Hawaii Five-0: Re-dressed for Success

The original Hawaii Five-0 was an iconic television series with an impressive 12-season run that spanned from 1968 to 1980. An era in which pot was the cool drug to use, “groovy” still a hip adjective and Jack Lord’s no-nonsense Steve McGarrett was revered by the fans.

Now that Alex O’Loughlin has accepted the challenge of resurrecting this classic CBS cop show, he will be playing what just might be the role of his career.

No one doubts that Jack Lord’s legendary portrayal is a tough act to follow. The actor had charisma in spades and a passionate fan base that followed him to Hawaii Five-0 after a “failed” show. He was handsome, debonair and could be seductive, sexy and cocky. He looked great in a suit and he played guitar to relax.

Sound familiar?

What the original and the updated version will have in common is the exotic setting of Hawaii. The authenticity and allure of the locale held the biggest appeal for current fans of Hawaii 5-0. The pilot will be shot in Honolulu and CBS has promised, “We will go out of our way to make it as authentic as possible.”  As the original series was filmed almost entirely on the islands, it stands to reason that the remake too will be produced there. With Lost drawing to a close in May 2010, the Hawaii Film Studio would be available to accommodate Hawaii Five-0.

So why would a remake succeed now, when many other TV show remakes have failed?

First of all, previous revival attempts did not have the genius team of Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman at the helm. This much in-demand duo are co-creators of Fringe, penned the 2009 Star Trek blockbuster feature as well as Mission: Impossible III and two Transformer movies. Peter Lenkov, CSI: NY showrunner, co-wrote the Hawaii 5-0 pilot script with them and all three are expected to executive produce the show.

Last October, Orci and Kurtzman shed some light on the direction they are heading for:

Orci: “I think the idea is to update it in a way that it is still the comfort food that it always was, but almost a little Miami Vice too.

“Pure action and a procedural, but with some genuine character stuff in there. We hope it’s a mix that you don’t see often.”

Kurtzman: “Take something with a preconceived idea and turn it on its ear, and you have something really compelling.”

Crime procedurals have a high success rate and among CBS’s most popular series are the CSI and NCIS franchises. While previous remakes involved genre shows (e.g. The Bionic Woman, The Fugitive, Knight Rider), history proves that there is always room for another good police drama. A spiced up concept like Hawaii 5-0 is certainly not out of place in the network’s crime-solving lineup that always manages to maintain a steady course in the overall ratings. A sexy cast, edgy and fast-paced storytelling, and spectacular scenery are ingredients that will appeal to the masses and that is exactly what CBS is aiming for, “to get the broadest and biggest audience base possible” and ultimately it should hook the all-important 18-49 demographic too.

For Alex O’Loughlin, Hawaii Five-0 would mean a significant expansion of his fan base. The show will appeal to male and female viewers alike. And in contrast to Three Rivers, Hawaii Five-0 would be much less confining and will offer plenty of creative avenues to explore.

Alex has shown before what his cops are made of on The Shield and the new series will allow him to showcase all of his considerable acting skills.

Non-conformist, alpha male, intelligent, charismatic, charming, tough and gentle, romantic, tenacious, dedicated.

Like Jack Lord, Alex O’Loughlin is one of a kind.

We can expect him to honor the character of Stephen J. McGarrett, while he brings his own unique interpretation to the role and show.

Where the original drama relied upon the criminals to drive the story and each episode was self-contained, the updated version will offer viewers more insight into the regular characters through the development of their backstories. The new Steve McGarrett will not only have to deal with an arch-enemy (Victor Hesse), but there is also a long-time love interest (Catherine Rollins) to spice things up, as well as an old mystery to solve and a troubled younger sister to protect.

The pilot has been termed “extraordinary” by Kurtzman and a crew member called the script “absolutely amazing and riveting”.

The new Hawaii 5-0 has all the makings of a hit series for Alex O’Loughlin and yet another success for CBS.

All a killer show needs now is a killer time slot.

[tags]alex o’loughlin, alex o’lachlan, steve mcgarrett, hawaii five-0, hawaii five-o, cbs[/tags]