The beach is back. When ‘Hawaii Five-0‘ got a revamp, people were skeptical, but now six seasons in – and the DVD box-set hitting shelves – it’s proving a fan-favourite…
If – a few years ago – you’d said, perhaps not unreasonably, that revamping ‘70s cop show Hawaii Five-0 seemed like a bad idea (or at least one atop a pile of ‘Really, are there no NEW ideas?’) then you probably wouldn’t have had much argument in advance of its debut. You can option a familiar name and populate the screen with attractive action heroes, but if the original series is something of a beloved, iconic benchmark in tv drama, you could still be building your production on quicksand. Attempts to tap into that nostalgia and create something new have had a few notable successes – think Battlestar Galactica – but the causeway is more often littered with cancellations and non-pick up casualties.
But, thankfully, it has long since turned out that the naysayers were largely wrong and though the 21st Century incarnation of the island-set cop show is a distinctly different resort than the original Jack Lord version of the 1970s, the newer series has evolved into its own comfortable and popular niche. The locations and basic remit might be the same as before, but the CBS drama has found its glossy groove alongside such beach-mates as NCIS-LA (with which it has crossed over in the past). Indeed, it’s only when you see the ‘Sixth Season’ info on the DVD box-set’s surf-soaked cover that you realise just how well-established the new incarnation has become and how long it has been around already.
It’s a procedural with a sense of poise… one where the background panorama certainly plays a supporting role (admit it, Birmingham Five-0 just wouldn’t have the same appeal). Yes, there’s a sense of familiarity to proceedings, but that’s not to say that the adventures don’t speed along nicely and – importantly – the character dynamics have grown organically since the outset.
After a few tweaks through the seasons to date, the sixth run has now established a comfortable cast that know how to play to their strengths. The originally cautious and even antagonist relationship between McGarrett (O’Loughlin) and Scott Caan’s Danny has developed into an almost brotherly relationship that may still have its bruises, banter and bombastic disagreements, but you now fully appreciate that these are guys who always have each other’s backs and would each take a bullet for the other – and have.
Battlestar Galactica’s Grace Park and LOST’s Daniel Dae Kim are able to hold their own in the action and acting stakes and the only problem with later additions like Chi McBride and (along with recurring ‘castaway’ Jorge Garcia) is that the ensemble cast sometimes feels too big for the show itself.
But the episodes – running to twenty-five outings, longer than many network shows – generally work well – it’s hard to go wrong with sea. The sixth season boasts an assortment of challenges, both personal and professional, our heroes never quite getting a completely even break. Whether it’s local gangsters, international smuggling, robberies or even Russian spies, the Hawaiian islands prove as deadly as they are picturesque.
There’s over eighteen hours of material – encompassing all 25 episodes and a considerable amount of extras. The featurettes are interesting, taking us behind the practical aspects of the show – with Alex O’Loughlin acting as host on a set tour) and a segment entitled Aloha, Action! rightly highlighting how the stunts bring so much importance to the show’s vibe. Unfortunately, there are only two audio commentaries (for the opening episode, Mai Ho’oni I Ka Wai Lana Malie – aka ‘Do not disturb the water that is tranquil…’ and the nineteenth episode Malama Ka Po’e (‘Care for one’s people…’) neither of which feature O’Loughlin, Caan, Park or Dae Kim), but there are the obligatory deleted scenes and gag-reels to enjoy.
8/10
Hawaii Five-0: The Sixth Season DVD Box-Set is now available in both the US and UK – distributed through CBS-DVD in the US…
