Hawaii Five-0 series on DVD

More late-century than mid-century Polynesian Pop, but surely I'm not the only Hawaii Five-0 enthusiast here on Tikicentral. Tiki content in the series is rather light: one episode climaxes in the City of Refuge; another has someone murdered by a tiki "war club"; another has drugs being smuggled off the islands in hollowed-out carvings. For me the attraction is more the modern Hawaiian scenery and the way the show reflects the fashions, etc. (esp. Hawaiian/tropical) of those turbulent and change-filled years, 1968-1980.

At the time of this posting, the DVD cover art is shown on this comprehensive website:

http://www.mjq.net/fiveo/ .

Note how the iconic wave corresponds to the iconic hair! Dissertations could be written on such things...

YEAH! Finally. That was my favorite.

Thanks for the heads up.

Has anyone noticed that David Coruso (sp) seems like he's doing a knock-off of Jack Lord in Miami Vice?

Hawaii 5-0 ruled...the villains were the best...they even smoked cigarettes in a sinister way.

Book-Em Danno.

Be There.

Aloha.

OMG......heading over to Amazon.com to add another historical TV series.....thank goodness...it has been a long time coming. :)

Is the orignal episode with Wo Fat available? Surely one of the coolest villians, and he's the ultimate bad guy in The Manchurian Candiate (the brilliant original, not the washed out remake. If you haven't seen it in years, watch it because it holds up).

The link given says:
**
It'll be a 7 disc set with all 23 episodes, and 'Cocoon' the TV movie.
**
That's the pilot "movie" that kicks the series off (and, curiously, has another actor playing Danno). By the way there is another "movie" (two-episode drama) with megavillian Wo Fat called "Nine Dragons" in season 9. Much of it is filmed in Hong Kong and plays like a real bad-ass Hong Kong movie from the '70s. HFO guru Mike Quigley calls it his favorite episode in this excellent synopsis (note -- spoilers):
http://www.mjq.net/fiveo/5-0log9.htm .
Similar synopsis for "Cocoon":
http://www.mjq.net/fiveo/5-0pilot.htm .

Yippee! Thanks for posting that. I've been checking that Five O fan site every once in a while for news on any possible DVD reissue. It was on a local station for a couple years running, and I've literally been pining for it ever since they stopped playing it.

BTW, we independently had the same observation about David Caruso, except he overplays his serious guy image in a slightly different way. And it would be much more fun if he wore flowery long sleeve shirts and bandannas once in a while.

Out of pure Five-O fandom, here's some screencaps. First, from "Rest In Peace, Somebody"...

McGarrett visits the governor on important business.

Hey, nice desk set!

Governor, this is critical to stay focused on, uh..

Hmm, I am drawn to your tiki.

Maybe I'll just touch it.

Heehee, it feels kinda funny!

And next, some screenshots from "Highest Castle, Deepest Grave"

An archaeological team finds some interesting evidence in a cave.

McGarrett goes to see an expert for more info.

That's it for the tikis in the episode, but here's some more just for fun.

In his investigation, McGarrett visits the home of a character played by the alluring Frances Nguyen. He is enchanted by a painting of her mother in the house.

Soon, he is enchanted by Frances herself.

A little humor always kills em.

"This girl is delightful"

These are both from a later season, as you can tell from his hair among other things. But the first season will be a great start!

-Randy

OMG...those are gret pix. I have my DVDs on pre-order....I can hardly wait. Du du du du duuuu duu.....dududududu!!!

YES!! Finally, my prayers have been answered.
Thank you so much for posting this. I kept getting crummy news lately; this totally made my day!

Season 1 just became available on Amazon today....ordered my copy. I can hardly wait to receive my DVD. I soooo agree...thanks for starting this thread. :)

Thanks for the heads up on this. Certainly one of my favorite shows, but haven't seen it for years. Mahalo, AquaRJ for posting those photos. A wave (pun intended) of memories came flooding back. Looking forward to getting a peek at these episodes.

-Weird Unc

Mahalo, AquaRJ for posting those photos.

Don't touch my moustache, weirdunc.

-Randy

On 2006-12-08 10:56, aquarj wrote:
Don't touch my moustache, weirdunc.

-Randy

Ha! I get the joke, but the rest of the world is going to think I'm a REALLY WEIRD uncletiki! As they say... Zazz!

-Weirduncletiki

It's here!!

Checking the mailbox!!! Book em Danno. :)

[ Edited by: filslash 2008-09-20 15:14 ]

I just liberated the last set from my local Target on Wednesday. Who cares if it's below zero outside as long ast it's 5-0 inside!

I really hope they keep the following seasons coming quickly. I'm trying to pace myself, but I'm going through these episodes at an alarming rate! It hasn't been on TV anywhere I've lived for a whole bunch of years, so I'd been pretty desperate to see them again and tons of my favorites are from the first season. It's downright ridiculous how giddy I can get watching these, but it really is the best show ever.
Aloha, Baby!

