There’s been a whole slew of ‘reboots’ on the tv schedules in the last two years, but are the public really crying out for a ‘Magnum: The Next Generation‘?
To those of us of a certain age, we look back on the eight year run of Magnum PI with some fondness. The Hawaii-set detective show was a staple for audiences in the 1980s, depicting the roguish charms of private investigator Thomas Magnum and his friends the helicopter-service flyer TC (Roger E. Moseley) and night-club owner Rick (Larry Manetti) – all of them veterans of Vietnam but now putting their bad experiences behind them and living a more relaxed life on the island. Magnum lived in the guest-house of an estate owned by the never-seen Robin Masters (though actually voiced by the legendary Orson Welles) and run by Jonathan Higgins (John Hillerman), an ex-military Englishman who barely tolerated Magnum’s less regimented lifestyle. They all had their differences, but would ultimately defend each other to the death.
During the run on American network CBS, the show mixed banter with the regulatory high-jinks and adventures. However there were some landmark moments of genuine pathos and intense, dark drama (including the fondly-remembered ‘Did You See the Sun Rise?‘ story that killed off a major character and showed Magnum’s character is a much more somber hue). It boasted many a guest-star and crossed over with other hits shows of the era including the likes of Murder, She Wrote and Simon and Simon (there was nearly a crossover, of sorts, with Quantum Leap, where the idea was that Sam Beckett jumped into Magnum’s body to solve a case. Sadly it never moved forward). Selleck infamously missed out on getting the Indiana Jones role because of his contracted obligations to the series. The show was nearly cancelled after its seventh year and ended with Thomas apparently mortally wounded, though it came back for one final year which then saw Magnum reunited with the daughter he’d had with his late ex-wife and with him leaving Hawaii and rejoining the military.
Now it appears there is a plan for a new series of the show on another network ABC, but not starring Selleck. The proposed series would focus on his daughter, Lily “Tommy” Magnum, who returns to Hawaii to take over the PI business. Selleck, currently busy with Blue Bloods is not planned to be in the show, though one suspects the temptation to make an eventual appearance might be negotiated. That being said, the initial reaction to the plans has been one of eye-rolling. Those old enough to remember the original seem to be indicating that the plans feel more opportunistic and desperate than a true homage. If Selleck were not to appear, it does feel as if the show would be trading on the name rather than offering anything new.
Much as though we love the work of John Rogers (Leverage, The Librarians) and acknowledge the influence of Eva Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, who are developing it, the project may ultimately rely on the success (or otherwise) of the other recent reboot titles. MacGyver is back this year – recast and retooled – and all network eyes will be on its ratings before any greenlight is given for similar re-imaginings…
