Hawaii Five-O: Any Fans?

[Brian]

https://youtu.be/4zrjKsz52EM

On the set of Hawaii Five O 1971.

[MaiTaiMan]

I've been watching a few episodes everyday after work. On season 6 now, fantastic series with great characters and guest stars.

Definitely...superb show! I have it all and every few years I get it out & binge watch from beginning to end. Magnum took over the production facilities when 5-0 was cancelled in 1980. Until 2003, when the original Law & Order passed it up, 5-0 was the longest running crime drama with 12 seasons (Murder She Wrote actually tied it in 1996 with 12 seasons as well). However, the L&O spinoff Law & Order: SVU has now surpassed them all with being the longest running crime drama, and prime time drama. I’m not an SVU fan, but I know it’s popular...that and NBC basically has no other main show to “carry” them, so they desperately do & pay whatever to keep the show going—22 or 23 years.

[terryfromkerry]

https://youtu.be/4zrjKsz52EM

On the set of Hawaii Five O 1971.

That's a real gem Brian, thanks for posting.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

https://youtu.be/4zrjKsz52EM

On the set of Hawaii Five O 1971.

Huge Five-O fan here! Really, I would call it my all-time favorite TV show. Been in love with it since I was a kid and love it even more today! One of the most rewatched things that I own on DVD or Blu-Ray.

That's a very rare behind-the-scenes video. Sadly almost none exist. I first saw it few years ago. It's during the filming of the 4th season episode "Odd Man In" with Hume Cronyn reprising his role of master-of-disguise thief Lewis Avery Filer. You don't see Hume in that video but you see Jiro Tamiya (next to James MacArthur) who played the baddie gangster Goro Shibata whom Filer tried to run a con game on. Also the man with the white beard (who also narrates a bit I believe, saying that Jack Lord puts on a reserved front for the public) is the director Paul Stanley, who directed that particular episode along with quite a number of other Five-O episodes.

[MaiTaiMan]

https://youtu.be/4zrjKsz52EM

On the set of Hawaii Five O 1971.

Huge Five-O fan here! Really, I would call it my all-time favorite TV show. Been in love with it since I was a kid and love it even more today! One of the most rewatched things that I own on DVD or Blu-Ray.

That's a very rare behind-the-scenes video. Sadly almost none exist. I first saw it few years ago. It's during the filming of the 4th season episode "Odd Man In" with Hume Cronyn reprising his role of master-of-disguise thief Lewis Avery Filer. You don't see Hume in that video but you see Jiro Tamiya (next to James MacArthur) who played the baddie gangster Goro Shibata whom Filer tried to run a con game on. Also the man with the white beard (who also narrates a bit I believe, saying that Jack Lord puts on a reserved front for the public) is the director Paul Stanley, who directed that particular episode along with quite a number of other Five-O episodes.

I’m a die-hard fan of Five-0, too! One of my all-time favorite shows...I own the whole series on DVD, as well as a somewhat “rough”-but still watchable copy of the 1997 unaired pilot TV movie, that included and reunited most of the original cast—except Lord who was too ill by then. That pilot was to launch a new revival series with James MacArthur as Governor Dan Williams, but it ultimately was never aired & the new series idea scrapped. I love the episodes with Hume as Filer...rare episodes that included some humor intertwined with seriousness, and it worked!

[Pahonu]

I always enjoy watching Cronyn in those two episodes too. The first one was better though.

[MaiTaiMan]

I always enjoy watching Cronyn in those two episodes too. The first one was better though.

I agree!

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

I always enjoy watching Cronyn in those two episodes too. The first one was better though.

I agree!

Yep, the first one is an absolute classic! In fact my favorite episode of season 3! How Hume Cronyn didn't even get an Emmy nomination is beyond me. Helen Hayes was nominated for her season 8 appearance as Danno's Aunt Clara in "Retire in Sunny Hawaii... Forever". So many great guest performances over the years on the show. Hard to believe she was the only nomination. My absolute favorite was Gavin MacLeod as "Big Chicken", the slimy dope pusher as McGarrett calls him. His performance in season 1's "The Box" was off the charts!! So was Jack Lord's - his best and most intense performance in my mind! It was just an awesome and tense prison drama, with 2 fine actors just letting loose and going at it full force! Big Chicken is practically gnashing his teeth at McGarrett in that one. The seething hatred is palpable! Both ways!

