Hawaii Five-O (TV Series) Death with Father (1974) User Reviews

Jack Lord rocks!

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 16 April 2011]

I enjoyed this episode but I enjoyed it even more when I realized that Jack Lord himself directed it--and did a very nice job. So, in addition to being the ever-cool Steve McGarrett, he had many other talents.

The show begins with the police knocking over a drug lab. however, McGarrett and the boys seemed a bit inept her, as although they got three of them, one was able to somehow escape--despite a bazillion armed cops surrounding the place. While all three who were apprehended were shot, one was still alive and named the escaped chemist (Peter Strauss) who ran the lab. The young man turned out to have a tough-as-nails father who was an ex-cop (Andre Duggan--who ALWAYS seemed to play tough cops)--and whose philosophy has always been to kick butt and ask questions later. But, in an odd twist, as Five-O starts closing in, the father goes rogue--anything in order to help his pathetic son.

It's always nice to see Duggan. I don't know why, but his grouchy demeanor was something I loved as a kid watching these shows--along with other character actors like Simon Oakland. In fact, he'd been on the show a few times before--including as a government agent turned Wo Fat-lover in the series pilot episodes.

Very Good, But Tragic, Episode

[colorsflashing · 9/10 · 2 March 2018]

I have always liked this episode. A good story, good acting and character development. But the ending is very sad, very tragic.

The episode opens with HPD and 5-0 raiding a heroin lab. The offenders do not surrender peacefully, and two are killed, one is wounded but taken into custody, and the fourth escapes by crashing his pickup through an HPD roadblock and totaling a couple of HPD cruisers.

5-0 suspects Tom Morgan (Peter Strauss) of being the 4th man. Tom's father, Cliff Morgan (Andrew Duggan) is a retired, old-school kick-ass cop who was a domineering father, who never allowed his son to truly become a man. In fact, the first interaction we see between them has the father humiliating his son in public.

Tom Morgan is an able chemist, which is why he is employed producing the heroin for a couple of Asian drug dealers, Lee Song (played by the inestimable Kwan Hi Lim), and Luu Se Ngu (played by the always marvelous Seth Sekai). When Ngu worries that they might not be able to depend upon Tom, Song's explanation regarding why he is not worried is a remarkable moment.

Cliff does love his son, but has trouble showing it. We see how much he loves Tom by the fact that he is willing to throw everything away to try to save his son. Unfortunately, the communication between father and son has become so difficult and strained that the son does not understand what his father has done for him, and from that results the tragic ending.

A fine episode in a fine TV series.

Almost totally great episode directed by Jack Lord

[belanger75 · 9/10 · 14 November 2019]

I found the ep to have just a minimum of coherence. It starts taking a place where a couple of baddies are killed, one is wounded and captured and one flees while masked. McGarrett suspects a respected retired cop's son to be the masked escapee. For a very short time it looks as if the guess of McGarrett's was all wrong ( the man's son has a pretty lady alibi for where he was at the time of the shootout) but no he turns out to be correct. The son himself turns out to be in cahoots with two big drug dealers (one from Vietnam-- see my previous reviews). Only pretty girl in episode is the one with the small part playing the forced alibi. Glum, gritty feeling throughout. Tough show this episide.

Tense, Gripping, Exciting

[samwa-27311 · 10/10 · 14 August 2019]

I have seen this episode completely, seven times.

It is in my top three out of all 289 episodes.

Anything with Peter Strauss or Andrew Duggan, is a must-see. Anything with both together, is so excellent.

The basics are already known.

Former police, mean to his son, son goes to Nam, then comes home and gets in trouble.

Excellent script.

This was directed by Lord.

The most unusual, dramatic ending, in TV history. That ending makes the entire episode.

An Excellent Title!!

[ellisel · 10/10 · 15 March 2012]

(The Late) Jack Lord directed this episode with intelligence. A used building was in operation for one purpose: smack production for the purpose of drug trafficking. Five-O broke up the raid ... for which $5 million in heroin was confiscated in the ring. One person; however, drove off in a truck to escape arrest and capture. One suspect -- by the name of Fallon -- was in the hospital after being wounded in the raid. He named Tom Morgan as the mastermind of the drug operation after McGarrett and Williams made him fink to Five-O. The smack would be placed in the evidence room for safekeeping.

