---
title: "Hawaii Five-0"
year: 2010
kind: "series"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/hawaii-five-0"
fi1m_id: "hawaii-five-0"
imdb_id: "tt1600194"
tmdb_id: 32798
wikidata_id: "Q728443"
fi1m_score: 65
critics_score: 54
critics_reviews: 6
published: "2026-09-23T11:49:12.247632+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-23T11:49:39.219180+00:00"
region: "DE"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Hawaii Five-0 (2010)

Created by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Peter M. Lenkov · 42m · FSK 16 · Crime, Drama, Action & Adventure

## Identity

Hawaii Five-0

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/tv/hawaii-five-0
- **Type:** Series
- **Fi1m ID:** hawaii-five-0
- **IMDb ID:** tt1600194
- **TMDB ID:** 32798
- **Wikidata ID:** Q728443
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1600194/, https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/32798, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q728443

**Fi1m score: 65** · Critics 54 from 6 reviews

*In a sentence:* Hawaii looks restful until the two policemen start talking

> An agreeable cast and brisk action make *Hawaii Five-0* decent, undemanding company. The caveat is the partnership at its centre: what begins as comic friction too often becomes two men refusing to stop talking.

## Synopsis

Steve McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin) works in Hawaii with Danny ‘Danno’ Williams (Scott Caan), and the two bring a running argument to their police work. McGarrett wants to get on with the job; Williams has plenty to say about how they do it. Alongside them are Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim) and Kono Kalakaua (Grace Park), part of the team dealing with police cases across the islands. The opening introduces their working partnership through investigations, action sequences and disputes, with cooperation required even when the conversation turns into another contest.

## Review

*Hawaii Five-0* is a serviceable action procedural with an irritating habit of prolonging arguments we understood almost at once. Creators Peter M. Lenkov, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci offer fast police work, an attractive setting and colleagues who are meant to become welcome company. The pleasure is supposed to come from knowing how these people will behave, then watching them do it under pressure. That is a sound basis for a series, provided the company stays welcome.

Scott Caan understands that requirement best as Danny ‘Danno’ Williams, whose irritation gives the partnership its liveliest moments. We laughed at his exasperation with Steve McGarrett because he makes an objection sound like something he has been holding in, rather than a joke prepared for delivery. Alex O’Loughlin gives Steve McGarrett enough brisk authority for the contrast to work. The trouble comes when their exchanges keep going: the teasing becomes repetitive, and both men begin to sound pleased with how much noise they are making.

Daniel Dae Kim, as Chin Ho Kelly, and Grace Park, as Kono Kalakaua, make the wider team easier to like. Their presence matters because a programme built this heavily around a double act needs people who can interrupt it. The ensemble is more appealing when it has something to do together than when the script is waiting for another insult to land. We would happily spend more time with these colleagues and less time listening to the partners compete for the last word.

Cinematographers Michael Martinez and Gabriel Beristain give the Hawaiian setting the bright finish this sort of escapism needs. The scenery is inviting, but the series offers little sense of a community beyond the demands of the police story. Production designers Gary Frutkoff and Keith Neely contribute to that clean, readily readable look; it serves the action without making the surroundings particularly distinctive. The bikini shots are the least interesting use of the setting, and they do little to make Hawaii feel less like somewhere being advertised.

The action is a better reason to stay, particularly in the opening directed by Len Wiseman. It has a directness the conversations sometimes lack, and the pace gives the procedural material enough energy to remain watchable. Editors Nicolas De Toth and Johnathon Pensky help keep things moving, although speed cannot make an ordinary case more interesting. Keith Power and Brian Tyler’s music supports the bustle efficiently, with the returning theme doing much of the work of putting us in the mood.

Against the undemanding end of the police-drama genre, this is competent entertainment with a useful cast. It becomes less satisfying whenever it asks us to take its toughness seriously, since the characters are not developed enough to give that toughness much weight. The familiar format makes it easy to settle into, but repeated quarrels expose how little the dialogue has to offer beyond disagreement. Try a single episode if a brisk police procedural is what the evening needs; the banter is less wearing in small doses.

*Fi1m score 65, published 23 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews are split on Hawaii Five-0, with three positive notices, one mixed and two negative. Praise centres on its pace, action and Hawaiian setting, with the warmer reviews treating it as slick, undemanding escapism. Scott Caan is a particular asset for its supporters: The AV Club singles out his charismatic Danno and lively banter, while Collider praises him alongside the supporting cast and colourful cinematography.

