their actions.

You're right that it's fantasy of law enforcement and we always want the good guys to win but I guess for me, they shouldn't win at any cost.

I suppose I get far more satisfaction from watching shows like Law and Order where cops (most of the time) go through the drudgery of police work to solve the case.

But as I've always said, it's the McDanno that keeps me watching this show, nothing else.

[landrews]

Oh, totally- I never got into Law and Order, but if I want satisfying, I watch Justified :-)

[kristen999]

H50 is like an urban fantasy show, the team does what can't be done, what isn't allowed. It is like the id vs. the ego of cop shows. It is darker and that is not for everyone. I do wish they did explore those consequences more, because that would make good drama, but I don't think TPTB can do anything that complex I highly doubt that any parent who's child has been buried alive would blink at what Steve and Danny did to get them back safe. I mean, would you as a parent go “stop, get that man a lawyer, because that is the morally correct thing to do

[4thoffive]

You're right it's fantasy escapism and I should accept it as that. I guess if the show had started in this dark, violent way I would be ready for it but it didn't.

I appreciate your thoughts. Always well considered and argued - not surprising from one of the best writers in fandom.

[kristen999]

It has gotten darker that is for sure. I could barely watch the Chin in prison eppy because of the violence. For me personally, it's just a 42 break from RL when I can turn my brain off for a while.

It's a good discussion topic. There is no right or wrong sides. Just opinions :)

[kahuna_burger]

Steve's actions in 2.01 definately bothered me as well. Realistically, he could have killed those EMTs or the cop. You just can't physically take someone down that way with major risk. So he was in danger. Is his life worth more than those of three public servants? If Wo Fat was right there with a gun planning to shoot those very same people, would Steve be condoned for letting them be shot at to make good his own escape? If not, how can the risk to him excuse the active attack on innocents

[4thoffive]

Yes the steve escape thing has always really bothered me - maybe even more than Chin killing the man who murdered his wife. Chin's actions were wrong but then again we knew the man he killed was himself a killer. Steve beat the shit out of three innocent men and as you say, that kind of beating could have killed them.

Your argument about fiction vs fantasy resonates with me too. I actually can't stand fantasy because it's too far from reality for me (I'm not very imaginative I guess) and I need to recognize something of reality in what I'm reading and what I watch and I'm seeing less and less of it in H50.

One of the things I've always liked about the show was how good and decent - and flawed - these characters were. They don't seem that way to me anymore.

[davierose]

Another aspect of this is the fact that Steve doesn't like being lied to by Catherine, yet he can let Danny beat up a handcuffed suspect and just walk away. I know, the guy was scum and they did have him dead to rights with the other evidence, but in this country you are innocent until proven guilty. And now they have Kono lying to Chin---and that is going to bite her in the butt soon. Other TV shows-NCIS and NCIS-LA come to mind-have their characters doing questionable things also. So it is not just H5-0.

[4thoffive]

You're right it isn't just 5-0. I don't watch the other shows that you mention but I've seen shows where things the characters do disturb me.

To me they are getting too far away from the Steve and Danny and Chin we knew and loved. They've gone from being these honourable guys who just want to do right to vigilantes who seem to think just about any method of solving the crime is ok.

[4thoffive]

Yes SVU and other shows have done some dark things with their characters but they always seem to have to pay the price for their actions. I don't mind dark characters or themes (in moderation) I guess what I have a problem with is no consequences to their choices.