The current version of the classic television series “Hawaii Five-O” premiered on CBS on September 20, 2010. As of 2018, it was still running at its regular Friday hours at 9 pm EST and had been renewed. for the 2018-19 season.
Filming takes place in Hawaii for six months out of the year, and the cast and crew are seen regularly throughout the island of Oahu.
While looking at the new series, it’s interesting to look back at the original series, which ran between 1968 and 1980 on CBS, and then look at the new series, see where the two versions are different, but how consistent they are together.
The premise
Then: The show featured a fictitious state police unit led by Detective Steve McGarrett (Hawaii has no state police force). The name of the television series is derived from the fact that Hawaii was the 50th state to join the Union. McGarrett was appointed by the Governor of Hawaii. McGarrett and his team assisted local police as needed, but also hunted down international secret agents, criminals, and gangsters who plagued the Hawaiian Islands.
Now: In the contemporary version, a new elite federalized task force is formed with a mission to fight crime in the state of Aloha. Detective Steve McGarrett, a U.S. Navy lieutenant commander turned police officer, returns to Oahu to investigate the murder of his father (presumably the original Steve McGarrett) and stays after the governor of Hawaii persuades him to lead the new team: your rules, your backing, no red ribbon, and total immunity to hunt down the biggest “game” in town.
The governors
Then: In 1968, the actual governor of Hawaii was John A. Burns, a Democrat, who served from 1962 to 1974. Burns was 58 years old when the show premiered in 1968. The role of the governor, Paul Jameson, was played by Actor Richard Denning, who was 53 years old when the series premiered.
Now: The governor of Hawaii when the show premiered in 2010 was Linda Lingle, a Republican, who was first elected in 2002. Her term ended in December 2010. Lingle was 57 years old when the show premiered. The role of Governor Patricia “Pat” Jameson in the new “Hawaii Five-O” was played by actress Jean Smart, who was 59 years old when the series premiered.
Theme song
Then: The original and iconic song “Hawaii Five-O” was composed by Morton Stevens, who also wrote numerous episode scores. It was later recorded by The Ventures and remains popular with high school and college marching bands, including at the University of Hawaii.
Now: Originally, an acoustic version of the song was considered and even recorded for the new series, but this was rejected after an uproar from fans of the original. The song was later re-recorded using many of the original musicians, and that re-recording is used for the new series.
Opening title sequence
Then: The original series opening title sequence begins with a scene from the North Shore high surf followed by a quick zoom-in to the upper deck of the Ilikai Hotel, where McGarrett turns towards the camera, followed by many quick cuts and freezing – Hawaiian landscape frames and Hawaiian-Chinese-Caucasian model Elizabeth Malamalamaokalani Logue turning towards the camera. A grass-skirted hula dancer is seen from the pilot episode, played by Helen Kuoha-Torco, who later became a real-life business technology professor at Windward Community College.
The opening scene ends with photos of the supporting players and the flashing blue light of a police motorcycle racing down a Honolulu street.
Now: The new opening title sequence includes the re-recorded version of the original theme music, as well as many short clips from the original title sequence interspersed with clips from the new actors. McGarrett is seen once again on the upper balcony of the Ilikai Hotel. Additional Hawaii landmarks seen in the new title sequence include the Great North Shore Waves, Aloha Tower, the Honolulu Monument and the Statue of Columbia at the National Cemetery of the Pacific, the Statue of King Kamehameha in front of Ali ‘iolani Hale in Honolulu, Kualoa Ranch (where much of “Lost” was filmed), a Waikiki sunset, Diamond Head, and the Honolulu International Airport.
The cast
Television is significantly different now than it was in 1968. Networks are now much less patient with programs to find their balance and give them relatively little time to find an audience. The shows also tend to be younger, trying to appeal to a younger demographic than in 1968.
That said, hopefully the cast of the new “Hawaii Five-O” will be much younger than the cast of the original series. Interestingly, that is not the case in all cases. In fact, the combined ages for the four main tracks in 1968 were 165, or an average of 41. The combined ages for the four main tracks in the new series were 146, or an average of 36.5 in 2010. Two of the new actors they are actually older than their counterparts in 1968.
Detective Steve McGarrett
Then: The role of Detective Steve McGarrett in the original was played by actor Jack Lord, a New York City native who came to love Hawaii. Lord remained on the islands after the series’ cancellation and died on Oahu in 1998. He was 48 years old when the original series premiered.
Now: Australian actor Alex O’Loughlin plays Steve McGarrett in the new series. O’Loughlin is best known for his roles in “The Shield,” “Moonlight” and “Three Rivers.” O’Loughlin was 34 when the new series premiered in 2010.
Detective Danny “Damage” Williams
Then: Detective Danny “Danno” Williams was played in the original by Los Angeles native James MacArthur; MacArthur died in 2010. MacArthur was the adopted son of actress Helen Hayes and screenwriter and playwright Charles MacArthur. MacArthur was 31 when the original series premiered.
Now: Actor Scott Caan, who is also from Los Angeles, took on the role of Detective Danny “Danno” Williams in the new series. Caan has appeared in numerous films, but is best known for his role as Scott Lavin on the television series “Entourage.” Caan is also the son of a Hollywood icon, actor James Caan. Caan was 34 when the new series premiered in 2010.
Detective Chin Ho Kelly
Then: Honolulu-born Kam Fong played the role of Detective Chin Ho Kelly in the original “Hawaii Five-O.” He subsequently appeared in two episodes of “Magnum PI,” the Hawaii-based CBS show that followed “Hawaii Five-O” after its cancellation. Fong was 50 when the original series premiered.
Now: Born in South Korea and raised in New York and Pennsylvania, actor Daniel Dae Kim took on the role of Detective Chin Ho Kelly in the new series. Kim is best known for his role as Jin Kwon on the hit television series “Lost.” Kim was delighted to be able to stay in Hawaii after “Lost” ended. Kim was 42 when the new series premiered.
Detective Kono / Kona Kalakaua
Then: Honolulu-born Zulu (Gilbert Francis Lani Damian Kauhi), played the role of Kono Kalakaua in the original series. He subsequently appeared on “Magnum PI” in a guest role. Zulu was 31 years old when the original series premiered.
Now: Los Angeles native Grace Park took on the role of Detective Kono Kalakaua in the new series. She plays the niece of the original character. Park is best known for her roles as Lieutenant Sharon “Athena” Agathon and Sharon “Boomer” Valerii on the television series “Battlestar Galactica.” Park was 36 when the new series premiered in 2010.
Car
Then: In 1968 McGarrett cruised the streets of Honolulu in a black 1968 Mercury Parklane Brougham 4-door. There was a lot of talk about how big the car was for Hawaii. The original car was destroyed in one episode in 1974 and replaced with a 1974 Marquis Brougham black 4-door hardtop.
Now: His son, new detective Steve McGarrett, occasionally works to restore his father’s old 1974 Marquis Brougham 4-door hardtop.
