The premiere of RESCUE: HI-SURF allows us to familiarize ourselves with the thrilling, and dangerous life of lifeguards watching over the dangerous shores of North Shore of O’ahu. Former military man, Captain Harlan ‘Sonny’ Jennings (Robbie Magasiva) commands a team of highly competent lifeguards, which also includes Lieutenant Emily ‘Em’ Wright (Arielle Kebbel), ever on the look out for the next rescue. This is best illustrated with the first rescue of the episode, a surfer named Reef (Kameron Dowis) to show the kind of danger the lifeguards fight everyday.
On one hand, it is evident that the team is brave to the core but on the other hand, the personal animosity is quite apparent. Sonny is even more disturbed by the recent death of Zion, who is later seen to be his nephew, making it even harder for him to lead. Em’s frustration starts getting worse when she finds Hina Alexander, a new recruit in the trainees’ program, arguing on the phone with her mother, and Em learns that Hina is the only female in the entire class of the year. At the same time, Kainalu Emerson, played by Alex Aiono, who is the son of Councilmen Clayton Emerson, Shawn Hatosy, struggles with Hina after she beat him in a certification exam, thereby fueling animosity.
Lifeguards’ personal lives also play a role. Will Ready (Adam Demos) suffer from a complicated past with Em or will he be able to just move on and be happily engaged. While all of this is going on, Laka Hanohano (Kekoa Kekumano) is caught up in hazing and love triangles. The relationship dynamics within the team are strained when Jennings, based on political pressure from Councilman Emerson, places Kainalu in his group even if Hina is performing very well.
The last scene of the episode leaves the viewers impressed when Zion shares his sad story of his past. His vanishing during a swimming expedition continues to bother Sonny and strained relations between family members. But the consequences of Kainalu’s mistake during a rescue are severe enough to get approval for another tower for which Hina gets an opportunity to demonstrate that she is a worthy member of the lifeguard team.
Rescue: Hi-Surf Episode 2 Recap
The second Episode, Mauka to Makai, goes straight through the action with a family from Nebraska, whose hiking vacation turns into a tragedy. Which takes us through another thrilling steeplechase when the family’s head Amber played Kylee Stanford is washed away by a lightning surge.
We get a sudden change of pace in the legal drama and Sonny and Em both receive papers for lawsuits concerning the disastrous rescue seen in the previous episode concerning Kainalu. The lawsuit, which personally affects them, adds even more pressure to Sonny who is dealing with Zion’s absence both leadership wise and dealing with his demise. Em and Sonny attempt to find out what to do next about the legal matter and are quickly drawn into the developing disaster with Amber, whose life is now at stake. Sonny takes a very reckless decision to counteract the protocol in a bid to save her.
At the same time, Kainalu is upset at being left out, and his annoyance gradually rises to a boil. Laka and Hina decide to stay in their tower, though they meet two children who were left alone by the father; this also proves that there are extra responsibilities – along with rescuing people – that come with the tower’s job.
When the rescue mission begins to get serious, there is friction between Em and Sonny. Em offers herself to be in the same current that took Amber, an idea which Sonny attempts to discourage. This is cut short when they hear a news report of a diver trapped in their fishing line with Kenny (Ati Ripley Scanlan) and Junior (Matt Rivera). It is only later in the series that it is learned that the body is actually a diver and is in serious shape rather than Amber.
Rescue: Hi-Surf Episode 2: Ending Explained!
The last scene leads to some tension and concern as Em, now adrift out in the danger waters, somehow loses her GPS and starts to get disoriented. Her plan to track the current works, and after some episodes of nervous tension, she finds debris through which she gets to Amber, who is still alive. The final outburst of feelings happens with Amber who reunites with her family as people on the show prove that they will not give up.
Even after the successful rescue operation, Captain Eric Drummond (Julian Sensley) scolds Sonny for not following the protocol implying more punishment to come. On the other hand, the romance between Laka and Jenn Lamonde (Sea Shimooka) remain intimated as well.
It was a rather sad way to end an episode. His personal life is again depicted concerning his daughter Ocean (Ka’enaaloha Watson) who skips school because it reminds her of Zion. When Sonny tries to seek grief counseling, he doesn’t get a chance to explain why he wants to go, as he fails to complete the call, which makes the audience remember that he is still tortured by grief and guilt.
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