The sharpest disagreement concerns the partnership between the leads. Den of Geek finds promising chemistry between McGarrett and Danno; Variety finds their banter tiresome and the programme little different from other crime procedurals. The spread is wide rather than cautiously mixed. The Hollywood Reporter objects to explosions and bikini shots replacing the original’s restraint and sense of place, while Vulture finds little cast chemistry and a grim tone. What entertains the enthusiastic critics actively irritates the sceptics.

## Straight answers

**Is Hawaii Five-0 worth watching?**

*Hawaii Five-0* is worth trying if we want undemanding police action and an agreeable cast, though its repetitive banter keeps our score at 65. The brisk pace and Hawaiian scenery make it easy company, but McGarrett and Williams keep arguing after the joke has worn thin; a single episode is a sensible first test.

**How long is Hawaii Five-0, and what is it rated?**

*Hawaii Five-0* has episodes of about 42m and is rated 16 by the FSK in Germany. It is a crime and drama series.

**Where can I watch Hawaii Five-0 in Germany?**

*Hawaii Five-0* is streaming on Paramount+ in Germany, and it is also available to buy from Apple TV. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Hawaii Five-0, and is it suitable for children?**

*Hawaii Five-0* carries a US TV-14 certificate, which signals material that may be unsuitable for children under 14; no UK certificate is supplied. The programme includes police action, displays of toughness and bikini shots, so we would steer younger children elsewhere, while the available detail does not establish how graphic the violence or how intense the scares are.

**How does Hawaii Five-0 compare to Hot Fuzz?**

*Hawaii Five-0* offers serviceable police action, but we recommend [*Hot Fuzz*](https://film.one/film/hot-fuzz) more readily for a comic partnership whose arguments become funnier as the action grows. The series suits an evening of familiar cases and Hawaiian scenery; the film offers sharper, more affectionate comedy, though its repeated gags and overextended action also test our patience.

### Reviews we read (6)

- **The AV Club**, Emily St. James (81/100, inferred): The pilot is a successful, enjoyable reboot of the classic series that feels modern and fun without being weighed down by the original's limitations. The critic singles out Scott Caan's charismatic, banter-filled performance as Danno and the show's pacing and action for particular praise. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/hawaii-five-0-pilot-1798165959)
- **Variety**, Brian Lowry (50/100, inferred): On paper the glossy reboot looks like a can't-miss hit thanks to its pre-sold title, cast and location, but the expensive pilot's tiresome frat-boy banter between leads leaves it feeling like just another crime procedural. [Read](https://variety.com/2010/scene/markets-festivals/hawaii-five-0-1117943587/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Scott Timberg (30/100, inferred): The remake fails to recapture the original's sense of place and restraint, instead relying on bikini shots, explosions and annoying buddy banter that makes the odd-couple dynamic hard to watch. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/hawaii-5-0-tv-review-30563/)
- **Vulture** (20/100, inferred): The series is one of the most pointless and charmless network shows reviewed, lacking the expected banter and sexiness of formulaic procedurals despite solid ratings. The critic singles out the low-grade insult comedy, lack of chemistry among the cast, and overall grim tone for complaint. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2010/10/tv_review.html)
- **Den of Geek**, Ti Singh (78/100, inferred): The pilot delivers everything expected from a slick, escapist cop show set in Hawaii, including the classic theme, action sequences, and team banter. The critic highlights the return of the theme tune, Len Wiseman's direction of the action, and the promising chemistry between McGarrett and Danno. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/hawaii-five-0-episode-1-review-pilot/)
- **Collider**, Brendan Bettinger (77/100, inferred): The critic finds the reboot a solid, if insubstantial, hour of entertainment each week and the best of the new CBS shows. They single out the colorful Hawaiian setting, lush cinematography, and strong supporting cast including Scott Caan for praise. [Read](https://collider.com/hawaii-five-0-review-alex-o-loughlin/)

