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‘Hawaii Five-0’ is back — but not me

By Catherine Toth Fox • May 16, 2012 • Musings, The Daily Dish

I tried. I really did.

I was a dedicated “Hawaii Five-0” fan the first season, following the crazy plot lines and budding bromance between Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan.

I tweeted about it, I blogged about, I talked about it. Every Monday night I was tuned in, laptop on and iPhone off. This was quality time with me, Caan and some of the most stunning vistas of Hawaii.

I was there for the murders, the drama, the banter, the fun fictitious Hawaii “landmarks” like Kukui High School. I was completely on board.

Then something happened.

Maybe the back-and-forth between O’Loughlin and Caan got old. Maybe the outrageous plots were too much. Or maybe I was getting tired of the blatant product placement — Subway has got to be the worst — that became more commonplace in the second season. But I stopped watching.

And while I’m sure I’m not alone, I don’t represent the majority.

CBS announced today it was renewing “Hawaii Five-0” for a third season. The popular crime drama won its hour for viewers and among adults 18-49 many times this season, according to Nielsen ratings.

People are watching — just not me.

Anyone else feel the same way? Or tell me what I’m missing!

Alex O'LoughlinCBSH50HawaiiHawaii Five-0renewed for third seasonScott CaanTV shows
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About the Author

Catherine Toth Fox

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18 Comments

  • Reply jaydee May 17, 2012 at 3:32 am

    I saw it once and didn’t like it. It was nice seeing the islands as I live Mainland now but I thought the plot and acting was terrible. Just my opinion, for what it’s worth.

  • Reply Cody Zamboni May 17, 2012 at 6:58 am

    the 2nd season was the best yet
    Show is finding its’ vibe
    Epic cliffhanger to end Season 2
    the Wo Fat / Terry O Quinn / MaGarrett search for the truth, twisty story arc has really gotten jaw droppingly good
    the writing / dialogue / character development / cast banter / interaction / inside jokes / Hollywood guest stars / comedy borderline campy but solid heavy metal action approach to each episode, has only gotten better, and more fun
    some major casting changes I disagreed with ( but minor quibble )
    enjoy

  • Reply David Jackson May 17, 2012 at 8:07 am

    I still watch it every Monday because it is one of my links to home. Frankly the show is full tilt weird in so many ways, as in no way that is happening on the Oahu I lived on. But my son and I are glued there every Monday night.

  • Reply Annoddah Dave May 17, 2012 at 8:52 am

    CAT: Agree. Writing and editing is not exactly the best. If it did not comeback it wouldn’t cause me to petition for its return. Actors are pretty good. Writing rates a C grade. I prefer the old Law and Order.

  • Reply Matthew Kain May 17, 2012 at 9:12 am

    I quit watching too; I just got bored with the lame plot runarounds.

    O’laughlin ain’t got nothin’ on Jack Lord!!!

  • Reply king katonk May 17, 2012 at 9:43 am

    Okay. I’ll agree Five-O has become a little too predictable and sometimes corny, but I still faithfully watch the show. Here is my reason; I want to support Asian-American actors.

    Think about it, has there ever been a moment on television where Asian –American actors not only undertook the lead parts but were the sole characters on screen? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I doubt this has ever occurred on a major network program. Yet, throughout the airing of H5-O it has been a common occurrence.

    I have AA friends who work in the entertainment industry who do not watch the show. I explain that their ignorance will eventually bite them in the tail. If every Asian-American tuned in on a regular basis – with sole the intent to increase ratings – then network executives would have a difficult time cancelling the show.

    This is why I believe Hawaii Five-O must succeed. Not only does H5-O benefit the downtrodden local economy but the auxiliary benefit is self-evident; creating more opportunities for minority actors in major entertainment projects.

    Let’s hope for a long run for H5-O.

  • Reply Ellsworth May 17, 2012 at 11:08 am

    I tell my friends that when I watch Hawaii Five-0, I get homesick. Then I watch “Dog the Bounty Hunter” and I’m no longer homesick. I watch it to see if I recognize any of places they’ve filmed and the inconsistencies as well.

  • Reply EdW May 17, 2012 at 1:11 pm

    I found the plot lines to hard to follow for me, I couldn’t stay awakeI don’t think I saw but maybe 3 episodes this season.

  • Reply WaialuaDaKine May 17, 2012 at 2:47 pm

    My favorite part of the entire season was this season’s cliffhanger ending where Locke leads McGarrett to Jacob’s shack, and tells him to go inside and find out what this Shelbourne is all about. The Wo Monster might be hiding somewhere ready to jump out and crack skulls, so they better be careful!

  • Reply Brian May 17, 2012 at 3:23 pm

    They lost me from the moment “Kono” punched the surfer in the first episode. None of the characters have any depth.

  • Reply R May 17, 2012 at 5:27 pm

    I’m a fan of the show because it helps me overcome being homesick. I will admit this season I was not as dedicated to watching it and found some episodes to be boring. I personally am not a fan of Kono either haha. I’m all for Asian American actors but idk about that one. I’m not giving up just yet on the series and I want it to succeed!

  • Reply M May 17, 2012 at 7:24 pm

    Hello Cat,
    I’m still tuned in…

  • Reply zzzzzz May 18, 2012 at 8:25 am

    Part of why we watch is to see if we recognize anyone on the show. We’ve seen a few familiar faces, e.g., in the episode with the kidnapped bus of kids, one of the ‘parents’ that showed up when the kids were rescued. We also recognized the bus in that episode.

  • Reply Ken May 18, 2012 at 11:21 am

    The first season was more fun and lighthearted. The second season started out more violent and mean spirited (with Kono suspended etc) and really stayed that way all year. I like the tone of the first season better. I really do not care about who or what is “Shelborn”.

  • Reply Kayo May 18, 2012 at 12:13 pm

    Love the show, love the bromance best show on tv!!!

  • Reply guest May 18, 2012 at 2:07 pm

    I like the original every weeknight on channel 11 on analog. It’s fun to see Hawaii from the 70’s and reminisce about when the economy was great and there were top name stars guesting.

  • Reply clover May 21, 2012 at 6:50 am

    i wish that American TV producers would have the guts to do what the Asians do – have a determined length of time for their series. Asian TV stories are written for X amount of episodes and no renewals for popularity (= money). Their series storylines have more quality – sure the good stories leave you wanting more, but that’s okay. i’d rather be wanting more than be disappointed with randomly written, ridiculous stories. American TV series tend to overstay their welcome with ridiculous story lines as their shows get extended. This is perhaps a huge reason why the Asian dramas are so popular.

  • Reply Ken May 23, 2012 at 12:49 pm

    I watched season 1 out of historical curiosity. I watched season 2 for the same reason I glance at traffic accidents. I deleted the show from my DVR programming now. They might as well film with a green screen background since locals are cast as goons and clowns, while everyone else is flown in. My PD friends say their tactics are a joke

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About Me

About Me
Born and raised on O‘ahu, Hawaiʻi, Catherine Toth Fox has been chronicling her adventures in her blog, The Cat Dish, for more than a decade. She worked as a newspaper reporter in Hawai‘i for 10 years and continues to freelance—in between teaching journalism, hitting the surf and eating everything in sight—for national and local print and online publications. She’s currently the editor of HAWAIʻI Magazine.

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