The new television season officially begins tonight, with five premieres and the start of the 11th season of ABC's ``Dancing with the Stars.' The highest-profile premiere is ``Hawaii Five-0,' billed by CBS as a ``reboot' of the 1968-80 police drama. It stars Alex O'Loughlin as Detective Steve McGarrett, the role played by Jack Lord in the original series. ``The characters are very different,' O'Loughlin said in July at the Television Critics Association summer press tour. ``In the old show, you didn't know much about the character that Jack Lord played, whereas in the pilot on our new show, you learn a lot about my Steve McGarrett.' In the new version, which airs at 10 pm, McGarrett is a decorated US Navy officer turned police officer, who returns to Oahu to investigate his father's murder and stays after Hawaii's governor persuades him to head a new elite police task force. Other differences include Danno 'really being an equal' to McGarrett, rather than a sidekick, according to executive producer Peter Lenkov, and Kono being a female detective rather than a male. ``Hawaii Five-0' is O'Loughlin's third opportunity for television stardom. He also starred in ``Moonlight' and ``Three Rivers,' both on CBS, which both ran for one season. Premiering at 9:30 pm on CBS is the comedy is ``Mike & Molly,' which stars Billy Gardell and Melissa McCarthy as a working-class Chicago couple who find love at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting. ``Mike & Molly' is produced by Chuck Lorre, the producer of television's two most-watched comedies, ``Two and a Half Men' and ``The Big Bang Theory.' Two series also will premiere on NBC Monday. The first will be ``The Event' at 9 pm, which stars Jason Ritter, whose investigation into the mysterious disappearance of his would-be fiancee unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in American history. ``The Event's' cast also includes Blair Underwood as the newly elected US president and ``ER' alumna Laura Innes as the leader of a mysterious group of detainees. Following at 10 pm is ``Chase,' a look at the US Marshals Service's searches for the nation's most dangerous fugitives, starring Kelli Giddish, Cole Hauser, Amaury Nolasco, Rose Rollins and Jesse Metcalfe. ``Chase' is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the producer of CBS' 'CSI' franchise and the films ``Top Gun,' ``Beverly Hills Cop,' and the ``Pirates of the Caribbean' and ``National Treasure' franchises. Fox Broadcasting's Monday premiere is ``Lone Star,' a prime-time soap opera starring James Wolk as a charismatic schemer married to the beautiful daughter of the patriarch of a Texas oil family, who also lives an adulterous second life 400 miles away, secretly bilking local investors. ``It's going to be provocative both in its central conceit and in terms of character relationships that you see unfold,' Fox Broadcasting Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said. ``It's going to walk the line. ``This is not black or white. This is going to be a gray area and watching characters make decisions. I think it's going to keep people on their toes in terms of how the stories unfold and that's what's going to be exciting about it.' The producers of the 9 pm series include Chris Keyser and Amy Lippman, the creators of Fox's 1994-2000 prime-time drama ``Party of Five.' ABC's 'Dancing with the Stars' airs from 8-10 pm, with all 12 couples dancing either the Viennese waltz or the cha cha. The gambling website, Bodog.com, has installed the singer Brandy as the 3-1 favorite, just ahead of actress Jennifer Grey, the second choice at 7-2. The longest shots are the oldest and youngest members of the cast -- 76- year-old 'Brady Bunch' mom Florence Henderson and 19-year-old Disney Channel star Kyle Massey, both at 25-1. One couple will be eliminated on Tuesday's two-hour episode.
New television season begins tonight; Five premieres