Hawaii Five-O: Season 3

Hawaii Five-O is one of my five favorite TV dramas of all time, the others being Star Trek the original series(is there any other?), Hill Street Blues, the original Law & Order and Homicide: Life on the Street. Five-O has always been sadly underrated; TV Guide didn't rank it in its top 50 shows of all time(a list that included Friends and The Oprah Winfrey Show, but neglected to include Star Trek or Homicide...either I have no taste or, well...), and some reviewers at other sources describe it as a standard '70's police drama. Five-O was anything but standard, in fact it had its own individual style, a combination of a slambang opening credits sequence(which begins with the visual motif of a threatening tidal wave and is set to the most exciting theme music ever), of gritty performances, outstanding music that was no small factor in setting the mood of the show, exemplary pacing, atmosphere(especially the bona fide Hawaiian scenery, alternating between lush vistas and seedy urban backdrops) and rock solid writing, which included some very ingenious and even bizarre storylines that ran the gamut from pulse-pounding international espionage to moving human drama. Five-O was a very quirky show, featuring a diverse cast of recurring character actors who represented all facets of Hawaiian life, and frequently investing as much time and emotion in the travails of the guest characters as on McGarrett and company. A fine example of this is the episode The Grandstand Play, in which the presentation of Five-O's investigation into the murder of a socialite at a ballpark is continually interrupted in order to focus on the life of the young man who witnessed the crime, a mentally challenged teen and son of a famous ballplayer, thus creating a special kind of empathy with this fully realized character. Another frequent charge against the show, that McGarrett and his detectives were mere automatons, is totally baseless. Jack Lord, in particular, was expert at portraying all kinds of emotion, incredulity, indignation, disgust, anger, contempt, compassion, abject despair, although he was rarely overwrought, usually a strain in his voice or a pained twitch in his features was enough(watch the ending of Trouble in Mind) and in effect he functioned as the show's conscience, its moral barometer. McGarrett was a good cop who made no apologies for this, part idealist, part cynic, concerned about the environment, with a love for the islands and their people, a man who allowed the cases to get to him, but not to the point where they affected how he did his job. Viewers today might find that cheesy, but I think it's refreshing, and there is a huge difference between the straightlaced but very human McGarrett and the by the numbers to the point of being downright stiff Joe Friday. Finally, some people who compare Five-O to modern cop shows decry the lack of elaborate plotting, the "twists" if you will, but Five-O has twists, it just doesn't inundate the viewer with them the way contemporary shows do(my beloved Law & Order included), which makes for a more direct, perhaps more realistic, often more satisfying watching experience. The first two seasons of Hawaii Five-O are excellent and well worth owning, but this is the year where it really comes together. The show is more consistently great this season, with more classic episodes than the previous years and fewer weak ones. My personal favorites include the gut-wrenching Trouble in Mind and To Kill Or Be Killed, the haunting Force of Waves and Paniolo, and the ingenious caper episodes Over Fifty? Steal and Ten Thousand Diamonds and a Heart. This season also includes a couple of great two-part episodes, F.O.B. Honolulu in which foreign agents, including the ubiquitous Wo Fat, bargain for plates that would allow them to create counterfeit twenty dollar bills, and the already mentioned The Grandstand Play, one of Five-O's most unique human dramas. I'm not wild about the episodes The Last Eden, Beautiful Screamer or Dear Enemy, but a mere three episodes out of twenty-four that I would classify as mediocre add up to odds I'll take any day of the week. It's true that the extras are skimpy on these sets, but I'm not much of an extras person, I'm happy just having the episodes, especially when they're remastered to this degree. The picture quality is sharp, fantastic, the scenery is lovelier than ever...for the best evidence of this, check out the episode Paniolo, much of which takes place in the green mountains of Maui. Breathtaking! People new to the series might consider starting with this season since it represents Five-O at its best, then going backwards and watching the first two, but really, all of the seasons so far are worth seeing, as are the next several. They can't release these things fast enough for me.

One of McGarrett's trademark quotes - besides "Book 'em, Danno!" - is "Go over it with a fine tooth comb," in reference to how he wants his crack team of investigators to go to work. Well, the folks at CBS/Paramount really did that with the classic series, producing a compilation that not only looks better than it did almost three decades ago but sounds crystal clear. One can only imagine how brilliant the show would look in high definition 'cause it sparkles in this release of the show's third season. And what a season it is!!! "Hawaii 5-0" had its share of standard cops and robbers episodes but it also had some that were a cut above the norm, making commentary on the environment ("Paniolo" and "The Last Eden"), false imprisonment ("The Double Wall" and "Dear Enemy"), drug addiction ("Trouble in Mind"), and the horrors of war ("Force of Waves" and "To Kill or Be Killed"). Jack Lord continues his fine performance as the always-in-charge Steve McGarrett, even being allowed to show his softer side as the character reminisces about a lovelost with the prime suspect being his ex-girlfriend. Even "Danno" (James MacArthur) has a romantic interest, although it ends tragically ("Beautiful Screamer"). Kam Fong ("Chin Ho") and Zulu ("Kono") are not just "Hawaiian window dressing"; they are integral to each story and are perfect in their supporting roles. The guest star roster reads like a who's who of character actors of the time, many repeat performers. Simon Oakland, Andrew Duggan, Harry Guardino, Ed Flanders, and Albert Paulsen are just a few examples of the fine talent that made its way, more than once, into the exciting stories of this landmark show. Surprisingly, three of the best installments in the compilation feature brilliant performances from artists that rarely do television: Hume Cronyn ("Over Fifty? Steal"), Nancy Wilson, and Frank Silvera (in the aforementioned "Trouble in Mind" and "Paniolo," respectively). Vera Miles, a staple of both movies and television, is remarkable as a troubled wife in "Dear Enemy" and Hope Summers ("Clara" on the classic "Andy Griffith Show") sparkles on "The Bomber and Mrs. Moroney." Viewers were also treated to a preview of actors that had yet to make their mark but would eventually become household names: Martin Sheen, Anne Archer, and Eric Braeden, to cite a few. Great acting, superb storytelling, exciting musical scoring, and beautiful locations are what made the show a twelve-year institution, worthy of revisiting by fans and introducing to a whole new generation.