On 2006-12-03 13:38, JackLord wrote:

Be careful watching these, gang - I came across the dreaded Naked Big Chicken episode last night!

Q. What is cooler than watching old Hawaii 5-0 episodes on DVD?

A. Watching old Hawaii 5-0 episodes, from tapes that were personally owned by Jack Lord. You will need a U-Matic video tape player, which predated beta and VHS, to watch them though.

Many of these lots to bid on.

http://cgi.ebay.com/30-of-Jack-Lords-Collection-of-Five-O-Episodes-on-Tape_W0QQitemZ120098743239QQcategoryZ201QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Vern

For those in the southern Cal. area (hoity-toities), you can also catch re-runs of five-0 on KDOC. It's channel 12 if you're a Cox (he he, Cox) subscriber. I believe KDOC is one of the free broadcast stations, so even if you don't have cable, you should get it. The signal on cable is pretty good. The Missus and I have been watching the re-runs for the last month. They show episodes every day at 2pm and 8pm, Monday through Thursday. Probably Friday afternoon, too. Friday nights are always weird marathons of various things, so no Five-0 then, but four nights a weeks is awesome!!!!

Watched Cocoon last night. These DVDs are gonna be a fave at my home. That Steve had a awesome office. So obvious what made this series so good....great acting, fabulous guest appearances, excellent film work, hard-driving music, beautiful scenery. Only thing missing was hot cars...but everything else makes up for it!!!

Nice little synposis here...
Hawaii Five-O was created by Leonard Freeman as a series that not only featured law and order issues but also presented the beauty of the Hawaiian islands. The original cast featured Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett, head of Hawaii Five-O, with James McArthur playing Danny Williams (replacing Tim O'Kelley from the pilot), Zulu as Kono Kalakaua and Kam Fong as Chin Ho Kelly. At the end of the 1971-72 season, Zulu left the series after a disagreement and was replaced by Al Harrington as Ben Kokua, smaller in size but no less of a character. After Leonard Freeman died, Al Harrington's appearances became infrequent in the 1974-75 season, and then he was dropped altogether with no reason given. Douglas Mossman filled in the 'Ben' role in later episodes as Frank Kemana. By the 1976-77 season, supporting character Duke Lukela, played by Herman Wedemeyer, was so popular that he was given star billing on the show, following Kam Fong. It was a shock for fans when, at the end of the 1977-78 season, in the episode "A Death In The Family", Chin Ho was murdered and dumped on the steps of the Iolani Palace, Five-O's base. When CBS delayed making a decision on the show's future at the end of the 1978-79 season due to falling ratings and tired stories, James MacArthur took the opportunity to leave the series after 11 years. The 1979-80 season saw major changes in the show. William Smith as James 'Kimo' Carew was bought in to replace James MacArthur, and the producers also added a new female Five-O member, Sharon Farrell as Lori Wilson. Completing the new line-up were existing Five-O member Duke, and Moe Keale as Truck Kealoha. However, the style of this new season was very different and the stories were often of an inferior quality, so it came as no surprise when CBS finished Hawaii Five-O's prime-time run on April 5 1980, with McGarrett vanquishing his nemesis Wo Fat.

FATIMA BLUSH: Oh, how reckless of me. I made you all wet.
JAMES BOND: Yes, but my martini is still dry.

VampTiki

[ Edited by: vampiressrn 2007-04-09 05:30 ]

Nice. My Missus just got me the DVDs last week. Amazing. I've been watching old re-runs on the TV at night, and the picture looks like it's from a 20 year old TV show. Watching the DVDs is amazing. The picture quality is great, the colors are really vivid, a lot of the graininess that's present on the TV has been cleaned up. The color of the ocean in some of the opening shots is amazing, so much better than on the re-runs!

And they're not all hacked up for commercials - nothing's missing! I saw July 31st rumoured as the season two release date; I hope it's true.

No kidding....so nice...no commercials (although I am getting less housework done lately). :D

I have been thinking about the David Caruso acting like Steve McGarrett and I have to agree. And I also think Caruso trys to immitate George Clooney with that holding his head either to the side or down all the time. I can't stand David Caruso....and now I dislike him even more. I watch CSI Miami for everything except Caruso...I wish they would replace him.....OK enough ranting.

Got to see a bit part by Hilo Hattie.

I am soooooo loving these DVDs...gonna be my favorites, right up there with my 007 fettish. :D

FATIMA BLUSH: Oh, how reckless of me. I made you all wet.
JAMES BOND: Yes, but my martini is still dry.

VampTiki

[ Edited by: VampiressRN 2007-04-14 16:45 ]

(Apr. '07:)
Season 2 release date confirmed:
http://www.mjq.net/fiveo/
**
This includes the episode "Bored, She Hung Herself," which has been banned for many years.
**
http://www.mjq.net/fiveo/5-0log2.htm

How exciting....second season...can hardly wait. Thanks for the heads up. :)

Yes!! If only it were tomorrow...

