Show and Tell Hawai'i| Show and Tell Hawai’i blog, staradvertiser.com | Honolulu, Hawaii

Meet the little cub Lion, O'Loughlin's 4-month-old toddler

Wayne Harada — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:10:42 +0000

This is the pic O'Loughlin shared of his little Lion, on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."

Meet Lion, the six-month-old son of “Hawaii Five-0” actor Alex O’Loughlin and his model-surfer girlfriend, Malia Jones.
Us Weekly published the first photo of Lion, which O’Loughlin shared, during a May 17 appearance of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
Lion, born last Oct. 25, is the first child for the couple, though he has an 16-year-old son, Saxon, and she has a 4-year-old daughter, Molly, from previous relationships.
“He’s the best,” O’Loughlin boasted.
O’Loughlin portrays Steve McGarrett on the CBS series, which this week aired the final episode of season three.
The show earlier was picked up for syndication by TNT beginning in 2014 and earned a fourth season pick-up, with filming expected to resume in July. For the first time, “Five-0” will be in residency on the sound stages of the Hawaii Film Studio in the Diamond Head area, where the Jack Lord “Five-0” was a tenant during its entire 12-season run, between 1968 and 1980.
Facilities are being renovated to suit the needs of production.

Come what May: 'NCIS,' CBS top the Nielsen TV ratings

Wayne Harada — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:10:48 +0000

The May sweeps — the Nielsen TV ratings — are over, and the No. 1 ranking goes to (drum roll), “NCIS.”
The CBS procedural, starring a top-notch combo led by Mark Harmon, dominated the list again with 18.8 million viewers.
The spin-off show, CBS’ “NCIS: Los Angeles,” at No. 4, and the Monday favorite, ABC’s “Castle,” were the only other procedurals on the Top 10.
The island-based CBS series, “Hawaii Five-0,” which has struggled to maintain a following in its third season, finished a distant No. 25 with 7.9 million viewers.
Highlights of the May sweeps:
• “American Idol” hit a record low, with 14.3 million viewers, which was down 33 per cent from the finale show last season; two episodes of CBS’ “Big Bang Theory” on Thursday, and the finale of “NCIS” Tuesday possibly added to the reality show’s erosion and decline.
• In network ranking, CBS was the winner with 11.9 million, and a 3.7 rating for the 18 to 49 demographics; ABC pulled in 7.9 million, and a 2.8 in demos; Fox eked out third place with 7.1 million and a 3.2 demo; and NBC was fourth with 7.0 million and a 3.0 demo.
The rating period was from April 21 through May 19.
Here’s the overall picture:

TOP 20 NETWORK SHOWS

Rank / Show ........................ Viewers (millions)
1 — “NCIS” (CBS) ..........................................18.8
2 — “Big Bang Theory” (CBS) ..........................15.5
3 — “American Idol” (Tue, Fox) .......................14.3
4 — “NCIS: Los Angeles” (CBS) ........................13.5
5 — “Dancing With the Stars” (Mon, ABC)..........13.3
6 — “American Idol” (Wed, Fox) ......................12.1
7 — “Dancing With the Stars” (Tue, ABC) .......11.9
8 — “Big Band Theory” (repeat, CBS) ..............11.8
9 — “The Voice” (Mon, NBC)..........................11.3
10 —“Castle” (ABC).......................................11.2
11 — “Criminal Minds” (CBS)..........................10.6
12 — “The Voice” (Tue, NBC) .........................10.5
13 — “60 Minutes” (CBS)..................................10.2
14 — “Modern Family” (ABC) ...........................10.0
15 — (tie) “CSI” (CBS)...................................... 9.5
(tie) “Billboard Music Awards” (ABC) ................9.5
17 — “Scandal” (ABC).........................................9.1
18 — (tie) “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC) ....................9.0
(tie) “Elementary” (CBS) ....................................9.0
20 — “2 Broke Girls” (CBS)................................8.9

Comments welcome ...

