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Great Debate: McGarrett vs. Danno

By Catherine Toth Fox • September 1, 2011 • Musings, The Daily Dish

It’s almost like choosing between Team Edward or Team Jacob.

(Thanks to all the “Twilight” fans who got that reference.)

Turns out, there are clearly distinct camps when it comes to the two leading men in CBS’ “Hawaii Five-0”, its second season set to premiere on Monday, Sept. 19.

You’re either with the cool, collected Det. Steve McGarrett (played by Alex O’Loughlin) or the fast-talking, high-strung Danny “Danno” Williams (played by Scott Caan).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmXq7O6wDKg
Watch this montage by CBS

I mean, you can’t find more contrasting characters, down to their hair color. One is single, the other divorced. One is stoic, the other emotional. One is by-the-book, the other is by-his-own-book. It’s the Odd Couple recast.

Personally, I’m all about Danno. He’s witty, biting, brutally honest and delivers such gems as this: “You’re like a devourer of dreams. You eat them. You’re like a little Pac-Man in cargo pants.” I vote for him.

So what about you? Are you on Team McGarrett or Team Danno?

Alex O'LoughlinCBSDanny "Danno" WilliamsGreat DebateHawaiiHawaii Five-0mediaScott CaanSteve McGarrettTothTV
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Catherine Toth Fox

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30 Comments

  • Reply oldshoes September 1, 2011 at 1:42 am

    i think its more of a medicore debate at best than Great Debate. Danno is short and still wears his tie way too much.Only chance he has of winning is if he’ll eat some sashimi and say “the kine brah”, in a non-New Yawk accent.In other words……he’s still pretty much a stuffed shirt walking through doors daddy(james Caan aka sonny corleone) opened up.

  • Reply oldshoes September 1, 2011 at 1:43 am

    correction: “da kine brah”

    • Reply Catherine Toth September 1, 2011 at 9:55 am

      I was just going to say! LOL

  • Reply David Jackson September 1, 2011 at 2:30 am

    Frankly I like different things about both of them so I can’t pick. But I will say chicks dig the shorter witty guys most days over the 6’2″ guys that remain cool… it is just the way it is. Me, I am looking forward to having Terry O’Quinn from Lost show up on the set for however long his run lasts.

    In all fairness to guys that watch the show I think there should be a spirited debate as to who the most beloved lady of Hawaii Five O might be. Here is my take:

    1) Larisa Oleynik: plays Jenna Kaye, she has that aw shucks nerdy look and demeanor on the show but most guys suspect that behind the scenes she has got it going on.

    2) Michelle Borth: plays Catherine Rollins on the show, McGarrett’s Navy girlfriend. No doubt she has got the goods, but you wonder what is past the glitter.

    3) Claire van der Boom: plays Rachel and she is oh so sexy in that silky Brit chick sort of way. No wonder Danno still has the swoon for her.

    4) Grace Park: plays Kono Kalakaua the chick that doesn’t need lessons in the kicking ass department. If she isn’t on your top ten list of coolest chicks alive you just aren’t paying attention.

    So who do you pick and why? I’d go 4,1,3,2 and hope that Grace isn’t a first class b^&^% in real life.

    • Reply Catherine Toth September 1, 2011 at 9:56 am

      I like the way you think.

      OK, my picks are, in order, 3, 2, 1, 4.

      And no comment about your last sentence. 🙂

      • Reply MaxMaxMax September 1, 2011 at 4:16 pm

        Whoa… “no comment” and a fourth place Grace speaks volumes. Cat, did you have a Diane Ako/Hayden Panettiere moment with Grace?

    • Reply NeilYamamoto September 1, 2011 at 10:33 am

      For me it’s 4, 2, 3, 1 and here’s why…

      Kono-She’s KONO!!! nuff sed…

      Catherine Rollins-She has a GREAT first name, and she’s a Navy Chick, so you know she can hold her own…

      Rachel-Brit Chick… nuff sed…

      Jenna Kaye- she just seems too conniving for me…

      Thoughts?

  • Reply The Chicago Cuz September 1, 2011 at 3:52 am

    I can’t say I am on either team as I think I have only watched the show once or twice. I am sure if I lived in the islands I would be watching it all the time though. I agree with oldshoes though, I can’t stand Scott Caan in any sort of acting role… He is a mediocre actor at best who only gets roles because of his father.

    So I guess long story short I am Team Edward….

    • Reply Catherine Toth September 1, 2011 at 9:56 am

      Team Edward! HAHAHAHA!

  • Reply Terry September 1, 2011 at 6:10 am

    I think they’re a package deal. Danno & McGarrett bring out the best (and worst) in each other and that’s what makes them so fun to watch.. Danny’s rants wouldn’t be nearly as funny without Steve’s amused reactions and Danny brings out Steve’s softer, mushy side that we swoon over. Steve has the McGyver thing going on that makes them a more efficient team but he needs Danny to bounce his ideas off of. On a date however, it’s that tall, dark drink of water, McG all the way.

