Taking Sides: With a snappy theme song, cop shows can live on and on

LISA DENTON: Clint, I have to tell you that the show I’m most looking forward to in the new fall season is the remake of “Hawaii Five-O” on CBS.

I have only vague recollections of the original, which ran for 12 seasons from 1968 to 1980. But really, what more do you need to remember about “Hawaii Five-O” besides Jack Lord’s impenetrable hair, “Book ’em, Danno” and that cool theme music?

I can only hope the remake lives up to the original.

CLINT COOPER: Lisa, I became a fan of the original “Hawaii Five-O” following the lead of one of my older brothers. I don’t remember the early years of the series, but I saw a good many of the shows after my brother moved out in the mid-1970s and fewer when I was in college in the late 1970s.

No one was tougher than Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett. He never smiled. That’s how I knew.

A little bit of trivia that I have carried around for years is that James MacArthur as Danno is the adopted son of Hollywood legend Helen Hayes.

As for the theme, The Brian Setzer Orchestra has a great, newer version.

LISA: In a preview at www.cbs.com, stars Alex O’Loughlin (McGarrett) and Scott Caan (Danny “Danno” Williams) say the relationship between their two characters is different than in the original. One video clip even shows them scuffling and coming to blows. I’m not sure the whole alpha dog scenario is going to win me over, but I’ll give it a chance. The premiere is set for Monday, Sept. 20.

CLINT: I’ll probably check it out, but I’m with you. The alpha dog scenario doesn’t sound inviting, but it is a formulaic piece of many of the cop shows today, especially when there’s a man and woman. Although calling it “Hawaii Five-O” will automatically ensure some early viewers, can you think of any shows that were successful the second time around with the name of an earlier show? “The New Adventures of Perry Mason,” for instance, starred Monte Markham and Brett Somers — yes, that Brett Somers — and lasted a half season in 1973-74.

LISA: My favorite cop show is “The Closer” on TNT. Kyra Sedgwick’s “Southern” accent is a little uneven, though her favorite phrase, “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” is always a magnolia moment. But I love the quirkiness of her character and the interplay of the supporting characters. It’s a really great ensemble show.

CLINT: My taste in cop shows today is grounded more in reality than fiction. I prefer “48 Hours,” the murder stories often detailed on NBC’s “Dateline” or ABC’s 20/20, and truTV’s “Forensic Files.” And you can’t beat a good “Cops.” “Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do ...”