The fact that Lord was also never nominated in the lead actor category is also a travesty. Sure, his acting maybe wasn't as nuanced as say Peter Falk as Columbo (who of course rightly deserved his noms and wins) but I don't understand how Karl Malden, Mike Connors, William Conrad kept getting nominations every year in the same category (for STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO, MANNIX, CANNON) but not Jack. They're fine actors and everything but was there really anything ground-breaking in their performances?? Falk as Columbo I agree but Malden, Connors, and Conrad???? They just played your typical TV detectives. Surely Lord was better than those 3 - he had more fire in his belly, especially during the earlier seasons! I heard that it was all politics because Lord refused to play the Hollywood game (whatever that was). He was certainly a very private individual but it's also well-known that he could be difficult and tended to buck heads. Maybe ruffled some feathers, who knows? Maybe the STAR TREK fallout added to that image of him being difficult where he wanted a cut of the show so they went with Shatner instead. Whatever it was it shouldn't have any bearing on the man's skill as an actor. He definitely delivered the goods as McGarrett and not only deserved nominations but even a win.

P.S. The only 2 Emmies the show won were both for music. Morton Stevens won for scoring the season 2 opener "A Thousand Pardons -- You're Dead!" and the season 6 opener "Hookman". Both are excellent scores, with "Hookman" in particular being a personal favorite.

[MaiTaiMan]

I always enjoy watching Cronyn in those two episodes too. The first one was better though.

I agree!

Yep, the first one is an absolute classic! In fact my favorite episode of season 3! How Hume Cronyn didn't even get an Emmy nomination is beyond me. Helen Hayes was nominated for her season 8 appearance as Danno's Aunt Clara in "Retire in Sunny Hawaii... Forever". So many great guest performances over the years on the show. Hard to believe she was the only nomination. My absolute favorite was Gavin MacLeod as "Big Chicken", the slimy dope pusher as McGarrett calls him. His performance in season 1's "The Box" was off the charts!! So was Jack Lord's - his best and most intense performance in my mind! It was just an awesome and tense prison drama, with 2 fine actors just letting loose and going at it full force! Big Chicken is practically gnashing his teeth at McGarrett in that one. The seething hatred is palpable! Both ways!

The fact that Lord was also never nominated in the lead actor category is also a travesty. Sure, his acting maybe wasn't as nuanced as say Peter Falk as Columbo (who of course rightly deserved his noms and wins) but I don't understand how Karl Malden, Mike Connors, William Conrad kept getting nominations every year in the same category (for STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO, MANNIX, CANNON) but not Jack. They're fine actors and everything but was there really anything ground-breaking in their performances?? Falk as Columbo I agree but Malden, Connors, and Conrad???? They just played your typical TV detectives. Surely Lord was better than those 3 - he had more fire in his belly, especially during the earlier seasons! I heard that it was all politics because Lord refused to play the Hollywood game (whatever that was). He was certainly a very private individual but it's also well-known that he could be difficult and tended to buck heads. Maybe ruffled some feathers, who knows? Maybe the STAR TREK fallout added to that image of him being difficult where he wanted a cut of the show so they went with Shatner instead. Whatever it was it shouldn't have any bearing on the man's skill as an actor. He definitely delivered the goods as McGarrett and not only deserved nominations but even a win.

P.S. The only 2 Emmies the show won were both for music. Morton Stevens won for scoring the season 2 opener "A Thousand Pardons -- You're Dead!" and the season 6 opener "Hookman". Both are excellent scores, with "Hookman" in particular being a personal favorite.

