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It’s not filmed and produced in Los Angeles, Miami or New York.
It’s not about the jungles of Vietnam or the beaches of the Caribbean shot in Hawaii.
This is a show about Hawaii filmed and produced in Hawaii.
On Sept. 20, 2010, the new "Hawaii Five-0" was launched as CBS’ most highly anticipated new show of the season, on the 42nd anniversary of the original series. Season Two was just approved by CBS and we couldn’t be more excited and proud.
They say, "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it." Well, it wasn’t broke, but they did make it better, engaging a new era of viewers and showcasing the beauty of the islands as never seen before.
CBS took the beloved police procedural drama set in picturesque Hawaii and updated the show’s brand appeal with a new generation of fast-paced, high-action scenes with an eye-seducing, crime-fighting quartet.
A few weeks ago, the state Legislature honored representatives from CBS — the show’s producers and the cast and crew of "Hawaii Five-0" — for their global success of Season One. While some may have had their doubts about bringing back this beloved iconic series, it’s really a win-win for everyone involved, especially our local film and television industry.
The success of the new series tells other production companies that Hawaii is a good place for film and television ventures.
In its first season, "Hawaii Five-0" led with notable rating recognitions. The highly-anticipated pilot episode was watched by more than 17 million viewers, and on Jan. 23, "Five-0" picked up its highest ratings to date, with the 15th episode drawing nearly 21 million viewers.
Shot entirely in our state, "Five-0" has brought the flavors and stunning backdrop of Hawaii to viewers across the country and the world.
According to CBS Senior Vice President Glenn Geller, who addressed the Legislature earlier this year, "The tropical Hawaiian setting is enough to make mainland viewers watching ‘Five-0′ want to run to their travel agents immediately. The beauty of your state is so compelling it has allowed us to showcase the spirit of aloha every Monday night to anyone that lives anywhere else in the United States."
We’ve traveled to many international destinations, and we’ve found that people know and love Hawaii. Why? There are millions of people worldwide — in over 200 international television markets — now watching the new "Hawaii Five-0".
As we work through a significant economic slump and a tourism industry struggling with the effects of the recent tsunami, we applaud the efforts of CBS and the producers, cast and crew of "Hawaii Five-0." Their ability to touch every corner of the globe is priceless.
The tourism promotional value that "Five-0" provides is mind-boggling. It would cost Hawaii and the Hawaii Tourism Authority hundreds of millions of dollars to match this value.
In addition, the show employs 200 local people and invests nearly $40 million annually in the local economy.
"The hard-working cast and crew occupy homes, apartments and hotels, eat in your restaurants, shop in your stores … essentially, your home has become our home," CBS’ Geller said.
He ended by saying that CBS and "Five-0" thank Hawaii as "we look toward the future to a mutually beneficial relationship that we hope will continue to pay dividends for us all for many years to come."
Actually, Hawaii needs to thank him, as well as Executive Producer Peter Lenkov, co-Executive Producers Paul Zbyszewski and Brad Turner, and Producer Jeffrey Downer for bringing Hawaii back to the small screen. We look forward to seeing our local actors and the series’ stars in July when they start filming Season Two.
