Everything grows wild in a tropical climate whether it be vegetation or NFL full backs. One unexpected thing that’s always taking root in the rich soil of Honolulu is crime. Detective Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord) and his Hawaii Five-0 crew nip these dastardly plants in the bud. For this fifth outing, there’s been a replacement on the force. The husky Det. Kono Kalakaua (Zulu) is gone. Det. Ben Kokua (Al Harrington) now serves with Det. Danny Williams (James MacArthur) and Det. Chin Ho Kelly (Kam Fong) inside the Iolani Palace. Instead of ruining the show’s chemistry, the line up change elevated the 24 episodes found on Hawaii Five-O: The Fifth Season.
Even though the show didn’t have as many sci-fi storylines dealing with national defense, there’s plenty of intergalactic superstars on McGarrett’s turf. “Death Wish on Tantalus Mountain” puts Ricardo Montalban (Star Trek II‘s Khan & Fantasy Island) in a race car. His attempts at a speed record on a Hawaiian mountain keep getting sabotaged. There’s great fiery wreck action. “You Don’ t Have to Kill to Get Rich – But It Helps” sticks William Shatner (Star Trek) in the middle of a blackmail scheme. A group of locals seduce visiting businessmen and take plenty of holiday snapshots. One of their victims gets revenge by sending Shatner to the island to deliver a final payment. What will happen when the Lord and the Shatner go hair to hair?
Fans of the original Battlestar Galactica will get buzz with Starbuck and Apollo touching down. “The Child Stealers” snatches Richard Hatch (Apollo) from his nice guy image. He’s decided the best way to fund his footloose ways is to kidnap babies and sell them to an unwitting Richard Anderson (The Six Million Dollar Man‘s Oscar Goldman). He might have gotten away with his crimes, but he needs a few thousand more to buy his dream boat. His accomplice in crime is Meg Foster with her steely blue eyes. She looks like she could be an android. “Chain of Events” features a dirty politician in more than one way. A murder investigation of a public health official exposes the island as one running sore from a VD epidemic. Dirk Benedict (Starbuck & The A-Team) is a college student who has to get shots for his itching privates. This was his first TV role. McGarrett has to bring down a political candidate who has decided the best shot to fight VD isn’t penicillin, but lead.
“I’m a Family Crook – Don’t Shoot” places Andy Griffith on the completely wrong side of the law. He’s a con-man who gets the wife (Joyce Van Patten) and the kid (Kimberly Louis) involved in the grifting trade. It’s a working vacation for them in Hawaii. Andy’s so trusting. How can you not fall for his scams? Things go bad when he pulls a fast one on a mobster’s collection man. Andy finds himself hunted by two underworld giants who want more than to put a lei around his neck. “Engaged to Be Buried” twists up an island romance when Chin Ho’s daughter plans to marry Erik Estrada (CHiPs). Normally this would be a good thing except Erik’s dad (Simon Oakland of Kolchak: The Night Stalker) is a mobster. Erik plans on taking over the family business. He harasses folks into renting their coin-operated amusements. Chin Ho can’t let his little girl be trapped in a life of crime.
McGarrett’s archenemy plots to destroy America once more. “The Jin Who Clears The Way” has Wo Fat (Khigh Dhiegh) snagging an ICBM guidance system. He manipulates the son of a distinguished family as his mule to smuggle it back to China. When McGarrett finally thinks he’s nailed the Chinese agent, the tables get turned. The highlight of the season is “‘V’ for Vashon.” These were three episodes that put McGarrett against three generations of a crime family. Each episode had him tackling another family member. Harold Gould (The Sting) is the father who has done his best to make his family look legit. McGarrett has always hated the guy. Gould’s son wants to get back into the crime business and Five-O shuts him down the hardway. The grandfather wants more revenge than the father. “‘V’ for Vashon” was the peak of the series when it came to serious episodes.
Hawaii Five-O: The Fifth Season should have been a step down with Kono’s departure. While he was a popular character, he didn’t do too much. You expected him to do more than nod his head when McGarrett barked out orders. But that’s mainly what he did. Ben seems a more natural fit for this squad of top cops. He looks natural while working his contacts for information. He doesn’t take away any of the light shining down on McGarrett. The stories this season don’t get completely outlandish. This was a season when the producers made Hawaii Five-O a serious cop show without turning it completely dark and blotting out that nurturing tropical sunshine.
The Episodes
“Death is a Company Policy,” “Death Wish on Tantalus Mountain,” “You Don’t Have To Kill To Get Rich — But It Helps.,” “Pig in a Blanket,” “The Jinn Who Clears The Way,” “Fools Die Twice,” “Chain of Events,” “Journey out of Limbo,” “‘V’ For Vashon: The Son,” “‘V’ For Vashon: The Father,” “‘V’ For Vashon: The Patriarch,” “The Clock Struck Twelve,” “I’m A Family Crook — Don’t Shoot!,” “The Child Stealers,” “Thanks For The Honeymoon,” “The Listener,” “Here Today, Gone Tonight,” “The Odd Lot Caper,” “Will The Real Mr. Winkler Please Die?,” “Little Girl Blue,” “Percentage,” “Engaged To Be Buried,” “The Diamond That Nobody Stole” and “Jury of One.”
The video is 1.33:1 full frame. The transfers allow the Hawaiian backgrounds to glimmer. You feel like you’ve gone on a tropical vacation after each episode. The audio is Dolby Digital Mono. The levels are fine without any scratches or pops. There’s a Spanish dub. The subtitles are in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Episodic Promos (1:00) preview the upcoming action. Jack Lord always ends them with “Be there. Aloha.”
Hawaii Five-O: The Fifth Season has quite a few of the best episodes from the series 12-year run. “V for Vashon” is must viewing for fans of Jack Lord.
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CBS presents Hawaii Five-0: The Fifth Season. Starring Jack Lord, James MacArthur, Kam Fong and Al Harrington. Boxset Contents: 24 episodes on 6 DVDs. Released on DVD: November 18, 2008. Available at Amazon.
