Kuleana (One's Personal Sense of Responsibility) is the 11th episode of Season 6 in the remake version of Hawaii Five-0.
Synopsis[]
McGarrett and Danny attend a couples retreat in Maui to work on their partnership issues. Meanwhile, Kamekona's dangerous past comes back to haunt him.
Plot[]
Welcome back to the island life Hawaii Five-0 fans! The new year is upon us, and our favorite crime fighting team in paradise is back. The midseason premiere brings back the bromance, the Ohana, and the most ruthless criminal in the show’s history.
The main storyline this week centers around Kamekona. Now I understand the whole reason Kamekona has been a valuable informant to Five-0 in the first place is that he has a checkered past. We finally get to see the original deal he made with the police, namely Chin, to flip on his then-friends for only two years in prison. One of the people arrested in the deal, Remy, turns up dead at the same time another, Levi, returns to visit Kamekona. It turns out that like Kamekona, Remy also turned his life around. Five-0 is sure Levi ordered Remy to be killed, they just have to prove it. Levi claims that he owes an enemy $300,000 in 24 hours or he’s dead. He wants Kamekona to help him, and Kamekona only agrees because he knows there has to be more to the story.
What is really great about this episode is that we get to take a look at Kamekona’s past, all the way back to childhood. Even then Kamekona was cooking, and it turns out he and Levi met when they were just teenage hustlers. They considered each other family. When push came to shove though, Kamekona had to make a choice. Levi ended up turning Kamekona’s brother into a drug runner. When he got caught Kamekona agreed to give up Levi in exchange for his brother going free. There was just one problem with Kamekona’s plan: he had no idea Levi and his brother would continue to be in business together for years. Kamekona ends up walking into an ambush with his brother and Levi. Levi pushes Kamekona’s little brother to kill him, but when he can’t bring himself to, he shoots Levi instead. Hopefully he’ll one day be able to have a fresh start like his big brother.
While the team protects Kamekona, Steve and Danny attend a partner retreat in Maui. The only problem is that there is a slight mix-up in the fine print of the itinerary. Danny and Steve are not on a partner retreat as they thought, but a couples retreat. Steve and Danny decide to stay regardless, mostly because their therapy is mandated anyway. Steve tries to multitask and squeeze in a date while Danny grumbles and probably tries to picture various ways of making Steve suffer. Steve squeezes in a date during the weekend and ends up going on about spa treatments and goose-down pillows. Who is this man and what has he done with Steve McGarrett? Just my opinion, but I think after years of Navy discipline, Steve is taking this time to go a little wild.
Danny actually makes a smart, insightful point in therapy. He reminds everyone that if you constantly poke at all of the little problems you’ll forget what is good about the relationship to begin with. Powerful words from the divorced man, but by now we can all agree Rachel made some major mistakes with Danny too. Lest anyone forget, she didn’t tell Danny he had a son. It turns out Danny has been particularly prickly about therapy because he refused to go to save his marriage. Steve says what we all know, that Danny is the most committed guy there is. After all, who else would willingly commit to always having Steve’s back.
Don’t think that just because everyone is preoccupied that that means their enemy is going to disappear quietly into the night. Kono has to get used to visiting her husband in prison, but she’s not the only one visiting Adam. Adam put himself in prison to protect his wife and end his ties to crime once and for all. With a visit to Adam, Gabriel proves that he just isn’t going to let that happen.
Quotes[]
Danny Williams: You know what your problem is?
Steve McGarrett: What's my problem?
Danny Williams: Could you just leave me alone?
Steve McGarrett: Leave you alone?
Danny Williams: Give me the headphones.
Steve McGarrett: I'll stop. You know me.
Danny Williams: Don't be a child.
Steve McGarrett: Why would you start a movie you're not gonna finish? It drives me crazy.
Danny Williams: Because it beats looking at the back of a headrest for the entire
Steve McGarrett: So why don't you read a book? There's a magazine. Why don't you do the crossword puzzle in here? Sudoku? You like Sudoku?
Danny Williams: I don't want to do any of those things, because what they don't allow me to do is put on those headphones and tune you out.
Steve McGarrett: Oh, that's nice. That's really nice. That's a nice thing to say to your friend, isn't it? Huh? And that's the movie you're gonna watch?
Danny Williams: This is.. Yeah.
Alissa Moss: Are you sure you two don't want to sit together?
Steve McGarrett: Absolutely not.
Danny Williams: Ab.. No. I don't want to sit next to him for a number of reasons, uh, the most important being that I am very claustrophobic.
