Original Hawaii Five-O Complete Series Package (1 Viewer)

[Doug Wallen]

"King of the Hill"

Yaphet Kotto!

His performance alone elevated this episode into something special.

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One of my very favorite episodes. Mirrors, hospital hostages, helicopters and Viet Nam flashbacks. What an episode!

 

[Carabimero]

"Face of the Dragon"

Seeing Jackie Coogan always cracks me up. Whether he appeared on THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, FAMILY AFFAIR, PERRY MASON, or THE BRADY BUNCH, just to name a few, I appreciated that he always played a character with a strong point of view.

 

[Carabimero]

"The Box"

Terrific episode, tightly written with nice performances. I especially enjoyed...

....the return of Chicken!

I have a feeling he doesn't appear in the series again as Chicken, but I sure hope he does.

 

[rjd0309]

Nah, Big Chicken leaves Hawaii on a cruise ship.

 

[Blimpoy06]

Nah, Big Chicken leaves Hawaii on a cruise ship.

I heard he became a news writer somewhere in the Midwest.

 

[Carabimero]

"One for the Money" was compelling enough to make a good episode, despite the killer flaking out too easily at the end, IMHO. I always have to remind myself that certain tricks of plot may seem overused now, but back in 1968, I bet audiences loved the end of this one.

 

[Doug Wallen]

I always have to remind myself that certain tricks of plot may seem overused now, but back in 1968, I bet audiences loved the end of this one.

That is one of the hardest things for me to do when watching "classic" television. I have to try and remember the time when I was not so jaded and was watching things with wide-eyed excitement. Things become cliches because they excell at what story is being told so that others use the same ideas over and over. There were so many "gotcha" moments when viewing shows back then. Movies and modern series generally are unable to surprise us as viewers anymore due to oversaturation. (Last time I was genuinely surprised by network television was the 2nd season ender of NCIS, what a great moment to experience as a viewer - so shocking !!!)

 

[Bryan^H]

I just watched "Death Wish on Tantalus Mountain" 2nd episode of season 5. A very good episode that Ricardo Mantalban turns into a great episode. Damn I love this show.

 

[Carabimero]

"Along Came Joey"

I enjoyed this boxing episode. It reminded me a bit of "Decision in the Ring," The Fugitive's boxing. Except The Fugitive's take was more optimistic. However, I liked the cynical nature of H5O's take: the father tries to give the episode an up ending by pointing out the virtue of his son, but Steve McGarrett's response destroys the father's optimistic illusion. I thought it was really terrific.

Little by little Steve McGarrett's character is developing...

 

[Ron1973]

That is one of the hardest things for me to do when watching "classic" television. I have to try and remember the time when I was not so jaded and was watching things with wide-eyed excitement. Things become cliches because they excell at what story is being told so that others use the same ideas over and over. There were so many "gotcha" moments when viewing shows back then. Movies and modern series generally are unable to surprise us as viewers anymore due to oversaturation. (Last time I was genuinely surprised by network television was the 2nd season ender of NCIS, what a great moment to experience as a viewer - so shocking !!!)

Maybe I'm prejudiced, but it seemed the guest stars were better back then, too.

 

[BobO'Link]

That is one of the hardest things for me to do when watching "classic" television. I have to try and remember the time when I was not so jaded and was watching things with wide-eyed excitement. Things become cliches because they excell at what story is being told so that others use the same ideas over and over. There were so many "gotcha" moments when viewing shows back then. Movies and modern series generally are unable to surprise us as viewers anymore due to oversaturation. (Last time I was genuinely surprised by network television was the 2nd season ender of NCIS, what a great moment to experience as a viewer - so shocking !!!)

This is so true. I try to inject that "Watch with the eyes of the years it was made" aspect into all my classic TV and movie viewing. It really helps when watching the old theatrical serials and silent films.

Having watched so many old (pre 1960) films plus all those wonderful TV series of the 50s and 60s (plus smatterings in the following decades with a gradual return of investment as time progresses) I find, like you indicated, I'm rarely surprised. That's one reason I don't watch many "modern" productions. Almost without exception, they feel like long worn out retreads of far superior product. But I think that truly comes with age.