'Five-0' wins Monday, but lots more ‘to be continued’

Wayne Harada — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:35:38 +0000

CBS’ “Hawaii Five-0” finished season three Monday (May 20) on a high note — winning its 9 p.m. (10 p.m. Mainland) time slot — but it was somewhat of a hollow victory.
The results were much better than last week, but not quite the numbers of the freshman year.
While the Hawaii-based procedural finished first in the 18 to 49 demographics with a 2.0 rating and attracting 9 million viewers, “Five-0” really had no competition since ABC’s usual “Castle,” the drama that constantly wins the hour, was pre-empted with a “Motive” series premiere that pulled in 6.8 million viewers for second place. NBC’s “Revolution” garnered 5.8 million for third.
The "Five-0" episode was entitled “Aloha, Malama Pono.” It might simply have been called “To Be Continued,” because that mantra prevailed. A lot of character/plot set-ups, a lot left hanging, presumably to be continued next season.

“To be continued” was uttered repeatedly in Monday’s (May 29) “Hawaii Five-0” finale, twice by Steve McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin), once by Doris McGarrett (Christine Lahti).
And continuity, some obvious, some not, became the underlying element, played out with practically every single character, from Top Four to the ranks. Only one missing in action: Kamekona (Taylor Wily); will be open a cupcake bakery next season?
The TBC notion could also be applied to the final ratings for the season: how will the show do in season four, particularly since it’s moving from Mondays to 8 p.m. (9 p.m.) Fridays.

There were teasers, of course, notably the four-will-be-three element. The conclusion, to be played out in season four’s opening, hinted that Kono (Grace Park) might have been readily eliminated. She' still a problem for her peers and the viewers, still romantically involved with Adam (Ian Anthony Dale), the yakuza brother, and still asking folks like Catherine (Michelle Borth) to retrieve data for her. Her fate, and ours, as viewers?

To be continued. Kono, still wounded, witnessed Adam inadvertently shooting his brother Michael (Daniel Henney) in a gun struggle; by the episode’s end, she chose to flee with Adam to Shanghai, a bizarre trip arranged by Mama McG (Christine Lahti), who boards a tanker to find her peace.
Of course, you know Kono’s not going away for long, even if the actress doesn’t much like it Hawaii. Could she be killed on the show, or die due to complications from taking a bullet? Certainly. Could she simply walk and exit the series? Of course; she has reportedly been unhappy, mostly about salary, so somewhat of an off-screen problem with producers; if you recall, she didn’t appear at season three’s Sunset on the Beach premiere, though she was in town; go figure it out. But you know she’ll be back, like a bad penny.
To be continued: Will Mama McG, an unnecessary punctuation mark and a thorn in son McG’s life in season three, recur next year? She was destined to co-star in NBC’s “Beverly Hills Cop,” but the pilot was never picked up. So expect to see her next season (yawn) since she still is in cahoots with Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos).
TBC: Will Catherine rekindle a relationship with her ex? Not essential in the “H50” storytelling; so why, then, the needless encounter with the dude in the early minutes of the show? Will Michelle curtail her live-in relationship with McG? Not likely; that’s the only relevant love thread worth keeping.
And: Why did Chin (Daniel Dae Kim) make that phone call to Leilani (Lindsay Price), the nurse he met when he was held hostage? To rekindle another off-hour relationship? TBC.
Also TBC: Danno (Scott Caan) encountered Dr. Gabrielle Asano (Autumn Reeser) and he told her, “I don’t know what I was thinking,” and you wonder what’s next? Gotta be played out next season. Okeh.
The one TBC that has relevance and begs some kind of explanation: the relationship between Wo Fat and McG; why Mama McG visited Wo Fat in that prison steel-and-glass cubicle, before McG made his visit. Is Mama McG Wo Fat’s mom, too? That would make McG his bro, or half-bro, depending on how the spool unreels. McG is in a bad place; Wo Fat has a bad, disfigured face.
To be continued. ...