Steve McGarrett: Mm-hmm. He is.
Danny Williams: Okay? I mean, I sit in between two people, with the arms and the hands and everything. You touch me, I'll go completely nuts. Plus, I don't want to have to, you know, jump over him, give him a lap dance if I got to go use the little boys' room.
Alissa Moss: (hesitantly) Well, in that case, I think I'll skip my second Chardonnay.
Steve McGarrett: You're not skipping anything. If you need to use the restroom, I will gladly get up and let you pass by. And I'm sorry we've been so disruptive.
Danny Williams: We've been disruptive? No, we haven't been disruptive.
Steve McGarrett: Yeah.
Danny Williams: Yeah... I'm sitting here trying to watch Pitch Perfect 2, and you're telling me I ain't doing it right. Okay? You know, you would think that having a human being sitting between us would-would serve as a buffer for the constant criticism, but, no, he keeps going and going and going and going.
Steve McGarrett: He, uh he gets he gets very irritable, very kind of volatile when we travel together.
Danny Williams: Yeah. He's-he's antsy because he's not flying the plane.
Well, I can tell this is going to be the longest 45 minute flight of my life.
Steve McGarrett: I'm Steve, by the way. And the bundle of joy to your right is Danny.
Alissa Moss: Hi. Alissa.
Steve McGarrett: Alissa. That's a nice name. Nice to meet you, Alissa. How you doing? So, uh so, Alissa, what takes you to Maui today?
Alissa Moss: Just visiting some friends.
Steve McGarrett: That's nice.
Alissa Moss: You guys?
Steve McGarrett: Well, it's a funny story. Danny and I are attending a three-day workshop to focus on our relationship.
Danny Williams: Our work relationship.
Steve McGarrett: Yeah.
Danny Williams: Mm-hmm. We are officers of the law.
Steve McGarrett: Yeah, see, the state of Hawaii mandates that we do 24 hours of therapy every working year, and so we packed it into one weekend and we're gonna make a, uh a brocation out of it.
Alissa Moss: Brocation?
Steve Mcarrett: Brocation. You like that?
Alissa Moss: That's so cute.
Danny Williams: Don't-don't encourage him, all right? If he and I make it through this weekend without killing each other, it's a win, so
Alissa Moss: Well, if the first ten minutes of this flight are any indication, I'm not loving your chances.
Steve McGarrett: This place is crazy. I mean, they got everything. Three pools, two spas, they got a meditation garden. They got they got a pillow menu and a soap concierge on call.
Danny Williams: Soap concierge?
Steve McGarrett: Soap concierge.
Danny Williams: I know how to use soap. I've been using it for 39 years. I-I don't think I need any help.
Steve McGarrett: These are handmade artisanal soaps, Danny. They-they formulate them to your to your specific skin type. You don't just pass something like that up.
Danny Williams: I wish your SEAL buddies could hear you right now.
Steve McGarrett: All right, I got the whole day planned for us today. We're gonna start with nine holes of golf, a little stand-up paddleboarding, then dinner at the steakhouse, then you, me, uh, Alissa and a buddy are gonna go for some drinks afterwards.
Danny Williams: Alissa from the plane?
Steve McGarrett: Yeah. Been texting.
Danny Williams: Wow, I didn't even see you do that. That's very nice.
Steve McGarrett: Well, you were watching Pitch Perfect 2. You were busy, you know.
Danny Williams: Well, you know, I-I have a girlfriend, so I don't think I'm gonna be much use.
Steve McGarrett: Why don't you relax? Just figured we'd have a couple drinks, hang out. It'd be nice.
Danny Williams: No, no, no, you figured that you'd have a better chance of getting right if you had a wingman. That's what you're thinking.
Steve McGarrett: Oh, yeah, thanks. Okay, Goose. Like I need a wingman.
(Dolphin activity)
Steve McGarrett: (excitedly) See that? You see that?
Danny Williams: Very nice.
Loraine: Aloha. Welcome.
Steve McGarrett: (excited/cheerful/charming) Aloha!
Loraine: Are you gentlemen here for the relationship workshop?
Steve McGarrett: Yes, we sure are. I'm Steve. This is my partner, Danny.
Loraine: Hi. I'm the therapist, Loraine.
Steve McGarrett: Hi, Loraine.
Loraine: Hi.
Steve McGarrett: How's it going?
Loraine: Great. I'll just ask you to sign in
Steve McGarrett: Yeah.
