Hawaii Five-O: Any Fans?

[MaiTaiMan]

I just watched the excellent season four episode Cloth of Gold and wondered how it might have been updated for the new series. I know they remade Hookman and would love to have seen this one done as well.

The remake series was actually very awesome as well…which is rare for a past popular series! The remake actually remade both “Hookman” & the original series’ pilot “Cocoon”…both show’s versions were/are superb!

I watched the first couple of seasons and enjoyed, but then kind of lost interest. I did specifically go back and watch Hookman. I didn’t realize that they had remade Cocoon. I’ll have to check it out, thanks!

I love and have both shows! The remake of Cocoon was really cool…like Hookman, many of the original aspects & plot elements are included. Remember that the remake show has the titles in original Hawaiian language…so Cocoon is titled: "Ka ʻōwili ʻōkaʻi". I believe it was in Season 9.

[Pahonu]

I just watched the excellent season four episode Cloth of Gold and wondered how it might have been updated for the new series. I know they remade Hookman and would love to have seen this one done as well.

The remake series was actually very awesome as well…which is rare for a past popular series! The remake actually remade both “Hookman” & the original series’ pilot “Cocoon”…both show’s versions were/are superb!

I watched the first couple of seasons and enjoyed, but then kind of lost interest. I did specifically go back and watch Hookman. I didn’t realize that they had remade Cocoon. I’ll have to check it out, thanks!

I love and have both shows! The remake of Cocoon was really cool…like Hookman, many of the original aspects & plot elements are included. Remember that the remake show has the titles in original Hawaiian language…so Cocoon is titled: "Ka ʻōwili ʻōkaʻi". I believe it was in Season 9.

Thanks!

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

I just watched the excellent season four episode Cloth of Gold and wondered how it might have been updated for the new series. I know they remade Hookman and would love to have seen this one done as well.

Cloth of Gold would definitely make my top 5 for the season! Excellent episode with a fine atmospheric score by Don Ray.

My other top episodes from this season:

Rest in Peace, Somebody (my all-time favorite!)
...And I Want Some Candy and a Gun that Shoots
Wednesday, Ladies Free
R & R & R
Didn't We Meet at a Murder?
Odd Man In
No Bottles... No Cans... No People

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

According to an Nov.23, 2023 article in the Honolulu Star by Jane Smith -
"The show’s protagonist, Steve McGarrett, portrayed by the legendary Jack Lord, was loosely based on a real-life HPD detective named Chang Apana.
Apana was known for his tenacity and dedication to solving crimes, and his influence can be seen in McGarrett’s relentless pursuit of justice."

Is There A Real Hawaii Five-0? - Hawaii Star

The below is from the official HPD site. Apologies for the non-working link, at any other site I go to they work when I put them up. Tech geeks can't explain it.
By the way, this Apana guy should have his own TV series, he carried a bullwhip instead of a gun, all five feet of him!

Detective Chang Apana - Honolulu Police Department

Served from 1898 to 1932
Chang Apana’s legendary career as a police officer in Honolulu began in 1898. Although he was small in stature, only 5 feet tall, he was bigger than life.
He was the only officer allowed to carry a bullwhip instead of a gun.
Chief William Gabrielson credited Detective Apana’s ability to solve many cases to his fluency in Hawaiian and Cantonese, his wide network of informants, and his shrewd and meticulous detective style.
During his career, he was stabbed six times, thrown out a second-story window; and run over with a horse and buggy.
Each time, Detective Apana managed to apprehend his suspect.
His exploits attracted the attention of novelist, Earl Derr Biggers, who is said to have created the character “Charlie Chan” after Detective Apana.
Inducted on May 15, 2008
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Il faut bonne mémoire après qu’on a menti.” (A good liar should have a good memory)
...Paladin (Have Gun Will Travel)

[Pahonu]

According to an Nov.23, 2023 article in the Honolulu Star by Jane Smith -
"The show’s protagonist, Steve McGarrett, portrayed by the legendary Jack Lord, was loosely based on a real-life HPD detective named Chang Apana.
Apana was known for his tenacity and dedication to solving crimes, and his influence can be seen in McGarrett’s relentless pursuit of justice."

Is There A Real Hawaii Five-0? - Hawaii Star

The below is from the official HPD site. Apologies for the non-working link, at any other site I go to they work when I put them up. Tech geeks can't explain it.
By the way, this Apana guy should have his own TV series, he carried a bullwhip instead of a gun, all five feet of him!

