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

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age 15+

Based on 9 parent reviews

keen M.
keen M. Parent of 15-year-old
January 12, 2023
age 15+
stingray1965
stingray1965 Adult
May 13, 2020
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
See all 9 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin), a former Navy SEAL, returns home to Hawaii to bring down the terrorist who killed his father in HAWAII FIVE-0. When he arrives, the governor (Jean Smart) offered him a job: heading up an elite new crime-fighting unit designed to bring down the worst offenders in the islands. "Your rules," she promised him, "my backing, no red tape." In other words, McGarrett had free rein to hunt down the bad guys with no regard for standard cop procedure. He could shoot first and ask questions later. But McGarrett's carte blanche was cut short when the governor was murdered, and the new governor had much less patience with his freewheeling ways. Now McGarrett acts more like a traditional cop, chasing down clues in each week's case with the help of his team: Danny "Danno" Williams (Scott Caan), a New Jersey expatriate who's no fan of the beach; Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim), who was caught up in a corruption scandal and forced out of the Honolulu Police Department; and Kono Kalakaua (Grace Park), Chin Ho's cousin, the least experienced team member who's eager to make a name for herself. Other recurring characters include Dr. Max Bergman (Masi Oka), the chief medical examiner who performs autopsies under the direction of the Five-0 team, Lieutenant Catherine Rollins (Michelle Borth), Steve McGarrett's sometimes-girlfriend and Navy intelligence officer, and Kamekona (Taylor Wily), a shave ice truck owner and informant who's chummy with McGarrett.

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.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Hawaii Five-0's cops go about their business. What do you think about the idea of "good guys" who aren't obligated to follow standard procedure? Is this a good way to eliminate the worst criminals, or a slippery slope where rights are involved?

  • How does this series compare to the original? What's similar and what's different? Why do you think producers opted for a remake?

  • What's the impact of the show's violence? How does it compare to that in other crime/cop shows you've seen?

TV Details

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