Peter Lenkov might not have been able to sign on as executive producer of CBS’ new series “MacGyver” if the other show he runs for the network, “Hawaii Five-0,” wasn’t an established hit entering its seventh season.
Lenkov will return to Honolulu for the first time since “Hawaii Five-0” started filming in July to walk the red carpet Friday, along with the show’s stars, during what’s become an annual tradition at Sunset on the Beach in Waikiki.
“I wish I was in Hawaii, but I’m in L.A.,” said Lenkov by phone. “I want to get back there. Obama, hurricanes, whatever — I don’t care.”
The pressure of delivering two shows, which will air back to back on Friday nights starting this week — isn’t lost on Lenkov, who quickly deflects any suggestion he will cement his legacy as the “king of network reboots” if “MacGyver” catches on with fans as the lead-in to “Hawaii Five-0.”
The original “MacGyver” premiered in 1985 and aired for seven seasons, earning four Emmy nominations along the way. Its titular character was a secret agent who could turn ordinary objects into life-saving devices that always got him out of a jam. The new version follows the same basic plot lines as the original, a formula Lenkov successfully used when he restarted “Hawaii Five-0” in 2010.
“I got one show on the air that was a reboot and a lot of stars aligned,” Lenkov said. “This one, who knows? It could hit, it might not.
“I don’t want to be called the ‘king of reboots’ because I think one show doesn’t make you the king of anything.”
Last season, “Hawaii Five-0” continued to do yeoman work for CBS, winning its Friday time slot every week and averaging 8.71 million viewers an episode. Those viewer numbers ranked “Five-0” 27th among prime-time shows and 11th among CBS shows.
Lenkov took a few minutes to chat about the new season of “Hawaii Five-0.” His comments have been edited for clarity and length:
Question: Seven seasons of “Hawaii Five-0.” What went through your mind when you heard CBS renewed the show?
Answer: The show has been running smoothly and I just had a feeling we were gonna come back. As long as we were strong in ratings and internationally, I assumed we would come back. I’m surprised that we’re still around; that’s more of a general statement. Just the fact that these kinds of shows don’t really (last). People don’t have faith in a lot of reboots and I think that we sort of broke the mold. So I think that’s what I’m more surprised about. Not the fact that we’re still on the air, just the fact that we have a loyal fan base.
Q: What can you tell us about general story arcs this season?
A: This year they’re going to take stock of where they are in their lives and assess the job versus the reward and how it affects their personal lives. Like anybody, if you work in this kind of environment, you start to wonder if it’s worth it. Our people are at that point where there’s satisfaction with what they do, but how does it affect everything else?
For instance, McGarrett’s relationships, a lot of them have sort of suffered because of his job. Same thing with Danny. I think you sort of assess after a while where you are and what the rewards are by doing this kind of job and putting your life on the line. A lot of it is sort of reflecting on where they are in their lives.
Q: Will viewers meet any new villains or Five-0 Task Force members?
A: No major changes. There’s always stuff that we hopefully surprise the audience with. We definitely have a new arc with a new villain who will leave a lot of damage in their wake. That’s going to affect us over the course of the season.
Q: Has the show’s audience changed over the years?
A: No, I think the audience is still the same. I think they’re more vocal. They feel very comfortable with social media. We’ve gotten very intimate with our audience and they’re very comfortable telling us what they think of the show. I think for the most part, people have enjoyed the show. Since the numbers are very similar from year to year, it’s clear we have a very loyal fan base out there.
Q: How has the production changed since Season 1? Is it getting easier or better for the industry here in Hawaii?
A: I think there’s just a shorthand. After so many years, we’ve gotten very comfortable with our jobs. Anyone who has survived and is still on the show, they’ve obviously done such a great job. I think about 90 percent of our crew are the same from Season 1. Every year they get better at their jobs. It’s very intuitive now in how things are done.
Q: Is there an appropriate time to consider wrapping things up?
A: We’re going to keep making episodes until they tell us to stop. With storytellers, there’s a place where we’ve told the stories we want to tell and we should start thinking about wrapping it up. But from a business standpoint, I think the studio and the network are making so much money, they want to keep it around.
As storytellers, we have to separate ourselves from the business end. As long as they’re making money, we have to keep coming up with stories. As one of the storytellers here, I don’t even feel we’re ready to wrap things up. I think there’s still a lot to tell.
Q: For the first time, Hawaii fans won’t be the first to see the season premiere before the rest of the country. Were you involved in the decision to do Sunset on the Beach on the same day the episode airs nationally on CBS?
A: It’s a bummer. We wanted to do it earlier, but there were so many things going on in town and we couldn’t get the location. We sort of had to keep pushing it back a week, back a week, and finally we just said we didn’t want to not do it. It was either do it on the 23rd or not do it at all. And there was no chance we weren’t going to do it.
Q: Has it proven to be a challenge working on “Hawaii Five-0” and “MacGyver” at the same time?
A: Only hours in a day, that’s the only challenge. Just trying to find the time. It’s just the same workload times two. I’m still a young enough guy where I can do it.
Q: Will Richard Dean Anderson, the star of the original “MacGyver,” have a role in the reboot?
A: We’ve been talking, so I’m hoping he says yes.
Q: Is it true you have your sights set on “Magnum, P.I.” as well?
A: I’ve been talking about that forever. I’m really hoping to be able to do that one day. Gotta keep the crew working!
See stars, Darius Rucker before premiere at Sunset on the Beach
“Hawaii Five-0” fans from around the world will return to Waikiki Friday for a Sunset on the Beach screening of the seventh season premiere and a musical performance by Grammy Award-winning recording artist Darius Rucker.
All of the show’s main stars are expected to be in attendance, including Alex O’Loughlin, Scott Caan, Daniel Dae Kim, Grace Park, Chi McBride, Jorge Garcia and Teilor Grubbs. Following remarks from executive producer Peter Lenkov and the stars, fans will be able to watch “Makaukau ‘oe e Pa‘ani” (“Ready to Play”) on the same night it airs nationwide.
Red carpet arrivals will begin at 6 p.m. at Queen’s Surf Beach in Waikiki, with a performance by Rucker at 7 p.m. Keep up with the event via “Hawaii Five-0” social media accounts on Twitter (@HawaiiFive0CBS) and Facebook (facebook.com/HawaiiFive0CBS).
According to CBS, the season premiere plot involves a vigilante who murders two serial killers and endangers the safety of tourists. Rosalind Chao (“M.A.S.H.”) guest stars in a recurring role as Gov. Keiko Mahoe.
