Hawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series created by Leonard Freeman, produced by CBS Productions and set in Hawaii which follows a fictional state police unit run by Detective Lieutenant Steve McGarrett who hound international secret agents, criminals and organised crime syndicates plaguing the Hawaiian Islands.
The series aired in the USA on CBS from 20 September, 1968 to 4 April, 1980. There are 279 hour-long episodes in 12 seasons.
Hawaii Five-O premiered in South Africa on SABC3 on Thursday 6 September 2012, at 12h00. See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.
Season 9 premiered on SABC3 on Tuesday 21 January 2014, at 12h00. New episodes broadcast weekly. There are 23 episodes in the ninth season.
Synopsis
Set in Hawaii the show follows Jack Lord as he plays Steve McGarrett, head of an elite state police unit investigating "organized crime, murder, assassination attempts, foreign agents, felonies of every type."
Hawaii Five-0 is the name of a special police unit consisting of no more than four men at a time, although it can freely call upon the Honolulu Police Department for more men if needed.
Answerable only to the governor, Five-0 investigates the most important and sensational crimes, ranging from murder and kidnapping to terrorism and international espionage.
Five-0's leader is ex-Navy Intelligence investigator Steve McGarrett, a tough Irish cop possessed with a determined nature, a hatred of crime and an elaborate bouffant hairdo.
Other Five-O personnel included Dan Williams, second-in-command and "Dan-O" to McGarrett; pipe-smoking Chinese Chin Ho Kelly, native Hawaiian Kono; Samoan detective Ben Kokua; and Hawaiian Duke Lukela, who worked his way up from patrolman.
McGarrett's arch enemy is Red Chinese agent Wo Fat, whose plans are always thwarted by McGarrett, and who always manages to escape the reach of the law - at least until the final episode.
Guest stars include Helen Hayes, Ricardo Montalban, Leslie Nielsen, Herbert Lom, Hume Cronyn among others. McGarrett's nemesis is the evil Wo Fat — "a Red Chinese agent in charge of the entire Pacific Asiatic theatre."
Hawaii Five-O's executive producers include Leonard Freeman, Philip Leacock and Douglas Green. The drama was created by Leonard Freeman.
A reimagined series called Hawaii Five-0 - using the number 0 in the title instead of the letter O - began airing in the USA in 2010.
Seasons
Series exclusive to SABC3
Season 1 (24 episodes)
Premiere: 6 September 2012 | Finale: 9 October 2012 | Weekdays, 12h00
Season 2 (25 episodes)
Premiere: 10 October 2012 | Finale: 13 November 2012 | Weekdays, 12h00
Season 3 (24 episodes)
Premiere: 14 November 2012 | Finale: 17 December 2012 | Weekdays, 12h00
Season 4 (24 episodes)
Premiere: 18 December 2012 | Finale: 22 January 2013 | Weekdays, 12h00
Season 5 (24 episodes)
Premiere: 23 January 2013 | Finale: 25 February 2013 | Weekdays, 12h00
Season 6 (24 episodes)
Premiere: 26 February 2013 | Finale: 2 April 2013 | Weekdays, 12h00
Season 7 (24 episodes)
Premiere: 2 April 2013 | Finale: 6 May 2013 | Weekdays, 12h00
Season 8 (23 episodes)
Premiere: 7 May 2013 | Finale: 24 Jun 2013 | Weekdays, 12h00
Season 9 (23 episodes)
Premiere: 21 January 2014 | Finale: 24 Jun 2014 | Tuesdays, 12h00