Detective Chang Apana - Honolulu Police Department

Served from 1898 to 1932
Chang Apana’s legendary career as a police officer in Honolulu began in 1898. Although he was small in stature, only 5 feet tall, he was bigger than life.
He was the only officer allowed to carry a bullwhip instead of a gun.
Chief William Gabrielson credited Detective Apana’s ability to solve many cases to his fluency in Hawaiian and Cantonese, his wide network of informants, and his shrewd and meticulous detective style.
During his career, he was stabbed six times, thrown out a second-story window; and run over with a horse and buggy.
Each time, Detective Apana managed to apprehend his suspect.
His exploits attracted the attention of novelist, Earl Derr Biggers, who is said to have created the character “Charlie Chan” after Detective Apana.
Inducted on May 15, 2008
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Il faut bonne mémoire après qu’on a menti.” (A good liar should have a good memory)
...Paladin (Have Gun Will Travel)

Thanks! I had read about Apana and his inspiring the Charlie Chan character. I never heard about the connection to McGarret.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

According to an Nov.23, 2023 article in the Honolulu Star by Jane Smith -
"The show’s protagonist, Steve McGarrett, portrayed by the legendary Jack Lord, was loosely based on a real-life HPD detective named Chang Apana.
Apana was known for his tenacity and dedication to solving crimes, and his influence can be seen in McGarrett’s relentless pursuit of justice."

Is There A Real Hawaii Five-0? - Hawaii Star

The below is from the official HPD site. Apologies for the non-working link, at any other site I go to they work when I put them up. Tech geeks can't explain it.
By the way, this Apana guy should have his own TV series, he carried a bullwhip instead of a gun, all five feet of him!

Detective Chang Apana - Honolulu Police Department

Served from 1898 to 1932
Chang Apana’s legendary career as a police officer in Honolulu began in 1898. Although he was small in stature, only 5 feet tall, he was bigger than life.
He was the only officer allowed to carry a bullwhip instead of a gun.
Chief William Gabrielson credited Detective Apana’s ability to solve many cases to his fluency in Hawaiian and Cantonese, his wide network of informants, and his shrewd and meticulous detective style.
During his career, he was stabbed six times, thrown out a second-story window; and run over with a horse and buggy.
Each time, Detective Apana managed to apprehend his suspect.
His exploits attracted the attention of novelist, Earl Derr Biggers, who is said to have created the character “Charlie Chan” after Detective Apana.
Inducted on May 15, 2008
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Il faut bonne mémoire après qu’on a menti.” (A good liar should have a good memory)
...Paladin (Have Gun Will Travel)

Thanks! I had read about Apana and his inspiring the Charlie Chan character. I never heard about the connection to McGarret.

Pahonu,
I wish the Honolulu Star writer had provided more detail on the Apana - McGarrett connection. I have noticed that paper over the years has had quite a number of articles on Hawaii Five-O,
both versions, as well as Magnum PI. A female Magnum Mania poster used to share quite a number of the articles here, I can't think of her name offhand, it's too bad she no longer posts.
In any event the Honolulu Star is a good resource for anyone here doing research on these Hawaiian set series.

[308GUY]

"A female Magnum Mania poster used to share quite a number of the articles here, I can't think of her name offhand, it's too bad she no longer posts."

That'd probably be "Rembrants Girl"...and yea, she knew where/how to find things!

Wouldn't surprise me if she checks in here once in a while..."incognito"....but strictly speculation on my part.

[Pahonu]

"A female Magnum Mania poster used to share quite a number of the articles here, I can't think of her name offhand, it's too bad she no longer posts."

That'd ( probably be "Rembrants Girl"...and yea, she knew where/how to find things!

Wouldn't surprise me if she checks in here once in a while..."incognito"....but strictly speculation on my part.

Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s the case. She and I used to email back and forth for several years as I put together my SketchUp model of Pahonu. She was a tremendous help. She lived in the Silicon Valley area with her husband. One day she never returned an email and that was the last of it. She never posted on the board again either. I reached out a couple of more times to no avail.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

"A female Magnum Mania poster used to share quite a number of the articles here, I can't think of her name offhand, it's too bad she no longer posts."

That'd ( probably be "Rembrants Girl"...and yea, she knew where/how to find things!

Wouldn't surprise me if she checks in here once in a while..."incognito"....but strictly speculation on my part.

Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s the case. She and I used to email back and forth for several years as I put together my SketchUp model of Pahonu. She was a tremendous help. She lived in the Silicon Valley area with her husband. One day she never returned an email and that was the last of it. She never posted on the board again either. I reached out a couple of more times to no avail.

308GUY, Pahonu,
Yes, "Rembrants Girl" was an outstanding contributor here. Of course we trust all is well with her and that she might return. But time does pass, the earth turns, and out
of all the people who shared here some must have passed on.
Now "Rembrants Girl" if you do revisit these boards and read this, I hope it doesn't come off as in any way speeding your journey to that undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns,
as Higgins would term it.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Pahonu noted the last two seasons aren't that great but I'm on season 10 now and that isn't exactly going gangbusters either. Something just seems to be missing from the series, it doesn't snap,
I keep waiting for those terrific moments that occurred right before suddenly fading to the shot of ocean waves, then a commercial.

You hit it square on the head, Dobie, when you mentioned those commercial breaks with the ocean wave. That's what really sets season 10 apart from the earlier seasons and that's what immediately got my attention when I was going through season 10 on Netflix some 12 years ago or so. All too often these "commercial waves" come in when nothing particularly shocking or exciting is happening on screen. Too often you find yourself yawning during these "wave" breaks because nothing exciting is happening. It's simply time for a commercial break. This was never the case during the earlier seasons. Sure, there were some exceptions but by and large the "wave" breaks came in during something pretty exciting happening on screen. Something that made you perk up. Season 10 was the first season where this no longer seemed to be the case. That's why most folks agree that season 10 is where the show for the first time seemed to lose some major steam and displayed a pretty big step down in quality. You can definitely feel it. Even though the core 4-man team from season 9 is still there (McGarrett, Danno, Chin, Duke) you can tell that this DOES NOT feel like an extension of season 9. In fact there was a change in producers and writers right at the start of season 10. Robert Janes is probably the #1 new name that you see from here on out that you didn't see before. He wrote like half the episodes this season. Writers like Jerome Coopersmith or directors like Michael O'Herlihy are gone by this point. I don't know if it was the new writers/producers or just the general trend TV took at the time but the show definitely felt different starting with season 10. More laid-back, lack of urgency, not as gripping. Seemed like they were coasting, reusing a lot of plot points from earlier seasons but with none of the excitement or sense of danger. McGarrett began to slow down, started being more preachy and philosophical. Lots of special favors for the governor this season that McGarrett had to handle (often to his dislike), many dealing with various high society or snooty friends of the governor.

I know that different folks have different opinions about when Five-O was at its peak. Generally season 6 is considered to be the show's peak - some of the most disturbing episodes aired during that season ("One Big Happy Family" and "Nightmare in Blue" in particular). Then there was a slight drop in quality starting with season 7. Some feel that the show rebounded with season 8. Personally I feel that season 7 is stronger than season 8 and that season 9 is stronger than season 8 also. But these are minor quibbles. The bottom line is that even if there was some drop in quality it was pretty insignificant. Those seasons still offered some knock-out episodes. Not so with season 10. My favorite from this season is "Tsunami". But that's about it. All the others are watchable in their own right but none of them really grab you in any significant way. There was a clear downward shift with season 10. No doubt about it.

Ivan,
The above was in another thread but your response was so informative and detailed and summed up the later seasons so well I thought it should be here for all of us Hawaii Five-O fans.
One damn fine post! Thank you!

I am up to the 9th episode of season 10 and Chin of late seems to have at most one line, or worse, McGarrett merely tells Duke to "go get Chin and check it out"
without an appearance onscreen. Maybe he was ill at this time? I know from previous mentions in this thread that his character leaves the show in later seasons, were the producers
already easing him out by slashing his screen time? I feel bad about this as he once was a veteran HPD cop in real life and he added a lot to the show and no doubt gave insight on scripts
if they went too far afield from the way the police behave in real life.

On another subject, "One Big Happy Family" from season 6 is one of my favorites so recently I was checking it out on various sites.
I would remind everyone it was a brilliant, chilling look at a family of white trash whose banal and pointless killings of over 150 innocents across America, for literally pocket change,
had escaped the notice of the authorities simply because they were such insignificant, pointless wastes of space that they were practically invisible.
Perhaps the writers were making a larger point on such poverty stricken, poorly educated people being overlooked by society, instead of being helped?
So that in a sense they were striking back at their tormentors?
That would be the case if this were a Stirling Silliphant script for "Route 66", that society had decreed by it's ignoring and dooming of them that they had no value as humans,
so was it surprising this family in turn viewed society at large in the same manner?
Of course I could be way off regarding the writer's intent, but I have been re-watching "Route 66" and those scripts too can have so many layers it is an axiom you have to watch
many of the episodes 2 or 3 times to "get it".

