'Hawaii Five-0' Season 9 Poised to Flesh Out the Series's Newer Characters

With the upcoming premiere of "Hawaii Five-0" Season 9, concerns about how the show's current main cast will develop have been a significant question for many fans.

Season 8 was a significant restart for the show as two of the original showrunners, Grace Park and Daniel Dae Kim, left ahead of season 8 due to contract disputes. This has made season 8's premiere a significant undertaking by having to introduce a new set of main characters.

The challenge was introducing Tani Rey and Junior Reigns, portrayed by Meaghan Rath and Beulah Koale, respectively. Unlike Duke, Kamekona, or even Dr. Noelani, who were all recurring characters in the series prior to season 8, Tani and Junior are wholly new cast members with no prior history with the show.

People may point to the lack of onscreen diversity in losing Grace Park and Daniel Dae Kim. Notwithstanding the depth of the characters that the Asian duo had portrayed for seven seasons, Meaghan Rath's Tani Rey and Beulah Koale's Junior may be up to the challenge of providing two new characters.

Tani Rey makes her first appearance as a police academy washout whom Danny and Steve invite to join the Five-0 but initially declines. As the season progresses, she ends up becoming a full-fledged member of the team.

Junior Reigns is introduced in the third episode of season 8 as an ex-Navy Seal who asks Steve for help with employment. He becomes a valuable member of the team as he uses his special operations background for the Five-0.

While late to the series, Tani Rey and Junior Reigns have had their layers peeled in season 8. In a span of one season, we've been introduced to their chemistry as they go undercover together as parents to investigate a case. We've also been treated to a glimpse of Tani's complicated relationship with her brother, and Junior's personal history with his parents and his decision to enlist in the Navy.

With such a wealth of backstories to work with, “Hawaii Five-0's” season 9 looks to be poised to deliver interesting stories. When even the most newly minted characters of season 8 have enough material for drama and comedy in their backstories, there is a certain comfort that fans can accept when “Hawaii Five-0” season 9 comes along.