Loraine: and to kindly place your cell phones in the box you see right there.
Steve McGarrett: (surprised) I'm sorry?
Loraine: It's this rule I have. We're about to take a deep spiritual journey into the inner world that you two share, and we can't have any distractions.
Danny Williams: Let's see. (holding a piece of paper) What-what what is this, Loraine?
Loraine: Oh, that's an itinerary for the subjects we'll be covering this week.
Danny Williams: Aha. 'Cause it says "overcoming sexual incompatibility".
Loraine: Mm. Sex is a vital component for a loving relationship.
(Steve looks confused and notices a poster board for the workshop showing a man and woman)
Danny Williams: Aha. You, uh, you signed us up for couples therapy.
Steve McGarrett: Oops. (confused) Hey, uh.. (clears his throat) This is fine. We can work with this. This is fine.
Loraine: It's gonna be great.
Loraine: While it's true this workshop is geared toward couples, many of the principles covered here - such as communication, trust and teamwork - apply to all relationships... Including working partnerships. So given that Steve and Danny traveled all this way, I've agreed to sign off on their therapy hours once they've completed the course. I should also tell you that I've spoken with Steve and Danny about their partnership, and it is fraught with some very serious problems. So I think it would be both cruel and irresponsible for us to abandon them in this time of crisis.
Woman: Really? I don't. Because they're not a couple.
Male partner for woman: Oh. So what, Keran? They're stuck in a relationship they can't get out of, they fight all the time, and they don't have sex. It sounds a lot like our marriage to me.
(group laughs)
Loraine: Okay, settle down. We have a lot of work to do, and I don't want to waste any more time, so I'll ask everyone to hold hands as we get things started with some daily affirmations.
(Loraine closes her eyes and inhales deeply... then exhales)
(Danny grabs hold of Steve's hand)
Loraine: (meditatively) I come from the loving space of my heart, and I know that love opens new possibilities. I come from the loving space ..
Steve McGarrett: (whispers) This is great for us.
(Steve takes a deep breath and closes his eyes)
(you can overhear Loraine continuing her mantra in the background)
Danny Williams: (whispers to Steve) I hate you.
Loraine: Imagine the outside legs represent the two individuals in the relationship, while the middle leg represents your union as a couple. So long as you work together, you are beautifully in sync!
Steve McGarrett: Next lap, we're taking a dive.
Danny Williams: What are you talking about? Why?
Steve McGarrett: It's an evasive maneuver. Okay, I need to get to my cell phone so I can text Alissa about tonight. You're gonna be my distraction.
Danny Williams: We're about to win this thing. You want to fall now? Come on, let's just finish.
Steve McGarrett: Hey, hey, hey. Priorities, okay? Priorities, Danny. Just fake an injury, go down, stay down. Hang on.
Danny Williams: It's a bad idea.
Steve McGarrett: Here we go. Here we go. Hey!
Danny Williams: Hey! Hey! Uh, yah. Ankle. Ankle.
Steve McGarrett: Hey, guys, we got a man down here, man down.
Loraine: Okay. Everything's okay.
Steve McGarrett: I'm gonna get some ice, okay? Can you make sure he stays on his back? Stays on his back till I get back? Okay.
(Steve texts with his cellphone, gets some ice and heads back to Danny)
Steve McGarrett: (on seeing Danny's ankle) Oh, my God. Dude, that actually looks kind of funky.
Danny Williams: It does? You think? Thanks, Steven.
Steve McGarrett: Okay, got some ice.
(Danny groans as Steve starts icing his ankle)
Loraine: Okay, everyone, take note. Because that is exactly the type of partner you want by your side in a crisis. Note his caring, loving and gentle touch.
(Steve and Danny roll their eyes)
(Steve comes back to the hotel room, slightly drunk)
(Steve stumbles over to the bathroom and loudly knocks something over)
Steve McGarrett: Woopsy
Danny Williams: You're a former Navy SEAL. What happened to stealth mode?
Steve McGarrett: (whispering) I'm sorry. You awake?
Danny Williams: You don't have to whisper now. No, I'm not awake. I'm asleep, you putz.
Steve McGarrett: (slightly slurring) Did you see the photos I sent you?
Danny Williams: Yeah, I-I saw the photos you sent me.
Steve McGarrett: We had fun.
Danny Williams: Yeah, you look.. guys look like you're having a great time.
Steve McGarrett: The girls were really bummed you didn't make it.
Danny Williams: Yeah.
Steve McGarrett: I didn't know what to tell 'em.
