Moku Moku

Moku Moku is right up there with Reservoir dogs and Letterkenny. It shows you the side of Maui that tourism doesn't touch on. Classic upcountry hometown Maui life to bring you a closer experience to one of your favorite islands. It has local actors and local entertainment and it truly is a community project come to life and on your screen. This show immerses you in Maui culture and can bring you to the islands from anywhere in the world. If you're missing Maui - watch this show to feel back on island again. Grab a malasada and a spam musubi and get comfy to get to know Pili, Kimo and Leilani. Is your favorite going to be goofy lovable Pili? Or hopeful daydreamer Kimo? Or how about ambitious headstrong Leilani? Give a watch and support local art and entertainment to find out - you won't regret it.

I love seeing Chino's comedic performance in this Maui series. It just gets better and better! I love seeing some of my favorite spots on the island and how the Hawaiian culture shines through in the storyline as the characters work through conflict and find resolution. The series is family friendly, fun, and is like a window into the unique community of upcountry Maui. And the culture is so rich and the community so diverse that there are so many stories to be told. I'm excited people are coming together to do just that. Overall a great show that I hope opens the door for more shows to come that are true to the local community, culture, art, and history. We love Moku Moku!!!

Prepare to fall in love with absolutely everything about Moku-Moku. We all have our favorite characters at our house and love their comic adventures. It's a show you'll want to binge with the whole fam, and a real look at island life on Maui for the local and native peoples. If you loved Reservation Dogs and Letterkenny like us, this is your new favorite. We don't usually see "upcountry" life pictured on TV at all- life on the slopes of the volcano which is more ranch style than anything tourists imagine Hawaii being- and that's what's fabulous about the setting. It's not a show trying to sell you some idea or fantasy of Hawaii- it's real Hawaii. It's the people. It's the traditions. It's also the challenges of living in the most expensive state in the country, for working young people trying to make ends meet. It's relatable, fun, silly and also quietly edgy. You'll love it! TV comedy at its best!

This independent series about the life of locals in Upcountry Maui humorously pays homage to the struggles and triumphs of life on an island, away from the beaches and resorts which visitors might think is all there is to Hawaii (thanks to shows like Magnum P. I. and Hawaii Five-O).

The characters and their speech are recognizably "local" (but understandable by anyone) and if their struggles sometimes seem a little ridiculous (and hysterically funny), they are nonetheless universally human. The trio--Kimo, Pili, and Leilani--support one another facing issues of identity and destiny and struggles to make a living and a life in an economy that does not favor them and a cultural climate that may not see them or make space for them.

Featuring a laundry list of Maui luminaries, great writing and acting, beautiful photography, and scathing wit, Moku Moku is a must-see for anyone who loves Maui, who is curious about Hawaii, or who likes to laugh.

If you are old enough to remember the TV show, All in the Ohana starring comedian Andy Bumatai, then you will understand it when I say that Moku Moku is the spiritual successor of All in the Ohana.

I won't go into too much detail about story or plot, but I'd like to explain what I feel makes the show great... It doesn't take itself seriously. That's it. It tells stories that while unique to the local people of Hawaii, I feel can make anyone smile.

The funny moments (some of which are the kind you find in Naked Gun or Airplane) are in-between heartfelt demonstrations of friendship and family and even finding your place and purpose in life. All of this wrapped up with a competent, technical crew that gives a refreshing facelift to the aforementioned Bumatai comedy.

My review is based on the pilot, but I'm looking forward to the other episodes.

The acting is great amongst the main cast, and you can tell in some of the minor cast that they are greener, but that is to be expected (and the only reason I gave it a 9). What is really surprising is that you get a sense that the cast members all get along very well and it comes across on screen.

Again, Moku Moku doesn't take itself seriously, and that is welcomed by me during the crazy times we live in today.