Season 1 Episode 1: I Saw the Sun Rise - Pilot (1.1)

[KENJI]

Hi Gang,
I just added the poll for everyone's reviews.....no Conch, you can't say it's awful now.....you'll have to wait until it comes out in a few weeks.
Looking forward to seeing the results!

[T.Q.]

Hi Gang,
I just added the poll for everyone's reviews.....no Conch, you can't say it's awful now.....you'll have to wait until it comes out in a few weeks.
Looking forward to seeing the results!

You should add a special rating of 0.0 (Refuse to Watch) because I’m actually curious how many members aren’t even gonna give it a try.

I’m planning on watching the pilot.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Just like I watched the Five-Zero pilot back in 2010 I'll be watching this MPi pilot too. I'll make sure I watch it on an empty stomach and of course my barf bag with be at the ready. But hey, curiosity can be a powerful thing!

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Another behind the scenes exclusive from the Magnum Mania Investigative Unit... here's a photo of Perdita Weeks in wardrobe this morning

Rembrandt's Girl,
Good work getting this, thank you for sharing.
Have you ever seen the excellent 1982 James Garner movie, "Victor/Victoria"? Julie Andrews is a woman pretending
to be a man who is a female impersonator and becomes the toast of the Paris night clubs with a large gay following.
This beyond unflattering photo of Perdita Weeks as a butch Miss Higgins seems to me to be mining the same territory.
I'm guessing we aren't going to have to worry anymore about the old Magnum-Higgins dynamic being ruined by them having a romantic relationship.
Higgins with Agatha maybe, perhaps Bee Taylor if she vacations to Hawaii with Thelma Lou and stays at Robins Nest, but not Magnum.
In fact this sort of thing is the kind of move a wily producer would do to check off all the boxes to attract a large, diverse audience. A supposedly hunky
actor as New Magnum to attract women, average looking TC and Rick catnip for the ladies to a lesser degree.
A lesbian, butch Higgins to attract the Gay community as well as garnering mucho publicity for "daring" to update the character that way, the show then
being showered with awards and kudos for same.
The hole in this theory is that the actor portraying New Magnum may not measure up, so all the new 21st century stylish sensibilities of the moment may not matter.
This is all depressing me, I thought Perdita Weeks was supposed to be a babe. Maybe Rembrant's Girl will come across a better photo of her from before
they turned her into this mess. Fred Mertz in drag - shudder - has more sex appeal.

[KENJI]

Hi Gang,
I just added the poll for everyone's reviews.....no Conch, you can't say it's awful now.....you'll have to wait until it comes out in a few weeks.
Looking forward to seeing the results!

You should add a special rating of 0.0 (Refuse to Watch) because I’m actually curious how many members aren’t even gonna give it a try.

I’m planning on watching the pilot.

Hi TQ,
I've added Refuse to Watch to the poll.
I guess that covers the bases and everyone can now participate.
I'm sure the results/comments will be interesting!

[Kevster]

The poll won't be worth much with all those ZEROs skewing the average....

[Gamer77]

Another behind the scenes exclusive from the Magnum Mania Investigative Unit... here's a photo of Perdita Weeks in wardrobe this morning

Your picture made me think... isn't it politically incorrect to use the term Dobermans? Shouldn't it be "Doberpersons"?

And, shouldn't at least one of those dogs be a member of the "LGBTQXIYZSMTP0123 community"?

It sexually identifies as a Garden Gnome. They usually remove the hat during takes but there's been talk of leaving it on for an episode in order to build awareness for the Island Gnome diaspora caused by Kilauea's most recent eruptions. In this episode, "If You Kick Us..." with help from Apollo, Magnum goes undercover within the Island Gnome community to find the culprit behind a series of disturbing beard shearings and hat thefts.

[erock308]

Has any one found a Leaked copy online? post a link if so

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Another behind the scenes exclusive from the Magnum Mania Investigative Unit... here's a photo of Perdita Weeks in wardrobe this morning

Rembrandt's Girl,
It just occurred to me. Did you alter an authentic Higgins photo, replacing Jonathon's face with Perdita Weeks? And that I completely missed the humor of it
and went on a rant about the New Higgins being 'a mess' who would be interested in dating Aunt Bee Taylor? Boy am I a dope, just call me Mister Thickey.
As the noted philosopher Grandpa Munster observed, "Schnooks rush in where wise men fear to tread".

