Hawaii Five-O: The First Season

An action-packed police procedural that became an often-spoofed pop-culture icon, Hawaii Five-O (cue infectious theme song) starred Jack Lord as hardboiled cop Steve McGarrett, head of a special state-police unit accountable only to Hawaii's governor. With the aid of subordinates Dan Williams (James MacArthur), Chin Ho (Kam Fong), and Kono (Zulu), McGarrett cracked some of the toughest cases ever seen on the islands, while always hoping to bust the Chinese criminal mastermind Wo Fat. This boxed set includes all 24 of the 1968-69 first-season episodes (including the excellent two-hour pilot “Cocoon,” with guest stars Leslie Nielsen and Nancy Kwan). Among the better entries here are “Full Fathom Five,” “Tiger by the Tail,” and “Yesterday Died and Tomorrow Won't Be Born.” Boasting colorful locales—the series was shot on-location—and top-flight guest stars, Hawaii Five-O's remarkable run lasted until 1980, by which time McGarrett's “book ‘em, Danno” had become one of TV's most enduring catchphrases. DVD extras include the 1996 TV documentary “Emme's Island Moments: Memories of Hawaii Five-O,” featuring interviews with cast and crew members. Recommended. (E. Hulse)