Hawaii Five-0 is preparing to end its long run. After 10 seasons on CBS, the network has announced the series won’t be back next season and will end with a two-hour series finale on April 3.
Kelly Kahl, President, CBS Entertainment had this to say about the series ending its run:
“It’s never easy to say goodbye to a hit franchise that carried on the legacy of the original with such distinction while establishing its own signature style. From episode one, Hawaii Five-0 has been a huge success for us. Thanks to the amazing talents of the producers, writers, cast and crew, it has played a key role for a decade on our schedule and helped establish our powerhouse Friday night. We cannot be prouder of its quality, longevity and are thankful for the passionate fan-devotion it inspired.”
The decision to end the show’s run appears to come down to Alex O’Loughlin who plays McGarrett on the series. O’Loughlin suffered a serious back injury during the early seasons of the show, and has been dealing with effects from it ever since. There was speculation that he may leave the show two years ago but he stayed on after receiving stem cell treatment. This time around, he felt he could not continue. The network explored continuing Hawaii Five-0 with Scott Caan’s Danno and a new partner but, ultimately, everyone decided this was the right time to end the series. O’Loughlin expressed his gratitude for the fans and the series with this statement:
“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. What we’ve done, what we’ve accomplished, it’s extraordinary. I can’t really put words to express my level of gratitude. I’m just glad to have been a part of this, a part of history and I’m going to miss it. And to the fans, I don’t know how to thank you guys. Thank you for following us the way you have. I’m going to miss you. Aloha.”
When Hawaii Five-0 wraps, the series will have produced a staggering 240 episodes. Developed by Peter M. Lenkov, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci as a reimagining of Leonard Freeman’s classic series, Hawaii Five-0 has been a strong profit generator for CBS. In addition to its solid ratings performance, initially on Monday, and as a Friday anchor for the past seven seasons, Hawaii Five-0 has been a big international seller for CBS TV Studios. It is seen in more than 200 countries and it was the last broadcast drama series to score a blockbuster off-network deal, landing $2 million an episode from TNT during its first season on CBS. The series, which consistently wins its time period, has been watched by almost 40 million viewers this season. In addition, the show has ranked in the top 15 or higher of broadcast dramas during its run. The show currently stars Alex O’Loughlin, Scott Caan, Ian Anthony Dale, Meaghan Rath, Beulah Koale, Katrina Law, Taylor Wily, Dennis Chun, Kimee Balmilero and Chi McBride.
