H50: 1x23 ep thoughts
You guys. YOU GUYS. I have a review of H50 1x23. It contains love. And hate. And fangirl freaking out. So read if you've seen it. I've also got some general series thoughts and ideas about future stuff. So here I go.
Ordered by numbers due to my OCD and shit.
1. Steve's face. NO SERIOUSLY. Steve's face, while always phenomenal, in this ep was particularly astounding. When Danny first got sick and Steve runs to him, his face was like a goldmine of awesome. And ALL THROUGHOUT the ep this kept happening, but especially when Rachel was sleeping on Danno and at the end when Steve calls Danno out on that, oh God, my heart, Steve, YOUR FACE. Just re-watch the ep and pause to look at those fucking emotions. Alex, my man, YOU ROCK.
2. Steve loves Danno. I cannot even begin to count the ways. BUT I CAN TRY. Steve running to Danny's side when he gets sick, Steve telling everyone they can't stay at the hospital during a case but staying himself, Steve picking Grace up from school and explaining that Danny's sick (and how much was that conversation proof that Steve fucking ADORES Danny?), Steve asking Danny if he's all right and how he's feeling when he wakes up in the hospital, Steve thanking Jenna for saving Danny's life, Steve going back to the hospital (when Rachel's asleep on Danny) and looking shocked and a bit upset but then quickly hiding it, Steve asking if Danny was planning on telling him about Rachel then forgiving Danny without question when Danny says they've grown close, and THEIR HUG and how Steve closes his eyes and holds on tightly. GUYS. YOU GUYS. This ep was ALL ABOUT Steve loving Danno. HEARTS IN MY EYES. HEARTS ARE FLYING. ♥
3. Danno is clueless. DANNO. YOU IDIOT. He did not get bullet point number two. AT ALL. Even after the i♥u and fish scene in 1x20, Danny still can't get over Rachel to be with Steve. ARGH. THIS MAKES ME UNHAPPY. UNHAPPY LIEK WHOA. I just want to shake some sense into Danny! He KNOWS Steve cares about him, it's fucking OBVIOUS, but he's got this fucking obnoxious ex-wife to worry about. UGH. FUCKING SUCK. He even acknowledges that Steve and him have gotten "very close". I just. The angst. IT KILLS ME DED.
4. Grace. SHE CALLED STEVE "UNCLE STEVE". This is amzing because Grace is well aware that Steve and Danno are together. She's, like, the only one who's not in question on this issue. Also, Grace really makes a good daughter for Steve and Danny. Doesn't she? I KNOW I'M RIGHT.
5. Rachel and Danno. I'm sorry, guys, but COME ON. Rachel was introduced as an antagonistic character. The FIRST THING we know about her is that she divorced Danny, and then we learn Danny's ringtone for her is "Psycho". Shortly after, we get that Steve has to get the governor to threaten Stan's business so that Rachel won't take away Danny's custody of Grace. TPTB are CONSISTENTLY putting Rachel in a negative light until she's introduced, when suddenly it's like, "oh hey, she's pretty, that makes everything all right!" NO. NO IT DOES NOT. I can't honestly believe that, after trying and failing to make a marraige work and then dealing with all the shit that came afterwards, Danny OR Rachel is willing to give it another go. I think they're both nostalgic, that's all. And I think if they try again, it'll fail again. On a side note, I also am getting sick of plotlines where divorced characters end up back together with their old spouses. I'm sorry, but in reality? That doesn't really happen all that often. Most times when people get divorced, they stay divorced. Kids or no. And TV is making the opposite seem true. It's kind of weird, at least to me, speaking as someone who grew up in a one-parent household. And I don't know anybody IRL whose parents got back together, either. I'd just like to see this situation protrayed realistically ONCE, that's all.
6. Rachel and Stan. Why are they breaking up? Rachel moved Grace to HAWAII from NEW JERSEY to be with him. This was, what, a year or so ago? What could have possibly changed in that time? I'm unhappy about this turn of events.
7. Sang Min. He is amazing. No. Really. A. MA. ZING. Every time he shows up awesome happens. I was like, WOO! SANG MIN! Awesome shall now occur.