'Today' on NBC: see it live and again—on tape delay

Wayne Harada — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:48:50 +0000

NBC’s “Today” show, taping its Monday May 20 program live from the beach in front of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki, will make history of sorts.
The live feed will air as it happens, from 1 to 3 a.m., while most of Hawaii will be in darkness and asleep, to coincide with the East Coast time frame. Then from 7 a.m., the program will repeat via satellite-delay, as it usually does on Hawaii News Now (KHNL/KGMB).
Hosts Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Natalie Morales and Willie Geist will be on hand for the Hawaii show; meteorologist Al Roker has had to return home to tend to weather issues on the Mainland.
This is not the first time the Peacock Network has aimed its camera on Island life. The first time was in the Bryant Gumbel/Katie Couric era, when the NBC team landed on the shores of Waikiki at the very same Royal Hawaiian, also known as the Pink Palace, the iconic luxury hotel in the Starwood franchise.
In the first go, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole and the Makaha Sons were among the Hawaii guest stars.
This time, the local celebs will include ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro and pop/folk music wizard Jack Johnson.
As usual, there will be visits with local chefs and restaurants and fun-in-the-sun segments involving surfing.
The public may gather and observe the wee-hour filming from the beach vantage point; only hotel guests who are able to stay awake will be allowed on the shore side of the beachfront barriers.
Producers have been in the islands the past week to stage, tape and complete pre-recorded segments during the daytime that will air during the live primetime.

Kipling store at Ala Moana features The Lylas this evening

Wayne Harada — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:48 +0000

The LYLAS: Helping launch Kipling store at Ala Moana Center.

The LYLAS, the up-and-coming girl group comprised of sisters of Hawaii superstar Bruno Mars, will perform at 5 p.m. today (May 16) at the opening of Kipling, the robust luggage and accessory label, at Ala Moana Center.
Doors opened this morning, but the festivities will be this evening. Following a mini-performance, The Lylas will do an autograph session from 6 to 7 p.m.
Give-aways and other activities were slated throughout the day, with shoppers able to earn prizes ranging from discount cards for future purchases at Kipling and a piece of classic Kipling luggage.
The Belgian brand is known for its contemporary design and trendy shapes and colors, as well as the iconic gorilla-with-thumb-in-the-mouth that dangles from most luggage, roll-aboards and shoulder bags.
It’s a unisex brand that’s durable; I’ve bought ‘em over the years, locally and in luggage shops in New York City, and they last forever and have made many trips with me.

'Five-0' moving to Fridays, amid a less demanding neighborhood

Wayne Harada — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:30:49 +0000

It’s official: CBS is moving “Hawaii Five-0” from its Monday slot at 9 p.m. (10 p.m Mainland) to Friday night at 8 p.m.
So the rumors have been true. And in the new environment, there will be less pressure and fewer worries about numbers and rankings. Perhaps less stress, from one standpoint; so maybe the show will find its inner strength and grow and improve and, well, become a reborn project.
The Hawaii-based show, earlier renewed for a fourth season based on a previous TNT syndication, dodged cancellation because of the deal. This, as the procedural struggled somewhat and see-sawed for ratings stability opposite ABC’s “Castle,” which most often prevailed. NBC’s “Revolution” was third, though yanked for months during a mid-season hiatus, with its own ratings and viewership issues.
The repositioning on Fridays, sandwiched between “Undercover Boss” and “Blue Bloods,” is considered the death knell for under-performing shows.
It’s a neighborhood where figures and standings matter a skosh, but not like on other nights when competition is fierce and viewership soars.
Fridays, alas, is construed as the glue factory for thoroughbreds which have lost their glory in the horse race. TV critics are not silent about this positioning, and may have already wiped off "Five-0" as a contender and competitor this early in the game. While the move may benefit “Five-0,” it could also diminish its strength, eliminating a fifth season lifeline. Only time — and performance — will decide.
When “Five-0” vacates the Monday position this fall, the replacement show on CBS will be “Hostages,” with 15 episodes airing through January; then “Intelligence” assumes the slot for 13 episodes through June. Comedies will continue to precede the new dramas.
On Fridays, “Five-0” will compete with these shows: “Shark Tank” on ABC and “Grimm” on NBC.
Strange bedfellows: shark infestation (not literal sharks) and an element of the grim.
Hmmmmmmm...

