This long running police drama was a huge success in it’s run from 1968-1980. Over the years the cast would see some changes, even losing Dano in the last season. The one constant was Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett. Jack Lord had been acting for a while, he played James Bond’s CIA liaison in Dr. No, and in the year previous to Hawaii Five-0 he played a mob lawyer on the first season of Ironside. But most people remember Lord for his role as McGarrett, in fact it defined his career from that point on. In fact Lord moved to Hawaii and lived there the rest of his life.
Filming the episodes on the Islands and using locals as crew and actors added an authentic feel to the show. Hawaii was actually almost an unpaid character on the show, almost every scene is back dropped by the islands and it really gives the show a special look. The fact that it was all done in Hawaii also made it easy to get guest stars as they would be treated to a week in the sun. Season three brought back Martin Sheen and also had Vera Miles and Hume Cronyn. Watching these episodes is almost like watching a who’s who of character actors from the 70’s. You might not know the names, but you’ve seen the faces on man other television shows.
What really makes the show work for me is two things. I love the characters interaction with each other. There is a light heartedness and familiarity between them that comes across as very genuine. The other aspect is the procedural aspect. The fact that they are solving crimes seems very believable, Unlike some modern shows like Law and Order SVU where the characters seems to luck into solutions after questioning three people and talking to a shrink, or the CSI show where the lab-rats do all the work and the cops sometime tag along. Steve McGarrett and his crew are smart cops who can trust each other and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty when they need to. McGarrett trusts his cops to do their jobs and doesn’t need to constantly tell them what to do.
Hawaii Five-0 is classic television and it’s influences are still seen today. The show holds up extremely well and I would recommend it to anyone who love cop shows or shows with great action. That opening them sets the pace and the show
just flows from there.
Jon
This long running police drama was a huge success in it’s run from 1968-1980. Over the years the cast would see some changes, even losing Dano in the last season. The one constant was Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett. Jack Lord had been acting for a while, he played James Bond’s CIA liaison in Dr. No, and in the year previous to Hawaii Five-0 he played a mob lawyer on the first season of Ironside. But most people remember Lord for his role as McGarrett, in fact it defined his career from that point on. In fact Lord moved to Hawaii and lived there the rest of his life.
Wo Fat(SP?) episodes t'were the funkeist.
Stay on groovin' safari,
Tor