The third time might be the charm for both a Hawaii Five-0 remake and a popular CBS star.
The original Hawaii Five-0 series ran on CBS for 12 years, from 1968 until 1980. Jack Lord stars as Steve McGarrett, the leader of an elite branch of the fictional Hawaii State Police. His right-hand man is Dan “Dan-O” Williams (James MacArthur). Others in the cast include Kam Fong, Herman Wedemeyer, Harry Endo, Zulu, Richard Denning, Al Harrington, Al Eben, Peggy Ryan, Glenn Cannon, Danny Kamekona, Moe Keale, Douglas Mossman, and Kwan Hi Lim.
A revival series was first attempted in 1997, led by legendary producer Stephen J. Cannell. A pilot was filmed with Gary Busey in the lead role and several castmembers from the original series returned for the project. Lord was in ill health (he died in 1998) and didn’t participate and the project was ultimately deemed “unairable” by CBS execs.
Last year, it was reported that CBS was toying with the idea of remaking Hawaii Five-0 once again. The project was to be led by be Criminal Minds executive producer Ed Bernerdo and was expected to center around Steve McGarrett’s son. It never got off the ground.
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The network decided to try again, relying this time on a team that includes a pair of feature writers who know about rebooting old TV shows. Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (Star Trek, Transformers, and Mission Impossible III) and Peter Lenkov (CSI: New York executive producer) were put in charge. Lenkov wrote the pilot script, under the supervision of Kurtzman and Orci.
CBS has now given a greenlight for the pilot and all three scribes are on board as executive producers.
EW is reporting that the network may rely on a familiar face for the lead role. It’s being rumored that Alex O’Loughlin (Three Rivers and Moonlight) is currently in discussions to play Steve McGarrett.
Last week, CBS president Nina Tassler confirmed that Three Rivers was indeed dead, freeing up the actor’s schedule. She also reiterated the network’s desire to be in business with actor. Tassler said, “We love him and want him to stay around a long time.”
What do you think? Is O’Loughlin right for the role of Steve McGarrett? Are you interested in watching a remake of Hawaii Five-0? Could this one succeed where other TV remakes have failed?
I, too, would rather see Alex as the son of Steve McGarret. That way he can establish his own character and not have to live up to an already established personna. I will watch anything he is in. But CBS needs to really support him and this show for more than one season. They owe him that much.
I think Alex is a very talented actor and can play a variety of roles. I don’t think remakes do well historically and will be surprised if this one does. However, they are selling him as if he’s a piece of meat. But even that is not the problem. What CBS did this time around to the Moonlight fans was unprofessional, vindictive and unconscionable. That being the case as a Moonlight fan I will not support any CBS products including movies. If Hawaii Five-O makes it to season 3 and I’m interested I will watch the DVD’s. Luckily I get… Read more »
Alex in Hawaii Five-O, Wow, this is going to be fantastic. I can’t say or see enough of Alex. He has the ability to take on any leading man role. On top of that, he is so gorgeous, charming, witty, lovable and a great humanitarian. I just hope they give him a good time slot and don’t keep pushing this series back for sports. I think Alex acting the role of Steve McGarrett in this series may very well be as wonderful as Moonlight was. I can hardly wait to see Alex again in Hawaii-Five-O.
I agree with Moonlightaddicted – Alex is an actor with great talent and he can do any role to perfection. If he decides to do this role I will support him,but I hope this time the CBS really support him. I wish him good luck, Alex deserves a series of great success. I would watch him in anything reasonable that is:). I don’t know why they keep taking his shows off – now others they should.
Heck yes, I would watch anything with Alex O’Loughlin in it! He’s a heart throb to me!
I will watch anything that Alex does. The demise of Moonlight and Three Rivers had nothing to do with him – it was all due to CBS and their mistakes. Alex is a brilliant talent and such a beautiful person, inside and out. I will support and enjoy all that he does. Alex is a star.
I say CBS should stop trying to correct their mistake by putting him in a different show. They NEED to bring back Moonlight!!!!!!! PLEASE?
I think it might be time for a relaunch of 5-0 but although I like him, they would have to do a drastic redo on the main character. McGarret was supposed to be all cool and swagger, hip and tough. I think Alex is too dour and suave to be that character, unless he can really stretch that way as an actor and I haven’t seen it yet.
How about just bringing Moonlight back???
AGREED!
I wish it was never cancelled but I don’t think they will bring it back on television unless omeone buys the IP and either syndicates it internationally or puts it online.
Yes please
Give it a rest with Alex O’Loughlin, he obviously isn’t that great of an actor or his shows would last. I don’t get all the hype about him, I find him incredibly annoying, kinda like Horatio Caine, yikes!
What are you doing here if you don’t like Alex? His shows being canceled have nothing to do with him, as matter of fact CBS believes he is a talented actor and wants to bring him back! The only annoying thing here is you! and please a little respect, don’t compare Alex to Horatio, that is just crazy talk!
Well said, alavenia, and I agree 100%.
Alex is an actor with great talent and he can do any role to perfection.If he decides to do this role I will support him,but I hope this time the CBS really support him.I wish him good luck, Alex deserves a series of great success.
I would much rather see Alex as Chris McGarrett and not a remake of Steve McGarrett. So many of us watched Hawaii 5-o for all those years and to see Alex as Steve would be just a bit much to reconcile. Ok, bring it back but bring it back updated. Seeing Alex as Steve would be too much like the “Dallas” dream sequence debacle (Steve is back but has become young again). Way too much to ask us to stomach. I think Alex makes a great cop as witnessed in Moonlight and The Shield. I just hope that CBS knows… Read more »
I AM A MOONLIGHT FAN, AND I DID FOLLOW ALEX TO THREE RIVERS…IT WOULD HAVE MADE A GREAT TWO HOUR MOVIE, BUT WAS JUST TO DEPRESSING TO WATCH EVERY WEEK..TO SAY THE MOONLIGHT FANS WERE AGAINST 3R’S IS TOTALLY FALSE. I HAD THE PROGRAM TUNE IN, JUST DIDN’T WATCH IT….THE WRITING WAS POOR, WITH THE SAME STORYLINE EACH WEEK…THEN SOMEONE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUN TO USE THE CHARATER NAMES FROM MOONLIGHT, DR. “SOPHIA” “MICK” THE BRUTE, THEN THE CUTE COUPLE “NICK AND BETH”..NOPE DIDN’T APPERICATE THAT…ITS WHEN I STOPPED LETTING MY TV RUN ON CBS….YOU CAN’T KICK THE MOONLIGHT… Read more »
Please don’t yell at us. Punctuation and occasional full word capitalization is good enough.
Many people won’t read your thoughts if you enter them like that.
I know that Alex is so a good actor, that he can make a magnificent role of detective, already we have seen him as Mick in Moonlight and as Kevin in The Shield, with excellent results, but I think we should support any new project quality in which able to demonstrate, that besides be a charming, sexy and very handsome man, Alex is an actor of enormous talent yet to be discovered, just needs a little luck, a quality project and support, but of true, of CBS, something that until now he has not had. I do not know if… Read more »
I believe that Alex O’Loughlin is a very versatile, gifted and intelligent actor who is absolutely perfect to portray the detective role of Chris McGarrett on Hawaii Five O. I wish Alex best wishes and good luck on this soon to be a successful crime drama series on CBS. Three times is the charm for Alex O’Loughlin this time. It speaks volume that CBS still supports and wants Alex back on television with another leading role because he is an extremely talented and versatile young actor.