. . . And They Painted Daisies On His Coffin

. . . And They Painted Daisies On His Coffin. Episode 5, Season One. Originally aired November 7, 1968. Another incredible episode which sets the Five-O imprint in a memorable way. The plot starts with a great chase which ends with Dan-o gunning down a hippie. The media picks up on this story, suspecting Dan-o of shooting an innocent hippie. The only one who can clear him is a strung-out junkie who is in the service of local chieftan "Big Chicken." Played by a much fatter and incredibly sweaty Gavin McLoed, The Big Chicken has one of the better Cop vs, Hippie confrontations with McGarrett. "You'll never catch the Chicken!" In the course of tracking down the junkie, Steve stares down some repulsive fuzz-hating peaceniks ("Unless you want to eat that chain, you better sit down"), beats up some nickel and dime low lifes by the beach, and gives Dan-o an unforgetabble course in tough love when Dan-o is broken with the shame of shooting a perp. Kono and Chin Ho use their ethnicity to advantage: Kono talking to a massage parlor madame, Chin Ho at a Chinese pool hall. From beginning-to-end, a classic.

Highlight: the second appearance of Big Chicken and his "you won't find a single leaf of grass" soliloquy. The sweatiest performance ever?