One last thing, at another Hawaii Five-O site a "fan" named Otto commented on this disturbing, horrifying episode thusly:

"That's one sick episode. I love it. I'm laughing just thinking about it."

Okayyyyy. This guy is the kind that snaps and goes on a crime spree and when the neighbors are asked about him, they invariably say "he was a quiet man".
Otto, please don't move to Jersey. I hear Pahonu has many nice things to say about California and the climate is much warmer.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Pahonu noted the last two seasons aren't that great but I'm on season 10 now and that isn't exactly going gangbusters either. Something just seems to be missing from the series, it doesn't snap,
I keep waiting for those terrific moments that occurred right before suddenly fading to the shot of ocean waves, then a commercial.

You hit it square on the head, Dobie, when you mentioned those commercial breaks with the ocean wave. That's what really sets season 10 apart from the earlier seasons and that's what immediately got my attention when I was going through season 10 on Netflix some 12 years ago or so. All too often these "commercial waves" come in when nothing particularly shocking or exciting is happening on screen. Too often you find yourself yawning during these "wave" breaks because nothing exciting is happening. It's simply time for a commercial break. This was never the case during the earlier seasons. Sure, there were some exceptions but by and large the "wave" breaks came in during something pretty exciting happening on screen. Something that made you perk up. Season 10 was the first season where this no longer seemed to be the case. That's why most folks agree that season 10 is where the show for the first time seemed to lose some major steam and displayed a pretty big step down in quality. You can definitely feel it. Even though the core 4-man team from season 9 is still there (McGarrett, Danno, Chin, Duke) you can tell that this DOES NOT feel like an extension of season 9. In fact there was a change in producers and writers right at the start of season 10. Robert Janes is probably the #1 new name that you see from here on out that you didn't see before. He wrote like half the episodes this season. Writers like Jerome Coopersmith or directors like Michael O'Herlihy are gone by this point. I don't know if it was the new writers/producers or just the general trend TV took at the time but the show definitely felt different starting with season 10. More laid-back, lack of urgency, not as gripping. Seemed like they were coasting, reusing a lot of plot points from earlier seasons but with none of the excitement or sense of danger. McGarrett began to slow down, started being more preachy and philosophical. Lots of special favors for the governor this season that McGarrett had to handle (often to his dislike), many dealing with various high society or snooty friends of the governor.

I know that different folks have different opinions about when Five-O was at its peak. Generally season 6 is considered to be the show's peak - some of the most disturbing episodes aired during that season ("One Big Happy Family" and "Nightmare in Blue" in particular). Then there was a slight drop in quality starting with season 7. Some feel that the show rebounded with season 8. Personally I feel that season 7 is stronger than season 8 and that season 9 is stronger than season 8 also. But these are minor quibbles. The bottom line is that even if there was some drop in quality it was pretty insignificant. Those seasons still offered some knock-out episodes. Not so with season 10. My favorite from this season is "Tsunami". But that's about it. All the others are watchable in their own right but none of them really grab you in any significant way. There was a clear downward shift with season 10. No doubt about it.

Ivan,
The above was in another thread but your response was so informative and detailed and summed up the later seasons so well I thought it should be here for all of us Hawaii Five-O fans.
One damn fine post! Thank you!

I am up to the 9th episode of season 10 and Chin of late seems to have at most one line, or worse, McGarrett merely tells Duke to "go get Chin and check it out"
without an appearance onscreen. Maybe he was ill at this time? I know from previous mentions in this thread that his character leaves the show in later seasons, were the producers
already easing him out by slashing his screen time? I feel bad about this as he once was a veteran HPD cop in real life and he added a lot to the show and no doubt gave insight on scripts
if they went too far afield from the way the police behave in real life.

