All three of the Captain and Tennille TV specials that aired on ABC back in the late 70s have been released on DVD by RetroActive Entertainment, and I was lucky enough to get a chance to review them all (you can click on Captain and Tennille in New Orleans and Captain and Tennille Songbook to read those reviews). Unavailable since they first aired back in 1977-1979, these TV specials showcase the exceptional musicality of the duo, while the DVDs offer their fans a chance to hear some newly recorded, informative audio commentaries from Toni Tennille and Daryl Dragon. We'll look at Captain and Tennille in Hawaii in this review.

In my review of the Captain and Tennille in New Orleans DVD, I went into some detail concerning the duo's music, their television series, and how these three TV specials came about, as well as my connection to their work when I was growing up - so I recommend you click here to read that background information. Captain and Tennille in Hawaii was the second of the TV specials the singing duo completed for ABC, in exchange for opting out of their TV series. With guest stars Kenny Rogers, David Soul, Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau, and Don Knotts for comedy relief, Captain and Tennille in Hawaii still has some of the vestiges of their failed variety show (the inclusion of the largely unnecessary Knotts here). But particularly in the last half of the show, where the cast gathers for a musical luau, it's quite a lovely, effective special and a big improvement over Captain and Tennille in New Orleans.

The special opens with some spectacular helicopter shots of the Islands - and some equally impressive views of Toni Tennille in her sarong bikini. Singing the fun Love is Spreadin' Over the World, we immediately get a better sense of scope to the project (as opposed to the somewhat gray, drizzly-looking Captain and Tennille in New Orleans), as Captain and Tennille pop up all over various tropical spots. Kenny Rogers - in all his 1978 denim-and-chest-hair-glory - makes an appearance, singing Love or Something Like It amid a bunch of cows (don't ask), which segues into some uncomfortable comedic bantering with Toni before she rides off to sing Just the Way You Are (with some humorous montages of Daryl and Toni enjoying the islands). David Soul, resplendent in white muslin, sings Tomorrow's Child amid the rocky cliffs of Maui. Don Knotts next appears, doing a comedy riff on a bullying tour guide, followed by Captain and Tennille performing I'm On My Way (which showed up also on Captain and Tennille in New Orleans). Knotts returns for some comedy with a hula dancer, and then Daryl engages in some funny (it's hard to say if it's intentional or not) late 70s synth grooves on John Williams' Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Toni sings the lovely Gentle Stranger, and then we have the show's finale, the musical luau.

Up to this point, Captain and Tennille in New Orleans is pretty standard musical variety stuff, albeit shot amid the spectacular scenery of Hawaii. But the musical luau at the end feels nicely spontaneous and free, like the crew just got the principles together and let things happen. David Soul's song about his dog isn't particularly memorable, nor is Knotts' aborted, tame ventriloquist dummy routine, but Captain and Tennille's numbers with the great Hawaiian band Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau are terrific, and it's obvious that the small audience, camped out on the beach as the sky darkens dramatically behind the performers, is filled with relatives and friends, giving this part of the show a family feeling, with good spirits transferred to the viewer. It's a nice moment, and it elevates Captain and Tennille in New Orleans to memorable, priming us for Toni Tennille's lovely rendition of Leon Russell's Back to the Island as the show fades out.

Here are the musical numbers included on Captain and Tennille in Hawaii:

Love is Spreadin' Over the World
Captain and Tennille.

Love or Something Like It
Kenny Rogers.

Just the Way You Are
Toni Tennille.

Tomorrow's Child
David Soul.

I'm On My Way
Captain and Tennille.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Daryl Dragon.

Gentle Stranger
Toni Tennille.

Love Lifted Me
Kenny Rogers and Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau.

Ka-Ding-Dong
Captain and Tennille and the Tennille Sisters.

My Flower
Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau and Friends

Back to the Island
Captain and Tennille and Cast.

The DVD:

The Video:
As with Captain and Tennille in New Orleans, the full screen, 1.33:1 video image for Captain and Tennille in Hawaii isn't the greatest. Originally shot on video, the soft, grainy image has video noise and surprisingly poor original lighting. The video image most closely resembles a VHS version of the show. It's important to note that the DVD box says the show is "digitally mastered," which can just mean that the original footage was transferred to DVD. Unfortunately, this footage wasn't "remastered," as it should have been.

The Audio:
The audio selections for Captain and Tennille in Hawaii, on the other hand, are exceptional. Remixed in Dolby Digital 5.1, the levels for Captain and Tennille in Hawaii will knock your socks off. You can also opt for a standard 2.0 mix, as well as the original mono (for you purists out there who want the original TV experience). Close-captioning is not available.

The Extras:
As with all the Captain and Tennille TV specials out on DVD now, there's a full-length commentary track with Toni and Daryl, and it's just as much fun - with plenty of inside info on the show's production - as the other ones are.

Final Thoughts:
This would be the last Captain and Tennille special with comedy relief sketches, and as it stands, Captain and Tennille in Hawaii is a solid offering from this musically gifted duo. Daryl Dragon gets all funky on John Williams, and Toni Tennille, looking particularly sexy in her Hawaiian gear, sings some lovely ballads, including the haunting Gentle Stranger. The show's final set piece - the musical luau - has a nicely spontaneous feel, set amid the spectacular Hawaiian surf and sky. I recommend Captain and Tennille in Hawaii.