'H50' glides and displays 'Mission: Impossible' vibes

Wayne Harada — Wed, 15 May 2013 01:02:32 +0000

CBS’ homegrown “Hawaii Five-0” continues to glide; Monday’s (May 13) episode attracted 7.68 million viewers, with a 1.8 rating in in the key 18 to 49 demographics. This was a drop of a tenth, down from last week’s 1.9 rating.
The show is on a downward spiral, seemingly no longer able to bypass ABC’s “Castle,” which had 11.26 million viewers in the Nielsens, good for a 2.2 demo and No. 1 ranking. The third show, NBC’s “Revolution,” had fewer viewers at 5.72 million, but raked in a 1.9 rating in the demos.
But whoa: The show is displaying a late-in-the-season sass and style. If you ask me, the model is “Mission: Impossible.”
“Five-0” had a credible plot in the “He welo ‘ohana (Family Business)” show, revealing and compounding familiar character traits in Doris McGarrett (Christine Lahti) and Kono (Grace Park). The latter, who is Steve McGarrett’s (Alex O’Loughlin), continues to provide headaches and worry for the commander of “Five-0,” and Kono also still is caught in the precarious relationship with Adam (Ian Anthony Dale), whose Yakuza ties intrude on their lives. Worse, Kono gets shot, though her bravura and reckless behavior brings tension to the plot; but you wonder when she’s going to get it, and get out of this messy situation.
This raises an issue: How long can a dead-end relationship last in a story arc? Even Mama McG’s recent beau (Treat Williams) is back, partnering in her quest to retrieve a precious microfiche in a high-security office. But in a “Mission: Impossible”-type feat, the attempt to secure a pass card, cutting off the TV circuitry in the facility, and rushing into the office on a potential government employee (Craig T. Nelson) whom Mama McG knows, is unabashedly cinematic and ambitious for a procedural. OK, silly, too.
But brownie points to the storytellers: the inclusion of ‘iwi matters, relating to the light rail in the works for Honolulu which continues to search for bones, is a slice of life; more of this kind of relatable elements, and this should could begin an upward struggle to regain viewers.
However, the matter of a Yakuza body dump, with beaucoup graves in a parcel of land that would eventually be where rail prevails, is a bit much — but it helps frame the story.
That in-the-elevator-shaft sequence, with Mama McG and McG dodging a rising car, is the stuff of films. Yes, “MI” minus Tom Cruise.
At best, the show projects a lot of effort and energy, for a change. The usual banter between McG and Danno (Scott Caan) is tolerable; the exchange between McG and Mama McG, including small-kid-time memories of magic, is sweet and proper, demonstrating a rich and warm past connecting to a tense and confused presence.
Add the helicopter drop, and retrieval, and you have more “MI” flavor.
Perhaps that’s the underlying message with this one: The mission is to improve and get back on track. And while it seems to be unlikely, it’s not impossible.

'Hawaii Five-0:' Who can fix what’s obviously broken?