"Klaatu Birada Nikto"...Gort the Robot

[308GUY]

Yes...it's a photoshop....it's Hillermans body with Weeks head/face.
Look at the estate behind him/her....if you can't tell from the "figure"....that's NOT where they are portraying the nest...in fact as you know....it doesn't even exist anymore.

Don't feel too bad though...it's a pretty good job...for a "quicky".

Love the Gort quote!

[Rembrandt's Girl]

Another behind the scenes exclusive from the Magnum Mania Investigative Unit... here's a photo of Perdita Weeks in wardrobe this morning

Rembrandt's Girl,
It just occurred to me. Did you alter an authentic Higgins photo, replacing Jonathon's face with Perdita Weeks? And that I completely missed the humor of it
and went on a rant about the New Higgins being 'a mess' who would be interested in dating Aunt Bee Taylor? Boy am I a dope, just call me Mister Thickey.
As the noted philosopher Grandpa Munster observed, "Schnooks rush in where wise men fear to tread".

"Klaatu Birada Nikto"...Gort the Robot

Hi Mister Thickey (just kidding!!!!!)

Yes, exactly, it was Photoshopped.... and you're not a dope! I read your post but I wasn't sure if you thought the pic was real or if your entire post was meant to be tongue-in-cheek so I didn't quite know how to respond. Here's the pic of Higgy & the Lads that I used.... maybe you recognize it now?



p.s. - I love your Grandpa Munster quote!

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Another behind the scenes exclusive from the Magnum Mania Investigative Unit... here's a photo of Perdita Weeks in wardrobe this morning

Rembrandt's Girl,
It just occurred to me. Did you alter an authentic Higgins photo, replacing Jonathon's face with Perdita Weeks? And that I completely missed the humor of it
and went on a rant about the New Higgins being 'a mess' who would be interested in dating Aunt Bee Taylor? Boy am I a dope, just call me Mister Thickey.
As the noted philosopher Grandpa Munster observed, "Schnooks rush in where wise men fear to tread".
"Klaatu Birada Nikto"...Gort the Robot

Hi Mister Thickey (just kidding!!!!!)
Yes, exactly, it was Photoshopped.... and you're not a dope! I read your post but I wasn't sure if you thought the pic was real or if your entire post was meant to be tongue-in-cheek so I didn't quite know how to respond. Here's the pic of Higgy & the Lads that I used.... maybe you recognize it now?


p.s. - I love your Grandpa Munster quote!

Hi Rembrandt's girl,
Yes I do recognize it, and as 308Guy noted the background is now torn down so it could not be Perdita in any event. Al "Grandpa Munster" Lewis and Fred Gwynne starred in both The Munsters and Car 54 Where Are You, each series running only 2 years. A lot of the same humor runs thru both shows, and while
The Munsters has done much better in reruns, comedy experts consider Car 54 one of the best sitcoms ever.

"Old Hawaiian saying: One day we shall be strangers in our own land"
original Hawaii 5-0 episode 4
(when is the last time the new version had a quotable line?)

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

"Old Hawaiian saying: One day we shall be strangers in our own land"
original Hawaii 5-0 episode 4
(when is the last time the new version had a quotable line?)

Kono (Zulu) says this as the last line in the episode, after a wounded Benny Kalua (Simon Oakland) drives the bulldozer into the shed filled with dynamite and gets blown up! It's a great episode and it was Zulu's personal favorite. In my opinion the show hit its stride right from the get-go, right from the 2-hour pilot movie "Cocoon" (which the new Five-Zero has remade and will air next Friday on CBS to kick off its 9th season). I may be in the minority but the 1st season remains my favorite, although it's hard to pick between the first 6 seasons in particular - they were stellar! But I just love that late 60s hippy vibe of that first season - really groovy! Plus Jack Lord was a firecracker in that first season! You DO NOT want to piss off season 1 McGarrett. Towards the latter seasons Lord slowed down considerably (given his age it makes sense) but in the early seasons, especially season 1, he was on fire! Plus the 1st season also had my all-time favorite Five-O baddie. Nope not Wo Fat, but the slimy and hippie-spouting dope pusher "Big Chicken" played with gusto by Gavin MacLeod (pre-MTM and LOVE BOAT).

