Does 'Five-0' Cast Enjoy Working in Hawaii?

Hawaii Five-0's setting in the Hawaiian Islands gives viewers a scenic backdrop to look at as they watch the procedural drama series unfold. As actors on the show, Scott Caan and Alex O'Loughlin told ET what it's been like living in Hawaii during the show's production.

"I love L.A. and...it's where I want to be, but being [in Hawaii] is really cool. All the kind of crap that comes with L.A., it doesn't exist there," said Caan, a Los Angeles native. "You just kind of wake up and go outside and you don't really have to put clothes on. [You can] go surfing, do jujitsu, and come home and write or work or do whatever you want to do...The downtime [in Hawaii] is very conducive to what you want to do."

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O'Loughlin, who plays the role of "Steve McGarrett" on the show, originates from Australia, but pointed out the fundamental difference between Los Angeles--where he has lived during the majority of his acting career--and Hawaii.

"L.A. is kind of full of a lot of people that are here because they want to get somewhere else, whereas Hawaii's full of people that want to be in Hawaii," he distinguished. "The zeitgeist is different. The general feeling is different. It's healthy; it's happy."

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The 35-year-old also discussed his character's direction in Five-0's upcoming third season, which will premiere in the fall.

"As an actor working on television on a procedural show, anytime I get to do character stuff...that's a good day for me," O'Loughlin said. "Peter [Lenkov] (producer) and the team in the writing room actually give us...a lot of character stuff for a show like this."

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Although the show's genre causes it to be centered upon the action that occurs in the show rather than its characters, O'Loughlin points out that the writers tactfully integrate the existing character depth to the plot.

"Whatever we do in the week-to-week crime story stuff, it's fueled by whatever else is going on in our lives, and that's what makes...the interesting parts in the show interesting," he said.

Hawaii Five-0's third season will premiere September 24 at 10 p.m. on CBS.