Parents' Guide to

Hawaii Five-0

By Will Wade, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Lots of guns, gore in violent remake of classic cop show.

TV CBS Action 2010
Hawaii Five-0 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

age 15+

Based on 9 parent reviews

age 15+
age 15+

Lots of action, lots of heart, lots of laughs

The remake of Hawaii Five-O is fantastic.While paying modest tribute to the original, it stands as its own series. The story telling is spot on and will keep you at the edge of your seat. The characters are relatable and the chemistry is great. However, this is not a TV series for younger audiences. There are several episodes that are very intense and sometimes the violence is very graphic. There are also some sex scenes thrown in. No nudity, just a little awkward and not vital to the story. But these occurrences are pretty few and far between. Language is pretty mild. No f-bombs. The language that is used is pretty mild and rare. Overall, if you want a good action filled show with laughs, twists and turns, and heart. This is your show! You will love the heroes, hate the villains, the stunts are amazing, the sights of the Oahu island are gorgeous, and not to mention it has the amazingly catchy theme song from the original show, you will love Hawaii Five-O!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (9):
Kids say (24):

Don't look for realism here, as this show is all about the action, and there's plenty of it. Hawaii sure seems dangerous these days. The bad guys are all packing automatic weapons, and spooky serial killers are on the loose. Good thing the Hawaii Five-0 unit is there to stop this unprecedented crime wave. There isn't really much connection to the original series, either. The names are the same, and the location, and -- of course -- the music. But otherwise, this is just another cop show, albeit one with particularly choice casting, particularly for guest stars and recurring minor characters.

In this cop show (a remake of the classic TV series with one of the best-known theme songs ever), McGarrett treats law enforcement like a military engagement: Shoot first, and shoot to kill (and thanks to his deal with the governor, there are no pesky reports to fill out afterward). As the show has progressed, it's gotten more violent than ever, more like CSI than a shoot-em-up cop show, with violent, gory, and bizarre murders committed on comely young female victims.

TV Details

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