PopSyndicate.com

You’d think a show that ran from 1968 to 1980 would pale in comparison to today’s sampling of hard cops, profiles, serial killers, psychopaths and sociopathic lawyers. Not Hawaii Five-0. This classic holds up to or surpasses some of today’s hottest Hollywood cop/killer commodities.

It was one of the first shows to feature the exotic beaches of Hawaii as the setting. In fact, the entire 12 seasons were filmed in Honolulu or the island of Oahu, with the occasional extra scenes filmed in other locales.  It had real diversity – not some white guy in face paint and a long, dark wig. It also took the Dragnet feel a step farther down the TV realism road, and set the stage for upcoming hits like Miami Vice, Riptide, Law and Order, and CSI.

The under-30 set may have heard the phrase, “Book ‘em, Danno!” but might not know that it originated with this police procedural. Jack Lord plays Steve McGarrett, a former Naval officer who heads up the fictitious statewide police agency so named because Hawaii is America’s 50th state. He works with Danno, (James McArthur), and two natives, Chin Ho Kelly (Kam Fong) and Kono (Zulu). They have some recurring criminals like Wo Fat, an intelligence officer from China. Wo Fat and McGarrett have several shoot-em-ups during episodes with intense espionage themes, like the two-part “F.O.B. Honolulu,” which aired in February 1971.

The show used the forensics of the time, which may seem simplistic by today’s standards, but is effective. You can tell the popular crime tool in the early ‘70s was to collect evidence from car air filters and tires to determine where the vehicle had been. This plays a key role in the somewhat humorous episode “Over Fifty? Steal.” Instead of having shots of technicians hard at work in the lab – a staple of any in the CSI franchise – the scripts carefully devised scenes where evidence is shared with detectives, and are used as a segue to the next scene. It’s a nice change from what has become a droll scenes that scream, “Oooh! Look at the bright shiny objects that hum while they analyze your DNA. Watch the object – don’t worry that the plot sucks!”

Besides the mostly great plotting, I really enjoyed watching the American heavy metal Mustangs and Impalas, and checking out the fashion of the day. Most of the clothes were dead on to today’s style, while others are SO BRIGHT. While “The Guarnerius Caper” isn’t a great episode, you have to watch it just for the guy in the brown suit with bright orange flowers. Seriously. It’s not a sight you will forget anytime soon.

The third season offers up mostly good – some great – episodes, with only one or two that are completely forgettable. Be sure to watch a very young Martin Sheen in “Time and Memories,” and a lovely Anne Archer in “Beautiful Screamer.” “Trouble in Mind” has a drug running theme common to today’s cop shows, but it stars singer Nancy Wilson and offers up an edge that I think gets lost in today’s gun battles and Horartio Kane antics.

According to IMDB.com, the movie version of Hawaii Five-0 is in production and set to release in 2010. I ask – kindly – for screenplay writer Max Makowski of the flatly unfabulous TV miniseries The Agency and A Man Apart to NOT SCREW THIS UP! I don’t want a repeat of Miami Vice. Do it right, or don’t do it all.

There are not a lot of extras, but that’s OK. You do have the option of watching the promos before each of the 24 full screen episodes play. You can also use subtitles in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese. The series is definitely worth a buy, even if you watch it on syndication. After all, isn’t it a great day when you can cut the fat – i.e. commercials – out of great television?

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