Glen here…

A rain soaked man makes his way down a busy street, ducks into an odd little office run by Fisher (Fyvush Finkel) and and Clia (Sylvia Sidney). As soon as he’s inside, there’s a sense that he belongs here, even though he claims he just stepped in from the rain.

Fisher immediately ambushes the guy, tells the dripping gentleman about the man’s loves and losses and desires. He tells the man he needs a vacation.

MAN: How much will it cost me?

FISHER: It could cost you everything, it could cost you nothing. It all depends.

MAN: Depends on what?

FISHER: On your host.

The man is astounded, doesn’t now what to do. All this time, Clia typing out "the standard FI form." Fisher takes it from Clia, folds it neatly, puts the document in a pneumatic delivery canister. Sends the canister…somewhere.

We follow the canister as it speeds with thunderous velocity through transit tubes. We don’t know where it’s going, but it’s sure going there fast. The canister snaps to a stop inside a warmly lit room, where Roarke (Malcolm McDowell) is washing his face. He gently towels himself off, opens the tube, reads the contents of the document it holds. He moves to a closet, sifts through a generic selection of white suits, settling for the one black Armani in the line-up. A distant bell rings…rings…a far-off voice calls out "the plane! The plane!"

Roarke smiles. "Here we go again."

So begins FANTASY ISLAND, ABC television’s bold new rethink of the late 1970s TV peculiarity. Where as the original series offered occasionally interesting moments of thought and daring, the first episode of Barry Sonnenfeld's ("Men in Black", "The Addams Family") contemporary take on the concept suggests we can *count* on interesting and provocative concepts being forwarded on a regular basis.

The premise is essentially the same as twenty years ago: there’s an island…somewhere…where all of your dreams can come true. But this simple premise, and the characters who populate the island, are taken far beyond the series’ initial conception.

In this new FANTASY ISLAND, there is a very strong sense that one doesn’t just go to the island out of arbitrary decision or happenstance - but is drawn to it, manipulated towards it by some unseen force. Perhaps the unseen force which is drawing people to the island on a weekly basis might be the same force which enables a variety of decidedly magical and supernatural events to be manifested throughout the show. The same force to which Roarke and his staff are *clearly* indentured or indebted. The notion that the people managing and running Fantasy Island are not necessarily there because they want to be…but because they have to be…is an intriguing notion, and a subplot which could prove quite fascinating in the long run.

There is also a certain "reality" to the this first episode: getting one’s fantasy isn’t always a good thing, and sometimes can even be a life-shattering, rude awakening. Again, this implies an as yet un-articulated purpose behind the island - as if it is there for a reason, to affect people a certain way. To awaken them, to change them. Sometimes hurting them, but always making the stronger.

Malcolm McDowell is intriguing as Roarke. Very much the master of his domain, very much a force to be reckoned with. At face value, he appears to be simply be going through the motions - possibly to pay off some penance to the cosmic powers that be. But as the character develops, we see that Roarke is indeed about more than just doing the job to get it done, we see that Roarke is a puppetmaster, Roarke is a supernatural entity, and Roarke is a person who can feel…who wants to feel…and has forgotten how to do so. Or forgotten how to let himself do so. He is also an impish person, with a sometimes unexpected sense of humor (calling the man who rings the bell and announces the plane "Quasimodo"). And, sometimes, one gets the sense that he gets a certain rush from being able to do the things he can do. Maybe the abuse of said capacities could be a future plot line?

So, welcome to Fantasy Island! A world of shape shifters and magic, where reality can change with the snap of a finger. Where what you wish for can warm your heart or crush your soul, but always make you stronger. Keep an eye out for tips of the hat to the original series, sometimes very subtle. Sometimes a sight gag, usually a passing line of dialogue.

Slickly directed by Michael Dinner ("Chicago Hope", "The Wonder Years") and cleverly scripted by Paul and Chirs Weitz ( "Antz"), the opening episode of FANTASY ISLAND suggests the series has vast potential to offer provocative story telling in multiple environments. The possibilities here are endless. But it needs to continue to take its subject matter *seriously*. If it doesn’t stay perpetually comfortable, if dares to get a little dangerous every now and then, and doesn’t fall into formulaic hack stuff, FI could well develop a decent and loyal following.

In a time when shows like BABYLON 5 and THE X-FILES indicate audiences are willing to accept storytelling that sometimes gets a little dirty and isn’t always happy happy, joy joy, FANTASY ISLAND could well find a lengthy stay on the airwaves. The very nature of the concept suggest the show could be anything at anytime. Let it be so…and it could fly.

FANTASY ISLAND premieres Saturday September 26 on ABC.