Amac Productions

I love motorcycles.

Yes, even after getting hit while riding one. Seeing them still fills me with happiness.

Seeing them used in a robbery, eh, not so much.

The latest installment of NCIs: Hawai’i doesn’t fail to entice or enthrall.

I stand by not really caring about Sam Hanna, because, well, I just don’t. Sorry to all the Sam Hanna lovers out there.

I didn’t find NCIS: LA interesting and he and his partner were top of the list as to why.

Although, I do like LL Cool J, which is conflicting.

Alas, in this episode I enjoyed Tennant trying to undercover what he was up to, his good or bad cover of teaching a class. Which, I am with Tennant, I don’t buy it.

It’s an odd use of his skills. Not to mention, doesn’t he have a department who needs him in LA? I mean, I know the show was cancelled, but it doesn’t mean that they’re not still working. Does it? Like the characters.

Either way, it was hilarious watching Tennant bust into the room.

Then tell Hanna it’s a good cover because he’s made it so realistic. Wonder what’s going to happen there.

Either way, I’m enjoying Tennant’s role in this story more than Hanna’s.

As for the rest of the episode, clearly Subaru sponsors the show. This is either the second or third time we’ve had very clear product placement and mention in the show. So that’s fun.

And by fun, I mean – I’m amused by it.

Because it’s so blatantly shoved in your face and that’s way more tolerable for me than subtly trying to hint at things. It never works. Just go for the obvious and direct. Please.

The main plot of the episode was my favorite.

Jesse’s mid-life crisis as he realized he hasn’t taken as many risks as he wanted was a nice change of pace.

Jesse has always felt like a stable, solid presence in the show. He’s there to brace everyone up and keep the team together. He holds a special place to Tennant and vice versa.

This episode, they took a moment to rock his world a bit.

I loved the moment when Jesse realized that he had kids young and never went anywhere, but both Tennant and Hanna also had kids relatively young but have been places. I loved this moment, because we could see how Jesse wished his life could be a bit different.

But!

Here’s the important thing Jesse Boone. Tennant is divorced and splits custody of her kids. She missed parts of their lives because she was away for work a lot.

Hanna is not divorced, but I do know from my mother watching the series, and the pieces I’ve seen about Deeks and Kensi that his wife was murdered. I’m not sure if there’s a direct collaboration between these two, but it seems likely given the shows. His kids lost their mom. He was also in the CIA. I imagine that put a strain on his relationship to his kids.

All I’m saying is, their lives didn’t end up the way they thought either.

The grass always seems greener, but it rarely is.

As Jesse learns later – asking for and getting some excitement that just about made him and Tennant crap themselves.

Heck, I was on the edge of my seat.

And I know he won’t die. We’re not at the nearly killing cast members stage of this series yet. Jesse’s is safe and that scene had me so stressed out.

But damn, he landed the plane, and happily went home to his wife and kids. Grateful for the life and family he has, while trying to add a healthy amount of adventure into it.

I’m all for that.

I really liked seeing Jesse rocked off his usual solid game.

It’s nice to see a human being with regrets and happiness and feelings and thoughts. That sometimes don’t always line up.

Just because you love your family, doesn’t mean part of you can’t wonder about a different life.

I enjoyed that bit very much.

I also enjoyed Jesse realizing that he has it good too.

As we saw from the criminal who made his entire life about a rush – he has no one. In the end, he may have a sack of cash, but he has no one to spend it with, and was just booted out of paradise itself.

That doesn’t sound like a complete happy ending to me. Jesse’s night sounded better.

Overall, I loved this episode.

Not to mention, it’s a good thing I love the other characters since I started watching this series for Kate and Lucy, but we had no Lucy in this episode.

What was that about by the way?

What I am saying, is that I’m glad I can still enjoy every episode even without my favorite couple in the series there.

To be fair, having Kate around was still an awesome thing. Especially, when she took the note super well and blended in. I did not know I needed Kate Whistler in an over-sized hoodie and a beanie, but damn did she pull it off.

I wish Lucy could have seen it!

One last thing too, I really appreciate that despite how uptight and by the book Kate is, that she can take criticism. Something a lot of people struggle with.

But every time she’s been given a note about how to conduct herself in the field, she takes it to heart. She listens, adjusts, and becomes a better agent for it.

I love this little detail, carried through the series. Kate’s ego is never too big for her to admit someone else knows better. Both Kai and Jesse have more field training, than she does. She wants to learn from that experience. So I love that when she asks for feedback, she accepts it.

Sure, she may ask why they think a certain way.

But when confronted with the facts, she changes her opinion or accepts their answer. Something all too important for people still learning their jobs.

A common flaw on TV and even in life is assuming you know everything on Day One. You don’t. You never will. Accept being a novice at something.

During my freshman year of high school, there was a poster in my English class. I used to look at every day from where I was seated. It said, “The expert at anything, was once a beginner.”

At the time, a teenager thinks they know everything, I didn’t take it too seriously. But for some reason, it stuck in my mind over the years.

And every time I try something new and fail, I remind myself of it.

I remind myself that I reached peaks in softball as a catcher, because I practiced for hours, any chance I could. I was a little kid when I started so failing was easier. As you get older, society creeps in and judges you for not being perfect.

But I think about that poster of a baseball field in my freshmen English class and remind myself that failing – is part of learning.

I love that Kate embraces it too.

Thanks for reading! Drop me a like or a comment or even a subscribe if you love my blog!

Spread the love and read on!