Wayne Harada — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:54:17 +0000

With two more new episodes of its third season on the agenda this and next Monday, amid disappointing and dwindling viewership, CBS’ “Hawaii Five-0” faces a fourth season with challenges galore, the least of which is rebuilding its fan base and improving viewership.
“He Welo ʻOhana (Family Business)," this week's (May 13) show, brings back Doris McGarrett (Christine Lahti) who tries with the help of son Steve McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin) to retrieve an incriminating microfilm, while Kono (Grace Park) finds her life in jeopardy as she zooms in on beau Adam (Ian Anthony Dale), who has Yakuza ties.
"Aloha, Malama Pono (Farewell and Take Care)," the season finale on May 20, finds McG making a shocking discovery during a visit to Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos), and a terrorist detainee supposedly on a transport plane to Hawaii, is missing — though four bodies are aboard.
These two shows may not resolve the issue that the series is broken and needs fixing.
But loose threads should be tidied up, to prep for next year. Will there be major changes — unexpected story twists, new revelations, tighter and more credible plots — as producers huddle during the hiatus leading to the fall season?
We’ve flagged and nagged about the large and ineffective stable of marginal characters in this space, some new and some recurring, and the outrageous plots that insult common intelligence. The Hawaii-based procedural is fiction, but more often than not, its reality is laced with far-fetched and unbelievable situations. Flying to Korea in copter has been just one of the truth-stretching absurdities; worse, that reality show tie-in was messy and miserable; much of this kind of shameful nonsense should be halted.
Will the show take stock and reel in or cut characters, erasing some roles in the role ahead? Will there be a demise of one or two recurring roles that have clogged the pipeline this year?
Most importantly, who in the CBS hierarchy can lasso the plot issues and help reshape and rejuvenate the series to its season one glory? Or is that an impossible task at this point?
Some people and practices to contemplate:
• Mama McGarrett: She’s been mostly a question mark and certainly a distraction in season three. Perhaps she should be sent to pasture; and banned from flashbacks. In reality, actress Lahti had committed to do a new NBC show, “Beverly Hills Cop,” but the show’s pilot (with Eddie Murphy in a recurring role) was not picked up and consequently is DOA. Please; let her disappear, alive or otherwise, and let’s all move on.
• Wo Fat: McG’s nemesis has been ineffective and largely elusive. With all else that needs attention (like creating interesting and inventive plot lines for the weekly crew on hand). Dacascos is a local, so it was a valid idea to bring him on as the Wo Fat antagonist. With his character badly burned and injured in the most recent episode, he, too, should expire. Besides, he still has a gig as the chairman of the Food Network’s “Iron Chef” reality show, where his physicality gets plenty of exposure.
• Catherine: Michelle Borth’s dual purpose — a working Navy Intelligence colleague of McG and his established main squeeze — has been comprised too often. Like last week, Kono asked her to illegally share data on her Yakuza beau. If that situation should recur, Catherine should tell Kono where to go. And learn the “no” word. Characters should have some ethics, after all.
• Exes: The frequent presence of former wives, husbands, future girlfriends, bosses, sisters and fathers should be halted. Or at least minimized. But routinely. backstories that become story arcs simply drag down the real gist of “Five-0:” Fight, explore, resolve crime incidents and tales; forget the family ties.
• Remaking old “Five-0” episodes: No more. The Ed Asner experience to recreate and shadow a vintage show didn’t work. If anything, viewers want the passion and the power of storytelling from the original, but revved up and formatted for the current audience, not retelling something old. If viewers truly want an orig, it’s still in indication — dated but certainly holding its own.
• Time slot: Though “Five-0” is rumored to move from its Monday night spot to a Friday template where ratings don’t matter as much and shows generally wind up in the graveyard (one writer calls Friday TVs “glue factory,” because old battle horses go there to die), it’s still firm at 9 p.m. Monday (10 p.m. Mainland), where its chief competitor will continue to be ABC’s “Castle,” which has generally been the procedural attracting more viewers. NBC’s “Revolution,” the potentially powerful drama with an unfortunate and ill-fated absence on the radar for a couple of months, is moving to 9 p.m. Wednesdays. So if “Five-0” retains its Monday residency, its new NBC competition will be “The Blacklist,” a new show starring James Spader as the world’s most wanted criminal who mysteriously turns himself in and is willing to name names of everyone he’s worked with, but only to a new FBI agent played by Megan Boone with whom he apparently has no connection.
CBS clearly was obligated to give a free season four pass to “Five-0,” which needs about 100 episodes for that TNT syndication deal beginning next year and producing lucrative bucks for the network. The finale of season three will bring the total to 71, so a full-fourth may still fall short of the 100 shows; can't imagine a fifth year, unless there's vast improvement from top to bottom of the ranks, on and off camera.
If the network and the cast and the show producers genuinely yearn for more years of renewals and an extended syndication life, the only way is to improve wattage on the stories, clear out the clutter, and go full throttle to regain the numbers and amass more viewers.
The network has said precious little about the declining ratings and embarrassing tales shared week after week. It’s time somebody in the hierarchy take notice and take charge.
“Five-0” has been struggling, with no apparent leadership or voice to fix what’s broken.
Agree? Disagree?