Danny Williams: You could have told them you destroyed my entire weekend. I hope you know that. I hope you're happy.
Steve McGarrett: You know what? It's the second time this month that ankle's given out on you. It's not the ankle, the ankle, the ankle, Danny. We both know this trip never had a chance from the start.
Danny Williams: Oh, yeah, what was that supposed to mean? I'm just curious. Huh?
Steve McGarrett: What do I mean by that? I'm talking about your attitude. I'm talking about this black hole of negative energy that is Detective Danny Williams, man. I just brought us out here to try to have some fun, reconnect a little bit, get away from work for a minute, and-and you're just you're just You've been down on this thing from the start.
Danny Williams: Well, for good reason, apparently, it turns out, right?
(Steve sighs and falls into his bed)
Steve McGarrett: You ever hear of the power of positive thinking, Danny? Yeah, well, it works the other way, too. It's the power of negative thinking. Bad things happen to negative people. See example 1A-- you.
Danny Williams: How is? You basically crippled me going after this girl. And somehow it's my fault?!
Steve McGarrett: Loraine said we're not allowed to go to bed unless we resolve our arguments, all right? So, fine. (sincerely) I'm sorry, okay?
Danny Williams: Okay.
Steve McGarrett: Okay, good, 'cause my head has a date with this medium medium-firm goose down.
(Steve tucks in to bed)
Danny Williams: Let me ask you a serious question. You really think I'm that negative? Steve? (quiet snoring) Steven? (loud snoring)
Loraine: Danny, you haven't exactly been participating. What's your take on all this?
Danny Williams: Uh, my take on, uh, this is, um.. sorry - it's stupid, and I'd like to just go take a nap if that's okay.
Loraine: So you don't see the value in anything we do here?
Danny Williams: I-I don't. Personally, I don't, and I'll I'll tell I'll tell you why. Um, my-my folks.. they've been married for 40 years. And, uh, they fought a bunch, but they never went through anything like this, so..
Loraine: Danny, this isn't about your parents. This is about you and Steve.
Steve McGarrett: (defensive body posture) This is not about me. This is..
Danny Williams: Let me, let me, let me just say something, okay? Just me. My opinion. I don't know when it became so important to overanalyze everything in our lives, to talk about everything in our relationships, okay? You guys love each other. That's enough. To me. All right? You know? You are there for her, she is there for you. That-that's commitment, right? But this, this, everybody's poking at everybody. Poke, poke, poke. It's like an open wound. You know? And eventually what you're gonna do is you're gonna say something that you cannot take back. All right? You're just.. You're chipping away at all the good. And at the end of the day, there's gonna be nothing left but the bad. And then let me tell you what happens. You are sitting alone in a one-bedroom apartment putting a futon together for your daughter coming over every Wednesday night. You got pizza on speed dial. Bad pizza. Okay? And that's not a place that you want to be. Please. Trust me.
(Loraine sighs)
Steve McGarrett: (breaking the tension) Well, guys, I, uh I really feel like we made some progress here this morning. That was really good. Really good stuff.
(Steve walks up to Danny sitting at the resort restaurant)
Steve McGarrett: What's up, good-lookin'?
Waiter: Can I get you something?
Steve McGarrett: (to Danny) Hey, buddy. (to the waiter) Can I, uh I'll just have what he's having. And a big glass of water.
Waiter: Sure thing.
Steve McGarrett: Lots of water. Keep it coming.
Waiter: You got it.
(Steve sits down)
Danny Williams: Hey. Thought you were gonna see Alissa.
Steve McGarrett: Uh, yeah, I was. But I, uh You know, I blew it off to, uh to come and hang with you instead.
Danny Williams: You didn't have to do that. I'm fine.
Steve McGarrett: Well, I didn't do it for you. No, look, you see all these people, all these nice people sitting around? You know how much money they spent to have this dream vacation experience? I personally don't think it's fair that their experience be marred by the sight of a gimpy-ankled man sitting here eating a $20 hamburger by himself. It's just not right. So, you know, for their sake, enjoy my company.
Danny Williams: See, I thought you were just concerned for me.
Steve McGarrett: Nope.
(Steve gets his water)
Danny Williams: Want to hear something crazy? I don't know how crazy it is, but when Rachel and I started having our problems, she suggested that we go see a marriage counselor together. I, of course, said no. I figured, "Look, we got problems, we'll figure it out ourselves." But, uh, we never did that, did we?
Steve McGarrett: Well, you think therapy would've saved your marriage?
