DVD Review HTF DVD REVIEW: Hawaii Five-O: The Third Season (1 Viewer)

[Zardon]

Delete this, please.

 

[Jeff*H]

One other positive note about the Season 3 set: CBS Paramount appears to have actually licensed the songs "Stormy Monday", "Trouble in Mind" and "Spinning Wheel", all sung in the season's second episode 'Trouble in Mind' by Nancy Wilson, who appears in the episode as a drug-addicted performer.

It's nice to see they spent the money to get these songs rather than cut or replace them, since the music is pretty well integrated into the show's action. CBS Paramount has cut songs from other releases such as Happy Days and Odd Couple, so it seems they may have a larger budget for the Five-0 DVD's, and possibly the show has some huge supporters at the studio as well.

Five-0 typically never had much music to license (there were a few Bee Gees songs in Season 11), so this was a pleasant surprise.

 

[Brian Himes]

I'm in it until the end of the series or where ever they stop releasing the DVD sets.

 

[Corey3rd]

Maybe it was a case that the music publishers didn't ask for a nasty fat price for the rights on those songs? Remember that there isn't a flat rate for music rights. This isn't like radio broadcast royalties.

 

[Brian Himes]

I'm beginning to think that music licensing has more to do with the actual property than cost. Meaning that if the rights holders feel that the property (Hawaii Five-O for example) is a quality show, the rights holders might be a little more willing to set a 'reasonable' cost to license the music. I mean, look at season 2 of Saturday Night Live. They got to use the few seconds of Zepplin's Stairway to Heaven. That was certainly a first.

 

[Jeff*H]

Based on the mass chopping of songs on Happy Days Season 2 and other CBS DVD releases, it made you wonder whether they were even bothering to try to license the songs, or if they were taking the path of least resistance.

My guess is that since the songs' artist (Nancy Wilson) was such an integral part of the episode to begin with (not to mention it really showcased her dramatic acting chops), perhaps the owners didn't charge an exhorbitant fee (as you suggest) and CBS Paramount agreed to it since the Five-0 DVD's appear to have decent expense budgets (Season 3 was advertised in Best Buy flyers, discs have artwork, etc.).

 

[Zardon]

Music licensing isn't really an issue for a police show like Hawaii Five-O.

If they ever get to releasing the 11th season though, the DVD producers shouldn't have any problem obtaining Jim Henderson's weak cover of the then-current Rod Stewart song "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" in the episode "The Execution File".

 

[Zardon]

I purchased the 3rd season of Five-O last week from DeepDiscount.com a few days ago, and I'm looking forward to getting it in the mail next week!

 

[U240Robert]

I actually prefer the shows after Kono left.
For me, my favorite seasons are the ones with Al Harrington
as Det. Ben Kokua.
More specific season 5- with V is for Vashon, Death Is A Company Policy,
I'm a Family Crook, Will The Real Mr Winkler, The Listener,
among others.

We still have a long ways to go, but I don't think the show went
down much until the 8th season.
It would be nice if they could get more than two seasons
out a year.

 

[Jeff*H]

I'm hoping we will get Season 5 before year's end (Season 4 is supposed to be coming in June).
CBS DVD is supposed to be ramping up their quantity of releases this year so we'll see. As long as Five-0 continues to sell well, I think they'll continue to get released at least to the halfway point (season 6). I just hope they don't start splitting the seasons at some point.

 

[michael_ks]

At one point I would have deemed it impossible for a 12 season show. Now I'm none too sure after what happened to "Gunsmoke".

Some great input here on the evolution of "Hawaii Five-0" over the years. I confess that I'm quite the neophyte where the series is concerned but with Bob Hug's solid recommendation I took the plunge and am really warming up to it. Not sure when I'll stop but it looks as though I'll be collecting through S4 at least.

 

[Zardon]

As a true fan of this show, I will buy the entire series....even the disasterous 12th season with its uncharacteristically poor writing.

If CBS / Paramount can get this far into an hour-long series without splitting the seasons, I believe they will go the whole route the same way. Even The Wild Wild West with its 4 seasons were complete season sets.
Hawaii Five-O sales are better than ever. There is hope for this studio!

