418 replies to this topic

[Brian Flagg]

Well, I finally got around to posting that espionage-focused review of Season 3 today: Season 3 DVD Review. I've got to say, of all that I've seen so far of Hawaii Five-O on DVD, I really liked the third season the best. Again, I was mainly watching the episodes that seemed to be spyish (based on their descriptions), but this time they sucked me in in a way that the previous seasons didn't, and I fully intend to watch the entire season!
Brisco

And I commend you on that excellent Sabrina Scharf screen cap! I still have a residual crush on her from her appearance as Miramanee in the S3 Star Trek episode "The Paradise Syndrome." Scharf also appeared in S2's "Forty Feet High and It Kills" as Dr. Lochner's daughter. Is she related to composer Walter Scharf?

[Napoleon Solo]

Well, I finally got around to posting that espionage-focused review of Season 3 today: Season 3 DVD Review. I've got to say, of all that I've seen so far of Hawaii Five-O on DVD, I really liked the third season the best. Again, I was mainly watching the episodes that seemed to be spyish (based on their descriptions), but this time they sucked me in in a way that the previous seasons didn't, and I fully intend to watch the entire season!
Brisco

And I commend you on that excellent Sabrina Scharf screen cap! I still have a residual crush on her from her appearance as Miramanee in the S3 Star Trek episode "The Paradise Syndrome." Scharf also appeared in S2's "Forty Feet High and It Kills" as Dr. Lochner's daughter. Is she related to composer Walter Scharf?

One note about the review: the name of the spymaster character from Washington is Jonathan Kaye (though it's misspelled "Kay" in the end titles of FOB Honolulu). McGarrett first meets Kaye in the pilot (played by James Gregory). It's Kaye who has the idea about programming McGarrett with the false information that McG would give up during interrogation in the "cocoon."

Kaye shows up again in season 2's two-parter Three Dead Cows at Makapuu, this time played by Joseph Sirola, who'd repeat the role in FOB Honolulu and season 5's The Jinn Who Clears the Way. Inbetween, Tim O'Connor portrayed Kaye in the season 4 two parter The 90-Second War. In later seasons, still other actors played Kaye. In most appearances he's identified as working in the Pentagon, but at least one later season episode says he works in the State Department.


Here's the Jonathan Kaye character page on IMDB:

http://www.imdb.com/...cter/ch0040872/

Edited by Napoleon Solo, 26 January 2008 - 04:50 PM.

[Brian Flagg]

Apparently, Jonathan Kaye is Five-O's answer to Felix Leiter...

[Brisco]

That's really interesting about the different Jonathan Kayes. I'm a little disappointed that it's not "K," because that sounds more mysterious and cool, like a spymaster from Washington should sound, but I'm glad that they maintained the same character even if the actors changed. I didn't remember him from the pilot.

Brian, I also didn't even realize that Sabrina Scharf was the same actress I found so captivating in "40 Feet High and It Kills!" Honestly, while she played her femme fatale role well in Season 3, she didn't have quite the same scene-stealing effect that she did in that prior episode for me. Oh well. She still looks good in that bikini!

Brisco

[Brian Flagg]

I'm all but finished with S3 and I'm impressed at how much this show was hitting its stride! From the music, plotting, cinematography (excluding Lord's soft focus closeups), and writing have improved by leaps and bounds! I also can appreciate the Seventies element making its way in, with Danno's puffy hair and longer sideburns and the crazier, Mod-looking ties. My wife loves the women's fashions, which hadn't descended into Disco-era crap, but still retained the late 1960s-early 1970s atmosphere that I've come to obsess over (Brisco, we've discussed this before). Seasons four and five (and on) will be just as fun.

[Napoleon Solo]

In season 3, Eric Bercovici and Jerry Ludwig end up pairing together and writing what seem like the vast majority of episodes and bearing an incredible workload. The crew was a mix of old and new, with Leonard Freeman luring Stanley Kallis (the supervising producer) away from Mission: Impossible while Robert Stambler (one of the first season producers) came back into the Five-O fold.

