The second season of the CBSpolice procedural drama series Hawaii Five-0 premiered on September 19, 2011 for the 2011–12 television season. CBS renewed the series for a 23 episode second season on May 15, 2011. Two fictional crossovers with occurred during the season in episodes six and twenty-one. The season concluded on May 14, 2012. The series continues to center on the Five-0 Task Force, a specialized police state task force established by the Hawaiian Governor that investigates a wide series of crimes on the islands, including murder, terrorism, and human trafficking. The second season introduces a new governor, after the murder of his predecessor. However, unlike the previous governor, the new one orders changes to the task force. Taryn Manning did not return as a main cast member however, did make a guest appearance. In addition, the season includes two new main cast members, Masi Oka, who recurred in the first season, and Lauren German, who debuted in episode two and began receiving an "Also starring" credit in episode five. German departed after episode sixteen. Alex O'Loughlin missed some filming as he was seeking drug treatment for pain management medication during the production season. The second season ranked #26 for the 2011-12 television season, had an average of 11.83 million viewers, and received mostly positive reviews. "Haʻiʻole", the season premiere, brought in the most viewers for the season with 12.19 million; meanwhile, the season finale, "Ua Hala" had the fourth highest amount with 11.42 million. The series was also renewed for a third season on March 14, 2012 which later premiered on September 24.
The number in the "No. overall" column refers to the episode's number within the overall series, whereas the number in the "No. in season" column refers to the episode's number within this particular season. The titles of each episode are in the Hawaiian language, though its English translations are directly underneath. "Production Code" refers to the order in which the episodes were produced. "U.S. viewers " refers to the number of viewers in the US in millions who watched the episode as it was aired.
Crossovers
The season featured two crossovers with . The first crossover event took place in the sixth episode, entitled [|"Ka Hakaka Maikaʻi"], Daniela Ruah made a guest appearance as her NCIS: LA character Kensi Blye; the episode aired on October 24, 2011. The second event took place in the form of a two-part crossover. Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J appeared as G. Callen and Sam Hanna in the twenty-first episode of the season titled "Pa Make Loa" on April 30, 2012. In the second part, Scott Caan and Daniel Dae Kim appeared in the NCIS: Los Angeles episode "" which aired on May 1, 2012.
Production
Development
On May 15, 2011, CBS renewed Hawaii Five-0 for a second season which premiered on CBS on September 19, 2011. Filming for the season began on July 11, 2011 with a traditional Hawaiian blessing. As of March 2, 2012 the twentieth episode was being filmed and production was ahead of schedule. On March 14, 2012 the series was renewed for a third season. The season concluded airing on May 14, 2012.
Casting
is the only main cast member to not return after departing the series in the middle first season; however, she did reprise her role as Mary Ann McGarrett as a guest star in the nineteenth episode of the season. On May 16, 2011 while the first season was still airing it was announced that Masi Oka, who recurred as medical examiner Max Bergman, would be promoted to a main cast member for the second season. It was reported on June 21, 2011 that Terry O'Quinn was cast as a Navy Seal Lt. Commander, meanwhile on June 27, 2011 it was announced that Tom Sizemore would recur in a multi-episode story arc throughout the season. On July 12, 2011 it was announced that Lauren German had been cast in a recurring role, beginning in the second episode, as Special Agent Lori Weston, a potential love interest for Alex O'Loughlin's character Steve McGarrett. She was later upgraded to a series regular beginning with the fifth episode. Larisa Oleynik who also recurred in the first season reprised her role as former CIA operative Jenna Kaye William Baldwin also guest starred in a multi-episode story arc. On August 18, 2011 it was reported that Daniela Ruah would guest star in a crossover episode as her character Kensi Blye. In episode nineteen, Ed Asner reprised his role as August March from the original series episode "Wooden Model of a Rat:, footage from the episode was used for March's second appearance. During a second crossover event later in the season LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell also appeared in an episode as their respective NCIS: Los Angeles characters Sam Hanna and G. Callen. On March 2, 2012, CBS announced that O'Loughlin would miss shooting some episodes of Hawaii Five-0 to seek drug treatment related to pain management medication prescribed after a shoulder injury. He makes a brief appearance in episode twenty and does not appear at all in episode twenty-one. German departed the series in the sixteenth episode and was subsequently cast in Chicago Fire.
Release and marketing
On July 12, 2011 it was announced that the season would have an advanced premiere screening on September 10. The annual event known as "Sunset on the Beach", featured a red carpet and interviews with the cast and crew at Waikiki beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. When CBS released their fall schedule on May 18, 2011 it was revealed that the series would keep its time slot from the first season and continue airing on Mondays at 10 p.m. Eastern Time.
Reception
Critical response
Kevin Yeoman with Screen Rant stated about the series premiere "Hawaii Five-0 managed to do what it does best in the season 2 opener: move at such breakneck speed that the audience hardly has time to recognize the implausibility of it all" and that "The plot of ‘Ha'i'ole’ is paper-thin, as are the majority of the characters and their motivations". Jim Garner at TV Fanatic says "I have to hand it to Peter Lenkov, he certainly knows how to shake things up and give us a dramatic ending".