On another subject, "One Big Happy Family" from season 6 is one of my favorites so recently I was checking it out on various sites.
I would remind everyone it was a brilliant, chilling look at a family of white trash whose banal and pointless killings of over 150 innocents across America, for literally pocket change,
had escaped the notice of the authorities simply because they were such insignificant, pointless wastes of space that they were practically invisible.
Perhaps the writers were making a larger point on such poverty stricken, poorly educated people being overlooked by society, instead of being helped?
So that in a sense they were striking back at their tormentors?
That would be the case if this were a Stirling Silliphant script for "Route 66", that society had decreed by it's ignoring and dooming of them that they had no value as humans,
so was it surprising this family in turn viewed society at large in the same manner?
Of course I could be way off regarding the writer's intent, but I have been re-watching "Route 66" and those scripts too can have so many layers it is an axiom you have to watch
many of the episodes 2 or 3 times to "get it".

One last thing, at another Hawaii Five-O site a "fan" named Otto commented on this disturbing, horrifying episode thusly:

"That's one sick episode. I love it. I'm laughing just thinking about it."

Okayyyyy. This guy is the kind that snaps and goes on a crime spree and when the neighbors are asked about him, they invariably say "he was a quiet man".
Otto, please don't move to Jersey. I hear Pahonu has many nice things to say about California and the climate is much warmer.

Thanks for moving this topic over here, where it belongs!

If you just finished watching episode 9 of season 10 then you actually just watched one of the better episodes of the season. "Deep Cover" was a good (especially for season 10) espionage story, with the gorgeous 2-time Bond girl Maud Adams playing the duplicitous enemy agent. I definitely enjoyed this one! But there's a real stinker ahead so be forewarned - "Tread the King's Shadow". One of the worst of the entire series! I'm curious what you thought of "Descent of the Torches". It's supposed to be a very "Hawaiian" episode with a strong emphasis on Hawaiian culture and its past and all kinds of taboos/kapus. Some fans rate this one highly and Mr. Mike considers it among the best of the season. But I never cared for it. The first time I saw it I downright hated it. Then I kind of warmed to it a bit on repeat viewings but I still find it very skippable. I'm just curious what you thought of it. It's very different from your typical Five-O episode. I'm not even sure a crime was committed and we never really get a resolution at the end. Was there a crime? Who done it? It's all left very open-ended and unresolved. Strange episode. I like Hawaiian history but I just found the episode pretty dull on the whole with not much going on.

You're right about Kam Fong slowly disappearing during season 10. Duke seemed to get more screen time and Chin sort of disappeared into the background. Not sure why this happened. By season 11 Chin was gone for good. I have a feeling maybe Kam Fong wanted out of the show. It's been 10 years and maybe he just thought it was time to go. I know Kam had some disagreements about how his character should exit but I think he was ready to leave the show. I also thought Kam kind of looked ill at times. I can't remember which season (maybe 8 or 9) but he started looking kind of gaunt in the face area. If you look at the earlier seasons he had this round puffy face but somewhere around season 8 or 9 his face suddenly became more gaunt and skinny. I thought maybe it was just him aging but I don't know if one can age so fast. So maybe he got sick somewhere along the way and it started taking a toll on his body. So that's another theory.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Pahonu noted the last two seasons aren't that great but I'm on season 10 now and that isn't exactly going gangbusters either. Something just seems to be missing from the series, it doesn't snap,
I keep waiting for those terrific moments that occurred right before suddenly fading to the shot of ocean waves, then a commercial.

You hit it square on the head, Dobie, when you mentioned those commercial breaks with the ocean wave. That's what really sets season 10 apart from the earlier seasons and that's what immediately got my attention when I was going through season 10 on Netflix some 12 years ago or so. All too often these "commercial waves" come in when nothing particularly shocking or exciting is happening on screen. Too often you find yourself yawning during these "wave" breaks because nothing exciting is happening. It's simply time for a commercial break. This was never the case during the earlier seasons. Sure, there were some exceptions but by and large the "wave" breaks came in during something pretty exciting happening on screen. Something that made you perk up. Season 10 was the first season where this no longer seemed to be the case. That's why most folks agree that season 10 is where the show for the first time seemed to lose some major steam and displayed a pretty big step down in quality. You can definitely feel it. Even though the core 4-man team from season 9 is still there (McGarrett, Danno, Chin, Duke) you can tell that this DOES NOT feel like an extension of season 9. In fact there was a change in producers and writers right at the start of season 10. Robert Janes is probably the #1 new name that you see from here on out that you didn't see before. He wrote like half the episodes this season. Writers like Jerome Coopersmith or directors like Michael O'Herlihy are gone by this point. I don't know if it was the new writers/producers or just the general trend TV took at the time but the show definitely felt different starting with season 10. More laid-back, lack of urgency, not as gripping. Seemed like they were coasting, reusing a lot of plot points from earlier seasons but with none of the excitement or sense of danger. McGarrett began to slow down, started being more preachy and philosophical. Lots of special favors for the governor this season that McGarrett had to handle (often to his dislike), many dealing with various high society or snooty friends of the governor.

