The Branch Office opens 50 years ago

[Bobbi]

50 years ago tonight, CBS aired S07E11 – “Welcome To Our Branch Office”.

A pair of con artists – Jeffrey Bowman (Cameron Mitchell) and Stash (Frank Gorshin) – come up with a brilliant plan to con new businessmen to pay them protection money. They dare to impersonate the Five-O officers. Or at least get guys to do it for them.

They take over a condemned building to create a duplicate Five-O office. One of the businessmen, Herman Walker (John N. Stalker) files a complaint with DA Manicote (Glenn Cannon). A line up is created where Danno and Walker lock eyes. However, Danno isn't allowed to say anything and I have more to say on that below.

Thanks to Walker's help, the fake office is found but not before another businessman, Shatner (Doug Mossman) is reported missing. There are also multiple bombs used to scare the crap out of these guys.

Five-O gets wise thanks to some double and triple crossing between Stash, the impersonators and Bowman. The whole gang is wrapped up and Bowman is going to prison for a while.

Mr. Mike has a great review of this episode. It’s here: https://www.fiveohomepage.com/5-0log7.htm#155

This is a funny episode. There are things that are forced but I still enjoyed it.

We see guest star Cameron Mitchell later in a Season 11 episode, "A Very Personal Manner". He's always a good actor to watch.

Another aspect of this episode – James MacArthur plays a dual role. His voice is dubbed while he's in the other role. That's perhaps the highlight of the episode. And other than Jack Lord playing a dual role in the final episode of the series, I think this is the only time this happens. Of course, as I'm writing this, I recall the "Ninety-Second War" where Lord also played Luther – someone who Wo Fat got to impersonate McGarrett. But neither of these instances rise to what MacArthur does in this episode. (I hope that makes sense!)

That also brings us to the cringy moment for me. If Danno was allowed to speak in the lineup, Walker would have realized he wasn't duped by Five-O! C'mon, guys!! Get it together! That is my nitpick and I know there's others.

Also in Mr. Mike's review, we have Shatner as injured because we didn't have enough to tell us he was dead. Bowman and Stash are never charged with murder.

Anyway, Happy 50th, “Welcome To Our Branch Office”!!

[Todd]

Memorable episode, and fun to watch.

Definitely not one of the more serious Five-O crimefighting stories, as there were a lot of holes in it.

The fake Five-O was played by locals. Thorwald Boie (fake McGarrett) was a technician on the show. Bernard C.K. Ching (fake Chin) was an HPD officer who appeared in over 20 Five-O episodes as a side gig. Bernard died in 2011. Ralph Hanalei (fake Ben) was a local actor who appeared in various Hawaii-based shows and movies from 1960-1974, but this was his last credit. Even fake Danny, played by James MacArthur, was played by a University of Hawaii student when he was to appear on camera with the real Danno at the end of the episode.

There was no way to make this story completely make sense, but if you suspended disbelief, it was an enjoyable watch.

[John Chergi]

Season 7 Welcome To Our Branch Office Classic HFO 🌊.
A solid 3 Stars ⭐⭐ ⭐ Out Of 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐.

I remember watching this in my 1980's teenage years. A criminal HFO team 🌊 nearly exact replicas of McG & the HFO Team. Shaking down new businessmen in Hawaii. They would leave town big 💰 hoping to have the real HFO 🌊 team picking up the pieces and defending themselves. Thought it was brilliant and creative. Growing older and watching it several times over the years, I can notice the certain flaws of the episode. Walker was crouched down and his ability to remember certain turns and vehicle movements of the Fake HFO team incredible to believe. He is important leading HFO team to the fake HFO building. The replica of the real HFO offices are stunning and spectacular. McGarrett also has to tip his cap to the brilliant and ingenuity of the plan. Easy $50,000 in copying the design of the offices, name plates, tables, desks, statuary, etc. I think the episode paints itself into a corner as it couldn't make the fake HFO 🌊 team be too criminal. Remember how they had Danno undercover drop the stink bomb in Season 11 episode with Stoner. Couldn't have Danno shooting people on the street or knifing people in an initiation. I always love seeing Cameron Mitchell in episodes. He was in an episode of Murder, She Wrote later and was outstanding as band manager. Think it was called Murder To A Jazz Beat down in New Orleans. Greed becomes the downfall of the episode. Jeffrey and Stash decide they want all the money 💰. Stash expertly switches the fake HFO team money suitcase with another suitcase. It has newspaper scraps in it. The fake HFO team 🌊 excited to fly out realizes they have been tricked. Jeffrey then locks Stash in the telephone booth and he calls HFO. He wants all the money for himself. Jeffrey arrives at the airport ✈️ to leave but finds the angry HFO team 🌊 with no money. I like seeing all the HFO Team members both sides together. HFO Team 🌊 is able to expose the brilliant frame and arrest the fake HFO team. No damage to HFO's credibility and honor. It definitely has a lighter touch and humor than most HFO 🌊 Episodes. Despite the flaws in the episode, it is a Classic episode like A Death In The Family. Probably a MUST WATCH episode for every Classic HFO 🌊 Fan. JC