While I'm rarely surprised or find the latest "hot/hit" movie/TV show stale and predictable my grandchldren tend to like them. But they have "young eyes" without that deep viewing experience. What makes me most happy with them is that, even though they may like many of the newer films/programs, they *love* my old classics. The oldest (just turned 14) has commented several times, when watching a 60s TV show or classic film, "So that's where that came from!" or "Hey! I saw that bit ripped off in [fill in new show/movie] the other day!"

I really need to get out my S1 set and put it on for my grandson (and me, too!). I think he'd really like this one.

 

[Carabimero]

"Once Upon A Time, Part One"

I really am digging this episode. Not just the plot, but also....

...the Romulan Commander! It's great to see Joanne Linville.

Usually two-parters are padded and lethargic, but this first part kept my interest all the way. Am looking forward tomorrow to seeing if it can hold its tight pacing through part two. The writing is really good.

 

[Carabimero]

"Once Upon A Time, Part 2"

The second half of this episode did not disappoint. What I really appreciated about this 2-parter was the development of Steve's character--and family. I felt for him. I really believed him as he raged, cried, reasoned. This is the kind of show that makes every episode after it better because I believe Steve is a real human human, not just a hero.

It's up there with the Ricardo Montalban episode as my favorite of season one.

A nice moment in part 2: when Steve was researching and the chick in the library helped him--and then he raised her glasses and kissed her. And called her a chick!

This 2-part episode had it all.

 

[Blimpoy06]

Glad you liked Once Upon A Time. It's probably my least favorite of the first year. Feels like it was produced early in the run and then held back. There are several production teams the first year, and the tone varies from time to time. The same situation The Wild,Wild West went thru a few years prior. McGarrett is in full on Quincy mode here. Not much of Hawaii and the Five-O team. Not terrible by any means, just not my favorite type of show.

 

[Carabimero]

"Six Kilos"

A fun caper story. Another episode that reminded me a bit of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE.

Only one season-1 episode left!

 

[Carabimero]

I finished season one and really enjoyed it. Is the special features package on the final disc a spoiler in any way of future events in the series? I'd love to watch it but not if it spoils some surprises.

 

[Jeff*H]

I finished season one and really enjoyed it. Is the special features package on the final disc a spoiler in any way of future events in the series? I'd love to watch it but not if it spoils some surprises.

The hour-long special on disc 7 was produced a number of years earlier (around 1996 if I recall or possibly after Lord’s death in 1998) by a local Hawaii tv station. I think it shows clips from later seasons but nothing that I’d consider a spoiler. It’s been a while since I watched it though, so I’m not 100% certain. The only spoilery events occur in seasons 10 and 12.

 

[JohnMor]

I too recently bought the complete series and have been watching this shiw for the first time. So far one of my favorite eps is the S2 opener with great guest performances by Barbara Luna, Barbara Nichols, Harry Guardino and Loretta Swit. Luna us particularly great in it, I think.

 

[Carabimero]

I too recently bought the complete series and have been watching this shiw for the first time. So far one of my favorite eps is the S2 opener with great guest performances by Barbara Luna, Barbara Nichols, Harry Guardino and Loretta Swit. Luna us particularly great in it, I think.

I just watched the episode. It was fun to see all those guest stars. What had my jaw on the floor was the gigantic improvement in print and transfer quality for this episode. At first I thought it had been shot on video because of the sharpness, then realized that of course it was film.

But wow.

This screen cap does not even do the clarity and depth justice. If someone had brought me into my living room and shown me this episode on my TV, and asked me whether it was DVD or BD, I would have said BD.

Does the rest of season two look this good? Holy smokes!

 

[bmasters9]

I just watched the episode. It was fun to see all those guest stars. What had my jaw on the floor was the gigantic improvement in print and transfer quality for this episode. At first I thought it had been shot on video because of the sharpness, then realized that of course it was film.

But wow.
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This screen cap does not even do the clarity and depth justice. If someone had brought me into my living room and shown me this episode on my TV, and asked me whether it was DVD or BD, I would have said BD.

Does the rest of season two look this good? Holy smokes!

OT, but I felt the same way about Shout!'s releases of Hart to Hart (third through fifth seasons [1981-84]). They looked so good that I thought I could have been actually seeing the show on ABC then (even though it was DVD).