I learned a lot by watching last night's "Hawaii Five-O." For instance, I learned that when normal traffic cameras won't work, you can call an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, flirt with someone on the other line and have her track the villain of your choice via satellite. I need to learn this trick the next time I'm in a traffic jam.

I also learned that if you need to extract information from a hostile witness, you must beat said witness in a game of hoops, which is what McGarrett had to do to find an escaped prisoner. A second inmate, played by D.L. Hughley, offered to give McGarrett clues as to why the escapee left the slammer, but only if he beat him in basketball. Somehow, McGarrett found his inner Brent Barry and won the game.

In between all the hoops action, gun play and various feats of derring-do, viewers were introduced to McGarrett's estranged sister, who welcomed herself to Hawaii by disabling an airplane smoke detector. Sis spent most of the show in "unofficial" police custody - both at the airport and at Five-O headquarters - but she did get the chance to bark at her brother and make fun of Danno's choice in neckwear. At least the siblings shared a poignant moment in front of their father's grave at the end of the show.

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