"Hawaii Five-0" Returns to TV

(CBS)  CBS has announced its big prime-time line up for the coming season last night, which includes five new shows, most notably one of TV best's crime shows ever with a back-drop that was hard to beat, "Hawaii Five-0."

After 12 years, a new version of "Hawaii Five-O" puts its own spin with actors, Alex O'Loughlin, who plays Detective Steve McGarrett, Scott Caan, who is Detective Daniel "Danno" Williams, Daniel Dae Kim, who plays Chin Ho Kelly and Grace Park, who plays Chin's cousin, Kono.

The cast sat down with "Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith to discuss the exciting revival.

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O'Loughlin is best known for his roles as Kevin Hiatt in "The Shield" and as Mick St. John in "Moonlight," and was currently on the big screen in the romantic comedy "The Back-Up Plan" opposite Jennifer Lopez.

On the show, the relationship between McGarrett (O'Loughlin) and Danno (Scott Caan) is comparable to Danny Glover and Mel Gibson in "Lethal Weapon" where they love each other, but make each other nuts."

"This thing totally rocks," Smith said. "I like the on-screen chemistry between you guys."

"Hawaii Five-0's" plot has traces of the old show - a Navy Seal returns home to Hawaii (this time to avenge the killing of his father by terrorists) and forms an elite task force (courtesy of the governor). New Jersey native Danno leaves his east coast comfort zone and joins the police department in Hawaii to be near his child, who was taken there by his ex-wife.

Chin Ho Kelly (Kim) was wrongly accused of corruption, but a close friend of McGarrett's dad and his niece, Grace, is graduating from the Police Academy and is very street smart. Together they form the task force to take out the heavy hitting bad guys on the islands.

Kim, who stars in the wildly popular hit TV show "Lost," was asked about the highly-anticipated ending to the series finale, which airs this Sunday.

"Wow, how long do we have? You know what the great thing is, we will all know the answers to 'Lost' in a few days," Kim joked. "I would love to. but I need to keep a job still...I might whisper it to you, is that OK, Harry?"

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Kim won't be out of a job anytime soon, if all goes with the new "Hawaii Five-0." So, the handsome actor will stay put in Hawaii.

"Once we knew that the show ("Lost") was on the air, we moved there (Hawaii). We've been there for six years now," Kim added.

The cast joked that Kim is the "poster-boy" for the island.

"I am a temporary place-holder until you guys all get there," Kim joked.

"Hawaii Five-0" will air Monday's at 10 p.m. on CBS.

[robert36330]

I can't figger out why the new Danno is such a wise ass to his boss, thats a good way to get fired in any police force or the military. Danno acts like a teenage snot face with ADD who never went to basic or police academy. In your face ruddness from a underling just woun't make it even on a TV show.

[cajamb]

I know you're working out some kinks....but what happened to the McGarrett sister character (Taryn Manning...I love Taryn Manning)...you introduced her and the last we saw of her she was digging in her brother's tool box??? Did I miss an episode? Where did she go? Then Robert Loggia (I love Robert Loggia) gets shot in the shoulder and you left him hanging on the stairway...not even a walk out on a stretcher?
People are watching here!

[TVREVIEWER]

The new Hawaii 5-0 series is a little different than one would expect based on the original series, however, change is inevitable and not all change is bad. We like the show but the sound mixing makes it unhearable. The music overrides the conversation so bad the "old" people like myself can't differentiate between the two. The music is excellent but we would like to hear the conversations.

[taxguyla]

What a crap show. I never expected an exact replica of the original show, but you need to stay true to the original. McGarret actor is way too young and gun ho. Dano is a complete joke... what a loser character. Chin was the only redeeming character. I've already cancelled my DVR series recording. Episode 1 will be my one and only viewing.

[LexingtonAv]

I'd like the new CBS Hawaii Five-O to find the young man I frequently saw carrying his skateboard on The Bus going from Aiea to the River Street Skateboard Park. That was a few years ago, so he has to be early twenties now. He was in his teens at the time and had that special look-- was of mixed heritage with a curly blonde Afro., laid back persona-- exciting appearance. Five-O program Casters need to look him up and put him on the show, and I don't care what the theme song is-- I'll watch the show.

[TS_Jones]

Kelly? Why do American TV shows insist on giving Asian Actors Caucasian names? In fact Kim himself has played so many characters with English or Welsh names, you'd think the casting people forgot he was Korean. I've noticed that tons of American shows have a distaste for Asian culture, which includes their 'funny sounding family names' which is why they always defer to giving them nice 'white sounding' names. I for one want ethnic diversity where I hear names from other cultures, not forcing everyone to have a WASP name.

[darkknight_55]

On the other side, I actually work in the real world with a lot of ethnic people and one thing I found is that there are some Asians who do have very common American names. And on the flip side there is this one woman who is a caucasian as they come and is also 6 feet tall who has a very Japanese name because she was adopted. So why can't TV portray Asians with American names? As far as I know it is legal...

[abner463]

Chin Ho Kelly was the original name of the character back from the beginning. Don't know why, and I always chuckle when I see it in the opening credits.

[Geoffrey_816715]

They'd do well keep the old theme song. I'd watch the show just for the intro song and footage of the guys haulin' butt in the outrigger and the women doing the high energy hula. One of the best intro's ever.