    • Reply Catherine Toth September 1, 2011 at 9:58 am

      Sometimes I think their banter, though, is detracting/distracting from the plot. Don’t get me wrong, I think the humor element is great. But sometimes it’s a little much.

      It was a hard call, trust me. I went with funny over stoic.

  • Reply Ynaku September 1, 2011 at 6:29 am

    Book Em Danno

  • Reply M September 1, 2011 at 6:38 am

    Hello Cat, I like both of them, I don’t think the show would be the same without one of them. They have guud chemistry together.

    • Reply Catherine Toth September 1, 2011 at 9:58 am

      Agreed. The chemistry is there. Too bad the other two (token Asians) don’t have that same kind of chemistry. They’re almost not really needed… sorry to say.

  • Reply myama99 September 1, 2011 at 7:24 am

    I vote for Kono!!! Kamekoa (aka shave ice guy) is a close second.

    • Reply Catherine Toth September 1, 2011 at 9:59 am

      Forgot about shave ice guy. And Saimin — or whatever his name is.

      • Reply NeilYamamoto September 1, 2011 at 10:34 am

        Sang Min?

  • Reply Joy September 1, 2011 at 8:18 am

    I enjoy both of them on the show but I totally totally love McGarrett!

    • Reply Catherine Toth September 1, 2011 at 9:59 am

      Are you going strictly on looks?

      • Reply Joy September 1, 2011 at 12:03 pm

        Hmmm, not only looks. Although I am biased a little becuz I like Alex O’Loughlin. I do like his serious, take-charge attitude as McGarrett, not to mention his ruggedness and resourcefulness. The looks are just the icing on the cake!

  • Reply Matthdw September 1, 2011 at 8:28 am

    I can’t like them both? In terms of sex appeal, Danno is totally my type, but I think both characters are pretty awesome.

  • Reply hawaiiobsessed September 1, 2011 at 9:29 am

    I love both of them and I love them together so much. They are perfect together. Scott has a great part, and plays it well. Alex is amazing but hasn’t had as much to do with his character yet, hasn’t had an opportunity to be funny much because of the way his character is written. I would want to hang out with Danno, AOL as Steve McGarret is the hottest thing. ever. I mean, get your fire extinguisher out hot. I love them, love the show, can’t wait for season 2! Are you going to the premiere on the beach Cat? If you see Alex tell him I love him. :>)

  • Reply NeilYamamoto September 1, 2011 at 10:34 am

    Hey Cat,

    What about Team Kamekona?!?!?!

  • Reply rayboyjr September 1, 2011 at 11:19 am

    … is this really a debate??? … this is kind of like choosing between Jessica Alba and Ellen DeGeneres … ok, that’s extreme … or maybe not? … I mean, McGarrett is the hot one like Jessica … and Danno is the funny one like Ellen …

    … I dunno, would you sacrifice good looks for humor? … or vice versa? … I admit, I like fantasy and I like eye-candy so I’ll take the hot one …

    … wait, is Danno hot to the girls? … I don’t know, I think he’s like most of the guys you know in real life, haha …

    … so where’s the love for Chin Ho and Max Bergman??? …

    • Reply MaxMaxMax September 1, 2011 at 4:18 pm

      Spot on analogy brah. Scott Caan is a funny lookin’, no neck havin’, short gremlin-like dude. How can any woman find him sexy?

  • Reply WildeOscar September 1, 2011 at 11:31 am

    I have only seen the show on the airplane entertainment screens without sound, but many times. I am a McGarrett guy. I don’t like Danno’s tie, stubble, or hairstyle at all. I have no idea how their voices sound or if they can act. Maybe I will put on the headphones on one of these flights just to take a listen.

  • Reply Ken September 1, 2011 at 3:06 pm

    I think Scott Caan is perhaps the best actor on the show, but Danno is the least interesting character on the show.

    Steve McGarrett is a stiff, but I’m not sure how much of that is intentional. The Steve McGarrett on the original show was also pretty stiff.

    I wish that Kono and Chin Ho had bigger characters to play, perhaps playing up the local angle through them instead of through the guest characters.

    I still think the local scenery and local culture are the real stars of the show. If the same plots took place anywhere else in the country, the show would have been cancelled long ago.

    • Reply MaxMaxMax September 1, 2011 at 4:19 pm

      Ken, your last line says it all… Hawaii is the star of this show!

  • Reply matt September 1, 2011 at 7:30 pm

    I like Chin Ho because I like the way DDK adopted Hawaii as his home.
    i dig on Danno’s ex wife’s accent.

  • Reply Tarah September 13, 2011 at 9:56 am

    One name! McGarrett, but really it is because I have adored Alex O’Loughlin forever! Just something about his accent and dark hair that drives me nuts!!

    Tarah

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About Me

About Me
Born and raised on O‘ahu, Hawaiʻi, Catherine Toth Fox has been chronicling her adventures in her blog, The Cat Dish, for more than a decade. She worked as a newspaper reporter in Hawai‘i for 10 years and continues to freelance—in between teaching journalism, hitting the surf and eating everything in sight—for national and local print and online publications. She’s currently the editor of HAWAIʻI Magazine.

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