'Hawaii 5-0' showrunner Peter M Lenkov justifies shocking series ending, says 'I know the characters best'
'Hawaii 5-0' fans were in for a major shock when they tuned in to watch the finale of CBS' decade-long running hit police procedural. Titled 'Aloha', the finale saw Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) finally bring down Daiyu Mei and then decides to take a much-deserved vacation. The surprise came in the form of Michelle Borth's Catherine Rollins who's been a recurring guest character after leaving the show as a full-time member.
This had fans scratching their heads in confusion, but showrunner Peter M Lenkov shed light on the decision to bring the character back. In an interview with TVLine, Lenkov said, "Yeah, I could have listened to the fans and not brought her back!" he said. "Look, here’s the thing: I know the characters best, in my opinion. I know people will say “Well, I watched the show for 248 hours, I know them. But I write them, so I know them pretty well."
He added: "And I felt that Catherine, like a good soldier, has always put God and country and her duty first and foremost, and there were decisions she had to make which were hard decisions that affected people that she loved, that have always come because of her soldier-first mentality. But I've always felt that she loved him. And I've always felt that there was something pulling her away that was not of her own control. I felt that his happiness has always been by her side."
"There's a little moment in the end, if you watch, where he turns in profile and he smiles. And it's the first time that you've really seen this man smile in a long time. Now, he smiles at jokes, but smiling at feeling good about the future is a different thing," he opined. "I think that he could go off, find his peace, come back and end up in that chair [on the beach] with Danny, but maybe end up with a family, end up with other things that could complete him."
When asked what the future held in store for McGarrett and where the flight was headed, Lenkov said he had no idea. "I never thought about it. I thought that the idea that the show started with him landing on the island, ended with him leaving the island, would be the right thing," he explained.
'Hawaii 5-0' follows an elite police task force that keeps a check on major crimes in Hawaii state. Led by Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin), a Navy Reserve Lieutenant Commander, and assisted by Detective Danny Williams (Scott Caan), and other police officers as they fight crime and corruption. After 10 scintillating seasons, the action-drama will finally drew its curtains with an explosive season finale.
What are your thoughts on Catherine making an appearance in the finale?