Customer Rating: 
Summary: Surf, sand, pineapples, and crime, Hawaiian style!!!
Comment: "Hawaii 5-0" was well on its way to legendary status at the start of its fifth season. It had already established a format of fast-paced storytelling, picturesque actual Hawaiian locations, exciting guest stars, and Jack Lord as the by-the-book Steve McGarrett. This season carried on that tradition, mixing the tradition police drama with tales that were topical and evocative.
As far as the Hawaiian locations are concerned, the show was a weekly travelogue for the 50th state, offering viewers on the mainland a chance to experience the beauty and allure of the countryside and the high rises that adorn the resort cities. The color on the transfer is stunning and the sound is equally as impressive.
The guest stars can be placed in different categories, based on their frequency of appearances. There are those that appeared only once in the show (Richard Basehart, Richard Anderson, Greg Mullavey, Carol Lawrence, Louise Latham, Oscar winners George Chakiris and Patty Duke, and Michael Ansara). Then, there are those that pop up that were between gigs: William Shatner - who had done "Star Trek" in the 60's and was a decade away from "T.J. Hooker" - and Ricardo Montalban, who had yet to find his own "paradise" on "Fantasy Island."
Luther Adler, Monte Markham, Nehemiah Persoff, Mark Lenard, Harold Gould, Laraine Stephens, Diana Muldaur, Ric Marlow, Milton Selzer, Clu Gulager, Lou Frizzell, Madlyn Rhue, Dennis Redfield, and Sandra Smith are "repeat offenders" who appear in this season and can be found on others.
Another group would be the "before we knew them category." Michael Conrad (a few years from success as Sgt. Phil Esterhaus" on "Hill Street Blues"), a pre-"Chips" Erik Estrada, Eric Braeden before he got "Young and Restless," a young, pre-"Newhart" Mary Frann, Robert Foxworth, before he trod the wine country of "Falcon Crest," and both Dirk Benedict and Richard Hatch, before the began their search for "Earth" on "Battlestar: Galactica," and Andy Griffith, years after his classic self-named comedy and before he became "Matlock," all are featured in season five installments.
There are also the actors that play recurring characters, from Khigh Deigh as the wily "Wo Fat" to Glenn Cannon as Attorney General "John Manacote" to Richard Denning as "The Governor."
Other recurring cast members are Henry Endo (the dependable "Che Fong"), Al Eben as "Doc," and Herman Wedemeyer as "Duke," who would, in later years become a member of the 5-0 team. Joseph Sirola is featured as Federal Agent Jonathan Kaye, a role that he would share with other actors throughout the twelve-year run of the series. Sirola, by the way, lent his distinctive voice to the role of "Dr. Doom" in several episodes of Hanna-Barbara's "Fantastic Four" series of the 1960's.
Finally, there is, can be called, the "5-0" repertory company, those actors that frequently appear as other characters. These include Galen Kim, Soon Teck-Oh, and Kwan Hi Lim, the latter who would eventually appear in twenty-five installments of the long-running show. Veteran heavy Douglas Kennedy makes all three of his "5-0" spots on this season alone.
The best episodes are "Death is a Company Policy," "I'm a Family Crook - Don't Shoot!" "The Jinn Who Clears the Way," "The Child Stealers," "Pig in a Blanket," "You Don't Have to Kill to Get Rich, but it Helps," "Here Today, Gone Tonight," "Chain of Events," "The Odd Lot Caper," "Engaged to Be Buried," "Jury of One," "The Listener," and the "Vashon" trilogy."
There is actually only a couple of bad episodes in the set. One is "Thanks for the Honeymoon," featuring Patty Duke and Carol Lawrence. Unlike other episodes wherein there is one plotline occurring, "Honeymoon" has two, and neither one is captivating enough on its own to hold the viewer's interest. The other is "Journey Out of Limbo." Though Danno's (James McArthur's) search to reclaim is amnesia of recent events is engaging, the connection between the quest and guest star Keenan Wynn's revenge plot is muddled, leaving the viewer dissatisfied.
That said, however, the pluses far outweigh that two minuses. Other shows should wish that they could only boast a couple of "clunkers".
Customer Rating:
Summary: Hawaii 5-0 Season 5
Comment: I always enjoyed H50. I'm glad to have it available now. I was very touched as a kid by the story line of "Journey Out of Limbo" and the "V for Vashon" series.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: HAWAII FIVE-O DESERVES =FAR= BETTER
Comment: I'm a great fan of this Spectacular series. And that's why I've been so disappointed with this collection. In my opinion, there's no better crime drama and it's hard to imagine there ever will be. If any series deserves a great DVD release, it's Hawaii Five-O. Unfortunately this isn't it.
If you're just a curious or casual viewer, you may not mind the shortcomings (aside from the "digital remastering", which I'm not convinced was even done other than just to convert to digital format. (The image quality doesn't look any better than my TV recordings.) However, at these prices, buying season by season, the entire collection will cost ~$432. It may be worth it to wait until they exhaust the individual sales for the inevitable boxed set and save a few 100 "Clams".
Collectors will not be pleased with the fact that, as stated in the fine print, an episode was left out of the "Collection". In addition, as also stated in the fine print, episodes have been edited from the original broadcasts. It gives no specifics; just a general statement suggesting general editing. Could be whole or parts of scenes, parts not considered essential, the speed increased as is sometimes done, etc. These shortcomings are exactly the kinds of "features" we often see in boxed sets to make them more appealing: "HQ Digital Remastering", "Previously Unreleased Episodes", unedited "Director's Cuts", etc. And they left it all out of this "Collection".
Customer Rating:
Summary: More Great Five-O Action!!!
Comment: Hawaii Five-O - The Fifth Season roars right back with great stories and plenty of action.
Sadly, Kono is gone, to be replaced by Ben (and Duke?).
Anyway, if you are a Five-O fan there's plenty to like in this, the 5th season.
Wo Fat makes an appearance, there's a good 3-part episode and, as usual, the scenery is beautiful and the action fast.
Can't wait for Season Six!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Just Keeps Getting Better and Better
Comment: The Five-0 team is settling in and meshing well, now. Starting in the 4th season, McGarrett, while still not above taking the palace steps two at a time, has seemed more like a lead investigator/detective lieutenant. Most of all, the stories are becoming more challenging. It really takes McGarrett's cunning to outfox the Vashons. Danno and Ben outfox criminal minds, as well.
We are seeing a shift away from the star format and toward an ensemble format. I do wish that Kono were in the ensemble. I miss him, although I like Ben, who is one sharp cookie. Duke, who is on loan from the HPD, while quiet and unassuming, is sharp and one of my favorite characters.
The only down side, as I see it, is that the Hollywood editors just can't seem to comprehend that, from the palace, one does not drive past Dillingham Fountain to get to Pier 39. Those stock photos must have made Len Freeman and Jack Lord furious!
Let me not close without remarking on the scenery we are seeing this season. We venture beyond Honolulu and are on Tantalus Mountain and high above Makapu`u Point, looking down on the lighthouse. Are these roads open to the public? If so, they don't appear on typical tourist maps, at least not the ones I've seen. Very interesting and enlightening, to say nothing of awesomely beautiful.
Yes, Season 5 is a winner! Bring on Season 6!
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