Don’t forget our Bloody Mary for 'South Pacific' film remake

Wayne Harada — Sat, 11 May 2013 22:43:44 +0000

Let’s cut to the chase:
“South Pacific,” the beloved Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, apparently is heading for a remake on the big screen, according to Playbill.com.
Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer, of “American Idiot” and “Spring Awakening” success on Broadway, hopes to tap Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams as Nellie Forbush, according to the Daily Mail. Williams was nominated for “My Week With Marilyn” and became a mainstream entity with “Brokeback Mountain.”
Apparently, more box office hotties are under consideration for other leads: Hugh Jackman, a Tony-winning Broadway star for “Boy from Oz” and an Oscar nominee for “Les Miserables,” is being wooed to portray Emile de Becque, with singer-actor Justin Timberlake, the prevailing artist of coolness thanks to his “Suit and Ties” hit, under consideration for Lieutenant Cable.
There’s no mention of who might play Bloody Mary, which requires a specific kind of actress, who can sing “Bali Ha’i” and “Happy Talk” in a particular style, and portray the comedic eccentricities of the character. So let’s hear a shout-out for our homegrown Tony nominee, Ables Sayre, who performed the Tonkinese character in the recent Lincoln Center revival of the classic play, directed by Bartlett Sher. Not only on Broadway, which led to a Tony nomination, but in London.
She’d bring N.Y. creds to the cast — along with a touch of Hawaii’s aloha. And you know how wildly we support our own in the arts. Think Bette Midler. Bruno Mars. Jake Shimabukuro.
The source of the musical is “Tales of the South Pacific,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by onetime resident James Michener. Another local link.
If the producers can align all the stars for this movie, the constellation would put “South Pacific” in the league of the Oscar-calibre “Les Miserables” hit that helped Anne Hathaway earn a Best Actress Academy Award. "South Pacific" could be such a filmic contender, too.
The star-studded cast certainly will appeal to the movie-going crowd; and since the story is set in the Pacific, part of the filming logically could be done in Hawaii. Just a thought, for now; Kauai was the backdrop for the first film of this musical.
The original Broadway production in 1949 starred Ezio Pinza and Mary Martin, and scored nine Tony Awards as well as the Pulitzer Prize.
The last Broadway mounting of musical, marking the 50th anniversary of the show, earned the 2008 Tony Award for Best Revival of Musical, so it has beaucoup creds.
The show has twice been adapted for the screen; a 1958 film starred Rossano Brazzi and Mitzi Gaynor; a 2001 TV version starred Rade Serbedzija, Glenn Close and Harry Connick Jr.
In Australia, a 2012 mounting was filmed for future DVD release. An earlier Carnegie Hall concert version, with Reba McIntire and Brian Stokes Mitchell, has been released on DVD. The Lincoln Center taping has been shown on PBS, but has not been released on DVD.
Against a wartime story line laced with issues on racisim, the joyous Rodgers & Hammerstein score features some of the most memorable tunes: “Some Enchanted Evening,” “Younger Than Springtime,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair,” “There Is Nothing Like a Dame” and “Wonderful Guy.”
Hope the producers seriously consider and then tap Ables Sayre for Bloody Mary. Would be a bloody crime if she is bypassed.

'Aloha Santa' will film on Maui; entertainer Eric Gilliom aboard

Wayne Harada — Thu, 09 May 2013 22:15:25 +0000

Eric Gilliom

Jonathan Yudis

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus — and he’s going to spend Christmas in Hawaii.
According to a YouTube posting, “Aloha Santa” — a winter wonderland feature, minus the show and set in sunny Hawaii — will be filmed on Maui later this year for release during the 2014 holiday season.
Infinite Entertainment is developing the yuletide comedy, with Mark Bakshi, Jonathan Yudis and Eric Gilliom producing, according to Varaiety. The project will utilize the facilities of the new Maui Film Studios for the bulk of its soundstage work.
“We’re very excited to be in this space of the Maui Film Studios,” said Yudis, who wrote the script.
“I’ve got a pretty large role in this film,” said Gilliom.
Adam “Tex” Davis rewriting the script, which deals with Santa crash-landing his sleigh in Hawaii. Yudis will also direct, and Maui native Gilliom will work on camera and off since he is a co-producer. The project will involve locals offering kokua to relaunch Santa so everyone can have a Mele Kalikimaka.
Surely, there will be a Christmas luau and fun, fun, fun in the surf; if Santa can’t surf, there’s always the outrigger canoe.