 

[Jeff*H]

I would love to see CBS DVD do for Five-0 what they are doing for Perry Mason, and release an anniversary DVD set with tons of extras and a selection of the series' best episodes from across the 12 seasons (all in addition to the ongoing season releases). Granted, there would probably be some double-dipping on a few episodes, but I wouldn't mind.

2008 is the 40th anniversary of the series, so the timing would be perfect. Since the shows sells well (season 3 ranked around #40 on Amazon on Tuesday, and #1 for TV-DVD shows for several days), this seems like a no-brainer.

 

[Corey3rd]

Consider the songs that were yanked off the Happy Days season sets. These weren't obscure tunes. They're big hits that pull in a nice chunk of change off Madison avenue action. You want Blueberry Hill in your movie? Expect to pay top dollar. Rock Around the Clock is the same way. I had a pal who wanted to get rights to use an Elvis song in a student film. He wanted a license good for film festivals. He was quoted $10,000 for publishing. That was the end of that idea. Imagine how much these people want for to use their songs on a DVD being put out by a major company.

 

[btomarra]

Jeff,

I agree with you that they spent money on licensing these songs for the DVD sets.

And yet, can you or other forum members address a recurring problem with these Hawaii Five-O collections. The credits for the 3rd season again are actually 1st season credits edited in! if you'll notice it still as James MacArthur "as Danny." This ocurred for the Second Season DVD set.

And is the opening theme song being used actually from the third season? On The Hawaii Five-O home page, some noticed that for the second season DVD set, one of the episodes had the opening theme song from the first season.

I know they tweaked it from season to season when it was aired.

Why is this going on?

Thank you,

Brian

 

[Jeff*H]

I think I have a few answers for you, as I have been following this show in syndication for the last 20 years.

In 1997, when the Family Channel helped subsidize the cost with Paramount to digitally remaster and clean up the episodes, they re-used the first season credits for seasons 2, 3, and 4 (most likely to save money rather than having to re-master another set of opening credits). Those same masters, in uncut form, are the transfers being used for DVD, so this is one cost that CBS DVD is NOT incurring for these releases, as they were already paid for 10 years ago. Thus, the DVD opening credits are the same as those syndicated transfers, they didn't re-do them but just ported them over to DVD.

As for the season 3 opening theme, it was always the same as the season 2 version. Season 6 uses the same version as season 5. Otherwise, they did change every season. (BTW, the season 2 and 3 version is my favorite). You are correct in noting that CBS DVD did screw up for some reason and put the season 1 version on the last episode of season 2. To my knowledge, this also happened with the re-mastered syndicated airing.

On a side note, season 1 episodes are available for free viewing via streaming video online at the site below. While they are no substitute for the DVD's, it's nice to have a place to see them for free online.

Check Out these Full Length Video Picks at Fancast.com | Interviews, TV Show Episodes, Spoilers, Trailers and More!

 

[btomarra]

Jeff,

Thank you for answering that and glad to be here! Knew I came to the right place!

 

[btomarra]

Thank you, Jeff.

I have been a fan of this show since it first aired. Great to have them on DVD. BTW, glad to be here and I came to the right place for my answers!

 

[Zardon]

The best versions of the Hawaii Five-O theme are from
Seasons 4, 8, 10, and 11 (but not quite in that order).

The decent theme from the 5th / 6th seasons is the most standard, yet a refined version.

 

[Steve...O]

I've watched some episodes from S3 this weekend and have thoroughly enjoyed them. This show has held up very well for me.

I'm in it for the entire run. In my view, Jack Lord/McGarrett is the star not Zulu/Kono so no need for me to stop just because a supporting actor left. When DENNIS lost Joe Kearns, MY THREE SONS lost Bill Frawley, or PERRY MASON lost Ray Collins the shows continued and still managed to crank out enjoyable episodes. In my opinion, the fact that Five-0 continued for 8 Kono-less seasons is testament to the ability of the remaining actors to producing quality and entertaining shows.

Steve