Danny Williams: No. Probably not. You know, we had a lot of problems. Some hers, some mine. But the point is, is that she, um she was willing to do whatever it took to save our family, and I guess.. I guess maybe I wasn't. And that kind of sticks with me, you know?
Steve McGarrett: You left everything and moved to Hawaii so that Gracie would have a father in her life. And still you question your commitment to your family. Don't do it. No one can question your commitment to your family.
Danny Williams: I know. I just.. You know, it's hard not to think about the fact that things maybe could've been different had I gone to see that counselor with her. I don't know.
Steve McGarrett: Things would've been different, maybe you would never have met me.. how about that?
Danny Williams: (sarcastically) One can dream.
Steve McGarrett: Yeah, well, I got to tell you, man. Your ankle aside, look around you right now, I mean, there are.. there are much worse places a failed marriage could land you. You got to admit it. Look at this place.
Danny Williams: Yeah. No. I agree. My failed marriage brings me to Hawaii, and my dysfunctional relationship (chuckles) with you brings me here. We even screwed this up.
Steve McGarrett: (laughing) Yeah, we didn't get that right, either.
Danny Williams: Didn't get this right.
(Steve settles down)
Steve McGarrett: Where's my burger? I'm starving, man.
Danny Williams: Here, have half of this.
Steve McGarrett: I feel my stomach eating itself.
Danny Williams: I'll eat your other half. Have that one.
Steve McGarrett: All right, thanks, pal.
(Steve takes a bite)
Danny Williams: (smiling) It's good, huh?
Steve McGarrett: (amazed) This is the best hamburger I ever had in my life.
Danny Williams: Worth the 25 bucks.
Steve McGarrett: It's unbelievable. This place really has everything.
Danny Williams: I used that artisanal soap. Forget about it. Unbelievable. Unb..
Steve McGarrett: What'd I tell you?
Danny Williams: My hands have never been so soft, not in my entire life.
Steve McGarrett: Can I feel?
Danny Williams: Yeah, feel this. Huh? Crazy, right? Right? Feel.
Steve McGarrett: Oh, that is nice.
Danny Williams: So Really g-give it a rub.
Steve McGarrett: That is so soft.
Danny Williams: Feel up in here, too. Everything.
Steve McGarrett: You washed your arms?
Danny Williams: Like that?
Steve McGarrett: That's like the.. like.. That's a doctor. You're like a surgeon.
Danny Williams: Like, the fur is now like, um It's like down. It's like down fur.
Steve McGarrett: It's like it's like the pillows!
Notes[]
- After his weapons bust, Kamekona Tupuola told Chin Ho Kelly how he decided when he got out he would start selling Shave Ice for profit.
- Steve McGarrett and Danny Williams continue their Therapy in 'Couple's Counseling.’
Trivia[]
- Jorge Garcia was credited but does not appear.
Cast[]
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Steve McGarrett | Alex O'Loughlin | A former Navy SEAL and the leader of the Hawaii Five-0 Task Force. |
| Danny Williams | Scott Caan | 2nd-in-command of the Hawaii Five-0 Task Force and Steve's partner. |
| Chin Ho Kelly | Daniel Dae Kim | A member of the Hawaii Five-0 Task Force, and Kono's cousin. |
| Kono Kalakaua | Grace Park | Youngest member of Hawaii Five-0, and who is Chin's cousin. |
| Dr. Max Bergman | Masi Oka | Chief Medical Examiner for the Hawaii Five-0 team. |
| Jerry Ortega | Jorge Garcia | A conspiracy expert and an associate of the H50 team. |
| Lou Grover | Chi McBride | Former leader of the HPD SWAT, and newest member of H50. |
Recurring/Guest Starring[]
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Adam Noshimuri | Ian Anthony Dale | The son Yakuza gangster, Hiro Noshimuri, and Kono's husband. |
| Kamekona | Taylor Wily | An associate of the H50 team, and owner of The Shrimp Truck. |
| Gabriel Waincroft | Christopher Sean | Chin Ho's former brother-in-law and wanted criminal |
Others[]
| Name | Portrayed by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Levi Sosa | Maurice Compte | A man who appears in the episode. |
| Loraine | Kinna McInroe | A woman who appears in the episode. |
| Young Kamekona | Jovan Armand | A man who appears in the episode. |
| Antone "Remy" Reimel | Henry Lee | A man who appears in the episode. |
| Alissa Moss | Sara Kova | A woman who appears in the episode. |