Woe To Wo Fat

My long-time passion for the television show "Hawaii Five-O" led me to write several poems about the show many years ago.  This is one such piece of poetry, a haiku, no less.

McGarrett And Wo Fat

McGarret and Fat
mortal enemies in life;
eternal neighbors.

And this one, another haiku, based upon the episode "The Finishing Touch," first aired on November 20th, 1973.

Phase Three

Phase Three was coming.
They said it was a grabber,
and I believe them.

New Show Alert - Fourth And Long

I had seen some previews for a new television show that was premiering on May 18th, 2009 and thought it looked interesting. Being a football fan my entire life, the fact that it was about football made it even more appealing. It stars the Dallas Cowboy's great wide receiver Michael Irvin and the theme of the show is about 12 athletes competing to see who will be good enough to win and go on to win a spot on the Dallas Cowboys real roster. It started it's 10-episode run on May 18th, on Spike TV, and I've read that it will end with enough time for the winner to be able to report to training camp this year.

Quite frankly, I didn't expect it to be the best television show I'd ever watched, but since it was about football, it should at least be able to hold my interest. Well, last night I watched the first two episodes, (which I had to miss when they were broadcast, but I taped them), and I have to say this - I was blown away by the show! What can I say but that it keeps my interest, it shows me behind the scenes of just how much work it takes to be able to play the sport and it is inspiring to boot! Michael Irvin and his two co-stars, former Cowboy player Bill Bates and former Cowboy coach Joe Avezzano come across as being totally sincere in what they are trying to do with the 12 players and special appearances by former Cowboy greats help reinforce different lessons they're trying to teach the 12 men.

At the beginning of each episode, Michael tells them what that day's training will consist of and why it's so important. During the course of the episode, a former Cowboy will reinforce this with his personal spin on why it matters. What everything boils down to seems to be that if you want something bad enough, you will find it in yourself to attain your goals. That's a good lesson for life in general as well! The only drawback I can see with the show so far is that it's only going to last for 10 episodes. It's such an eye opening behind the scenes look and downright pleasure to watch, I would have hoped that it could last even longer; especially after seeing the first two episodes. But, irrespective of whether or not the winner actually attains a spot on the Cowboy's roster this year, I think that each and every one of the 12 will learn a little bit more about themselves and how to go about getting the things they want out of life with a more focused drive and determination.

Who knew that Michael Irvin and the rough sport of football had so much potential to inspire!? Count me as an even bigger fan now!

I Love Lucy - I Really Do!

This is just a short post to share with you something I found quite interesting. Growing up, I always watched and was a fan of the old television series, I Love Lucy. Who hasn't seen it or are familiar with the plotlines: Wacky wife always gets into trouble and her Cuban husband still loves her. The show debuted in 1951 and has not been off the air in repeats since. Of course I bought all the episodes on DVD, which everybody should own this classic show, and I watch them all the time. On one of the sets they had the original studio session for when they recorded the show's classic opening theme and as you listen to it, you can hear that it was take 2. So, here is that instantly familiar take 2 version of a tune you probably know by heart - the I Love Lucy Theme, Take 2. Enjoy it!

If you do go out to purchase the DVD season sets, whatever you do, don't buy them at Wal-Mart! Don't buy anything there.

Hawaiian Heat

Download the opening of the show here: Opening.avi.

Download the opening theme of the show here: Theme.mp3.

Does anybody remember the tv show that was on ABC back in 1984 called Hawaiian Heat? Probably not, since it was only on for 11 episodes before it got cancelled. Well, I loved that show and saw all 11 episodes. (I still have the last two on videotape.) It was all about two Chicago cops that got tired of the wind, snow and cold weather and transferred out to the Islands, where they were on the police force there. They were played by Jeff McCracken and Robert Ginty. Both of them shared a beach house with 5 beautiful women, who all led fascinating lives and had fascinating careers, (wouldn't you just know it!). One of the roommates which had a bigger part on the show was played by Tracy Scoggins. Their superior at the police headquarters was portrayed by Mako and would always be gruff with them. "Mac," played by Ginty, drove a 1965 Cadillac convertible and the two actors played well off of each other. On the whole, I've always liked shows that were set in Hawaii - Hawaii Five-0, Magnum P.I., The Byrds Of Paradise, Hawaii, etc., and this one was no exception. If only the executives at ABC would have given it a little more time. You'll remember that that was also the year Miami Vice came out and was a smash hit after awhile. So, police/detective shows set in sunny climes was a popular background in which to set a series right then. I would mention that ABC has cancelled another show I like, which I felt was before it had been given enough time, called Cavemen, but that's a topic for another time.
If anyone remembers this show, feel free to post a comment about it. And if anybody happened to tape the movie-length pilot episode or any of the rest of the hour-long episodes, other than the last two, Maybe we can get together for a swap of some kind. I sure would like to see that show again from the beginning because it will probably never be released on DVD.