I know that different folks have different opinions about when Five-O was at its peak. Generally season 6 is considered to be the show's peak - some of the most disturbing episodes aired during that season ("One Big Happy Family" and "Nightmare in Blue" in particular). Then there was a slight drop in quality starting with season 7. Some feel that the show rebounded with season 8. Personally I feel that season 7 is stronger than season 8 and that season 9 is stronger than season 8 also. But these are minor quibbles. The bottom line is that even if there was some drop in quality it was pretty insignificant. Those seasons still offered some knock-out episodes. Not so with season 10. My favorite from this season is "Tsunami". But that's about it. All the others are watchable in their own right but none of them really grab you in any significant way. There was a clear downward shift with season 10. No doubt about it.

Ivan,
The above was in another thread but your response was so informative and detailed and summed up the later seasons so well I thought it should be here for all of us Hawaii Five-O fans.
One damn fine post! Thank you!

I am up to the 9th episode of season 10 and Chin of late seems to have at most one line, or worse, McGarrett merely tells Duke to "go get Chin and check it out"
without an appearance onscreen. Maybe he was ill at this time? I know from previous mentions in this thread that his character leaves the show in later seasons, were the producers
already easing him out by slashing his screen time? I feel bad about this as he once was a veteran HPD cop in real life and he added a lot to the show and no doubt gave insight on scripts
if they went too far afield from the way the police behave in real life.

On another subject, "One Big Happy Family" from season 6 is one of my favorites so recently I was checking it out on various sites.
I would remind everyone it was a brilliant, chilling look at a family of white trash whose banal and pointless killings of over 150 innocents across America, for literally pocket change,
had escaped the notice of the authorities simply because they were such insignificant, pointless wastes of space that they were practically invisible.
Perhaps the writers were making a larger point on such poverty stricken, poorly educated people being overlooked by society, instead of being helped?
So that in a sense they were striking back at their tormentors?
That would be the case if this were a Stirling Silliphant script for "Route 66", that society had decreed by it's ignoring and dooming of them that they had no value as humans,
so was it surprising this family in turn viewed society at large in the same manner?
Of course I could be way off regarding the writer's intent, but I have been re-watching "Route 66" and those scripts too can have so many layers it is an axiom you have to watch
many of the episodes 2 or 3 times to "get it".

One last thing, at another Hawaii Five-O site a "fan" named Otto commented on this disturbing, horrifying episode thusly:

"That's one sick episode. I love it. I'm laughing just thinking about it."

Okayyyyy. This guy is the kind that snaps and goes on a crime spree and when the neighbors are asked about him, they invariably say "he was a quiet man".
Otto, please don't move to Jersey. I hear Pahonu has many nice things to say about California and the climate is much warmer.

Thanks for moving this topic over here, where it belongs!
If you just finished watching episode 9 of season 10 then you actually just watched one of the better episodes of the season. "Deep Cover" was a good (especially for season 10) espionage story, with the gorgeous 2-time Bond girl Maud Adams playing the duplicitous enemy agent. I definitely enjoyed this one! But there's a real stinker ahead so be forewarned - "Tread the King's Shadow". One of the worst of the entire series! I'm curious what you thought of "Descent of the Torches". It's supposed to be a very "Hawaiian" episode with a strong emphasis on Hawaiian culture and its past and all kinds of taboos/kapus. Some fans rate this one highly and Mr. Mike considers it among the best of the season. But I never cared for it. The first time I saw it I downright hated it. Then I kind of warmed to it a bit on repeat viewings but I still find it very skippable. I'm just curious what you thought of it. It's very different from your typical Five-O episode. I'm not even sure a crime was committed and we never really get a resolution at the end. Was there a crime? Who done it? It's all left very open-ended and unresolved. Strange episode. I like Hawaiian history but I just found the episode pretty dull on the whole with not much going on.
You're right about Kam Fong slowly disappearing during season 10. Duke seemed to get more screen time and Chin sort of disappeared into the background. Not sure why this happened. By season 11 Chin was gone for good. I have a feeling maybe Kam Fong wanted out of the show. It's been 10 years and maybe he just thought it was time to go. I know Kam had some disagreements about how his character should exit but I think he was ready to leave the show. I also thought Kam kind of looked ill at times. I can't remember which season (maybe 8 or 9) but he started looking kind of gaunt in the face area. If you look at the earlier seasons he had this round puffy face but somewhere around season 8 or 9 his face suddenly became more gaunt and skinny. I thought maybe it was just him aging but I don't know if one can age so fast. So maybe he got sick somewhere along the way and it started taking a toll on his body. So that's another theory.