Season 4 there would be another case of producer roulette, this time with Bob Sweeney and Bill Finnegan taking over. This would be the most stable grouping; Sweeney and Finnegan would be around through season 7. Sweeney's past credits had included directing many early episodes of The Andy Griffith Show, and he'd step back into the director's chair when AG was a guest star in season 5. Sweeney also directed the two-part Wo Fat story in season 4 (which is also a trivia note because it's where we first learn the Governor's name).

Season 4 also is where Jerome Coopersmith becomes the main writer (he did an episode in each season 1 and 2). He'd be around until the start of season 9.

Edited by Napoleon Solo, 29 January 2008 - 08:10 PM.

[Brian Flagg]

In season 3, Eric Bercovici and Jerry Ludwig end up pairing together and writing what seem like the vast majority of episodes and bearing an incredible workload. The crew was a mix of old and new, with Leonard Freeman luring Stanley Kallis (the supervising producer) away from Mission: Impossible while Robert Stambler (one of the first season producers) came back into the Five-O fold.

I've noticed the Bercovici dominance. Even Jack Lord gets into the act by mentioning him by name in one of the episode promos.

IIRC in the M:I Dossier book, Leonard Katzman said he was "having nightmares about Jack Lord every night. Not a good way to spend an evening." Or something along those lines. Ha! Hey, he wasn't named Jack Saint, now, was he?

[Napoleon Solo]

IIRC in the M:I Dossier book, Leonard Katzman said he was "having nightmares about Jack Lord every night. Not a good way to spend an evening." Or something along those lines. Ha! Hey, he wasn't named Jack Saint, now, was he?

I remember first becoming aware of JL's image in the sixth season. TV Guide had a cover story about James MacArthur (the cover had an illustration of both actors). The article had the JL quote about how there was no "co-star" on Five-O (Jimmy Mac's billing was "With"). I'd saya that season was JM's peak. In several episodes (One Big Happy Family is an example) his screen time rivals JL's.

Years ago, on the Five-O newsgroup, somebody referenced how JL had plotted to get Leonard Freeman fired but the executive producer turned the tables and supposedly had Lloyd Bridges ready to go as a replacement. After Freeman's death, though, JL ended up as de facto executive producer.

[Brian Flagg]

I remember first becoming aware of JL's image in the sixth season. TV Guide had a cover story about James MacArthur (the cover had an illustration of both actors). The article had the JL quote about how there was no "co-star" on Five-O (Jimmy Mac's billing was "With"). I'd saya that season was JM's peak. In several episodes (One Big Happy Family is an example) his screen time rivals JL's.

Years ago, on the Five-O newsgroup, somebody referenced how JL had plotted to get Leonard Freeman fired but the executive producer turned the tables and supposedly had Lloyd Bridges ready to go as a replacement. After Freeman's death, though, JL ended up as de facto executive producer.

Ya gotta love show biz. You allude to your first awareness with JL, Now let me "thrill" you with my personal Five-O odyssey:

My personal Five-O history is not "first hand" like yours. I was born in 1971 and vaguely knew of the show and its theme, but having grown up largely in the 1980s, I was of the Magnum, P.I. generation, a show I still enjoy. However, in the late 1980s I got hooked on Five-O partly because my grandmother was a big fan of Five-O and she would halt all activity to catch the reruns on afternoon TV. This is very strange because my family and I watched virtually every 1970s crime/cop/detective show except Five-O! So it was pretty much as an adult that I became a Five-O fanatic.

Edited by Brian Flagg, 29 January 2008 - 08:29 PM.

[Napoleon Solo]

Ya gotta love show biz. You allude to your first awareness with JL, Now let me "thrill" you with my personal Five-O odyssey:

My personal Five-O history is not "first hand" like yours. I was born in 1971 and vaguely knew of the show and its theme, but having grown up largely in the 1980s, I was of the Magnum, P.I. generation, a show I still enjoy. However, in the late 1980s I got hooked on Five-O partly because my grandmother was a big fan of Five-O and she would halt all activity to catch the reruns on afternoon TV. This is very strange because my family and I watched virtually every 1970s crime/cop/detective show except Five-O! So it was pretty much as an adult that I became a Five-O fanatic.