Here is an advertisement picture for the show that ran in TV Guide. It's just the artwork, without the blurb for the current week's episode plastered all over it:

Episode list:

Episode 1: Pilot

Air Date: September 14th, 1984
Download link:  Pilot Episode
Episode 2: Ice Cream Man

Air Date: September 21st, 1984
Episode 3: Wave Of Controversy

Air Date: September 28th, 1984
Episode 4: Inherited Trait

Air Date: October 12th, 1984
Episode 5: A Different Kind Of Justice

Air Date: October 19th, 1984
Episode 6: Missing In Hawaii

Air Date: October 26th, 1984
Episode 7: Yankees vs The Cubs

Air Date: November 2nd, 1984
Episode 8: Ancient Fires

Air Date: November 9th, 1984
Episode 9: Old Dues

Air Date: November 16th, 1984
Episode 10: Andy's Mom

Air Date: November 23rd, 1984
Download link:  Andy's Mom
Episode 11: Picture Imperfect

Air Date: December 21st, 1984
Download link:  Picture Imperfect

Alternate link to download or watch these episodes online:
Pilot
Wave Of Controversy
Inherited Trait
Yankees vs The Cubs
Andy's Mom
Picture Imperfect

Hawaiian Heat Episodes on the Internet Archive.org

February 19th, 2008 update:

I have been contacted about this series and by working out a trade, I can now add the original pilot to my collection - the movie-length episode that began the series! Keep these episodes coming and maybe all us dedicated viewers can assemble a complete set. If so, I hope to be able to have them all on one set of DVD's, so stay tuned!

Here is how the Hawaiian Heat DVD Project stands at present:

1. Pilot (Acquired)
2. Ice Cream Man (Still looking for)
3. Wave Of Controversy (Acquired)

4. Inherited Trait (Acquired)

5. A Different Kind Of Justice (Acquired)

6. Missing In Hawaii (Acquired)

7. Yankees vs The Cubs (Acquired)

8. Ancient Fires (Acquired)

9. Old Dues (Acquired)

10. Andy's Mom (Acquired)

11. Picture Imperfect (Acquired)

I'll keep updating this as things change, so stay tuned!

January 27th, 2009 update:

I will have information soon about acquiring episode #2 Ice Cream Man, so stay tuned. (This just in - I have located episode #5 A Different Kind Of Justice, and will have an update soon!) For now, the cover art I created for this set looks like this and if you would like to see a more detailed look, download the cover for Volume 6 here. Here is the cover art:

Here's the cover for the pilot episode:

January 29th, 2009 update:

I have just created an entry for this series on Wikipedia. The Hawaiian Heat page can be found here.

March 17th, 2009 update:

I have been contacted by one of the stars of this show, Robert Ginty, and he has generously agreed to donate the four episodes that he has in his personal collection for this project! So, keep faith, there's still hope for a complete set yet!

January 17th, 2010 update:

Of the four episodes donated by Robert Ginty, namely Inherited Trait, A Different Kind Of Justice, Missing In Hawaii and Old Dues, none of them have the closing credits on the tapes provided. So, if anybody has complete copies of these four episodes, I would like to upgrade them. If I don't come up with any better versions, I'll try to come up with the closing credits and create some kind of sequence to include them on the DVD copies I make, just so they're as complete as possible. One person was looking for one of the needed episodes in his collection, but he hasn't found it yet. That episode was Ice Cream Man. If he does find that episode, that means only three episodes are still needed to complete the set! These three episodes are Wave Of Controversy, Yankees vs The Cubs and Ancient Fires. So, if anybody has copies of any or all of these missing shows, please contact me. It's getting very close to being completed and I know there are still a lot of fans out there who would like to see this show again! So, keep the faith!

Robert Ginty sent me the episodes he had and I'm certain he knew he was dying when he did so and this was his way of giving his blessings to the Hawaiian Heat DVD Project. Let's help keep the memory of this great actor alive by completing the set and making it available for all his fans.