Loved this classic cop show! Jack Lord was at his best in Hawaii 5-0 and he absolutely OWNS McGarrett! The show came together in Season 3 and the plots, story lines and acting are first rate. The reboot may be nice, but the acting is not the same. While the original uses what limited technology was available, the show always relied on shear brains and the pure instincts of McGarrett to solve the crime. It depicts the undertones of a society that still had moral values of right and wrong and upheld decency. The DVD's are good quality and each contains those coveted promo's with Jack Lord's famous "Be there, Aloha!" If you loved the show in your younger days, you can't be without these DVD's!

Well done

Growing up in the 60's and 70's I look back with some nostalgia at the culture,the lingo and the fashions :-) Sometimes when I see a television show from that time I ask myself "wow, how could I have thought that was cool?". Hawaii five-0 is definitely one of the exceptions. From the unforgettable theme song to the individual supporting characters like Danny, Chin Ho and Kono, and the complex bad guy, Wo Fat, it gets your attention and keeps it. You get the suspense you expect and occasional humor that Jack Lord could put into the gritty never-say-die character of Steve McGarrett. When I got the first season, I texted a picture of McGarrett to my daughter who went to the University of Hawaii. She had no idea who it was, but I suggested she watch the show and see if she recognized any of the places. After that first show she was totally hooked! Now we both look forward to each new season and the only challenge is pacing ourselves so we don't watch one show after another :-)

My son is in the old DVDs and old TV series. Another one of his favorite shows

The stories keep getting better and better, with each season of this classic series. I'm so glad the complete series is now available on DVD, and at an excellent price, here at Amazon.ca. Jack Lord IS Steve McGarrett, I can't imagine anyone else in this leading role. Add a wonderful supporting cast, a bevy of famous guest stars and beautiful blue Hawaii and how can you lose? I'm off to check out season 4 now. :-)

Cuidado estos DVDs son de otra región que no es Europa por lo que el que no tenga un DVD o Bluray Player Multiregion no podrá verlos en la TV, en el PC como no tengo no lo se si se pueden ver o no pero en Mac si se pueden ver cambiando la región

OTTIMO COFANETTO CONTIENE TUTTI GLI EPISODI DELLA TERZA STAGIONE RIMASTERIZZATI UNICA PECCA C'è SOLO L'AUDIO IN INGLESE E NON CI SONO I SOTTOTITOLI IN ITALIANO CONSIGLIATO PER GLI APPASSIONATI DELLE AVVENTURE DI MCGARRETT!

The original Hawaii Five-O series was screened on British TV between 1968 - 1980. A total of 284 x 60 minute episodes were made, all made on location in Hawaii. Other popular detective series made in Hawaii include Hawaiian Eye (1959 - 1963: 134 x 60min episodes), Magnum P.I. (1980 - 1988: 164 x 48min episodes). The original series has been remade (as Hawaii Five-O) and screened from 2010 onwards. There have been 118 x42min new episodes up until 2015. James MacArthur, who played ‘Danno” Danny Williams, Steve McGarrett’s second in command, made a cameo appearance in the Hawaii Five-O TV movie as Governor Dan Williams, the roll previously played by Richard Denning. These TV detective series span almost 60 years but the series I remember most of all is the original Hawaii Five-O with Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett, head of Five-O. I recall the ingenious plots and the fact that all the Five-O team wore suits and were immaculately dressed most of the time despite the hot and humid tropical environment of Hawaii. The remade series is probably more true to life in terms of dress sense but what the original series had was style, and style by the bucketful. Try as I may, I cannot get the original cast out of my mind when watching the remake series. Worse still are the new plots which seem to me too ‘generic’ for my taste. I mean by this that I have seen similar plots in other cop shows. Perhaps the writers of Hawaii Five-O have run out of ideas and look for interesting storylines elsewhere. Whether the remake series will be as memorable or as enduring as the original series is open to debate but at the time of this review the original series has notched up more than double the number of episodes of the remake. I remember the original Five-O with fondness and it is my intention to collect the entire series on DVD. I only need series 4 to complete my collection.

Diese Serie verdient sehr viel mehr Beachtung. Die aus unterschiedlichen Ethnien stammenden Charaktere sind brillant dargestellt, die Geschichten spannend und voller Überraschungen, die Bilder unaufdringlich schön und eindrucksvoll, die Drehbücher frei von nationalem Pathos und oft durchaus zeit- und gesellschaftskritisch. Technisch hervorragend sind die Bild- und Tonqualität und die klare Navigation durch die angebotenen Varianten (beispielsweise: mit oder ohne Promo). Von dieser preisgünstigen und hochwertigen Produktion kann sich mancher Hersteller deutscher Serien eine Scheibe abschneiden!