Originally Posted by ringfire211 View Post
I also wonder if at the time when they wrote that book (in 1988) Hawaii Five-O was perhaps seen as an old and corny cop show. Your parents’ or grandparents’ show. I don’t think procedurals were “cool” at that time. This was the time of Miami Vice and Hill Street Blues and more “realistic” look at police work/life. So maybe that added into that. I’m sure in the late 80s Five-O was considered too by-the-numbers and too square. I remember watching reruns of 80s shows like Knight Rider in the 90s as well as Five-O. To me Knight Rider seemed very modern (even though it was already 10 years old) whereas Five-O seemed much older (my mom was a big fan). Imagine my surprise when I found out that Knight Rider debuted just 2 years after Five-O went off the air. I thought Five-O was much older. On the other hand I was also really surprised when I found out that Five-O debuted in 1968! I definitely didn’t think it was *that* old! LOL!! I thought it was a strictly 70s show - somewhere in the mid 70s. Had no idea that it basically touched 3 decades. Wow!!!

I actually think that maybe today Five-O is held in higher regard than in the 80s. Maybe in the 80s it felt “old” but today I actually think it holds up and looks better than most shows of its day and even shows that came after. Does anyone even talk about (or remember) Hill Street Blues today?? I’m sure it’s been eclipsed by NYPD Blue since then. But even NYPD Blue I feel is largely forgotten. I mean who talks about it anymore? Whereas Five-O has kind of reached iconic status. Also I feel these last few decades of gritty and realistic cop shows has made folks yearn for the older days of more procedural structured shows with not as much emphasis on grit and interpersonal relationships.
Interesting observations.

I am a big fan of Miami Vice. However, I would not call it a "realistic" look at police work/life. Miami Vice was actually a television version of film noir. It was more about the style and setting than the actual plot or police investigations. Miami Vice actually holds up extremely well 40 years later, whereas many other dramas from the time do not.

I agree with you that Five-O is held in higher regard now than in the '80s, because a lot more time has passed since it went off the air. In 1988, its cancellation was just 8 years prior, which would be like us talking today about a show cancelled in 2016. Now that we're more than 44 years past Five-O's final episode, it's much easier to view it through the lens of a product from a completely different time.

One timeless aspect of Five-O is the setting. The on-location shooting on real spots throughout the islands (though mostly Oahu) gives it an authentic and scenic feel. Much of Five-O's appeal during its run was the fact that it essentially gave the viewer a chance to take a Hawaiian vacation from their living room -- something otherwise impossible before the world wide web. I do enjoy the on-location Hawaiian setting when viewing Five-O today, and every time I feel tempted to book another vacation to Hawaii. It's been 9 years, so I really should go back sometime soon.

Incidentally, while it's less scenic than Hawaii, the on-location shooting was also a source of the appeal of The Rockford Files, which was shot largely in and around the streets of Los Angeles.