Hawaii Five-0 is going to be without its lead while Alex O’Loughlin rehabbed after taking prescription medication for his shoulder injury, but how long will fans be seeing H50 without Steve McGarrett?

According to TV Guide, the answer to that question is “just one full episode,” and that episode is the crossover with NCIS: Los Angeles, airing on April 30. He is going to be in the episode airing on April 9, in which “McGarrett suspects Joe (Terry O’Quinn) lied to him about being Shelburne,” and executive producer Peter Lenkov says, “He ends up leaving a ‘Dear Danno’ letter before taking off to find the real Shelburne.”

It sounds like they have it all planned out, and it’s not going to take away from the show—after all, that is a storyline that could’ve happened anyway, just perhaps without him being absent from the crossover. They could’ve had it wrap up before that crossover if Alex O’Loughlin wasn’t in rehab. Instead, they’re just stretching it out to accommodate his schedule, which is the right thing to do, and it’s not like he’s going to be out for more than one episode.

When he comes back for the episode airing on May 7, McGarrett “will have located his arch enemy, Wo-Fat, and toss him in the slammer.” It sounds like he’ll have been pretty productive in his time away, and he’s also going to be in the season finale airing on May 14, which is slated to be an exciting one. It “begins with the death of a familiar face,” and it’s going to feature several returns, including O’Quinn, Tom Sizemore, and William Baldwin. Who could be dying this season? What will be the fall-out of it?

Season 3 is already slated to feature Michelle Borth in a series regular role, and it’s likely the fall-out of these last season 2 episodes, especially with Wo Fat and the other returning characters showing up. The good news is that Peter Lenkov has said that Alex O’Loughlin’s “doing great,” and that’s what’s most important.

Hawaii Five-0 star Alex O’Loughlin will be taking a break from the CBS series while he undergoes “supervised treatment for prescription pain medication due to a recent shoulder injury,” the actor’s rep said in a statement confirmed to E! News.

 

We aren’t surprised to hear he hurt himself—have you seen Lt. Cmdr. Steve McGarrett in action?! But what does O’Loughlin’s absence mean for the show?

 

It just so happens that Hawaii Five-0‘s second season is ahead of schedule and they’re currently shooting episode 20—and they will be able to complete their full season order as planned.

 

There’s no word, however, regarding how many episodes—if any—O’Loughlin will miss while in treatment.

 

“We respect and support Alex’s decision,” CBS said in a statement. “Everyone at CBS Television Studios and Hawaii Five-0 wishes him well and we look forward to his return.”