Miller (Andrew Duggan) to Brent (Leslie Nielsen) in the pilot: "Everybody knows that Steve McGarrett only takes orders from the Governor and God. And occasionally, even they have trouble".

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

"Old Hawaiian saying: One day we shall be strangers in our own land"
original Hawaii 5-0 episode 4
(when is the last time the new version had a quotable line?)

Kono (Zulu) says this as the last line in the episode, after a wounded Benny Kalua (Simon Oakland) drives the bulldozer into the shed filled with dynamite and gets blown up! It's a great episode and it was Zulu's personal favorite. In my opinion the show hit its stride right from the get-go, right from the 2-hour pilot movie "Cocoon" (which the new Five-Zero has remade and will air next Friday on CBS to kick off its 9th season). I may be in the minority but the 1st season remains my favorite, although it's hard to pick between the first 6 seasons in particular - they were stellar! But I just love that late 60s hippy vibe of that first season - really groovy! Plus Jack Lord was a firecracker in that first season! You DO NOT want to piss off season 1 McGarrett. Towards the latter seasons Lord slowed down considerably (given his age it makes sense) but in the early seasons, especially season 1, he was on fire! Plus the 1st season also had my all-time favorite Five-O baddie. Nope not Wo Fat, but the slimy and hippie-spouting dope pusher "Big Chicken" played with gusto by Gavin MacLeod (pre-MTM and LOVE BOAT).

Miller (Andrew Duggan) to Brent (Leslie Nielsen) in the pilot: "Everybody knows that Steve McGarrett only takes orders from the Governor and God. And occasionally, even they have trouble".

Hi Ivan,
Thanks for the great post. I remember watching the pilot movie with my older brothers - CBS had heavily promoted it for weeks - and thought it was the most exciting thing on TV ever. Everybody talked about it the next day, it was cutting edge cool plus Hawaii in 1968 seemed like a foreign planet to Jerseyites.
As for Simon Oakland, he was in my favorite episode ever, Reunion (1970).
When ME-TV reran it earlier this year, I was bowled over by the great writing and acting. Simon Oakland put on a clinic for wannabe actors, I think it was the best thing he ever did. Since Hawaii 5-0 hasn't been rerun much in the NYC area - I hadn't seen "Reunion" since I was a kid - I was taken aback both by it, and as you noted, the early seasons of Hawaii 5-0. CBS obviously spared no expense on every facet, most amazing to me was the quality of the film stock itself, the colors more vibrant and rich than any current series, it looked brand new.
I know nothing about it myself but I read somewhere that though current tech allows many things to be done with what we see on screen, the Pros acknowledge
that they cannot currently measure up to the quality of the image shown on the old(much more expensive) film stock and the (then) beyond expert lighting crews.
Also, by the 1960's many of the big movies studios had folded, so the television industry benefited by suddenly having the greatest pool of veteran film production experts in the world at their disposal, geniuses responsible for the color photography or any other facet in flicks like "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" or "Giant". Some kid today coming out of film school or with 4 years experience could never match these guys with 20 years of work in the Golden Age of Movie Making, hence the movie like quality of Hawaii 5-0 or The High Chaparral. But I digress.
Ivan, awesome McGarrett quote pal. If you have some more please share some time.

"I was born in a hospital. I wanted to be close to me mother"
Curly Howard, The Three Stooges

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

"Old Hawaiian saying: One day we shall be strangers in our own land"
original Hawaii 5-0 episode 4
(when is the last time the new version had a quotable line?)

Kono (Zulu) says this as the last line in the episode, after a wounded Benny Kalua (Simon Oakland) drives the bulldozer into the shed filled with dynamite and gets blown up! It's a great episode and it was Zulu's personal favorite. In my opinion the show hit its stride right from the get-go, right from the 2-hour pilot movie "Cocoon" (which the new Five-Zero has remade and will air next Friday on CBS to kick off its 9th season). I may be in the minority but the 1st season remains my favorite, although it's hard to pick between the first 6 seasons in particular - they were stellar! But I just love that late 60s hippy vibe of that first season - really groovy! Plus Jack Lord was a firecracker in that first season! You DO NOT want to piss off season 1 McGarrett. Towards the latter seasons Lord slowed down considerably (given his age it makes sense) but in the early seasons, especially season 1, he was on fire! Plus the 1st season also had my all-time favorite Five-O baddie. Nope not Wo Fat, but the slimy and hippie-spouting dope pusher "Big Chicken" played with gusto by Gavin MacLeod (pre-MTM and LOVE BOAT).