Well, Helen Hayes played Danno’s aunt in the episode...but in reality she was James MacArthur’s mom! So, that and she was a famous vaudeville & stage actress from back in the day very well may have been “political” reasons she received a nomination. From what I’ve read over the years, it was definitely Hollywood style politics that Jack Lord did not get nominated for anything. He was an amazing actor & knew his craft...but he was VERY headstrong, and did indeed butt heads with producers and CBS back then...which even if he was right sometimes, most likely created a form of career-suicide. He also was known to have an explosive temper...and one never quite knew what mood he would be in at whatever moment. But, I agree—he definitely should have received a nomination for Best Leading Actor! He was amazing! I also have and enjoy Streets of San Francisco, so I see why Karl got nominations...but I love 5-0 & Lord better! “Hookman” is one of my all time favorite episodes (and one the new series re-did several years ago...down to the killer driving an old green Mustang, just like the original), so I understand why it was nominated! Not going to lie...I cannot stand Columbo or Peter Falk...both annoyed the crap out of me, lol! But, that’s just me—to each his or her own.

[Pahonu]

Hookman is another classic H5O episode. I never got into Columbo or Mannix and I’ve seen several. I’m a big fan of The Streets of San Francisco. I think Karl Malden was a great actor, better than Lord in my opinion. He was very well respected by many in the industry and served as the president of SAG. I also think he developed a great chemistry with Michael Douglas on the show. So much so that when Douglas left, the ratings almost immediately dropped. I don’t think Lord and MacArthur ever developed that kind of on-screen chemistry.

I would also say The Streets of San Francisco was more consistent than Hawaii Five-O. It wasn’t until the second to last episode of the series that I really felt an episode was weak. Granted, H5-O ran much longer, but it has some real duds. I mean shows I can’t even watch anymore. I can’t say that about TSoSF. I’ve watched the whole series through several times. It even has appearances by Selleck, Mosley, and Manetti. No Hillerman but he was in H5-O and Mannix.

[MaiTaiMan]

Hookman is another classic H5O episode. I never got into Columbo or Mannix and I’ve seen several. I’m a big fan of The Streets of San Francisco. I think Karl Malden was a great actor, better than Lord in my opinion. He was very well respected by many in the industry and served as the president of SAG. I also think he developed a great chemistry with Michael Douglas on the show. So much so that when Douglas left, the ratings almost immediately dropped. I don’t think Lord and MacArthur ever developed that kind of on-screen chemistry.

I would also say The Streets of San Francisco was more consistent than Hawaii Five-O. It wasn’t until the second to last episode of the series that I really felt an episode was weak. Granted, H5-O ran much longer, but it has some real duds. I mean shows I can’t even watch anymore. I can’t say that about TSoSF. I’ve watched the whole series through several times. It even has appearances by Selleck, Mosley, and Manetti. No Hillerman but he was in H5-O and Mannix.

I too love 5-0 and SOSF...amazing crime dramas for their time, I have both & love watching both! I did not care for the SOSF reunion movie in 1992, however...where they killed off Michael Douglas’ character...that was wrong, and kind of made the original series pointless when you ultimately know what happens! But, the series was very well written for the time! Another Frisco-based crime drama I love & have is Ironside with Raymond Burr...although it was a different style than “Streets”.

However, I slightly disagree about 5-0...it was an amazing show as well, and it was only in the last season after MacArthur had left that some of the plots/episodes were not quite up to par. But 5-0 was very innovative for its time...it was the first show to truly be entirely filmed on location & not on a fake sound stage in Hollywood, it used locals & true Hawaiians, tropical & exotic locations that had never been used before, it was more realistic/darker/“grittier” than any cop/detective show before it (at the time 1968...obviously not by 2020 standards ), and it was one of the first shows that didn’t always have a happy-happy/joy-joy ending. For its time I thought the plots, acting, cinematography, music, etc...were superb! I have actually not seen Mannix before...I want to check it out sometime soon!

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Hookman is another classic H5O episode. I never got into Columbo or Mannix and I’ve seen several. I’m a big fan of The Streets of San Francisco. I think Karl Malden was a great actor, better than Lord in my opinion. He was very well respected by many in the industry and served as the president of SAG. I also think he developed a great chemistry with Michael Douglas on the show. So much so that when Douglas left, the ratings almost immediately dropped. I don’t think Lord and MacArthur ever developed that kind of on-screen chemistry.

I would also say The Streets of San Francisco was more consistent than Hawaii Five-O. It wasn’t until the second to last episode of the series that I really felt an episode was weak. Granted, H5-O ran much longer, but it has some real duds. I mean shows I can’t even watch anymore. I can’t say that about TSoSF. I’ve watched the whole series through several times. It even has appearances by Selleck, Mosley, and Manetti. No Hillerman but he was in H5-O and Mannix.