On 2007-03-21 19:38, ikitnrev wrote:
You will need a U-Matic video tape player, which predated beta and VHS, to watch them though.

Dang. Wish I'd seen that auction before it ended. We've got a couple of old U-Matics at work that aren't being used any more.

Did you get your Jack Lord Gauguin print from that memorabilia website?

Weblog: Eye of the Goof

[ Edited by: MrBaliHai 2007-04-22 19:51 ]

Nice. Can't wait for some more Five-0!

Hey, MrBaliHai - I noticed there are a couple more Umatic tapes up in the current wave of the Jack Lord auction. Looks like only 2 tapes in this one and they're later episodes, so it might not be as enticing as the previous lot. Just figured I'd mention it, I remembered someone here being interested in them!

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-of-Jack-Lord-s-Original-Hawaii-Five-O-Umatic-Copies_W0QQitemZ130129630264QQihZ003QQcategoryZ201QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Season Two out today! Who's with me?

Mine's not here yet - Boo!!

But I've cleared the calendar for excessive viewing time!

:lol:

Thanks for the heads-up on availability. Just ordered on Amazon. :)

The new season contains all the episodic previews narrated by Jack Lord.
"Be here. Aloha!"
No other extras that I'm aware of, but this is such a great show, who cares?

I'm with you Josh - we had it preordered and got the msg that it's on its way. I really need to see more new episodes to erase the Big Chicken shower scene image out of my memory from the first season.

And how come every episode has someone singing or humming "Ain't No Big Thing"?

-Randy

Phew! Mine arrived today, just in time to salvage the afternoon after a rotten workday. It's amazing what a little rum and the Five-0 staff can do.

And fear not, the only (half) nekkid people in the first episode are Danno and a couple chicks (my lawd, those are some short dresses!)

On 2007-08-01 16:08, aquarj wrote:
I'm with you Josh - we had it preordered and got the msg that it's on its way. I really need to see more new episodes to erase the Big Chicken shower scene image out of my memory from the first season.

And how come every episode has someone singing or humming "Ain't No Big Thing"?

-Randy

Ha! I snorted! Yeah, that whole Big Chicken episode kinda sucked. At least I didn't like it as much as the others.
I haven't noticed the "Ain't No Big Thing". My hearing's kinda messed up so I usually have to watch with subtitles otherwise I miss all the little subtle things. Oddly, I've never seen a subtitle that says
Humming:"Ain't No Big Thing"
or something like that.
I'll have to pay extra attention and turn the volume up.

On 2007-08-02 18:01, bamalamalu wrote:
Phew! Mine arrived today, just in time to salvage the afternoon after a rotten workday. It's amazing what a little rum and the Five-0 staff can do.

I absolutely agree. I've found that even a gin and tonic will work, provided that it is drunk out of a glass from the Royal Hawaiian.

[ Edited by: filslash 2008-09-20 15:44 ]

That is pretty major dud. It had been announced in advance that it wouldn't be included, so it wasn't a surprise to me. But I do think it should've been included. But after years of having to go without Five-0 altogether, I'm still pretty ecstatic about being able to the rest of them again.

The promos are an OK little extra; I'm all for more Jack Lord. But I only watch them at the end of the episode - I'm very Anti-"scenes from next week."

I'm also a bit bummed about the exclusion of the "Bored She Hung Herself" episode. Too bad. Maybe at some future point they'll include it in a box set. I mean, there's worse stuff on TV right now. An uncovered dead body is hardly anything to blink at any more.

I'm also a bit bummed ...

Well, I guess better bummed than bored!

-Randy

True.

Wow, I just read this, re. "Bored..." Bummer is putting it mildly -- it kind of discredits the whole thing and turns me off buying more. Isn't the point of (not inexpensive) DVD sets to satisfy those "completist" fans, who are obsessive enough / ahem, I mean, appreciate quality pop culture enough to want it all, including weird, lame, and/or previously suppressed episodes?

Mike, the Five-0 website guy, says on his home page:
**
UPDATE: This episode was uploaded to the Usenet newsgroup alt.binaries.classic.tv.shows on August 8th. I will NOT provide any information on how you can obtain it ... you're on your own for this!
**
Folks, I am a tech. troglodyte both in terms of the tools I own and what I am capable of understanding. So ... (you can see it coming!) ... can anyone make use of the info. above and, you know, er, uh, do something or other, perhaps for the interest and/or benefit of us Five-0 fans here?

(I'm sheepish about making suggestions like that, but as you can see I manage to do it anyway.)

Jack Lord's record collection is being auctioned off, nothing great here but I never would have guessed he owned Prince's Purple Rain.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Jack-Lord-s-Record-Collection-Art-Magz-Books-Photos_W0QQitemZ130144156211QQihZ003QQcategoryZ201QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Season 3 has a place holder on Amazon.com. You can sign up to be notified by e-mail when it becomes available!