Television series

Hawaii Five-O

Name: Hawaii Five-O
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime
Released: 1968
Cast: Jack Lord, James MacArthur, Kam Fong, Zulu, Herman Wedemeyer

Police procedural
Action
Dip in and out

Hawaii Five-O is a procedural crime drama set in Honolulu where an elite state police task force tackles everything from organized crime to foreign espionage. Shot entirely on location, it's propulsive and handsome, with an iconic theme that's instantly recognizable. It's for anyone who loves tight plotting, strong ensemble work, and the particular thrill of watching professionals dismantle a case.

TVMaze rating

3.6

If you liked this

The Mod Squad1968

Aired the same year, this ABC procedural pioneered the buddy-cop format with three young detectives. Fast-paced, stylish, and genuinely inventive about blending social relevance with crime-solving thrills.

But The groovy 1960s dialogue dates it harder than Five-O's straightforward plotting. Tonal shifts between serious crime and hip vernacular can feel jarring to modern viewers.

Mannix1967

A private investigator's cases let the show roam further than Five-O's procedural structure. Mike Connors brings warmth to the role, and the plotting is clever enough to hold up decades later.

But Slower pace than Five-O, and the romantic subplots can overshadow the mysteries. Some episodes feel padded to fill their hour.

The Rockford Files1974

The spiritual successor to everything Five-O got right—sharp dialogue, real locations, rock-solid plotting, and a charismatic lead. James Garner plays a private investigator with warmth and humor Five-O rarely attempted.

But Aired six years later, so if you're specifically interested in the '60s crime-show landscape, this shifts the style noticeably. Less team-based than Five-O.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Hawaii Five-O

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

In the Heat of the Night1967

Both are ensemble procedurals grounded in place and professional competence, but Heat uses that structure to interrogate power itself, where Five-O uses it for clean case-solving. Same engine, radically different destination.

A Black detective from Philadelphia is stranded in the racist South investigating a murder. Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger crackle in opposition. It's procedurally tight, morally urgent, and electrifying—everything Five-O's framework could have been.

But The racial violence is real and unflinching. It's not an action film first; it's a confrontation. The 1967 South Carolina setting won't feel like escapism.

Ironside1967

Raymond Burr commands the frame as a wheelchair-bound detective solving crimes in San Francisco. The novelty of his disability never becomes gimmicky; instead, it grounds his character with genuine vulnerability.

But Episodes can drag; the formula gets repetitive once you realize Burr's intellect solves everything. Less action-driven than Five-O.

The Avengers1961

British spy-fi with Diana Rigg and Patrick Macnee. Stylish, witty, and genuinely inventive with its plotting. Each episode feels like a small film, and the chemistry between the leads is electric.

But Campy in ways that feel very '60s; some find the humor dated rather than charming. Wildly inconsistent in tone across seasons.

Mission: Impossible1966

A team assembles each week to dismantle criminal enterprises abroad. The plotting is intricate, the practical effects are clever, and watching a plan come together is genuinely satisfying.

But Formulaic by design—if the setup doesn't grip you, the execution won't either. Some episodes feel stretched to fill time.

Dragnet1951

Jack Webb's police procedural strips crime-solving to procedural essentials: evidence, interviews, logic. It's dry and disciplined in a way that influenced everything after it, including Five-O.

But Deliberately unglamorous, almost austere. If you want action and excitement, this will feel deliberately boring.

The Commish1991

A police commissioner navigates both crime and politics in a small New York town. Charming, well-acted, and surprisingly thoughtful about institutional power—themes Five-O dances around.

But Lighter and more domestic than Five-O; the crime plotting is secondary to character. Cancelled after three seasons, so unresolved momentum.

Barney Miller1975

A precinct comedy-drama where the real action is conversation and character. Brilliantly written, deeply funny, and genuinely warm about its ensemble of detectives.

But Deliberately anti-action; virtually all drama happens in the bullpen. If you want procedural muscle and location shooting, this is the opposite.

Vanishing Point1971

Both are built on motion through American landscape—Five-O's island beats, Vanishing Point's cross-country drive. But where Five-O finds order and resolution, Vanishing Point dissolves into mystery and myth.

A driver in a Dodge Challenger is pursued across America for reasons that keep shifting. Hypnotic, kinetic, and strange—a single-thrust narrative that builds obsessive momentum. Shot on location like Five-O but with a hallucinatory, almost experimental edge.

But There's no traditional plot resolution. The meaning is deliberately ambiguous. Some find it pretentious; others find it liberating. Not for viewers who need closure.

Thief1981

Both prize the technical detail of how crimes are solved and committed. Five-O watches law enforcement dismantle crime; Thief watches a criminal operate at the height of his profession. Opposite sides of the same precision.

Michael Mann's heist film follows a professional jewel thief bound to organized crime. The procedural detail of the crimes is meticulous, the mood is glacial and modern, and the craftsmanship is palpable. It's Five-O's procedural DNA filtered through a completely different sensibility.

But Synthetizer score and '80s aesthetics feel alien to the '60s. James Caan's emotional distance can feel cold. Plot takes a backseat to mood and character.