Week of Sep. 5: TV and the 49th and 50th States, and A Shout-Out To Cheers

Each presidential ticket has someone from either Alaska (Sarah Palin) or Hawaii (Barack Obama), so this week's look is at television shows from those states.



Alaska: There's really only one, and it's "Northern Exposure," the story of a New York doctor who went to Alaska. It ran on CBS from 1990-95, and during its glory years, starred Rob Morrow and Janine Turner. Here's a fan site with details:



http://www.moosechick.com/



The series is available on DVD, with cool packaging for individual seasons and the series.



Hawaii: "Lost" is filmed there now, of course. Shows that have been shot there include "Jake and the Fatman," "Baywatch Hawaii," "One West Waikiki" and more. ("Hawaiian Eye" was actually filmed in Hollywood, but did feature native Hawaiian Doug Mossman, who was also featured in the shows I'll mention below.)



Two shows stand above all the others, however:



*"Magnum, P.I." --Ran on CBS from 1980-88, starring Tom Selleck in his Emmy-winning role as Naval intelligence officer turned private investigator Thomas Magnum, as well as Texan John Hillerman as the very British Jonathan Quayle Higgins, Larry Manetti as Rick and Roger E. Mosley as T.C. Too many classic episodes to mention, with stars that included Carol Burnett, Eugene Roche, and Ol' Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra. The show was the first hit of the Donald Bellisario dynasty that also includes "JAG" and "NCIS." But Magnum wouldn't have gotten very far without:

*"Hawaii Five-O" --The granddaddy of them all ran on CBS from 1968-80 and starred Jack Lord as Five-O's chief Steve McGarrett, James MacArthur as second-in-command Dan Williams (from the second episode through the end of the 1978-79 season), Kam Fong as Chin Ho Kelly (1968-78), Zulu as Kono Kalakaua (1968-72), Al Harrington as Ben Kokua (1972-75) and Herman Wedermeyer as Duke Lukela (1971-80). A bridge between the "Dragnet"-style police shows of the 1950s and 60s and more introspective shows like "Cagney & Lacey" and the current format favored by "Law & Order." Creator Leonard Freeman proved that Hawaii could shine on a weekly television series, and the series brought the role of Lord's career.

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A note that the 10th season of "Cheers" is available on DVD. "Cheers" ran on NBC from 1982-93 and produced, in my opinion, an even better spinoff, "Frasier."

Here's a link to the great theme song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD8ljNobUys&feature=related

By the way, Nicholas Colasanto, who played "Coach" until his untimely death in 1985 also has a Hawaii Five-O link, having directed a few early episodes. He was a prolific director as well as actor.

Assuming that my computer has power after Hurricane Ike's planned assault, see you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing and may the hurricanes miss you!