8. Possible Plot Set-ups. I know I was not alone on the "OMG now the car will be hit by a tractor-trailer/explode/whatever" thought at the end. I truly think the show is setting Rachel up for some sort of catastrophic fate. Which actually works for me. But I really hope it won't destroy Danny. I'd like to see how Danny handles being a sort-of single father, when it's just him (and Steve, of course) raising Grace. But here's how I think it'll go down. Season 2 will have Danny and Rachel as a major plot arc, with them slowly getting closer to being together, and then when they finally do get together, Rachel gets kidnapped by someone gunning for the Five-0. She gets killed during this whole process, most likely right before they're able to rescue her. Danny is all torn up about it, and Steve helps him get through it, just like Danny helped Steve get through his father's death. That plot should take us through season 3. Then, by the end of s3 and/or start of s4, Danny will have fallen into a more normal pattern by then, and Steve will be able to make his move. That's my long-term view of this show. Of course, they could squish all that together, but I see Rachel's death as an end-of-season cliffhanger, so unless they kill her off in the next episode (WHICH I WOULD LOVE), we're stuck with her in s2. Sadly. I also honestly think Steve and Danno will eventually get together, although it's going to take time and angst and drama. Fuck, it took four seasons for Jim and Blair to "get together" (arguably). Xena and Gabrielle were "together" for a while, but it was around s3 that it really was apparent they were heading that way canonically, right? And even in those examples (and others), there were always occasional episodic romances and other bullshit to deal with. IDEK man. I'm hoping TPTB will grow some fucking balls and make an epic gay romance here. They've got the material. They're willing to go there emotionally, as we saw from the very first episode. And the actors are on board. So I don't really see a problem. I guess I'm just an eternal optimist in this way. *sigh* OH! And also? I'm sort of prepared for Rachel to leave Stan and then be like, "Now I've got no place to live, so I'm heading back to Jersey!" Or, even worse, ENGLAND. (Because, even if she's willing to live with Danny, you KNOW she's not willing to live in his shitty apartment.) In which case, Danny would have so much angst it would be RIDICULOUS. I mean, it'd be interesting from a fangirl slashy perspective, but in canon I'd have a hard time watching that much heart-wrenching emotion. *sniffles* And when is Danny going to move in with Steve? Come on, TPTB! DO THIS OBVIOUSNESS ALREADY! *headdesk*
9. Scene where Rachel is asleep on Danny. This was 40 seconds long, from 37:38 to 38:08. And I've got SEVERAL THINGS to say. First, this scene made no sense plot-wise. If it was meant to show that Danny and Rachel are becoming romantically involved, two other scenes showed that with more interesting plot going on (the first scene where Rachel shows up in the hospital and the scene at the end where she's driving away after saying her and Stan are having problems). If it was meant to show Danny, Rachel, and Grace as a family unit, well, we already KNOW that. No need to re-state the obvious. From outward appearances, this scene seems to have no real relevance. UNLESS!! Unless you consider the possibility that the writers INTEND for Steve to have romantic feelings for Danny. THEN the scene reads like this: Steve works all day figuring out the case while worrying about Danny, he goes to the hospital to finally check up on him only to find Danny with Rachel, Steve is disappointed and surprised, Danny asks him to be quiet so as not to bother Rachel, Steve leaves without a word. Then it's like, OH MY GOD HOW UPSETTING!! I also think Steve's face in this scene is so complex it's meant to be read different ways. He's trying to play off his feelings, but he really can't, so he just leaves even though he spent ALL FUCKING DAY waiting to see Danny again. *angstful sigh*
10. Hug! OK, not to be too metaphorically subtextual and phallic, but why is it that Steve and Danny's first hug had to be interrupted by them pulling out their guns? ANYWAY, that conversation was one of the most heart-wrenching things I've ever lived through. LET ME TYPE IT OUT FOR YOU.
Steve: "Sidebar."
Danny: "'Sup?"
Steve: "You and Rachel. How long's that been going on?"
Danny: "Uh, a little while."
Steve: "Were you ever gonna tell me, or..."
Danny: "Was I ever gonna--you know, uh, we have become very close."
Steve: "Did you say gotten very close? We've gotten very close?"
Danny: "Yeah, I did."
Steve: "One near death experience and you go warm and cuddly on me?"
Danny: "Come on."
Steve: "You wanna hug me now?"
Danny: "Come on."
Steve: "Good to have you back, bud."
Danny: "Thanks."
THIS UPSET ME GREATLY. Poor Steve is all trying to understand why Danny didn't tell him about another romantic interest, and Danny's all like, "Um, yeah, we're close, but that doesn't mean I can't fuck other girls." THIS IS TERRIBLE PEOPLE. TERRIBLE.
In closing: Steve and Danny need to get together in canon, on-screen, in a way that is undeniable. Then, and only then, will I be satisfied.