I'll have to disagree on Malden being a stronger actor than Lord. It's true that he was a bigger name in motion pictures whereas Lord was mostly relegated to the small screen. Malden was in more prestigious pictures (On the Waterfront and A Streetcar Named Desire, winning an Oscar for the latter) but in my mind that doesn't make him a stronger actor. I don't remember a single moment in his performances where he really grabbed me. He was just a dependable character actor, in support of the star. And when speaking about his Mike Stone character in SOSF in particular there was nothing there that really grabbed me. He was likable but that's about it. I can't recall a single scene in all the episodes where I went "WOW!" whereas with Lord there were plenty such moments and I really don't believe I'm being biased at all. Malden was just fine but he didn't have that fire in the belly. When he threatened a perp it was more laughable than intimidating. He just looked comical with that bulb nose of his and hard to take seriously. Compare to someone like Lord or Savalas as Kojak. I mean those guys meant business and made your hair stand on edge. I like SOSF more than KOJAK but as a leading man give me Telly any day over Malden. Also his chemistry with Douglas - it was good, nothing phenomenal. They played well off each other and were certainly more equals than McGarrett and Danno so it's a bit of an unfair comparison. There was a different dynamic there. Also I'm not ready to say that Douglas on the show was a better actor than JMac on Five-O. I can't think of my favorite Douglas performance on the show but with JMac I immediately jump to "Pig in a Blanket" where he was phenomenal in his despair over losing his best friend, a cop, and then shooting an unarmed teen. Compare with a similar episode on SOSF where Keller shoots an unarmed kid and it's just not the same. I didn't feel his despair like I felt Danno's. Also all those "buddy boy's" and all those cutesy cheesy epilogs at the end, sorry but I'd rather go with the McGarreett and his team dynamic. Even in the 70s those things must have sounded really cheesy. Definitely a better writer was needed for those scenes. Compare with the hard-hitting endings on Five-O that often left the viewer shocked and in a trance - that's what I'm talking about!

I know it looks like I'm piling on SOSF but honestly I love the show. MANNIX too, but I love SOSF more. CANNON is one I've never really watched. But my point is that the stars of these shows, while perfectly fine, don't have what Lord had in his performance. Actually Mike Connors as Mannix came the closest because he could be tough-as-nails when called for and could really let his fists fly at times (of course he also got clobbered over the head more than any TV detective in the history of TV crime dramas LOL). Connors had that old school hard-boiled edge to him, a throw-back to those 40s detectives who didn't take crap from anyone. So he was compelling to watch too. But again, he was no McGarrett and I can't think of a moment where he made me jump the way Lord did. And speaking of FIVE-O episodes being unwatchable you really have to go all the way to season 12 for that. Even 10 and 11 had some very strong episodes (though 10 did have the hideous "Tread the King's Shadow"). But again, we're comparing a show that ran 12 seasons with one that ran 5. FIVE-O definitely jumped the shark whereas SOSF did not (though all will agree that season 5 was a definite drop from the previous 4 seasons and not just because Douglas left) but overall FIVE-O is the superior product. Let's not forget the music - both the main theme and the episodic scores, can't beat FIVE-O on that one! And the locale - Hawaii beats San Fran hands down!

[Pahonu]

Hookman is another classic H5O episode. I never got into Columbo or Mannix and I’ve seen several. I’m a big fan of The Streets of San Francisco. I think Karl Malden was a great actor, better than Lord in my opinion. He was very well respected by many in the industry and served as the president of SAG. I also think he developed a great chemistry with Michael Douglas on the show. So much so that when Douglas left, the ratings almost immediately dropped. I don’t think Lord and MacArthur ever developed that kind of on-screen chemistry.

I would also say The Streets of San Francisco was more consistent than Hawaii Five-O. It wasn’t until the second to last episode of the series that I really felt an episode was weak. Granted, H5-O ran much longer, but it has some real duds. I mean shows I can’t even watch anymore. I can’t say that about TSoSF. I’ve watched the whole series through several times. It even has appearances by Selleck, Mosley, and Manetti. No Hillerman but he was in H5-O and Mannix.