Hi Ivan,
Yes, just saw "Deep Cover" with the perfect Maud Adams in a bikini, wow! If a "10" is a "9" who owns a bar, then (as I once said after meeting Kelly LeBrock), Maude must own a brewery.

I am on Team Ivan regarding "Descent of the Torches", it should have and could have been better with some rewrites.
Why the pointless subplot with the 2 mooks looking for the cape as well?
Like you I also like when Hawaiian history is dwelt on in episodes but none of those seem to have hit it out of the ballpark, and given the rich historical material there for the taking they should have.
I haven't seen the Ina Balin(she was aces in The Comancheros)episode of Magnum in a very long time where she is a Uni professor but I recall that wasn't any great shakes either.

I recall when Hawaii Five-O swiped almost word for word the Hawaiian Eye episode "Somewhere There's Music" about 3 punks stealing an expensive Strad violin(same writer).
With that in mind, the "Descent of the Torches" writers may have found inspiration in a number of other prior productions:

The Hawaiian Eye episode "The King Kamehameha Cloak"(Jan.13, 1960) also used both the cloak and it being hidden in a volcanic lava tube as part of the story.
As with Duke, given the cultural implications, Hawaiian native Tom Lopaka(Robert Conrad) is on the case(in one of the last episodes, he is also revealed to be a menehune!).
Perry Mason used the same scenario as well. I always remember that episode because it looked to me that for once they actually left Hollywood and filmed on location.
And correct me if I'm wrong but didn't some kids swipe the cloak in an early Hawaii Five-O?

I was taking close note of Kam Fong's appearance today and his face looked waxen and unhealthy.
I think I will do a search such as "Honolulu Star-Advertiser - Kam Fong's health in last years of Hawaii Five-O" and see what results.
That paper - the result of the union of two older papers in 2010 - seems to be the go to resource for contemporary news on Hawaii Five-O.
Or at least it seems to possess all the files of the 2 papers it absorbed.

[Mr. Mike]

I am just catching up with things, not having been around here for a while.

There is an episode of Perry Mason which has some similarities to Descent of the Torches. If you go to the page

https://fiveohomepage.com/5-0log10.htm#219

and then below where the screenshots are, you can read my "anal-ysis" of this Perry Mason episode.

Other H50 shows which seem to have an earlier life include S02E02, To Hell With Babe Ruth:

https://fiveohomepage.com/5-0log2.htm#25

===

To quote myself:

There are some interesting parallels between this show [Babe Ruth] and the third episode of Hawaiian Eye (a precursor to Five-O by about 10 years — in fact, the earlier episode was broadcast almost exactly 10 years before). The Hawaiian Eye show, written by Steven Ritch, is entitled "Second Day of Infamy," and it seems impossible to believe that Anthony Lawrence, who wrote "Babe Ruth," was not aware of it. Thanks to Peter Bergman for bringing this to my attention many years ago.

Yatto Mitsuki, a Japanese officer, was part of an espionage team which landed in Hawaii before Pearl Harbor. After a confrontation with the local authorities at the time, he received a head wound which resulted in amnesia. He has been confined to the Oahu Mental Hospital ever since, and when he escapes at the beginning of the show, Hawaiian Eye (a Honolulu detective agency) is hired to find him.

Mitsuki doesn't know that the war is over, and when he sees the the Pacific fleet is no longer in Pearl Harbor, he wants to warn the Japanese authorities, figuring he will be handsomely rewarded. He tries to track down his former contacts, but is unsuccessful, except for his old girl friend Sumiko Natago (played by Miiko Taka, who was the love interest of Marlon Brando's character in the movie Sayonara). Stealing some dynamite from a construction site, Mitsuki tries to blow up a fuel depot, but is stopped in the nick of time.

One big difference with this earlier show is the lead is actually played by a Japanese character actor — Yuki Shimoda, who does a very good job. Five-O regular Doug Mossman also appears in this episode as Marty, the security guard at the Hawaiian Eye office (a recurring part).