There was some serious talk about having JL reprise the McGarrett role on Magnum, but nothing came of it. In the early seasons, Thomas would reference McG in his voiceovers.

[TheSaint]

My 5-0 knowledge can fill a thimble in comparison to some of the usual suspects who post in this thread but I do know that Magnum was created in part to take advantage of the filming facilities that would go unused with 5-0 ending.

[PrinceKamalKhan]

Here's a Fantasy Island minisode featuring James "Danno" MacArthur as a wannabe martial arts expert-

[Brisco]

There was some serious talk about having JL reprise the McGarrett role on Magnum, but nothing came of it. In the early seasons, Thomas would reference McG in his voiceovers.

Like Brian Flagg, I grew up on Magnum and I'm still a huge fan of the show. It holds up well. Magnum reruns were syndicated locally right after Hawaii Five-O, but I didn't get home from school in time for that, so all I really got to know of it at that point was the theme song, which I liked.

The references to Five-O on Magnum have always bothered me a bit, because the series tries to have it both ways: to exist in the same universe as Five-O, and to have Five-0 as a pop culture point of reference. To wit, there is one episode where Rick is running the license plates of cars observed by TC (from his helicopter) coming out of a tunnel. One of them, Rick casually mentions, belongs to "a cop named McGarrett," so the rule that one out as their suspect. Then, in a later season, in one of the episodes where Magnum teams up with Carol Burnett, she concludes the show by saying, "Book him, Danno," to Magnum--clearly referencing a TV show. So there's my little pet peeve about the relationship between Magnum and Hawaii Five-O. I know, I'm a nerd.

Brisco

Edited by Brisco, 31 January 2008 - 05:04 AM.

[Brian Flagg]

Since Magnum P.I. references Five-O, and Magnum had crossover episodes with Simon & Simon as well as Murder: She Wrote, that would mean that all four shows occupy the same "universe" and the fan fiction possibilities are endless! of course, with fan fic, they're endless anyway, but you get the idea.

[Brian Flagg]

Does anyone here have the Five-O book Booking Hawaii Five-O by Karen Rhodes? It would seem to be the only book on the show and was published some time ago.

[Napoleon Solo]

Does anyone here have the Five-O book Booking Hawaii Five-O by Karen Rhodes? It would seem to be the only book on the show and was published some time ago.

I do not. However, I know it missed one signficant detail. In the first draft of the pilot script, there was no Danno.

The original line up in the script, which had a 1967 date, was McG, Kono (but described, essentially, as a Hawaiian Danno), Lee (a beefy Hawaiian, much as Kono ended up) and Chin Ho (who wasn't a full-fledged Five-O member but was HPD's liason to Five-O). The only reason I know this is because I leafed through a copy of that first draft during an auction at the 1996 convention I've described before. I asked Ms. Rhodes about it and she had never seen it.

[Brian Flagg]

Something else that's noticable about season three is the emergence of the "lab boys", led by Che Fong. He appears in virtually every episode. Is he officially a member of Five-O, or does he simply work for HPD? Is his lab located at the Iolani Palace? These are the things that make those of us working on fan fiction nuts...

[Napoleon Solo]

Something else that's noticable about season three is the emergence of the "lab boys", led by Che Fong. He appears in virtually every episode. Is he officially a member of Five-O, or does he simply work for HPD? Is his lab located at the Iolani Palace? These are the things that make those of us working on fan fiction nuts...

It helped that Harry Endo became the sole Che Fong midway through season 2 (different actors played him before that). Che's lab, it seems, is in an HPD facility. Also, given how in real life that space at the palace was at a premium, I don't think his lab would be there. (When the show debuted, the governor's office really was in the palace, but moved when the new Capitol building was constructed.) My guess is Che's lab would probably be in the same HPD facility as the "iron brain."

[Brian Flagg]

My Top 10 Season Three Episodes:

1. Trouble In Mind
2. The Grandstand Play
3. Ten Thousand Diamonds & A Heart
4. Over Fifty? Steal!
5. Beautiful Screamer
6. The Payoff
7. And A Time To Die
8. The Ransom
9. F.O.B. Honolulu
10. To Kill Or Be Killed

Subject to change!