THIS SHOW MAKES ME QUIVER AND GET HEADACHES. That is all.
Ordered by numbers due to my OCD and shit.
1. Steve's face. NO SERIOUSLY. Steve's face, while always phenomenal, in this ep was particularly astounding. When Danny first got sick and Steve runs to him, his face was like a goldmine of awesome. And ALL THROUGHOUT the ep this kept happening, but especially when Rachel was sleeping on Danno and at the end when Steve calls Danno out on that, oh God, my heart, Steve, YOUR FACE. Just re-watch the ep and pause to look at those fucking emotions. Alex, my man, YOU ROCK.
2. Steve loves Danno. I cannot even begin to count the ways. BUT I CAN TRY. Steve running to Danny's side when he gets sick, Steve telling everyone they can't stay at the hospital during a case but staying himself, Steve picking Grace up from school and explaining that Danny's sick (and how much was that conversation proof that Steve fucking ADORES Danny?), Steve asking Danny if he's all right and how he's feeling when he wakes up in the hospital, Steve thanking Jenna for saving Danny's life, Steve going back to the hospital (when Rachel's asleep on Danny) and looking shocked and a bit upset but then quickly hiding it, Steve asking if Danny was planning on telling him about Rachel then forgiving Danny without question when Danny says they've grown close, and THEIR HUG and how Steve closes his eyes and holds on tightly. GUYS. YOU GUYS. This ep was ALL ABOUT Steve loving Danno. HEARTS IN MY EYES. HEARTS ARE FLYING. ♥
3. Danno is clueless. DANNO. YOU IDIOT. He did not get bullet point number two. AT ALL. Even after the i♥u and fish scene in 1x20, Danny still can't get over Rachel to be with Steve. ARGH. THIS MAKES ME UNHAPPY. UNHAPPY LIEK WHOA. I just want to shake some sense into Danny! He KNOWS Steve cares about him, it's fucking OBVIOUS, but he's got this fucking obnoxious ex-wife to worry about. UGH. FUCKING SUCK. He even acknowledges that Steve and him have gotten "very close". I just. The angst. IT KILLS ME DED.
4. Grace. SHE CALLED STEVE "UNCLE STEVE". This is amzing because Grace is well aware that Steve and Danno are together. She's, like, the only one who's not in question on this issue. Also, Grace really makes a good daughter for Steve and Danny. Doesn't she? I KNOW I'M RIGHT.
5. Rachel and Danno. I'm sorry, guys, but COME ON. Rachel was introduced as an antagonistic character. The FIRST THING we know about her is that she divorced Danny, and then we learn Danny's ringtone for her is "Psycho". Shortly after, we get that Steve has to get the governor to threaten Stan's business so that Rachel won't take away Danny's custody of Grace. TPTB are CONSISTENTLY putting Rachel in a negative light until she's introduced, when suddenly it's like, "oh hey, she's pretty, that makes everything all right!" NO. NO IT DOES NOT. I can't honestly believe that, after trying and failing to make a marraige work and then dealing with all the shit that came afterwards, Danny OR Rachel is willing to give it another go. I think they're both nostalgic, that's all. And I think if they try again, it'll fail again. On a side note, I also am getting sick of plotlines where divorced characters end up back together with their old spouses. I'm sorry, but in reality? That doesn't really happen all that often. Most times when people get divorced, they stay divorced. Kids or no. And TV is making the opposite seem true. It's kind of weird, at least to me, speaking as someone who grew up in a one-parent household. And I don't know anybody IRL whose parents got back together, either. I'd just like to see this situation protrayed realistically ONCE, that's all.
6. Rachel and Stan. Why are they breaking up? Rachel moved Grace to HAWAII from NEW JERSEY to be with him. This was, what, a year or so ago? What could have possibly changed in that time? I'm unhappy about this turn of events.
7. Sang Min. He is amazing. No. Really. A. MA. ZING. Every time he shows up awesome happens. I was like, WOO! SANG MIN! Awesome shall now occur.