===

And, as discussed here elsewhere, there is the stolen violin episode, S03E05 (https://fiveohomepage.com/5-0log3.htm#53)

Not only is the story of Hawaiian Eye S04E02, Somewhere There's Music, very similar to Five-O's S03E05, The Guarnerius Caper, about two white trash types who find a priceless violin in a car they have stolen, but so is the writer of both episodes, Ken Pettus. This leads into a lot of questions about "How could he get away with this?" which I am not going to discuss.

[Mr. Mike]

With regard to Chin Ho's demise on H50, this is what Kam Fong said at the 1996 H50 convention in Burbank:

Kam said that he originally wanted Chin Ho to "retire gracefully," and fought the idea of having his character murdered. There was even talk of the production company suing Kam for breaking his contract! Then someone told him that it was an honour if you were a regular in a TV show and you were knocked off ... this meant that no one else could play your character. Later Kam said it was a Hollywood superstition that "if one of the regulars leaves, the show falls down." Someone in the audience said, "Oh, this must mean that everything after the fourth season [when Zoulou left] was no good!"

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

I am just catching up with things, not having been around here for a while.

There is an episode of Perry Mason which has some similarities to Descent of the Torches. If you go to the page

https://fiveohomepage.com/5-0log10.htm#219

and then below where the screenshots are, you can read my "anal-ysis" of this Perry Mason episode.

Other H50 shows which seem to have an earlier life include S02E02, To Hell With Babe Ruth:

https://fiveohomepage.com/5-0log2.htm#25
===

To quote myself:

There are some interesting parallels between this show [Babe Ruth] and the third episode of Hawaiian Eye (a precursor to Five-O by about 10 years — in fact, the earlier episode was broadcast almost exactly 10 years before). The Hawaiian Eye show, written by Steven Ritch, is entitled "Second Day of Infamy," and it seems impossible to believe that Anthony Lawrence, who wrote "Babe Ruth," was not aware of it. Thanks to Peter Bergman for bringing this to my attention many years ago.

Yatto Mitsuki, a Japanese officer, was part of an espionage team which landed in Hawaii before Pearl Harbor. After a confrontation with the local authorities at the time, he received a head wound which resulted in amnesia. He has been confined to the Oahu Mental Hospital ever since, and when he escapes at the beginning of the show, Hawaiian Eye (a Honolulu detective agency) is hired to find him.

Mitsuki doesn't know that the war is over, and when he sees the the Pacific fleet is no longer in Pearl Harbor, he wants to warn the Japanese authorities, figuring he will be handsomely rewarded. He tries to track down his former contacts, but is unsuccessful, except for his old girl friend Sumiko Natago (played by Miiko Taka, who was the love interest of Marlon Brando's character in the movie Sayonara). Stealing some dynamite from a construction site, Mitsuki tries to blow up a fuel depot, but is stopped in the nick of time.

One big difference with this earlier show is the lead is actually played by a Japanese character actor — Yuki Shimoda, who does a very good job. Five-O regular Doug Mossman also appears in this episode as Marty, the security guard at the Hawaiian Eye office (a recurring part).

===

And, as discussed here elsewhere, there is the stolen violin episode, S03E05 (https://fiveohomepage.com/5-0log3.htm#53)

Not only is the story of Hawaiian Eye S04E02, Somewhere There's Music, very similar to Five-O's S03E05, The Guarnerius Caper, about two white trash types who find a priceless violin in a car they have stolen, but so is the writer of both episodes, Ken Pettus. This leads into a lot of questions about "How could he get away with this?" which I am not going to discuss.

Mr. Mike,
Aha, it wasn't just me, a TV maven like yourself noted a similarity to the Perry Mason episode as well.
Kudos on a most excellent job on your site, it is obvious you put a lot of effort and heart into it. I now recall you posting here some time back and the discussion about Hawaiian Eye being victimized
through the machinations of the Hawaii Five-O crew in what might be called the Stolen Violin Plot Caper - "We're getting booked Dan-O, Plagiarism One!"
Okay, I know, it's by the same author, but still, the script was hardly changed.
It would be like having the famous "To Serve Man" episode of the Twilight Zone being recycled into Seinfeld, ending with Jerry running up to the alien's(Newman's) spacecraft as it started to leave
with future cattle on the hoof Kramer aboard, yelling out "it's a cookbook!"