With its new drama “Hawaii” NBC has hit upon a brilliant idea. Rather than produce half-baked ripoffs of two currently popular genres, the crime and hotties in paradise, why not combine them both in one show?

   Save on the hassle, save money, save time and, hey, save on creative angst when the show gets axed early on.

   That must have been the thought behind this “CSI: North Shore” hybrid, which premieres tonight at 8 p.m. It looks very pretty and it has some jazzy music.

   But “Hawaii” lacks the science-geek smarts that make “CSI” so appealing and the un-self-aware hamminess that makes “North Shore” a guilty pleasure. Instead it’s just another police drama with mediocre plotting hiding behind spectacular scenery.

   There’s absolutely nothing new here.

   The show focuses on four male detectives from the Honolulu Police Department and a smoldering uniformed lady cop torn between two of the guys. 
   The main characters come straight from typecasting: Hot-headed rebel, laid-back local boy, cool urban dude, upstanding family man.

   Their cases range from the silly to the gruesome. Episode one finds one pair of detectives investigating a high-society fish dinner spiked with, giggle, drug-filled condoms courtesy of local smugglers. 
   There’s a barbequed body pulled out of a volcano for no discernable reason other than to show a “CSI”-like shot of the charred skeleton.

    Unless “Hawaii” develops a more distinctive identity in the next few episodes (just try to tell the difference between “CSI: Miami’s” expressionless David Caruso and equally bland “Hawaii” detective Michael Biehn), the show faces an early sunset. 

Quality of show (on a scale of 10): 4

   It’s no surprise that the creator of “Hawaii” is also the writer behind “True Lies” and “Rush Hour 3.” The dialogue and plotting have the feel of a trying-too-hard sequel. When not defying the laws of physics by bantering during a high-speed car chase, the detectives exchange clichés like, “If we can figure that out, maybe we’ll solve this sucker.”

   Perhaps that’s why the least likable lead is also the only action movie veteran. The wooden Biehn, playing the family man, should never again be permitted to utter hipster lines such as, “So, we cool?” or “Drop it, bro.” 
   The rest of the cast is likable. TV drama veterans Sharif Atkins (“ER”) and Eric Balfour (“Six Feet Under”) seem to understand that they’re on a cheesy show and under-act accordingly. 
   Newcomer Aya Sumika, the sexy one, is no Mischa Barton in terms of delivery or looks, and that’s the highest compliment for the female lead of a hotties-on-the-beach show. 

   The plot logic also lacks.
   Early in the first episode, Atkins is chasing a suspect down a pier. When the suspect jumps into a boat and begins to roar away, Atkins takes a flying leap into the water after him.
   Unfortunately, our detective cannot swim. But this is Hawaii, where the criminals have big hearts, or at least smaller brains than the cops chasing them.
  Our fleeing suspect stops the boat, notices that the detective hasn’t surfaced, and jumps into the water to save him. 
   Huh?

Positioning (on a scale of 10): 4

   After two encore airings of the pilot later this week, “Hawaii” settles into the 8 p.m. Wednesday spot permanently. It’s hard to figure out why NBC paired this eye-candy show with its two most upscale programs, “West Wing” and “Law & Order” at 9 and 10.

   Perhaps, the thinking went, an intelligent drama like “Ed” failed to engage viewers last season, so why not try a dumbed-down one instead. 
   Or perhaps the network worried that the more natural pairing of “Hawaii” with the similarly frenetic “Las Vegas” on Monday night at 10 p.m. would just remind viewers that CBS was showing “CSI: Miami” in the opposite time slot.

   Whatever the reason, it’s hard to imagine much flow between “Hawaii” and “Wing.” The latter has been losing steam both creatively and in the ratings, but it is built on dialogue and plotting.
    “Hawaii” is built on sand, sweat and sex. Don’t expect the union to last.

Cache, or the “Arrested Development” factor (on a scale of 10): 3

   Of NBC’s five new shows, this easily has the least prestige. None of the actors have carried a show before, and there’s no big name behind the camera such as “Father of the Pride’s” Jeffrey Katzenberg.

   Ancestry like “Hawaii Five-O” or “Magnum PI” doesn’t exactly build buzz. Though “Hawaii” hasn’t been as trashed by critics as “Pride,” it also hasn’t garnered any glowing ones. With material this bland, it’s difficult to get excited or offended.

Overall (on a scale of 30): 10.
   Anyone who forgets to switch the channel before “Hawaii” comes on won’t find it bad enough to lunge for the remote. But it’s hard to imagine anyone actually seeking out the show, not when the same material is getting a much fresher treatment on other networks.

Read past fall show reviews:

WB's "Blue Collar TV"

NBC's "Father of the Pride"

- Toni Fitzgerald is a staff writer for Media Life.

Printer Friendly Version  |  Send to a Friend
Cover Page | Contact Us

Click here to add the Media Life home page to your favorites