8. Possible Plot Set-ups. I know I was not alone on the "OMG now the car will be hit by a tractor-trailer/explode/whatever" thought at the end. I truly think the show is setting Rachel up for some sort of catastrophic fate. Which actually works for me. But I really hope it won't destroy Danny. I'd like to see how Danny handles being a sort-of single father, when it's just him (and Steve, of course) raising Grace. But here's how I think it'll go down. Season 2 will have Danny and Rachel as a major plot arc, with them slowly getting closer to being together, and then when they finally do get together, Rachel gets kidnapped by someone gunning for the Five-0. She gets killed during this whole process, most likely right before they're able to rescue her. Danny is all torn up about it, and Steve helps him get through it, just like Danny helped Steve get through his father's death. That plot should take us through season 3. Then, by the end of s3 and/or start of s4, Danny will have fallen into a more normal pattern by then, and Steve will be able to make his move. That's my long-term view of this show. Of course, they could squish all that together, but I see Rachel's death as an end-of-season cliffhanger, so unless they kill her off in the next episode (WHICH I WOULD LOVE), we're stuck with her in s2. Sadly. I also honestly think Steve and Danno will eventually get together, although it's going to take time and angst and drama. Fuck, it took four seasons for Jim and Blair to "get together" (arguably). Xena and Gabrielle were "together" for a while, but it was around s3 that it really was apparent they were heading that way canonically, right? And even in those examples (and others), there were always occasional episodic romances and other bullshit to deal with. IDEK man. I'm hoping TPTB will grow some fucking balls and make an epic gay romance here. They've got the material. They're willing to go there emotionally, as we saw from the very first episode. And the actors are on board. So I don't really see a problem. I guess I'm just an eternal optimist in this way. *sigh* OH! And also? I'm sort of prepared for Rachel to leave Stan and then be like, "Now I've got no place to live, so I'm heading back to Jersey!" Or, even worse, ENGLAND. (Because, even if she's willing to live with Danny, you KNOW she's not willing to live in his shitty apartment.) In which case, Danny would have so much angst it would be RIDICULOUS. I mean, it'd be interesting from a fangirl slashy perspective, but in canon I'd have a hard time watching that much heart-wrenching emotion. *sniffles* And when is Danny going to move in with Steve? Come on, TPTB! DO THIS OBVIOUSNESS ALREADY! *headdesk*
9. Scene where Rachel is asleep on Danny. This was 40 seconds long, from 37:38 to 38:08. And I've got SEVERAL THINGS to say. First, this scene made no sense plot-wise. If it was meant to show that Danny and Rachel are becoming romantically involved, two other scenes showed that with more interesting plot going on (the first scene where Rachel shows up in the hospital and the scene at the end where she's driving away after saying her and Stan are having problems). If it was meant to show Danny, Rachel, and Grace as a family unit, well, we already KNOW that. No need to re-state the obvious. From outward appearances, this scene seems to have no real relevance. UNLESS!! Unless you consider the possibility that the writers INTEND for Steve to have romantic feelings for Danny. THEN the scene reads like this: Steve works all day figuring out the case while worrying about Danny, he goes to the hospital to finally check up on him only to find Danny with Rachel, Steve is disappointed and surprised, Danny asks him to be quiet so as not to bother Rachel, Steve leaves without a word. Then it's like, OH MY GOD HOW UPSETTING!! I also think Steve's face in this scene is so complex it's meant to be read different ways. He's trying to play off his feelings, but he really can't, so he just leaves even though he spent ALL FUCKING DAY waiting to see Danny again. *angstful sigh*
10. Hug! OK, not to be too metaphorically subtextual and phallic, but why is it that Steve and Danny's first hug had to be interrupted by them pulling out their guns? ANYWAY, that conversation was one of the most heart-wrenching things I've ever lived through. LET ME TYPE IT OUT FOR YOU.
Steve: "Sidebar."
Danny: "'Sup?"
Steve: "You and Rachel. How long's that been going on?"
Danny: "Uh, a little while."
Steve: "Were you ever gonna tell me, or..."
Danny: "Was I ever gonna--you know, uh, we have become very close."
Steve: "Did you say gotten very close? We've gotten very close?"
Danny: "Yeah, I did."
Steve: "One near death experience and you go warm and cuddly on me?"
Danny: "Come on."
Steve: "You wanna hug me now?"
Danny: "Come on."
Steve: "Good to have you back, bud."
Danny: "Thanks."
THIS UPSET ME GREATLY. Poor Steve is all trying to understand why Danny didn't tell him about another romantic interest, and Danny's all like, "Um, yeah, we're close, but that doesn't mean I can't fuck other girls." THIS IS TERRIBLE PEOPLE. TERRIBLE.
In closing: Steve and Danny need to get together in canon, on-screen, in a way that is undeniable. Then, and only then, will I be satisfied.
THIS SHOW MAKES ME QUIVER AND GET HEADACHES. That is all.