Hawaii 5-0

Just finished watching Hawaii 5-0. It's an updated version of the original and, despite some flaws, wasn't too bad. I know many of you aren't old enough to remember the pilot of the original or the original, but back then, it was a big hit.

 

I never saw the original.

I really liked what I saw last night. Very cool show.

 

I remember the original and it was very entertaining. I will definitely try to watch a few episodes of the remake to see if I would like it or not. By the previews, it seems like a very entertaining show with loads of action.

 

The new Hawaii 5-0 reminds me a bit of Miami Vice. One thing that the new show does is the theme is similar to the old one. I think they should've kept the old music.

 

Wonder if there'll be a new Wo Fat.

 

As I said on another thread, it was ehhh for me.

Gun fights, car chases and explosions make good mindless entertainment. But I was troubled by how easily young McGarrett wrapped up the murder of his father. He spent five years hunting these arms dealers while in the Navy and only caught one. But in less than 24 hours on the island, he cracks the case. Also, did I miss them arresting the mole inside the Hawaii PD who tipped the Snakehead to the girl being a cop?

 

You hit a lot of things on the head. It was like having a sandwich with no meat. It left a lot of holes. The mole was never revealed and Jack Lord would have never talked to the Governor the way this young McGarrett does.
I think the guy last night woulod've been a good candidate for Wo Fat.

 

As I mentioned on the new shows thread, it has Grace Park going for it. That might get me to watch a time or two.

 

Hawaii is not 5-0 and won't be anytime soon, not now that June Jones left.

 

Didn't watch it live, but I did catch it on demand today, so a few notes:

1) Overall the episode gets a C+

2) The role of Dan-O was completely botched -- Dan-O as a "concerned single father??" DanO is supposed to be a hip, swinging young single guy.

3) O'Laughlin playing McGarrett -- as well as the way they're WRITING the role of McGarrett itself -- is a complete disaster. HE IS WAYYY TOOO YOUNG FOR THE ROLE. (Ironically the guy they had playing McGarrett's dad actually did resemble Jack Lord).

McGarrett is supposed to be in his 40s at the youngest (Jack Lord was 46 when H50 debuted in 1968), a grizzled and battle-weary veteran of decades of police work. McGarrett and Dan-O are not supposed to be equals, contemporaries, drinking buddies, etc etc. They are supposed to be "mentor" and "apprentice," Batman and Robin, Obi-Wan and Luke, Andy Taylor and Barney Fife, etc etc.

While McGarrett can and does get into occasional throw-down fistfights, he picks his spots -- he knows he can't outslug the 20-ish thugs. That's what Dan-O is there for.

IF they had picked someone 10-15 years older for the role -- Matt Dillon, 46, who supposedly was under consideration for the Jim Rockford role in THAT aborted series reboot, might have been good -- Caan as Dan-O would probably have been fine. Mark Harmon or Gary Sinise would also have been good McGarretts if they had been free to take the job.

4) I predict they will figure out some way to get Grace Park down to her undies or a bikini at least three times per episode. In that regard it is a huge improvement over the original (I don't think any of us wanted to see Kono (Zulu) in a bikini ).

5) They did wrap up the opening episode WAY too fast. When I saw there was only 10 minutes or less left in the episode, I figured, "ahh they must be launching the series with a two-parter," then suddenly, bang-zoom, bad guy caught, episode over. It was like one of the old Stooges episodes where they just said, "OK, that's it, it's over."

6) And as a result of that, it's kind of fuzzy to me as to how/why the Five-O force is supposed to continue on. Is Mrs. Governor simply going to authorize this quasi-super-police force which can now operate under "no rules, no red tape?"

 

Kudos Starman. You made excellent points. The McGarrett-Danno relationship didn't mesh well with me on any front. And even if I didn't see the original, those two together ain't hitting it like superior and subordinate should.
Did you notice the homage paid to the old series. In the theme at the end, the flashing blue light (this time on a motorcycle instead of a car) and the black Marquis that his dad is fixing in the garage?

 

Last fight scene was too confusing. I didn't know who was fighting who.
And, bad guy with clear shot has his automatic weapon jam. Then Dano picks it up and it works fine.
I'll probably keep watching.