Fact Check: Is Hawaii 5-0 a real unit? Exploring what the crime show on CBS is based on

Hawaii Five-0
Hawaii Five-0 isn't a real unit (Image Source: CBS)

How nostalgic it feels to hear Detective Steve McGarrett saying "Book 'em, Danno" each time he caught a criminal at the end of Hawaii Five-O episodes. The original police procedural came out in 1968 and ran until 1980.

After almost four decades, CBS released the series' reboot in 2010 with the same name but replaced the "O" with a "0" to make it slightly different from the original title. Hawaii Five-0 was a special unit of the state police whose officers handled organized crime in Hawaii.

Following the police procedural, many might think the series is based on a real-life unit, but that's not true. Hawaii Five-0 isn't based on a real unit, as it's completely a fictionalized task force in the CBS series.

Like the original series, Hawaii Five-0 followed the iconic duo of the unit's leader, Steve McGarrett, and his partner, Danny "Danno" Williams. Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan portray the characters, while Jack Lord and James MacArthur made the characters famous in the 1968 Hawaii Five-O. Read more to know about the 2010 reboot.


Is Hawaii Five-0 based on a real-life true story?

The police procedural got a reboot in 2010 (Image Source: CBS)
The police procedural got a reboot in 2010 (Image Source: CBS)

No, Hawaii Five-0 isn't based on any true story or a real unit. The CBS police procedural focuses on the fictional elite State Police Squad led by Detective Steve McGarrett. The task force aims to catch notorious criminals in Hawaii and collaborate with local police to solve complex cases.

The original series became incredibly popular among police procedural fans, leading to twelve successful seasons on CBS, while the reboot ran for ten seasons. Apart from its titular figures, the series has had notable foes throughout its run, but no one was as ruthless as Wo Fat, the ultimate enemy of Detective Steve McGarrett.

He was the biggest enemy of the titular character in both shows. Wo Fat even framed the detective for the murder of the Governor of Hawaii. However, Steve McGarrett manages to eliminate his enemy, but later in the finale of the reboot, he confronts Wo Fat's wife.

Hawaii Five-0 remains one of the fan-favorite police procedurals that follows a super engaging fictional narrative. The reboot could only last for ten seasons until 2020, as CBS didn't plan to stretch it more.

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Exploring the reasons behind the cancellation of Hawaii Five-0

The show was canceled after Season 10 (Image Source: CBS)
The show was canceled after Season 10 (Image Source: CBS)

Hawaii Five-0 ended naturally as Alex O’Loughlin (Steve McGarrett) and Scott Caan's (Danno) contracts with the series ended. Additionally, O’Loughlin sustained a severe back injury during the show, making it difficult for the actor to continue his role.

Following O’Loughlin's health issues, there were discussions that the story would continue with a spin-off following Caan's character with a new partner. However, the makers ultimately decided to cancel the show at the right time.

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While talking about the show's ending, Alex O’Loughlin expressed his heartfelt gratitude and shared what it was like to work in America's highly famous police procedural. The actor said:

"This show has been pretty much every waking moment for the last 10 years of my life. Everywhere I go on this planet, in every language, I am McGarrett to all these people... Thank you for following us the way you have. I’m going to miss you. Aloha."

By the end of Hawaii Five-0, the creators realized they'd covered every aspect of the series they wanted fans to enjoy. It felt like the right time to conclude the series with a two-hour finale that fans undeniably loved.


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Edited by Sarah Nazamuddin Harniswala