 April 14th, 2014 update:

I have updated the list above of the episodes I now have for the collection.  As you can see, all that's missing are the two episodes Ancient Fires and Ice Cream Man.  I had a line on Ice Cream Man, but apparently it didn't work out.  So, if anybody knows the whereabouts of copies of these two episodes, please let me know by leaving a comment or e-mailing me at haarfager872@kenharrelson.com

June 5th, 2017 update:
Looking through the tapes that Robert Ginty sent me a little bit closer, I have now found out he sent me 8 episodes instead of the 4 he mentioned.  That means I now have the pilot and all the episodes except the first one, namely Ice Cream Man.  The episode entitled Wave Of Controversy was acquired from a fan and contact in Texas.

March 27th, 2018 update:
I have added download links to the episodes I have had digitized, and they include the Pilot, Andy's Mom and Picture Imperfect.  I figured that I needed to start getting these episodes out there somehow.

June 8th, 2018 update:
My internet service provider has dumped me off on to another company, so I've had to get a new e-mail address.  Please use this new one for any correspondence.  It is:  haarfager872@kenharrelson.com.

June 15th, 2018 update:
David Scott, from Brisbane, Australia recently wrote me to inform me of some potentially good news for all us fans of Hawaiian Heat.   He had contacted Sony Entertainment and this was what he had to say.  He kindly gave me permission to repost it here:

"I have a DVD set here amongst my collection of DVDs.  Blue Thunder also was an ABC program in the early 1980’s and only lasted 11 episodes.   I looked at the DVD packaging and it was released on DVD by Sony Pictures.   I placed a call to their Customer Service line to ask about Hawaiian Heat; and if that could be produced for DVD release.    They have confirmed they have had other phone calls, requesting Hawaiian Heat for DVD, and will pass this onto Senior Management.  I guess it don’t hurt to ask does it?  I also showed them your project page, to give them further proof; of how popular the show is amongst fans."

August 15th, 2019 update:  Just to clarify, I have copies of all the episodes but one, namely, Ice Cream Man.  I have updated the title screen picture at the top of this blog and the Wikipedia article with a clearer version.  And be sure to check out the download links above and the Internet Archive.org page I created for this series.  At the Internet Archive, you can download the episodes, in different formats, or just watch the episodes from your online browser.  The link can be found here:  Hawaiian Heat Episodes  I am also about to send the tapes I do have off to get digitized, so there should be more episodes soon!

August 16th, 2019 update:  I have added a couple more episodes to the page I created for Hawaiian Heat on the Internet Archive.org.  These three new episodes are Wave Of Controversy, Inherited Trait and Yankees vs The Cubs.  From the above link you can now download or watch the Pilot and five different episodes.

An actual promotional photograph used by ABC Television for the show:

Yabba Dabba Do Watch This Show

Well, a new show premiered on ABC-TV tonight, October 2nd, 2007. And, let me tell you, I was highly anticipating it! If you've ever seen a commercial on TV lately, you're probably familiar with the ads featuring cavemen, run by the Geico car insurance company. I find those ads very intelligent and witty. Well, whoever comes up with new television ideas picked a lulu when they decided to bring these characters to life with their own show. The show is named Cavemen and the premise is that somehow Cro Magnon man has survived and lives in the modern world alongside Homo sapiens. They're not as stupid as the historians led us to believe, and in fact, the modern version is quite cosmopolitan. They go to clubs, work in malls and even play squash! How more integrated into society can you be than that?

The first episode, which was entitled "Woman Embarrassed By Caveman," introduced the main characters: The lead caveman, Nick, his best friend Joel and Nick's brother Andy, who all share an upscale apartment. In the opening, Nick is afraid to tell his roommates about his new girlfriend because she's a Homo Sapiens and he knows that Joel says they should date within their own species and would not approve. Andy is trying to get over his ex-girlfriend Susan, so he doesn't really care who his brother dates. We see that Nick works in a Swedish furniture store and that the roommates all belong to a health club where they play squash together alot with a caveman friend of theirs.

All in all, I found this comedy, which didn't have a laugh-track, to be intelligent and funny. No lowbrow humor here, even though the main characters have lowbrows! I don't know how the general public will feel about this show, and whether or not it will last very long, but I plan to enjoy it and watch it as long as it's on the air. I only hope that all the bad press it's been getting doesn't prevent people from even giving it a chance and have it cancelled before it had an opportunity to be viewed. I'm even recording the episodes to my computer so that I can burn them to dvd and preserve them. We'll just have to see what the ratings turn out to be like - whether they start strong and fall off, start low and stay there or build gradually as the weeks go by and it turns into a hit. I'll keep you posted.