## Details

- **Created by:** Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Peter M. Lenkov
- **Creator:** Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Peter M. Lenkov
- **Director:** Bryan Spicer, Peter Weller, Jerry Levine, Joe Dante, Brad Turner, Maja Vrvilo, Steve Boyum, Eagle Egilsson, Duane Clark, Sylvain White, Larry Teng, Karen Gaviola, Ron Underwood, Brad Tanenbaum, Carlos Bernard, Antonio Negret, Alex O'Loughlin, Eric Laneuville, Jeffrey Hunt, Matt Earl Beesley, Roderick Davis, Stephen Herek, Christine Moore, Tara Miele, Fred Toye, Bronwen Hughes, Chris Fisher, Krishna Rao, Alex Zakrzewski, Gabriel Beristain, Ian Anthony Dale, Steven DePaul, Yangzom Brauen, Paul A. Edwards, Daniel Dae Kim, Kate Woods, Carl Weathers, Elodie Keene, Joel Surnow, Katie Boyum, Kristin Windell, Geoff Shotz, David Straiton, Jim Jost, Jennifer Lynch, Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum, Ruba Nadda, Tate Donovan, Len Wiseman, Andi Armaganian
- **Writer:** Matt JL Wheeler, David Wolkove, Peter M. Lenkov, Rob Hanning, Eric Guggenheim, Paul Zbyszewski, Zoe Robyn, Paul Grellong, Bryan Wynbrandt, Steven Lilien, Sean O'Reilly, Stephanie Sengupta, Alex Kurtzman, Mike Schaub, Ken Solarz, Talia Gonzalez, Bisanne Masoud, Chi McBride, J.R. Orci, Jessica Rieder, Kendall Sherwood, Cyrus Nowrasteh, Carol Barbee, Melissa Glenn, Chris Wu, Ruth Fletcher, Ally Seibert, Jim Galasso, John Dove, Christos Gage, Sarah Goldfinger, Liz Alper, Michele Fazekas, Noah Evslin, Ashley Dizon, Leonard Freeman, Sarah Byrd, Alex O'Loughlin, Helen Shang, Roberto Orci, Bill Haynes, Elwood Reid, Moira Kirland, Peter Weller, Nicole Ranadive, Lorenzo Manetti, Duppy Demetrius, R. Scott Gemmill
- **Story:** Peter M. Lenkov, David Wolkove, Bryan Wynbrandt, Steven Lilien, Zoe Robyn, Stephanie Sengupta, Alex Kurtzman, Alex O'Loughlin, Roberto Orci, Michael Reisz, Travis Donnelly, Johnny Richardson
- **Teleplay:** Bryan Wynbrandt, Steven Lilien, David Wolkove, Matt JL Wheeler, Stephanie Sengupta, Eric Guggenheim, Zoe Robyn, Paul Grellong, Sean O'Reilly, Talia Gonzalez, Bisanne Masoud, Sarah Byrd, Bradley Paul
- **Cinematography:** Michael Martinez, Gabriel Beristain
- **Editor:** Nicolas De Toth, Johnathon Pensky
- **Music:** Keith Power, Brian Tyler
- **Production design:** Keith Neely, Gary Frutkoff
- **Costume design:** Michelle Moder, Kathryn Morrison
- **Producer:** Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Larry Stewart
- **Cast:** Alex O'Loughlin as Steve McGarrett; Scott Caan as Danny 'Danno' Williams; Ian Anthony Dale as Adam Noshimuri; Grace Park as Kono Kalakaua; Meaghan Rath as Tani Rey; Daniel Dae Kim as Chin Ho Kelly; Beulah Koale as Junior Reigns; Dennis Chun as Duke Lukela
- **Runtime:** 42m
- **Certificate (FSK):** 16
- **Release (Germany):** 20 September 2010
- **Genres:** Crime, Drama, Action & Adventure

## Where to watch in Germany

- Paramount+: streaming, hd
- Apple TV: buy, sd

*Checked 2026-09-23.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, EC, FI, FR, GB, HK, ID, IE, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, SE, SG, TH, US, VN. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The Rockford Files* (1974): For investigations carried by an agreeable lead and humour that needs less pushing.
- *Due South* (1994): Another mismatched police partnership, with warmer jokes and more affection for its oddballs.
- *Police Story* (1985): Police action and physical comedy, with rather more care over the collisions.
- *Hot Fuzz* (2007), Fi1m 84: For a police partnership whose arguments become funnier as the action grows. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/hot-fuzz.md)
- *Banshee* (2013): For action with fewer restraints and a much darker view of policing.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/hawaii-five-0