Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Book 'em Danno!

"Hawaii Five-0 - The Complete First Season" (Paramount): From the moment it premiered with a two-hour movie in September, 1968, there was something special about "Hawaii Five-O." The tightly written scripts and the tight-jawed character of Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett made the series hot (and we're not talking about the Hawaiian weather).
This seven-disc set features that pilot (which does not cast James McArthur as Danny Williams -- he didn't show until the regular first season episode) and the first 24 episodes.
Lord's McGarrett was tough as nails, never one to back down, even against his arch enemy Wo Fat, who has him on the ropes in the two-hour pilot.
The special features include a two-hour TV special originally shown in Hawaii called "Memories of 'Hawaii Five-O'" that includes a tribute to Jack Lord.
There are good shows and there are great ones. This is one of those.
Aloha.
Short takes: Also new to video is "Bosom Buddies - The First Season." (CBS) This drag sitcom has taken a long time to get to DVD and it's no wonder. Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari star as two ad agency buddies who move into a hotel for women -- as women -- because the rent's cheap. Wendie Jo Sperber and Donna Dixon co-star. It's 19 episodes on three discs. No special features. Surprised? You shouldn't be. It's probably something Tom Hanks would like to forget.