I've enjoyed the heck out of watching the TV show Hawaii Five-0 on Netflix recently. The interplay between lead characters Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) and Danny Williams (Scott Caan) is funny. Their banter reminds me of Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis in the old Moonlighting TV show (most of the time I agree with Danny; he ought to drive his own car).
I've recognized guest-starring parts by James Caan (whose son Scott is a Five-0 regular), Ed Asner and Christine Lahti (playing Steve McGarrett's mother), among others.
James Caan and Asner brought a lot to their parts, and I especially enjoyed the banter between the Caans, the real-life father and son. I was a little irritated when the show's bosses killed off Asner's character.
There was a raggedy old woman in one episode, and I suddenly recognized her as the once-stunningly beautiful Lee Meriwether, the most beautiful of the three women who played Catwoman on the old "Batman" TV show. She was unrecognizable until she grinned. That hasn't changed.
When I was trying to remember the actress who played McGarrett's mom, I kept thinking of Christine, but I couldn't come up with a last name. So I googled "McGarrett's mom Hawaii 5-0" and got Christine Lahti.
I also recognized the man who played McGarrett's dad. William Sadler played the criminal Gino Fish in Tom Selleck's Jesse Stone TV movie series.
Today, I recognized Peter Weller, who once played Buckaroo Banzai and Robocop in movies. On H50, he played a killer who had lost his hands and was wearing prosthetics. That seemed ironic because of his Robocop role.
I was happy when the Wo Fat story line ended, though. It quickly got old for me. Now, if we could only get rid of the mother story line (although I like Lahti).
NOTE: I just saw a Texas Ranger on H50 who looks a lot like one of the goofy brothers on the TV show "Wings." He did a wonderful job in that 5-0 role.
I also saw an episode with Carol Burnett playing McGarrett's Aunt Deb.
NOTE: I just watched a 5-0 episode in which McGarrett and Danno use a helicopter to drop an atomic bomb in the ocean off Hawaii. There's no concern about radiation other than Kamekona saying that no one will be eating fish for awhile. And there apparently was no tsunami from the blast. My other problem with the episode is this: Could a helicopter outrun the blast from an atomic bomb? No. It's not the Starship Enterprise.
Overall, it was the weakest episode I've seen, and I think it ended a season.
NOTE: It always irritates me when the Five-0 crew breaks into a house and McGarrett yells "Five-0!" How the hell would any normal person know what Five-0 is? Police for sure.
NOTE: They've made two cast changes.
RELATED: BrianTyler Hawaii Five O TV Theme
><
EMAIL: tgilli52@gmail.com BLUESKY: PROFILE
MORE BLOG ENTRIES BY TOM GILLISPIE
ANECDOTES BY TOM GILLISPIE
EDITOR@WORK BLOG ENTRIES
ENTRIES FROM THE DOG BLOG
(a book of great stories about the Intimidator)
(the book of great NASCAR stories)
