You know that feeling when you start a show just for the scenery but end up staying for the people? That's the Hawaii Five-0 experience. For a decade, CBS rode the wave of a reboot that, by all accounts, should have been a forgettable procedural. It wasn't. The reason boils down to the Hawaii Five-0 characters and the weird, lightning-in-a-bottle casting that made a group of high-level law enforcement officers feel like a dysfunctional family you’d actually want to grab a beer with at Waikiki.
Steve McGarrett and Danny "Danno" Williams. Honestly, their "carguments" are the only reason some people watched. But there's a lot of nuance to the task force that gets lost if you only look at the surface-level action.
The McGarrett-Williams Dynamic Was Never Just a Gimmick
Most procedurals have partners. Hawaii Five-0 had soulmates who happened to carry badges. Steve McGarrett, played by Alex O'Loughlin, was the "Super Seal." He was tactical, rigid, and had a blatant disregard for international borders or the concept of a warrant. Then you had Scott Caan’s Danny Williams. Danno was the "Jersey" transplant who hated the sun, hated the beach, and mostly just wanted to keep his tie on and follow the rules of the road.
The writers leaned hard into the bickering. It became a staple. But if you look deeper, especially in episodes like "Ho'apono" (Season 1, Episode 7), you see the real weight of their bond. Steve is a man haunted by his father’s murder and his mother’s "death" (and eventual resurrection as a spy). Danny is a man who moved across an ocean just to be near his daughter, Grace. They were both broken in specific, compatible ways.
Steve’s Evolution From Robot to Human
In the early seasons, Steve was basically a blunt instrument. He’d hang guys off buildings or use grenades to open doors. By Season 10, he was a man grappling with the physical and mental toll of a decade of combat. O’Loughlin played that shift beautifully. You can see the literal physical wear on the actor—who performed many of his own stunts—reflecting the character’s burnout. It made the series finale feel earned rather than abrupt. He didn't just leave Hawaii; he had to find a way to stop being a soldier.
Chin Ho Kelly and Kono Kalakaua: The Heart of the Ohana
We have to talk about Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park. Their departure after Season 7 was a massive blow to the show’s DNA. Chin Ho Kelly was the moral compass. He was the guy who got screwed over by the HPD, lost his badge, and still maintained a level of dignity that McGarrett lacked. His storylines, particularly the ones involving his late wife Malia and the villainous Gabriel Waincroft, were some of the most emotionally resonant in the series.
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Kono, on the other hand, broke the "rookie" trope. She wasn't just a former pro surfer; she was a sniper. She was often the most lethal person in the room. The show did something smart by giving her a long-arc romance with Adam Noshimuri (Ian Anthony Dale), the son of a Yakuza boss. It forced the Hawaii Five-0 characters to operate in a gray area. Is someone redeemable because of who they love? The show didn't always have a clear answer, and that's why it worked.
The Adam Noshimuri Problem
When Adam transitioned from a recurring antagonist’s son to a series regular and Five-0 member, the show took a risk. Some fans loved the "reformed criminal" angle. Others felt it diluted the purity of the task force. Honestly, his character suffered a bit after Kono left the show. Without that anchor, Adam became a tragic figure who seemed perpetually stuck between his past and his present.
The New Guard: Tani Rey and Junior Reigns
Replacing original leads is a death sentence for most shows. Ask The X-Files. But Hawaii Five-0 managed to survive the Season 8 transition by leaning into the chemistry between Meaghan Rath (Tani Rey) and Beulah Koale (Junior Reigns).
Tani was the "female McGarrett" in some ways—hot-headed, kicked out of the police academy, but fiercely loyal. Junior was the mirror image of a young Steve: a SEAL looking for a purpose. Their "will-they-won't-they" arc was slower and more realistic than most TV romances. Junior’s backstory, involving his strained relationship with his father and the death of his sister, added a layer of grit that the later seasons desperately needed.