[TheSaint]

Does anyone here have the Five-O book Booking Hawaii Five-O by Karen Rhodes? It would seem to be the only book on the show and was published some time ago.

A softcover version is available on Amazon.

[Napoleon Solo]

Richard Denning, the Governor on Hawaii Five-O, does a cigarette commercial, on this clip from Combat:





WARNING: sound a little soft.

[Brian Flagg]

Season FOUR due out June 10th, link includes box art.

http://tvshowsondvd....O-Season-4/9037

[Napoleon Solo]

re: Season Four

-- Another Wo Fat two-part episode

-- a great season opener

-- the Five-O writing debut of Alvin Sapinsley, who would pen a good many excellent Five-O episodes (with Season Five being his masterpiece)

-- and a producing team (supervising producer Bob Sweeney and producer William Finnegan) that would be the most stable, being in charge from season 4 through 7.

[Brian Flagg]

Hawaii Five-O Season Four available for pre-order at Amazon.com.

[Brian Flagg]

*BUMP* June 10 is just around the corner, Kono!

[Brian Flagg]

Season four appears uncut, so that's good news. And if it isn't, then I'm satisfied with the 50 minute average per episode.

Secondly, it seems that the end credits woosh by faster than in past seasons. The theme has been reworked and has more percussion in it and less blaring brass. There are also fewer "international intrigue" episodes in this set. Lots of "whodunit?" type stories. On the fashion front, Danno has replaced his classy copper-colored suit with a pea green one. McGarrett's hair looks like a lacquered helmet in some scenes.

[Brian Flagg]

Okay, I've gone on record earlier as saying that Season four is my favorite, but I'm not so sure now. Only *one* "international intrigue" episode ("The Ninety-Second War") and a whole lot of shows dealing with the "Syndicate." Mission: Impossible was in it's sixth season in 1971-72, and they, too battled organized crime. Methinks that the Vietnam debacle affected the content of a lot of international-flavored shows to placate the hippie-dippie youth movement. I must have been in a "Syndicate" mood when I last saw season four of Five-O, which was about four years ago. Anyway...

The music sounds more 1970s and I can sense the late 1960s feel disappearing. New cues are evident, like the trombone bit and the funky drummer/percussion bit. I'm glad they still use the stock shot of all four Five-O members running down the steps with that buzzing synth(?) and horn section playing. Hip!

The episodes largely look good, though, except for a scene or two in "Odd Man In", which looks washed out. I have about seven more to watch.

Edited by Brian Flagg, 21 June 2008 - 02:20 PM.

[Brian Flagg]

Watched 'em all! Here's my Season Four Top Ten:

10) Nine, Ten, You're Dead
9) Bait Once, Bait Twice
8) Is This Any Way To Run a Paradise?
7) The Burning Ice
6) Wednesday, Ladies Free
5) The Ninety-Second War
4) Follow the White Brick Road
3) Didn't We Meet At a Murder?
2) Skinhead
1) R&R&R

[Napoleon Solo]

I got the set for a Father's Day gift. One episode, though, won't play and I've tried it in 3 different DVD players.

The end titles run about 30 seconds, down from 45-50 seconds in the first three seasons. This season is also the start of the Bob Sweeney-William Finnegan run as supervising producer and producer respectively. This would be the most stable such combination, running four seasons together. They also held the show together following the early 1974 death of executive producer/creator Leonard Freeman.

[Brian Flagg]

Mr. Solo: re: The end credits S4. That would explain why I have to freeze the credits to read some of the supporting cast. So the wooshing of credits was done on purpose, then...

I've added "No Bottles, No Cans, No People" (replacing "Bait Once, bait Twice") to my top ten. I just couldn't resist Henry Darrow's oily performance as Johnny Oporta--"If I saw her right now I probably wouldn't recognize her."--This after dumping a rival pimp's girlfriend into the garbage incinerator. I also liked those sinister closeups they gave Darrow's character.

And do give a listen to that menacing, buzzing, humming synth cue as the dead are dumped into the incinerator. Good stuff.