Miller (Andrew Duggan) to Brent (Leslie Nielsen) in the pilot: "Everybody knows that Steve McGarrett only takes orders from the Governor and God. And occasionally, even they have trouble".

Hi Ivan,
Thanks for the great post. I remember watching the pilot movie with my older brothers - CBS had heavily promoted it for weeks - and thought it was the most exciting thing on TV ever. Everybody talked about it the next day, it was cutting edge cool plus Hawaii in 1968 seemed like a foreign planet to Jerseyites.
As for Simon Oakland, he was in my favorite episode ever, Reunion (1970).
When ME-TV reran it earlier this year, I was bowled over by the great writing and acting. Simon Oakland put on a clinic for wannabe actors, I think it was the best thing he ever did. Since Hawaii 5-0 hasn't been rerun much in the NYC area - I hadn't seen "Reunion" since I was a kid - I was taken aback both by it, and as you noted, the early seasons of Hawaii 5-0. CBS obviously spared no expense on every facet, most amazing to me was the quality of the film stock itself, the colors more vibrant and rich than any current series, it looked brand new.
I know nothing about it myself but I read somewhere that though current tech allows many things to be done with what we see on screen, the Pros acknowledge
that they cannot currently measure up to the quality of the image shown on the old(much more expensive) film stock and the (then) beyond expert lighting crews.
Also, by the 1960's many of the big movies studios had folded, so the television industry benefited by suddenly having the greatest pool of veteran film production experts in the world at their disposal, geniuses responsible for the color photography or any other facet in flicks like "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" or "Giant". Some kid today coming out of film school or with 4 years experience could never match these guys with 20 years of work in the Golden Age of Movie Making, hence the movie like quality of Hawaii 5-0 or The High Chaparral. But I digress.
Ivan, awesome McGarrett quote pal. If you have some more please share some time.

"I was born in a hospital. I wanted to be close to me mother"
Curly Howard, The Three Stooges

Oh, I love "The Reunion". Stellar episode from season 3, and as you noted, by far the best piece of acting that Simon Oakland had ever done! His desperation and frustration was palpable! Teru Shimada was also great as Shigato/Rashiri. Shimada had previously played Mr. Osato in the 1967 James Bond flick YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (as a SPECTRE agent). I remember when I first saw the episode I honestly did not know which way the episode was going to go with Shigato being Rashiri. I kept wondering is he or isn't he? Is he or isn't he? In some shows they telephone certain things from a mile away and you know exactly where the story will go, but FIVE-O was too clever for that. That's why I knew this development could have gone either way.

I also agree with you on the beautiful picture quality. As I watch my season 1 DVD the colors simply pop! Beautiful natural colors (of course the Hawaiian beauty certainly helped) without any of those modern filters that they apply on top of the natural colors. I can't stand that!! Of course it also helps that Paramount did restoration work on its DVD releases for FIVE-O, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, MANNIX - they really care about their output. Shame that Universal didn't show the same level of care with its releases of MAGNUM, KNIGHT RIDER, A-TEAM, etc. It's funny watching a show from the 60s which looks better than a show from the 80s. I'm sure it's not just different film stock that was used, but the overall lack of cleaning up and restoring the original prints as was done by Paramount for its DVD releases. Universal dropped the ball on that one.

I agree about film talent coming onboard to work on TV shows in the 60s. "Cocoon" looks and feels like a movie (in fact it was actually shown in movie theaters at the time) - it feels like a cross between Five-O and James Bond, especially with a villain like Wo Fat and a brain-drain doomsday contraption like the Cocoon chamber. And who was the director of this pilot movie? Paul Wendkos, who was first and foremost a movie director. He has a bunch of movies to his credit, including war films and Westerns (he directed GUNS OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN!) and even 2 of the GIDGET pictures I believe.

Steve McGarrett to punk Jimmy Rego (Reni Santoni) who killed Chin Ho in season 10's "A Death in the Family": "Don't you EVER call me "cop". The name is McGARRETT, and the title is MISTER!"