Matt Roush’s Take on “Hawaii Five-0″ and More Casting News

In today’s Ask Matt, TV Guide Magazine’s Matt Roush answered not one, but two great questions about Alex O’Loughlin and Hawaii Five-0.

The first question concerns the show’s chances of success and the second question is about its possible time slot:

Question: What do you think of Alex O’Loughlin and Daniel Dae Kim being signed to reprieve Hawaii Five-O? There are naysayers complaining that CBS is wasting the talent of Alex on a remake of a past series, because they don’t think these things ever work, but I’m excited about it. At the risk of dating myself, I remember the original series and I loved it, and being that I’d watch Alex in anything, no matter how bad it was, I’m opting for watching him in something that showcases his talent and I think this is a vehicle that will please his fans. Granted, he’s not going to be baring his fangs, but I think it’s something he can really get his teeth into. (Ugh, did I really make that pun?) Probably too early to know HOW the show is going to be presented, especially being brought to us by the same people that give us Fringe (and I take that as a PLUS), but I don’t think it’s too early for an opinion from someone who’s been pretty right-on in picking the hits. What do you think? Is it a gamble, or a pretty safe bet that this could finally be one series that’ll stay around for a while?—Dorothy

Matt Roush: Lots of variables at play here as to whether the pilot and the show itself will work, but I’m encouraged by the participation of Fringe’s Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (who did a bang-up job refreshing the Star Trek franchise at the movies), and as I said last fall, Alex O’Loughlin’s best shot at CBS stardom will likely be as the centerpiece of a crime procedural, especially something with a bright tone and look that will showcase his charisma better than Three Rivers ever had a chance to. Hawaii and CBS have a long history of success (not just Five-O but Magnum, P.I. as well), and of all the many remakes kicking around out there, this one makes the most sense. Keeping Daniel Dae Kim in Hawaii as part of the ensemble is also smart casting. It’s all a matter of execution, of course, and I’m anxious to hear who they’ll cast as “Dan-O”—(wouldn’t it be interesting if it were a “Danielle?”)—but on paper at least, this one sounds like a hot property.

Question: CBS has a lot of hit shows that have no reason to switch nights or time slots, so do you think that it is likely that the Hawaii Five-0 remake starring Alex O’Loughlin ends up on a Friday or Sunday night if it is picked up? If so, you might as well prepare yourself for people acting stunned and angry that CBS would have the nerve to not move one of their already hit shows to another night. The same goes with the Criminal Minds spin-off. On a related note, is there a standard length for a holding deal like the one that Alex O’Loughlin and other actors have with networks or does it expire if a particular actor or actress has too many failed programs?—Tyler

Matt Roush: Now you’re asking me to get inside the mind of the network scheduler—and before you all start writing in to say that with DVRs, it doesn’t matter when a show airs, it can still matter to a show’s long-term fortunes when and how it’s scheduled (especially on CBS, which is the most old-school network in many ways). With CBS, there’s always a tension between maintaining the successful status quo and trying to shake things up to prepare for the future. (This fall, CBS moving The Mentalist to Thursdays was seen as a relatively bold move, although it made room for the two-hour NCIS block, which looks like they’re playing it safe.) If CBS thinks it has a new hit in Hawaii, the boldest move would be to displace one of the long-running CSI shows to Friday or Sunday (New York would be my bet, but even that might be seen as reckless), although Hawaii may be seen as the perfect “blue sky” show to fill the presumed Friday gap should Numb3rs not return. The challenge at CBS is where to put new shows on a schedule with very few weak spots. Will CBS play the NCIS game with Criminal Minds and air the spinoff alongside the original? (In which case, CSI: NY would need to find new digs, anyway.) Sunday night is still CBS’s biggest problem spot (and not just because of the sports overruns), so I’m betting one of the high-profile newbies ends up there, helped by a ton of promotion.

Also just out – Taryn Manning has been cast as Steve McGarrett’s troubled younger sister, Mary Ann McGarrett. Check out the story at The Hollywood Reporter!

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