Plot Summary:

Magnum P.I. 2018 is a reboot of the TV show that starred Tom Sellick. The plot revolves around Thomas Magnum, a decorated war hero and veteran of Afghanistan. He uses his military skills and turns them into a profession.

Casting: Jay Hernandez stars as the title character, supported by Perdita Weeks as Juliet Higgins, Zachary Knighton as Orville “Rick” Wright, Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin, Amy HillProduction:

Back in 2017, CBS announced a remake of the original series to be drafted by Eric Guggenheim and Peter M. Lenkov. Universal Television and CBS Studios would share in co-production responsibility of the series. By May 11 in 2018, the network picked up the show for syndication. A special showing of the series’ pilot episode was aired for audiences to see at the San Diego Comic-Con panel.

Lenkov made an announcement on July 19, 2018 that multiple crossovers were planned, starting with the ninth season of Hawaii Five-0. Confirmations were made that Taylor Wily and Kimee Balmilero will have guest appearances as their characters in Hawaii Five-0, entrepreneur Kamakona Tupuola and Noelani Cunha. Alex O’Loughlin’s character Steve McGarrett is also set to cross paths with Magnum at a future point in the series.

Hawaii experienced a Category 4 hurricane in the form of Hurricane Lane on August 22, 2018. CBS made an announcement later on that production would be temporarily shut down for both Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I., leaving the future of both series in question.

Season 1 production began on July 23rd of 2018 prior to the hurricane making landfall, with a traditional Hawaiian blessing given to the show as a sign of good luck. One of the central themes of the show during the production process was the inclusion of Magnum’s use of Mr. Master’s vehicles. The Ferrari 308 GTS would make appearances since it is a cultural and symbolic icon. The vehicle would later be updated to the Ferrari 488 Spider.

Justin Lin directed the first episode while actor Peter Weller (RoboCop) directed one of the later episodes.Review:

After watching the trailer for this show online, sitting through this version of Magnum P.I. has been something of a mixed bag. The reboot has a lot to live up to but is not at the level of quality compared to when Tom Selleck starred in his iteration of the series. Jay Hernandez most certainly has the charisma to carry a procedural, but the rest of the show seems to be lacking in substance. You might as well toss realism out of the window, as some of the characters (including Magnum himself) have questionable expenses that will challenge your suspension of disbelief. Magnum P.I. is a show that attempts to follow the formula of one of its sister shows, NCIS, but fails to deliver in multiple areas.

Magnum P.I. is not a show that’s meant to be driven by innovation. It’s basically taking an old show and rehashing it for mass appeal for audiences in the 21st century. It’s a little off the wall to take in for viewing. There’s references of potential crossovers with other TV series such as Hawaii Five-0, though it would be considered more of an additional weak point than a strength if crossovers are one of the few things the show can rely on to help carry it. Considering that it’s still relatively new, there’s some room for the series to improve over the course of future seasons.

Magnum P.I. (2018) is not a series I’d recommend if you’re itching for original content. Best to stick with the one starring Tom Selleck instead.Trivia:

• The show is set in the same universe as MacGyver (2016), JAG (1995), Hawaii Five-0 (2010) NCIS (2003), NCIS: Los Angeles (2009), NCIS: New Orleans (2014), and Scorpion (2014).
• The chopper retains the color scheme and model used in the original series, but the plate number is changed in the 2018 version. The 2018 iteration of the shows uses N357MH, which is the actual model name of the Magnum 357 handgun.
• A crossover between Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I. was suggested when character Lieutenant Yoshi Tanaka remarks: “if this was a kidnapping, it belongs to HPD and Five-0, not some private eye.”
• Thomas Magnum is a character meant to be in his 30s. By the time actor Jay Hernandez took the role, he was 40-years old.
• Hawaii Citizens Money is used by the State of Hawaii and the Hawaii Tourism Authority to help fund production of Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I.