Lou Grover: The Voice of Reason (With a Shotgun)
Chi McBride’s Lou Grover is arguably the best thing to happen to the show in its mid-life cycle. He started as a foil to McGarrett—the SWAT captain who actually cared about things like "procedure" and "liability." When he eventually joined the team, he brought a paternal energy.
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Grover provided the perspective of a seasoned cop who had seen the worst of Chicago and just wanted to protect his family. His standalone episodes, like "Pono Kaulike" (Season 5, Episode 18), where he has to deal with his past in Chicago, are masterclasses in character development. He wasn't just backup; he was the guy who told Steve when he was being an idiot.
Jerry Ortega and the "Information Broker" Trope
Every procedural needs a "tech person" or a "conspiracy theorist." Jorge Garcia’s Jerry Ortega filled the hole left by the departure of various recurring characters. Jerry lived in his mother’s basement, wore tinfoil hats (metaphorically), and believed in everything from aliens to the Knights Templar.
While he provided comic relief, the show treated him with respect. He eventually earned a badge. He proved that "Five-0" wasn't just about who could kick the most doors down; it was about who had the heart to protect the islands. When he left at the start of Season 10, the show lost a bit of its whimsy.
Why the Villains Mattered
You can't talk about the Hawaii Five-0 characters without mentioning Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos). He was the Moriarty to McGarrett's Holmes. The reveal that their mothers were linked in a bizarre, spy-laden past was a bit soap-opera-ish, but it gave the show an overarching stakes. Then you had Sang Min (Will Yun Lee). He started as a human trafficker and ended up as a weirdly lovable, recurring ally. That kind of character growth is rare in a Friday night procedural.
The Subtle Power of the Supporting Cast
The show’s longevity was also built on its bench.
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- Dr. Max Bergman (Masi Oka): The quirky medical examiner who loved Keanu Reeves and cosplay.
- Duke Lukela (Dennis Chun): The bridge between Five-0 and the HPD. He gave the show local legitimacy.
- Kamekona Tupuola (Taylor Wily): The shrimp truck mogul. He was the soul of the North Shore.
These characters made Hawaii feel like a lived-in place, not just a backdrop for a tourism ad. They provided the "aloha spirit" that grounded the high-octane action.
What We Get Wrong About the Show's Legacy
People often dismiss Hawaii Five-0 as "cop-aganda" or just another CBS procedural. That misses the point. At its heart, it was a show about "Ohana"—the idea that family is defined by who you choose, not just who you’re related to.
When you look at the Hawaii Five-0 characters, you see a group of people who are mostly alone. Steve's family was gone. Danny was divorced. Chin was a widower. Kono was often isolated. They built a home out of each other. That’s why, even years after the finale, people are still hitting "play" on Netflix or Paramount+.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Rewatchers
If you’re planning a rewatch or diving in for the first time, keep these points in mind to get the most out of the character arcs:
- Watch the Pilot and the Finale Back-to-Back: Notice the physical change in Steve McGarrett. It’s not just aging; it’s a deliberate portrayal of a man who has given everything to his job.
- Focus on the Background: Many of the best character moments happen in the "carguments" in the Camaro. Pay attention to the dialogue in those scenes; it’s often where the real plot development happens.
- Appreciate the Local Talent: The show made a concerted effort to cast local Hawaiian actors in recurring roles. This adds a layer of authenticity that many mainland shows lack.
- Track the Wo Fat Saga: If you want a tighter experience, follow the "mythology" episodes. They form a high-stakes spy thriller hidden inside a weekly cop show.
The show ended in 2020, but the impact of these characters remains. They weren't perfect, they weren't always realistic, but they felt real. In the world of television, that's a rare win.
To truly understand the show's evolution, track the transition from the Season 1 "Cowboy" tactics to the Season 10 "Legacy" mindset. It's a complete narrative circle that most shows never get to finish. Check the episode credits for Peter M. Lenkov and the various directors who maintained this tone, and you'll see a consistent effort to keep the "Ohana" central to every explosion and foot chase.