Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

[anapuni808]

Re: Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

I really think one of the reasons Lost was so successful is that Hawaii was NOT a main character. and that may be the key to other shows being successful here. yes, its beautiful scenery - but it's not specifically Hawaii.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

I think it has more to do with expectations being higher. It costs one helluva lot of money to produce a pilot and a series. Much more than 42 years ago. And the risks are greater... lots of networks; lots of competition, including sponsors. Much more than 42 years ago.

Certainly, more money is now involved due to inflation. But putting things into perspective here, the creation of the original Hawaii Five-0 was one of the greatest risk-taking ventures in all of television history.

Forget about taking a chance on Zulu's short resume, for a moment. If you want to talk about "risk," by far the biggest one was the idea of filming a weekly television series on-location in Hawaii! Keep in mind that in 1968, there was no film studio in Diamond Head.

If Leonard Freeman and CBS wanted to "minimize" the risks involved with his show, then he would simply copied the formula that Hawaiian Eye used, where most of the filming took place in a studio backlot in Burbank and combined it with some stock shots of the islands. But no, Freeman wasn't interested in playing it safe.

The introduction to Hawaii Five-0 (the colorful, fast-moving montage created by Reza Badiyi) was a risk. Nothing like it was ever seen on TV before. It went on to become one of the most memorable and influential TV intros ever. But once again, in 1968, it was very different and cutting-edge for the time.

Showcasing Sterling Mossman's band performing "Ain't No Big Thing" in the H50 pilot was a risk. If one stuck to the convention of featuring the best nationally known Hawaiian entertainer to be on the show, then Don Ho singing "Tiny Bubbles" would have to have been the ticket. But once again, Freeman didn't take the safe route.

And yes, casting Zulu was a risk. Certainly, a safer pick would have been some handsome Hollywood veteran with a swarthy complexion and muscular build who could "pass" for a Polynesian. But thankfully, the show decided to go for the real McCoy, even if Zulu was overweight and his acting still "rough around the edges."

With the fabulous 12 year run of success that the original Hawaii Five-0 had, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that Leonard Freeman took a lot of risks. But when it comes to creating new TV shows, rewards won't happen if you don't take the big risks. This was true in the 1960s. It still holds true today. If folks here have their way with the new H50 sticking to Hollywood conventions and time-worn cliches, then the show is going to fail.

No one can predict an ensemble cast's charisma or how well they'll play off one another for the long haul. The original 5-0 got really lucky with that cast.

Lucky? As the old saying goes, "You make your own luck."

Freeman and the 5-0 production team had more than luck going for them. They made a number of astute changes, in-between the pilot and the formal start of the weekly series. The most noticeable change was Tim O'Kelley getting replaced by Jimmy MacArthur for the role of Danno. But there were more. The governor (Lew Ayres) and attorney general (Philip Ahn) were also replaced by different actors. And even after the regular series started, numerous changes were made. A very significant one was casting Harry Endo to replace Danny Kamekona as Che Fong.

If one carefully examines the evolution of Hawaii Five-0, it becomes quite apparent that more than a fair bit of tinkering took place during the first couple of years until the show really hit its stride.

[Kalihiboy]

Re: Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

Kwan was my attorney for years when I needed legal advice. He also auditioned for me several times. I believe he is or was Menehune Man's landlord. And, I believe he is still above the sod!!!

I was a fan of Lim, he also was in the Brian Keith Show too! I've never read an official obit on Kwan, so I always assumed he was alive too. I was then informed about this information which I got from Mike Quigley, from Vancouver who runs the popular Hawaii 5-0 fansite.

http://youknowthefacebutwhatsthename...1922-2008.html

If this information is wrong please let me know as I would have loved to have done a story on Kwan Hi Lim.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

http://youknowthefacebutwhatsthename...1922-2008.html

If this information is wrong please let me know as I would have loved to have done a story on Kwan Hi Lim.

Funny. This story about Kwan says that he was an "elected judge." He was actually appointed a Family Court judge in this state.

Honolulu Star-Bulletin

One other iterm from that S-B article about Kwan that I found interesting.

Lim's acting career started when he was in his 40s and had just come in from surfing. He said he was flirting with two Canadian tourists on the beach when "Hawaii 5-O" casting director Ted Thorpe approached him and asked him to try out for the TV series.

So local-boy Kwan (who had not previously appeared in any TV program prior to H50) didn't get onto the show by answering an audition call. He was spotted by and recruited by a casting director "on the beach." Maybe the cds for the new H50 have to do the same. Instead of sitting back and waiting for a "capable" local actor to fall into their lap at an audition, they need to get off their butts and go looking around..... and to keep looking until they find a local who is suitable and has potential.

[tutusue]

Re: Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

[...]
If this information is wrong please let me know as I would have loved to have done a story on Kwan Hi Lim.

I just sent an email to the union Kwan belong(s)(ed) to. I'll let you know. If he did pass, there was no mention of it in the normal, industry pipeline. Usually I'm called by the union so that I know to remove someone from my file. That was not the case with Kwan. Still, it's hard to refute your cite. Thanks for the URL. I'll let you know.

[...]
So local-boy Kwan (who had not previously appeared in any TV program prior to H50) didn't get onto the show by answering an audition call. He was spotted by and recruited by a casting director "on the beach." Maybe the cds for the new H50 have to do the same. Instead of sitting back and waiting for a "capable" local actor to fall into their lap at an audition, they need to get off their butts and go looking around.....

