Say goodbye to the “Love Boat” with better scenery that used to be “Fantasy Island.”

The motto of “Fantasy Island,” which originally ran from 1978 to 1984 on ABC, was “making your dreams come true.” The premise behind the new “Fantasy Island,” which debuts at 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, on ABC, is “be careful what you wish for.”

The new series, filmed on location in beautiful Kauai, lets viewers know very early that they should dismiss any preconceptions. In an early scene, Mr. Roarke, now played by Malcolm McDowell, pushes aside a rack of the white suits favored by Ricardo Montalban’s Mr. Roarke to select a black Armani. Later, he instructs an aide to “burn those white suits.”

Now viewers can buy Della Reese as an angel. But cast McDowell, who first seared himself on American consciences in “A Clockwork Orange” 27 years ago, as Mr. Roarke, and the character instantly becomes more malevolent.

The supernatural Mr. Roarke is assisted by earthy Cal (played by Louis Lombardi), snooty Harry (Edward Hibbert of “Frasier”) and the chameleonlike Ariel (Madchen Amick of “Twin Peaks”).

Tattoo is a thing of the past as well. Cal gets reprimanded for ringing the bell and shouting “The plane! The plane!” “Quasimodo, do you mind!” Roarke says snidely. “I appreciate the enthusiasm, but once or twice will do.”

Each episode is scheduled to feature two or three guests, played by no-name actors, at crossroads in their lives. The pilot includes a man who wonders about the woman he let get away, a recently married daredevil, and a woman who longs to prove herself smarter than her sister. The ideas are pedestrian, but are handled creatively by the show’s writers.

To reclaim such a piece of schlock as the original “Fantasy Island” requires an innovative vision. Fortunately, executive producers Barry Josephson (former Columbia Pictures boss) and Barry Sonnenfeld (director of “Men in Black,” “The Addams Family”) are more than up to the challenge. The endings of the guests’ dilemmas are a little pat, but the two Barrys and company keep viewers guessing what’s going to happen next up until that point.

Viewers need to check their disbelief at the front desk, because this isn’t your parents’ “Fantasy Island.” It’s a much more enjoyable vacation.