It’s obvious that CBS is trying to find the right formula with “Hawaii Five-O.”

There’s a sensitive balance between credibility — using local landmarks like Hickam Air Force Base and Haleiwa Joe’s and cultural icons like malassadas and iPhone 4s — with the stuff that makes today’s TV shows popular.

Humor and skin. But namely skin. And particular the brand of Grace Park and Alex O’Loughlin.

Never mind the plot.

Case in point: tonight’s episode.

The banter between O’Loughlin, who plays the uptight Det. Steve McGarrett, and Scott Caan, who’s still the best thing going for this show as the wise-cracking Danny “Danno” Williams, doesn’t seem as forced as the pilot. They seems to sincerely hate each other — which works. (They’re like an old married couple — and I dig it.)

But the plot isn’t the strongest — at least so far. I mean, who buys an ex-NSA cyber-terrorism expect getting abducted in broad daylight in the middle of Waikiki? Or, better yet, that he was actually working here.

But does it matter? Do we really care about plots anymore? Isn’t it all about cool graphics, bad-ass explosions, fight scenes, blood and Grace Park in a bikini?

What I liked:

• The tension — romantic, perhaps? — between O’Loughlin and Caan
• That Caan wears a tie and patent leather shoes and doesn’t care if he’s “too Mainland”
• That Caan ate a malassada. It was the fried dough’s primetime debut
• The hollow tiles in the driveway of the Kaaawa house. (But didn’t like that he was an uber-smart haole kid)
• The pakalolo reference

What I didn’t like:

• O’Loughlin made the mistake by saying Hawaii has 110-degree weather. Isn’t he supposed to be a local?
• Da Braddah’s Private Security
• There’s a bit too many iPhone 4 references. Enough with the product placement
• The half-baked guy in Kaaawa who said “aloha” and “mahalo” in a way that made my blood curdle
• That Park’s character, Kono Kalakaua, is always in trouble and needs to be bailed out. What gives?
• The girl-on-girl fight scene. It wasn’t believable to me.
• The son of the ex-NSA expert had a Justin Bieber haircut. Anyone else notice that?
• That a super-secret password is only four digits. Really?

What did you think?

Hawaii Five-0 Episode #2 — “Ohana”

Watch a short preview of this week’s Hawaii Five-0 followed by the full episode:

Note: Clicking on the comments tab above will restart the movie. Be sure to open a new window and comment or finish the episode before commenting. We don’t like it either and we’re looking for a fix.

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To read all of Cat’s blogs, visit www.nonstophonolulu.com/thedailydish. Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at cat@nonstophonolulu.com.

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