That's called "street casting"...yes, even at the beach. Please provide absolute proof that street casting was NOT done for the current 5-0.

and to keep looking until they find a local who is suitable and has potential.

Deadlines and budgets prevent casting ad infinitum. Should the producers put the show on hold for possibly years while the casting process continues to your satisfaction?

Good GOD, FM...become a casting director and right all the wrongs in the industry. Then come back to HT and we can chat more intelligently about this subject. In the meantime I'm finding you more intent on being right than understanding the *current* industry. Your lack of knowledge is shining thru loud and clear. I'm not going to waste any more of my time because, well, right now, I'm wearing my casting director hat, one I've worn for 30 years, and I need to get back to my paying job. I'm through wasting of my time.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

That's called "street casting"...yes, even at the beach. Please provide absolute proof that street casting was NOT done for the current 5-0.

Only the people in charge of casting can honestly answer that question for themselves.

Good GOD, FM...become a casting director and right all the wrongs in the industry. Then come back to HT and we can chat more intelligently about this subject. In the meantime I'm finding you more intent on being right than understanding the *current* industry. Your lack of knowledge is shining thru loud and clear.

If my opinions are ignorant in some people's eyes, so be it.

The bottom line remains that the success or failure of a TV show isn't decided by a debate on this or any other online message board. It's played out on the Nielsen ratings. So if the H50 pilot gets picked up, we'll eventually get to see whether the decisions made on the show worked out or not.

[tutusue]

Re: Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

[...]
If this information is wrong please let me know as I would have loved to have done a story on Kwan Hi Lim.

I just sent an email to the union Kwan belong(s)(ed) to. I'll let you know. [...]

Kwan passed in 2008. Bummers. I got such a kick out of that guy. He was such a flirt; a total rascal!

Only the people in charge of casting can honestly answer that question for themselves.[...]

Not necessarily. When I have to go above and beyond the normal process I log all of my contacts and attempts. When I send PAs out to street cast I ask them to log their locations. When I ask someone to talent scout, I ask them to list the people and organizations they contact. This documentation is available to anyone involved in the production who wants to see it. I'm not unique. Other CDs do the same. I could easily find out how 5-0 casting was handled but I'm not curious nor would I feel the need to share that info in a public online forum. The local CD is very capable.

[turtlegirl]

Re: Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

I could easily find out how 5-0 casting was handled but I'm not curious nor would I feel the need to share that info in a public online forum. The local CD is very capable.

Gah! FM, just shut up already. Tutu, why are we even bothering, except for the fact that FM is once again injecting negativity into another innocent thread! You made your point, dude, over and over and over and over and over!!! Dead horse, meet Frankie! Oh, you noticed, hes got blinders on too!!!

[Frankie's Market]

Re: Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

Gah! FM, just shut up already.

Have yourself a nice day, TG.

[Pablo]

Re: Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

It looks like it has been picked up for the fall season: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar...t+from+network

I am excited but I don't want to invest too much into it as a viewer (Invasion, Flash Forward, et al).

[Frankie's Market]

Re: Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

That's exactly it. If you are making a major network show to appeal to the mainland U.S. you have to get the best people, situations, storylines, etc. to make it work and reach that audience.

If you focus only on local culture, people, Hawaii, etc. like ABC's "Byrds of Paradise" did in the 1990s, then it is likely your program is doomed to fail because mainland audiences just don't get all of the "local stuff" that may appear in such a show.

Having one or two local actors as cast regulars hardly constitutes focusing "only on local culture, people, Hawaii."

Anyhow, we'll see how it all works out this fall. It'll be interesting to see if Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park are able to truly bring Island-born and bred characters Chin Ho and Kono to life. Or if the only thing they bring to the table are superficial attributes. Even if it is the latter, maybe that will be enough for the mainland audience, as Mel says. Maybe.... or maybe not. I find that more and more tourists are educated about the local culture here and want to seek out places where they can buy authentic gifts and souvenirs. They're not as apt to buy plastic grass skirts, cheaply made ukuleles, and other items of "Hawaiiana" imported from Malaysia like in years past.

However way the new show turns out, it will be a definite positive if it rekindles interest in the old show and stimulates DVD sales. If the new H50 lasts long enough to get us the remaining 4 seasons of the classic series, then that alone will have made the new show worthwhile.

[turtlegirl]

Re: Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

YES!!!! THANK YOU GOD FOR ANSWERING MY AND MY FAMILYs PRAYERS!!! HAWAII FIVE-0 IS OFFICIALLY A GO!!!!!!!! THANK YOU CBS!!! THANK YOU TV AUDIENCES!! THANK YOU WORLD!!!

[mel]

Re: Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

While it is good news that the new "Hawaii Five-0" will be on the upcoming CBS network schedule, the bottom line to this show and every show on TV is ratings, ratings, ratings. That's what brings the money in.

[mel]

Re: Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

With the new "Hawaii Five-0" getting the green light for production and with the assumption that the series will be shot in state, I started a new thread for discussion of news and sightings around the island/state similar to the ones we had for "Lost".

CBS added the new "Hawaii Five-0" to its fall schedule today.

[cyleet99]

Re: Hawaii Five-O 2.0 - Take Two!

Here's a look at the new title sequence compared to the old one. I like the new one with its combination of old shots and new elements. Looking forward to seeing the series.