I too love 5-0 and SOSF...amazing crime dramas for their time, I have both & love watching both! I did not care for the SOSF reunion movie in 1992, however...where they killed off Michael Douglas’ character...that was wrong, and kind of made the original series pointless when you ultimately know what happens! But, the series was very well written for the time! Another Frisco-based crime drama I love & have is Ironside with Raymond Burr...although it was a different style than “Streets”.

However, I slightly disagree about 5-0...it was an amazing show as well, and it was only in the last season after MacArthur had left that some of the plots/episodes were not quite up to par. But 5-0 was very innovative for its time...it was the first show to truly be entirely filmed on location & not on a fake sound stage in Hollywood, it used locals & true Hawaiians, tropical & exotic locations that had never been used before, it was more realistic/darker/“grittier” than any cop/detective show before it (at the time 1968...obviously not by 2020 standards ), and it was one of the first shows that didn’t always have a happy-happy/joy-joy ending. For its time I thought the plots, acting, cinematography, music, etc...were superb! I have actually not seen Mannix before...I want to check it out sometime soon!

I don’t really disagree with any of that. When H5-O was good, it was great, but it had quite few episodes I just don’t watch anymore. I can’t say that about SOSF. Nothing really from the first 7 or 8 seasons, except for one early on where there are a couple of actors in yellow face. I understand it was done at the time, but they couldn’t find Asian actors in Hawaii! I don’t recall the title but I know Will Kuluva was in it, and he was a good actor. The other guy was just painful to watch.

Season 6 started with Hookman, then Draw Me a Killer, and the one with the family of serial killers starring Slim Pickens. They’re all great. The Helen Hayes episode was later too and great. I remember one with Leslie Nielsen as a rancher that was just slow. Maybe I just expected more from an episode with him. He did a couple of good SOSF. It’s hard to remember many of the poor ones because they were pretty forgettable. The last season started with the very good two-parter about unions and native rights but most of the last season was pretty weak. Even the finale with Woe Fat was not well done. The whole premise relies on him not recognizing McGarrett! How? Even our beloved Pahonu was in it and I still struggle to watch it. I have watched it a lot, but just to see the house and refine my model.

I guess that was my point. I can watch and enjoy all the seasons of SOSF without skipping any episodes. That’s just not true for me with H5-O.

[Pahonu]

Hookman is another classic H5O episode. I never got into Columbo or Mannix and I’ve seen several. I’m a big fan of The Streets of San Francisco. I think Karl Malden was a great actor, better than Lord in my opinion. He was very well respected by many in the industry and served as the president of SAG. I also think he developed a great chemistry with Michael Douglas on the show. So much so that when Douglas left, the ratings almost immediately dropped. I don’t think Lord and MacArthur ever developed that kind of on-screen chemistry.

I would also say The Streets of San Francisco was more consistent than Hawaii Five-O. It wasn’t until the second to last episode of the series that I really felt an episode was weak. Granted, H5-O ran much longer, but it has some real duds. I mean shows I can’t even watch anymore. I can’t say that about TSoSF. I’ve watched the whole series through several times. It even has appearances by Selleck, Mosley, and Manetti. No Hillerman but he was in H5-O and Mannix.