Cole Morgan had spoken to Steve McGarrett briefly. He briefly questioned him about his son's whereabouts in the past 24 hours. He did not believe his son was manufacturing heroin in an old building. His son answered questions to McGarrett about his activities from the previous day. His son was with Janet Lee at the University of Hawaii Chemistry Lab on the day of the raid -- for the purpose of attaining an alibi. One problem: McGarrett found a hole in Tom Morgan's alibi; and to wit, he was never on the university property during the raid.

Fallon was still in the hospital. He was the only link to implicating Tom Morgan for drug trafficking. An officer on duty had allowed a doctor to enter his room for a "shot." That "shot" would be a fatal round to Fallon's stomach in the room. Officer Lukela grilled the officer for being negligent in protecting the suspect in hospital custody. Ben Kokua -- on the other hand -- tailed Janet Lee and Tom Morgan for an additional link to the ring. The photos would link him to Mr. Sung and Mr. Nsg ... two well-known suspects through Interpol.

Tom Morgan was up to his neck in serious trouble. The two criminal lords wanted him to establish another lab for the production of smack. The father was livid with his drug trafficking roles. His father had one thing in mind: hide and destroy the evidence from the locker room and make a deal with the two criminal lords. They would meet the two at a shack to make an arrangement. They would trade the smack in exchange for paying them $1 million for 4 years and his son's freedom. They would be arrested for their roles in the ring. He would have his son be placed in custody for drug trafficking. His son used a propane tank and used an electric spark to blow the shack to kingdom come ... in which they both died in the explosion. A Brilliant 16 From The 1973-1974 Television Season!!

Death With Father

[ringfire211 · 9/10 · 14 July 2021]

"No dad, you're coming with me". That last line is what really makes this episode. Then "spark spark" and KABOOM! Freeze frame. Classic Five-O ending. Overall it's not as superb as some of the previous episodes (certainly not as strong as "Secret Witness" just prior to this) but it's all worth it just for that epic conclusion. Andrew Duggan and Peter Strauss are well cast and very good as father and son. I also dig Kwan Hi Lim and Seth Sakai as the 2 big timers in the drug trade. They look like they mean business. I like the scenes at the War Natatorium where they meet with Strauss. Yes, Jack Lord getting behind the camera is noteworthy here and he certainly knows what he wants the camera to do. He also liked to get Morton Stevens to score the episodes he directed. Isn't there a musical punch when "directed by Jack Lord" appears on the screen? LOL! You know Lord Jack insisted on that! :) He would go on to direct one episode per season from here on out. His best was season 9's "The Bells Toll at Noon" with Rich Little.

Not my favorite

[VetteRanger · 6/10 · 1 March 2023]

We've got a dynamite cast here with Andrew Duggan and Peter Strauss, who'd go on to greater 1970s heights with starring roles in Rich Man, Poor Man and Masada, though after that he quickly returned to more guest star roles than the big movie leads he seemed destined for.

This is back to one of the 5-0 "gritty" episodes. And in fact, there's no mystery here and very little investigation. McGarrett has his finger on the criminal conspiracy and gang for virtually the entire episode, and even Andrew Duggan as the heroin chemist's ex-cop father can't fool McGarrett.

So we get some murders and some suicides, and not a lot of satisfaction in a job well done.

Poor police work.

[jbielaski · 1/10 · 28 July 2023]

This is some of the worst police work I have ever seen. To start the police couldn't even take down 4 bad guys in the beginning. Then even when Steve knows the guy is bad and puts a tail on him the bad guy beats up his girlfriend (and alibi) then kills her with an overdose then he kills his cohort witness in the hospital. And what is up with the Kwan Hi Lim dude? One episode he is a bad guy and the next he is on Steve's team then bad again? What gives? It seems every time Steve gives and order to one of his team they screw it up. I thought Kono was the worst cop and was happy when he left the show then Ben came on board and here we go again. Chin Ho and Kono were the 2 worst cops ever now it's Chin Ho and Ben.