Bait Once, Bait Twice - 50 years

[Bobbi]

Tonight 50 years ago, CBS aired S04E15, "Bait Once, Bait Twice".

Mr. Mike's excellent write-up is here: http://www.fiveohomepage.com/5-0log4.htm#87

Loretta Swit makes her third (and I believe her last) Five-O appearance. She portrays Betty who walks out onto the ledge of the Ilikai Hotel in an apparent suicide attempt. However, it's an act of desperation - she needs to see her fiancé. The man (Norman DuPont) has seemingly disappeared but he's actually being held by Manicote (Glenn Cannon) as a protected witness against a mobster Barry Bonamo (Malachi Throne).

Across the street, a hit man (Ric Marlow) has his AR-15 all set up. While McGarrett and company try to talk Betty off the ledge, the hit man has McGarrett in the crosshairs. However, the target is the fiancé, Howard Miller. When he reaches for Betty, the hit man fires causing Miller to fall to his death (if he wasn't already dead!)

The team scrambles to put the pieces together. It appears that Bonamo had Miller killed and the evidence stacks against him. This becomes a favorite scene for me. For once, McGarrett charges ahead thinking they have their man. Danno, on the other hand, believes the evidence is too pat - the solution too easy.

Turns out, Bonamo's attorney, Bart Mariss (James Olson), is actually the mastermind behind the whole scheme. The idea was to take Bonamo out and take over his criminal empire. How Mariss started the ball rolling was to kidnap Betty's 5 year-old daughter. Mariss is a real scumbag!

Mr. Mike points out that the episode wraps too abruptly. Perhaps another example of the writers not realizing how much time they had left. But Betty is the one who gets Mariss to admit his wrongdoing but he has visions of her falling onto the cliffs before at her beach house. McGarrett and Danno swoop in at the last second to save her.

I like this episode because we see the team brainstorming rather than just McGarrett having the bright idea.

Happy 50th, "Bait Once, Bait Twice"!!!

[John Chergi]

I would give Bait Once, Bait Twice 3 stars. A strong Introduction...Outstanding beginning sequences climaxing with Howard Miller shot and falling 18 floors from the Ilikai Hotel. Johnny Froman the bicycling hit man was creative and intelligent. Most likely, the police would be looking for someone running from the scene or driving quickly in a car. He would easily escape on a bicycle. It was excellent writing when DA Manicote and McGarrett discuss this Miller. An important witness in protective custody. I think the writers decided to go with this angle to show McGarrett is not always right. It was a dangerous decision placing Howard Miller 18 floors up with Betty on the ledge. I think this could have been a Top 20 episode after the intriguing and suspenseful beginning. It just never reached the level of a Hookman or Highest Castle, Deepest Grave. I would say Barry Bonamo made a convenient suspect or orderer of the hit. Have always been a James Olson fan and he has a good role as the lawyer Bart Mariss. It did surprise me the ending as Bonamo sure appeared to be involved. HFO team waited longer than I thought before apprehending Mariss trying to toss Betty over the cliff. Agree with many posters over the years. It did end too abruptly. JC