I'll have to disagree on Malden being a stronger actor than Lord. It's true that he was a bigger name in motion pictures whereas Lord was mostly relegated to the small screen. Malden was in more prestigious pictures (On the Waterfront and A Streetcar Named Desire, winning an Oscar for the latter) but in my mind that doesn't make him a stronger actor. I don't remember a single moment in his performances where he really grabbed me. He was just a dependable character actor, in support of the star. And when speaking about his Mike Stone character in SOSF in particular there was nothing there that really grabbed me. He was likable but that's about it. I can't recall a single scene in all the episodes where I went "WOW!" whereas with Lord there were plenty such moments and I really don't believe I'm being biased at all. Malden was just fine but he didn't have that fire in the belly. When he threatened a perp it was more laughable than intimidating. He just looked comical with that bulb nose of his and hard to take seriously. Compare to someone like Lord or Savalas as Kojak. I mean those guys meant business and made your hair stand on edge. I like SOSF more than KOJAK but as a leading man give me Telly any day over Malden. Also his chemistry with Douglas - it was good, nothing phenomenal. They played well off each other and were certainly more equals than McGarrett and Danno so it's a bit of an unfair comparison. There was a different dynamic there. Also I'm not ready to say that Douglas on the show was a better actor than JMac on Five-O. I can't think of my favorite Douglas performance on the show but with JMac I immediately jump to "Pig in a Blanket" where he was phenomenal in his despair over losing his best friend, a cop, and then shooting an unarmed teen. Compare with a similar episode on SOSF where Keller shoots an unarmed kid and it's just not the same. I didn't feel his despair like I felt Danno's. Also all those "buddy boy's" and all those cutesy cheesy epilogs at the end, sorry but I'd rather go with the McGarreett and his team dynamic. Even in the 70s those things must have sounded really cheesy. Definitely a better writer was needed for those scenes. Compare with the hard-hitting endings on Five-O that often left the viewer shocked and in a trance - that's what I'm talking about!

I know it looks like I'm piling on SOSF but honestly I love the show. MANNIX too, but I love SOSF more. CANNON is one I've never really watched. But my point is that the stars of these shows, while perfectly fine, don't have what Lord had in his performance. Actually Mike Connors as Mannix came the closest because he could be tough-as-nails when called for and could really let his fists fly at times (of course he also got clobbered over the head more than any TV detective in the history of TV crime dramas LOL). Connors had that old school hard-boiled edge to him, a throw-back to those 40s detectives who didn't take crap from anyone. So he was compelling to watch too. But again, he was no McGarrett and I can't think of a moment where he made me jump the way Lord did. And speaking of FIVE-O episodes being unwatchable you really have to go all the way to season 12 for that. Even 10 and 11 had some very strong episodes (though 10 did have the hideous "Tread the King's Shadow"). But again, we're comparing a show that ran 12 seasons with one that ran 5. FIVE-O definitely jumped the shark whereas SOSF did not (though all will agree that season 5 was a definite drop from the previous 4 seasons and not just because Douglas left) but overall FIVE-O is the superior product. Let's not forget the music - both the main theme and the episodic scores, can't beat FIVE-O on that one! And the locale - Hawaii beats San Fran hands down!

Good points but I think it may be a matter of acting style preference. My favorite actor of all time is James Garner followed pretty closely by David Janssen. Both were very low key actors. Usually it was their reactions to people and events that were so good, not some big acting moment. I suppose I’m not a big fan of actors who chew up the scenery. Those big scenes often distract me from the moment. I start thinking how they’re acting and it’s a disruption, to me at least. I’m not saying that Lord was that way but I’ve felt he overacted on more than one occasion. I think Malden fits in that category of a lower key style, like Robert Mitchum, who I also enjoy a lot.

I agree that H5-O definitely jumped the shark. The last season was very weak but, hey, it did run for 12 seasons like you said. I skip several in the last 2 seasons when I watch. MacArthur was pretty good but he was sometimes pretty stiff or wooden. Douglas was in his first major role and did remarkably well, I feel. Pig in a Blanket was excellent but I think it comes back to acting style preference. Savalas was very good but his Kojak was a little too much on occasion. Still, I enjoy it but I prefer Conrad’s Cannon. Mannix is the one I’ve DVR’d episodes many times and still struggle to get onboard. I’m a fan of the hard-boiled detective genre, Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe, Lew Archer, etc... but Mannix didn’t seem to fit with that for me. Maybe it was because it wasn’t in the right time period. I love that 30’s and 40’s LA setting, probably because I grew up in LA and it’s so different now. I don’t know but I’ll probably keep trying episodes of Mannix. Maybe it’ll grab me at some point.

Fun discussion!

[MaiTaiMan]

Hookman is another classic H5O episode. I never got into Columbo or Mannix and I’ve seen several. I’m a big fan of The Streets of San Francisco. I think Karl Malden was a great actor, better than Lord in my opinion. He was very well respected by many in the industry and served as the president of SAG. I also think he developed a great chemistry with Michael Douglas on the show. So much so that when Douglas left, the ratings almost immediately dropped. I don’t think Lord and MacArthur ever developed that kind of on-screen chemistry.

