ANGEL IN BLUE REVIEW (SEASON 10) 1.25 STARS
I probably could do 100 other different things on my Birthday instead of an Angel In Blue Review. It has been pushed back a few days as I tried to give it another watch. I was hoping to boost it up to 1.5 stars. Mr. Mike was correct in his assessment of a BOMB rating. I'll keep it at 1.25 stars on the 4 star system.
Angel In Blue has a startling beginning when a woman water skiing notices a body floating in the ocean. It is identified as an HPD man Bradley. He was working undercover hoping to capture important people in a drug smuggling ring. His likely killer, Surfer, has left his trademark M.O. 3 shots into Bradley. McG is quite emotional when Bradley is deceased. It's strange as he lossed a few in his close circle on the police force. Yet Bradley's loss has hurt maybe the most. Bradley's life was not in vain. He was able to deliver information back on a monster 25 million dollar heroin shipment soon to arrive in Hawaii. McGarrett decides not releasing Bradley's name and keeping his death under wraps. With more information needed on the heroin delivery, McGarrett travels to Maui and meets Chief Sato. They need another undercover officer to find more information on the heroin delivery. Sato finds the perfect candidate...A blonde Officer Valerie Bates. She has strong qualifications. 1. An expert marksman 2. An excellent 2nd in self-defense at the Academy 3. A degree in Criminal Psychology 4. Solid experience in Homicide, Narcotics, and Robbery. There's a cumbersome exchange with McGarrett and Sato and Bates. McG is worried about her safety. He just lossed a good friend in Bradley. An excellent and experienced HPD man. As she is the most qualified, McG relents and Bates is given the assignment. She now will be Karen Baker in her undercover assignment. It's probably the intelligent decision. There weren't many women police officers in the 1970's compared to the force now. Also, a criminal types first thought wouldn't think of a woman as an undercover cop.
Karen Baker is played by Carolyn Lynley with an icy indifference or non-chalance. She maintains that type of attitude throughout the episode. Baker quickly makes her 1st connection with Kimo Hameo near the beach. He has been forced into the drug smuggling operation because he owed some gambling markers. These were picked up by syndicate man, Martin Lynch. His debt will be settled when the heroin shipment soon arriving are stored in little wooden tiki statues and later shipped. Kimo assists his Uncle Kale at his Uncle's Tiki Shop. The Uncle is not seen in the episode I think a small negative in the show. Later, Kimo explains that the drugs in the tiki cannot be detected in X-rays or by the dogs.
Kimo soon takes Karen Baker to meet Lynch and Surfer at Lynch's place. It's a very attractive place with a pool. Lynch has several friends and guests over at his residence. Some are allowed to stay at his house. Cocaine is found in her little compact and Lynch admonishes her for it. Surfer tests it out and it's the real thing. Baker is allowed to stay. The cocaine is discarded. Surfer later learns Karen Baker has a record in California and Oregon.
Barker's undercover operation continues as she plants a bug in the telephone so the HFO team can listen in to the conversations at Lynch's place. Chin Ho is seen during the episode conducting surveillance across from Lynch's residence. He's inside a TV truck. It's strange that the observant and suspicious Lynch and Surfer never noticed the truck. None of the friends and guests do as well.
Baker and Kimo spend much of the episode together as she tries to find more information about the heroin shipment. Kimo is hesitant to talk about his situation but Karen gains his trust over the few days. He admits that Lynch had paid some gambling markers for him and he must repay that by working in this operation. He shows her the Tiki Shop. His Uncle Kale's place. The heroin "H" will be stored in the little wooden tikis and later moved. Baker makes a good point about Lynch and Surfer owning him. If this is a success, why would they just do it this 1 time? Using the wooden Tikis disguising the heroin...They most likely would continue smuggling the drugs this way. Kimo decides to make Karen Baker his partner. This is allowed but the money for Baker will be taken out of Kimo's share. Kimo finds the bug Baker planted in the phone from the reflection in the desk glass. He decides to pocket the bug saving Baker's life. He easily could have given the bug to Lynch or Surfer. Thanks to the bug information, the HFO team learns where and when the shipment will arrive. Kimo saved her life in the room and Baker reveals that she can help him. They have a conversation outside. Surfer learns that Karen Baker is a HFO plant. Her real name is Bates. She's police over on Maui.
Thaler arrives with the heroin drifting in on a small raft from the ship. He is part of the drug smuggling ring too. The shipment of heroin is taken back to the Tiki Shop where it's supposed to be placed in the tikis there. Instead, Lynch states he's doing his own mailing service taking the little wooden back where he will do it. Surfer confronts Kimo at the Tiki Shop. He states Baker has played him. She's really a cop. Surfer wants Kimo to kill Baker. Kimo cannot kill Baker and instead goes after Surfer. This would be the time for Bates AKA Baker self-defense talents and expert marksman prowess to be utilized. She fails here and should have picked up Surfer's gun and had Kimo tie Surfer's arms or wrists and secure him until police arrives. Instead, Kimo and Baker run away and Sufer picks up his weapon giving chase. During the chase, Surfer shoots Kimo killing him. He protected her from death. McG on a copter jumps down onto Surfer. This was very dangerous. Surfer could have turned and fired killing McG. With Surfer apprehended, McG returns to where Baker had rolled into the ditch. Baker shows some emotion as Kimo expires. It's a shame we will never see what Kimo would have done with his life. Thaler and Lynch were apprehended earlier. The episode ends.
Angel In Blue deserves a 1.25 star out of 4. There are too many things that have to go just right. It's a very razor thin margin. Think about it for a minute. 1. Baker has to meet Kimo. 2. This Kimo has to decide he likes Karen and take her with him. 3. He has to bring Karen Baker to Lynch's place. 4. Lynch MUST agree to have Karen stay there. 5. Karen has to plant the bug without being seen. There's plenty of people including Lynch and Surfer walking in and out. 6. The TV truck cannot be discovered monitoring the Lynch's residence etc.
I would give positive remarks for Lynch and Surfer. They were legitimate criminal types and I liked their presence on the screen. Also, I enjoyed how it would work placing the heroin in the wooden tikis. It seemed plausible the drugs could be smuggled in this manner and most likely without detection.
Kimo was not anywhere in Lynch and Surfer's league in criminality. He seemed nervous and unsure of himself. My guess Kimo would have been a loose end if they continued to use this tiki method. Well, that's my review. What did you think about Angel In Blue? JC
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