I'm not sure if the new version of Hawaii Five-O has reached Europe yet but it's well into its first few episodes of the new series here. I haven't managed to watch any of the episodes all the way through yet and to be honest what I've seen so far hasn't impressed me, but most US TV series don't impress me. (Don't get me wrong, there are some US sitcoms I adore!).
One thing I do like - they have made a real attempt to re-use what has to be one of the most memorable TV theme tunes of all time.
Maybe I'm just thinking of my childhood, but Steve McGarrett's Hawaii Five-O is what I grew up with - my father and I used to sit down together and watch it every week when it was shown on British TV. Little did I know that a couple of decades later I would actually live there.
Well, I live on a different island, most of the original series was set on Oahu and in the city of Honolulu, but just occasionally they'd venture off to the neighbour islands. I think I might watch one of the new episodes if I knew in advance it was set on the Big Island.
Anyone know if such an episode is coming up?
Book 'em, Danno.
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11 comments:
last night was the only night I actually remembered that Hawaii Five-0 was on the tube. I've had to watch it on re-runs replete with full length advertisements that they don't allow you to bypass.
Ron - what do you think of the new show? I assume you managed to watch at least one full one despite the adverts.
Have to admit I'm not a fan but that might change. It's too much like CSI wherever for me. I liked the old show and its quirks(*) but it was very different from other shows at the time. IMO the current series is just another modern cop show that just happens to be in Hawaii. Lots of action but that's about it.
(*) I watched the original series in the UK as a kid in the 70s. It never occurred to me then how odd it might look for someone running around in the Hawaiian heat in a full suit and tie not to show a bead of sweat or a slight ruffle of the hair! ;)
Tom
I have never seen an original Five O but thought I'd watch this to see the old stomping grounds and I couldn't stomach it. So cheesy and pathetic. I like the main character so I was was disappointd that it was so seriously bad.
I was never got why the original "Hawaii Five-O" was so popular, but I moved back to the States when it had already been running for 8 years (it didn't air in Norway). I like the new title sequence. Very cool that they've kept the theme song.
Horsemom - have to agree but definitely recommend watching an episode from the original series if you can. It'll look dated but was better scripted than the new version. It also felt like you were in Hawaii watching it and I don't get that feeling with the new series.
Keera - I suspect the original series was popular because most people around the world knew of Hawaii but didn't know what it was like (remember this was the 60s). Not that the original series helped much in portraying the true Hawaii but it was the first glimpse of a tropical "paradise" for most - apart from all the murders that is!
I just watched an episode this evening (a TV channel here shows it every night) and the acting was awful but it was very special, you knew you were temporarily in Hawaii while watching it.
Same thing for Inspector Morse and Oxford. Not sure if you've seen the series but it's bloody brilliant. Two or three murders a week but wonderful music and beautiful photography/filming. And I lived there for a bit as well, so knew some of the pubs Morse enjoyed. And no, the real murder rate is nothing like that in real life! But it had the feel of really being there when you watched an episode.
The new Hawaii Five-O doesn't have that same feel. It's just another cop series - it could have been filmed anywhere (just like CSI).
Tom
I hear you re getting a sense of the real Hawaii in the original Five-O series; it was the only thing I liked, because I honestly thought the stories were too simple.
I loved the Morse series in part because of the genuine locations.
Back with a question:) Since I haven't been home to the islands in over ten years one of the irritating lines in the Five O episode I watched was the guy in the shave ice stand saying "you speak bird." Is this how they refer to pidgin now? Growing up there I never heard that.
Hi Tom,
As always the blog entry is wonderful...I just wanted you to know that I go in for a heart procedure in a few hours. The doc called me and said he can't tell whether what he'll find he'll leave alone, or if he will do some opening of plaques or sealing so they don't break off, or if I'll need a balloon in which case I'll be in the hospital for at least part of my birthday, or if I'll need a bypass which is major surgery. He said they will know pretty early in the am since I go in at 6 my time. If you want to know how I am doing you can call Joyce. I'll email you her number.
I hope everything is going well for you. Miss you and will be thinking of you.
Love
Pam
I just noticed that Hawaii Five-0 is again on cable 11, the original version, on weekday afternoons. They had stopped for a while I guess after they re-ran all the shows.
In response to horsemom: I have never heard pidgin referred to a 'bird'. - But, people here speak pidgin more than referring to it.
I tried to watch a few episodes of the new series, but the people look all wrong (of course that's "as compared"). OTOH, some things may be a bit more authentic (among the local cops).
Keera - I love Oxford for many reasons, but it's where my sister lived and I stayed there many times and also lived there for a couple of months (sadly she passed away many years ago now). The stories were great, often very difficult to solve, at least for me (Pam gets the culprit very quickly but then again she's seen the episodes before ;))
But the series made a big thing about making it look authentic - and the music was to die for!
Horsemom - apparently "talking bird" is legitimate if I can believe what I found on the web, but I've never heard anyone actually use that phrase. Maybe it's a culture or gang thing on Oahu. I don't know.
Ron - the original series is on every week day here (I don't have cable or satellite, just over-the-air stuff). It's on some religious channel I rarely watch but when I remember I do watch an episode or two. They're always very enjoyable if a little dated!
Maren - I'm sure the new episode is more realistic in some ways but to be honest, it's crap. It's CSI in Hawaii with more action.
The one great thing about the original series is that it was just that - original. The new series isn't, it just happens to be set in Honolulu but could be set anywhere and still be just as crap.
Lastly - since Pam was on this thread - Happy Birthday the other day and great news that heart surgery is not needed!
Now I'm off to bed...
Tom
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