I would also say The Streets of San Francisco was more consistent than Hawaii Five-O. It wasn’t until the second to last episode of the series that I really felt an episode was weak. Granted, H5-O ran much longer, but it has some real duds. I mean shows I can’t even watch anymore. I can’t say that about TSoSF. I’ve watched the whole series through several times. It even has appearances by Selleck, Mosley, and Manetti. No Hillerman but he was in H5-O and Mannix.

I'll have to disagree on Malden being a stronger actor than Lord. It's true that he was a bigger name in motion pictures whereas Lord was mostly relegated to the small screen. Malden was in more prestigious pictures (On the Waterfront and A Streetcar Named Desire, winning an Oscar for the latter) but in my mind that doesn't make him a stronger actor. I don't remember a single moment in his performances where he really grabbed me. He was just a dependable character actor, in support of the star. And when speaking about his Mike Stone character in SOSF in particular there was nothing there that really grabbed me. He was likable but that's about it. I can't recall a single scene in all the episodes where I went "WOW!" whereas with Lord there were plenty such moments and I really don't believe I'm being biased at all. Malden was just fine but he didn't have that fire in the belly. When he threatened a perp it was more laughable than intimidating. He just looked comical with that bulb nose of his and hard to take seriously. Compare to someone like Lord or Savalas as Kojak. I mean those guys meant business and made your hair stand on edge. I like SOSF more than KOJAK but as a leading man give me Telly any day over Malden. Also his chemistry with Douglas - it was good, nothing phenomenal. They played well off each other and were certainly more equals than McGarrett and Danno so it's a bit of an unfair comparison. There was a different dynamic there. Also I'm not ready to say that Douglas on the show was a better actor than JMac on Five-O. I can't think of my favorite Douglas performance on the show but with JMac I immediately jump to "Pig in a Blanket" where he was phenomenal in his despair over losing his best friend, a cop, and then shooting an unarmed teen. Compare with a similar episode on SOSF where Keller shoots an unarmed kid and it's just not the same. I didn't feel his despair like I felt Danno's. Also all those "buddy boy's" and all those cutesy cheesy epilogs at the end, sorry but I'd rather go with the McGarreett and his team dynamic. Even in the 70s those things must have sounded really cheesy. Definitely a better writer was needed for those scenes. Compare with the hard-hitting endings on Five-O that often left the viewer shocked and in a trance - that's what I'm talking about!

I know it looks like I'm piling on SOSF but honestly I love the show. MANNIX too, but I love SOSF more. CANNON is one I've never really watched. But my point is that the stars of these shows, while perfectly fine, don't have what Lord had in his performance. Actually Mike Connors as Mannix came the closest because he could be tough-as-nails when called for and could really let his fists fly at times (of course he also got clobbered over the head more than any TV detective in the history of TV crime dramas LOL). Connors had that old school hard-boiled edge to him, a throw-back to those 40s detectives who didn't take crap from anyone. So he was compelling to watch too. But again, he was no McGarrett and I can't think of a moment where he made me jump the way Lord did. And speaking of FIVE-O episodes being unwatchable you really have to go all the way to season 12 for that. Even 10 and 11 had some very strong episodes (though 10 did have the hideous "Tread the King's Shadow"). But again, we're comparing a show that ran 12 seasons with one that ran 5. FIVE-O definitely jumped the shark whereas SOSF did not (though all will agree that season 5 was a definite drop from the previous 4 seasons and not just because Douglas left) but overall FIVE-O is the superior product. Let's not forget the music - both the main theme and the episodic scores, can't beat FIVE-O on that one! And the locale - Hawaii beats San Fran hands down!

Pretty much totally agree with this...I like and enjoy SOSF, but 5-0 was way better! I can’t think of any episodes I can’t/don’t watch when going through the show?? The last season was weaker than the previous 11, and it was after MacArthur had left...but there’s still good episodes in that season and none are so weak or bad that they’re not enjoyable or watchable! Both shows were/are awesome in their own ways...but overall with writing, plots/episodes, cinematography, locations, theme-song, music, etc...5-0 definitely beats SOSF, hands down!