Aloha to Hawaii Five O - He Moho Hou (New Player)

Third Time's A Charm ...

... the third episode of this season's Hawaii Five O finally delivered the mana (power) of this series.  In fact, the episode featured three story lines - the ongoing hunt for the "chess" killer, the crime of the week, and a heartwarming reunion between Kono and her surfing mentor.

Kono dominated this episode. During the crime of the week, she popped up in an unexpected way to save the day. But it is her chance encounter with Rosey Valera - a fellow surfer who often bested Kono on the teen circuit - that added warmth to show. Viewers were treated to a flashback of Rosey on the winner's stand and Kono looking up to her, in second place, with envy. That koa bowl given to surfing champions no longer seems important as Kono discovers Rosey is a disabled veteran living in a tent city.  The producers boldly address a growing problem with returning veterans - their physical and emotional wounds. Rosey asks Kono to respect that she has to "do this" on her own ... but Kono extracts a promise from Rosey.  In the closing scene, we see that promise - Rosey goes surfing with Kono on a modified board.  As they surf together in the present, the producers inserted a flashback with them surfing together as teens to the song, TOUCH THE SKY from the Christian group Hillsong United (link).  I was crying during the closing credits.

Kudos to Grace Park for hitting a home run in this episode.

I assumed the producers used CGI to project Rosey without legs. Oh, was I wrong.  Rosey was portrayed by Kanya Sesser. From Abilities.com (link),

Sesser was born in Pak Chong, Thailand and abandoned at the tender age of one week on the steps of a Buddhist temple. The monks cared for her until she was two-years-old when she went from foster home to foster home.

All that changed when she was six and adopted by an Oregonian couple who brought her to America.

Since then, her life has been a celebration of ability. She skateboards. She surfs. She breakdances. She skis. She races. She models sportswear and lingerie. She acts. She has played every adaptive sport and is gunning to qualify for the Mono-ski competition at the 2018 Paralympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.

But, whatever you do, don’t tell her that she has a disability.

“When I look at life, there’s no disability,” said Sesser. “I don’t see that as being a disability because even though I have no legs, there’s nothing I can’t do. I’m blessed for what I have so that’s all that matters.”

Bonus trivia - when Kono looks for Rosey in the tent camp, she passes by "Aunty" cooking Spam on the grill.  The aunty is Helen Kuoha-Torco, the Tahitian dancer who swayed her hips in the opening credits of the original series.  

Watch the episode from CBS.com at this link.

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about Aunty on the grill - what do you like to cook over the coals?

2. Due to shipping costs, this giveaway is open to US residents only.

3. Comments are open through Sunday, October 23, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Monday, October 24.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Surfing lessons on the North Shore