KOOL TV REVIEW: "HAWAII FIVE-O" PILOTS OLD AND NEW

Surf's up! There's a new tide of crime-fighting action in HAWAII FIVE-O. All images: CBS PARAMOUNT

It worked for STAR TREK, but has Producer/writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman pulled off a second miracle with their creative hands turned towards re-imagining the crime thriller drama HAWAII FIVE-O? Well, judging from the opening episodes, I think it’s fair to say they’ve done a good job here, too, with a series that I think will get improve further with subsequent episodes. This new series opener proved a slick, fast paced and exciting production from the get-go, though I think it could have had a slightly longer running time so as to have allowed it to breathe a bit better. With the re-imagined characters of Steve McGarrett (played with strength by Alex O’Loughlin, though sadly he doesn’t yet compete with Jack Lord in the original role: Lord was a true one-off!) and Danny “Danno” Williams (nicely played by Scott Caan-and a true highlight of the series), the producers and writers obviously decided to have the opener start off with the kind of main plot thrust that had made their re-booted STAR TREK film franchise such a success two years ago, by having the two leads acting antagonistically towards each other before settling them down into the heroic buddies they will become over subsequent episodes. The script, from ex-24 staffer Peter M. Lenkov, as well as making a few subtly successful references to the original 1967/68 pilot of the first series, also quickly and interestingly introduced the rest of the supporting squad well, and gave them a potentially great bad guy to fight who will have escaped his watery fate to come back in the future (Victor Hesse, as played by BUFFY’s James Marsters), as well as dangling some unresolved loose ends from the plot that will be sorted out over the next few episodes.

Beyond the great opening titles and the return of the legendary title music by Morton Stevens, film director Len Wiseman gave it all a nice look and pace. On the action side, it was tough and brutal and the final ship cargo container fight had more than a few stylistic nods to the kind of action showed by Daniel Craig as James Bond in the opening sequence in Jamaica for CASINO ROYALE. And on the location side it was nice to see Hawaii being Hawaii for a change rather than substituting itself for other climes and continents as it had done in TV such as LOST and films like JURASSIC PARK, backed up with the kind of glossy cinematography you see these days in CSI: MIAMI that makes travel agents go all funny with pride. Besides the visuals, the new series has even greater potential story-wise in using the island, its important positioning in the world, and its characters than the original did, especially as crime, and its purveyors, are much more inventive and dangerous than ever.

As Steve McGarrett and his new team settle into their new offices, will I be joining them for the rest of their adventures showing on SKY ONE and HD every Sunday? You can bet your Big Kahuna I will!

KOOL TV RATING: Big dumb fun with a lean and mean pilot episode script-wise and visually, which will bring in the new younger fans and also no doubt, with its enthusiastic production team and new cast coming together over the season, eventually winning over the shows original sixties to eighties viewers, too. 3 out of 5

Jack Lord: the original Steve McGarrett!

In celebration of the new HAWAII FIVE-O, I decided it would be nice to go back in time and also watch, in comparison, the original 1968 feature length iconic pilot episode, mysteriously titled COCOON, starring the original team led by McGarrett, as then played by the super-cool Jack Lord, and I have to say that, despite its age, it had worn pretty well indeed. Like the new series opener, it had a good pace about it, a fine central story from the shows late creator, Leonard Freeman, that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a Bond film or early MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. episode (involving the kidnapping and torture of top American Intelligence agents), lots of action against some great Hawaiian locations, and a very centralized dug well into the story lead actor/character showing lots of tough verve and enthusiasm (as well as a nice little side-line in humour) who had lots to do, with support from his team including legendary characters like the more portly early versions of Chin Ho Kelly (Kam Fong), Kono Kalakaua (as played by the mighty Hawaiian actor Zulu), and McGarrett’s chief compatriot, Danny “Book ‘em Danno!” Williams, albeit played by a different actor, Tim O’Kelly, before the iconic James McArthur, alongside stylish direction from regular MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE TV series helmer Paul Wendkos. Later seasons and episodes of the show became a little less high octane plot-wise, but this was certainly a great and memorable start to the series, with a fine guest cast including Frank Drebin-to-be Leslie Nielsen, and Nancy Kwan playing a rare love interest for McGarrett. And, like the new FIVE-O, this show also spawned a regular and memorable series villain. In this case, the bald and nasty Chinese agent Wo Fat (as played by Khigh Dhiegh)

COCOON certainly held its own as the original series launcher, as an American series pilot in general from the sixties and certainly against today’s new HAWAII FIVE-O pilot, too! You could see that it was going to be a memorable hit, and it's well worth checking out if you ever get the chance.

KOOL TV RATING: Jack Lord at the top of his game in a stylish and fast paced series opener. 4 out of 5