Just say the words “Hawaii Five-O” to a baby-boomer and you will set off an internal musical bomb. Whenever I hear the name of that iconic crime series from the late 1960s through the '70s, its infectious theme explodes in my head and lifts my spirit. Simply thinking of it sets the music off. Ironically, when Hawaii Five-O started, I didn’t watch it; I hated it. I thought that Jack Lord’s humorless performance as Steve McGarrett and the show’s awe of the law were boring. I don’t know if that was an accurate appraisal, but by the late '70s, I was a fan. Part of the attraction was what formerly turned me off, Lord’s humorless performance. He was so uptight he made Joe Friday look like a swinger.
Humor was written into Hawaii Five-O, but insignificantly when compared to another famous Hawaii-based program, Magnum P.I. There were 278 episodes of Hawaii Five-O, and 23 of them are included in the eighth season’s boxed set. These episodes are from the 1975-6 season and are a mix of murder mysteries and espionage stories, all told in a very straightforward, unimaginative style. Although Jack Lord has a large supporting cast, this is his show. It’s surprising to think that it could be carried for 12 years on the strength of one character, especially one that lacks dimension.
Revisiting Hawaii Five-O 30 years after its demise is a lesson in the evolution of television crime drama. Despite a lack of wit, the modern viewer will find many laughs thanks to lines like “don’t end up in a cement egg roll” and “nobody’s above the law in Hawaii.” Although Hawaii Five-O was filmed in color, the thinking behind it was black and white. There are no moral dilemmas, ambiguity, or shades of gray. We don’t sympathize with the villains because there is no good in them. In Hawaii Five-O, when you’re bad, you’re bad. On the other hand, if you’re innocent you act suspiciously.
Discounting technical advances made since Hawaii Five-O was aired, there is still a primitive approach to crime-solving. Suspects don’t actually have rights, and everyone’s a suspect. There is a focus on action, but many of the action scenes seem contrived or phony, perhaps just filler.
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Article comments
1 - Emm
I love your reviews - you have such a witty writing style. I'm not a baby boomer (I'm the child of one) but I so know what you mean about the internal music bomb. I'll be singing that theme tune all day today!
I also grew to like Hawaii 5-0 after not liking it as a youngster. I wouldn't buy it but I'd love to hire it out again.
I know what you mean about the who's who. I get that with UK TV lately as I start recognising all of the actors from other shows.