Magnum P.I. Series Finale Review: The Sun Sets (For Now)

As famous within the first of those two remaining episodes, “aloha” is a Hawaiian phrase that means hi there and goodbye.

So what feeling did the aloha from Magnum P.I. Season 5 Episode 19 and Magnum P.I. Season 5 Episode 20 give off?

Sadly, it was the latter, as Magnum and firm stated goodbye to their loyal viewers after 5 seasons.

And but viewers’ hope for an additional revival nonetheless floated within the Honolulu air.

Magnum P.I., debuting in 2018, was the final of Peter M. Lenkov’s trilogy of reboot sequence, following the highly effective Hawaii Five-0 in 2010 (which aired for a decade) and the much less profitable McGyver in 2016 (which ran for 5 seasons).

Magnum confronted a stricter path proper from the beginning. I imply, Magnum with out the enduring mustache? What have been they pondering?

But now, 5 seasons later, it is inconceivable to conceive of a bushy ‘stache overlaying up any of Jay Hernandez’s good-looking face.

But the genius twist that made the reboot work was re-envisioning the Magnum-Higgins relationship.

In the unique, humor flowed from the character conflict between Tom Selleck’s laid-back Magnum and John Hillerman’s uptight, veddy British Higgins.

Casting Perdita Weeks as Juliet Higgins added one other layer to their relationship within the new model.

While the character conflict was preserved, there was all the time a query of whether or not these opposites may appeal to.

By the top of Magnum P.I. Season 4, they each lastly gave in to what viewers had acknowledged all alongside: They belonged collectively.

Another optimistic of the reboot is that the characters of T.C. and Rick have been beefed up and will carry an episode all by themselves. These unitmates weren’t simply Magnum’s sidekicks any longer.

Coming to the fore as properly have been new, native characters Kumu Twileta and Gordon Katsumoto, who’re each there to bail out Thomas and Juliet after they get caught or overextended.

Also, including recurring characters, as had been achieved on H50, added to Magnum’s narrative cloth. At first, it was guests from their brother present, reminiscent of Neolani and Kamekona, however originals reminiscent of Jin and Shammy quickly got here alongside.

Thanks to all these characters, together with the eventual girlfriends and offspring, there are households inside households to offer attractive storylines.

Fans tuned into the present on CBS Friday nights for 4 seasons, not contemplating it being described as “on the bubble” when it got here time for renewal. After all, CBS acknowledges a superb factor when it has one, proper?

Wrong! The community wanted a suitable timeslot for its buzzy new drama Fire Country and the axe fell on Magnum for the primary time in May of 2022.

Then, lower than two months later, the sequence was saved by NBC. Or so it appeared.

What adopted was the community’s season-long lesson on how one can mishandle an getting older however nonetheless viable present.

NBC started by shifting Magnum from its protected slot on Friday, usually the lightest day for scripted programming, to Sundays, the busiest day with all method of community, cable, and streaming.sequence. The transfer got here at midseason, no much less. Not shockingly, its scores suffered.

It was sandwiched between the incompatible Dateline and The Blacklist, a program that NBC handled even worse all through its decade-long run, bumping it from night time to nighttime and on and off the schedule, making followers hunt for it.

The first ten episodes ran in consecutive weeks. The community then killed any momentum it could have gained by saving the remaining ten episodes for an unspecified later date.

Then, two months later, NBC canceled Magnum for a second time, with out even the carrot phrase “unless ratings improve” within the press launch.

So, the sequence was canceled after filming was achieved for the season, with little alternative to retool the ultimate episodes.

Magnum lastly returned on October 4, 2023, and NBC made a few applicable strikes. It held the Magnum episodes, together with a handful of different scripted packages, in anticipation of the writers’ and actors’ strikes. This was a blessing for these viewers preferring fiction over “reality.”

Also, the sequence was moved to Wednesday nights. Its scores improved, though sadly, they weren’t sufficient to reverse its destiny.

The community aired it for 5 consecutive weeks, then, simply so viewers would not get too snug, dribbled out the ultimate 5 episodes over the following two months in order to not intrude with its vacation packages.

Now for the query you’ve got been ready this lengthy to have answered: How properly do these two episodes function a sequence finale?

The present’s powers that be did one of the best they may beneath the circumstances. I imply, the Ferrari was already in long-term parking.

When these episodes have been filmed, did they know this could be a season or sequence finale? After all, the writing was largely on the wall, with community executives clucking in regards to the low scores.

It actually appears like the previous. There’s an escaped convict on the lam after the primary episode and wannabe massive dangerous Sam Bedrosian cursing these meddling youngsters within the second, each of which might be grist for future episodes.

The first hour was a daily episode, with treasured little connective tissue to the next finale. T.C. mentions increasing Island Hoppers in passing. Thomas and Juliet decided that will come again to hang-out them, a minimum of considerably. That was it.

The finale did what it wanted to do for no matter kind of finale it was imagined to be. It moved the characters ahead with none dramatic modifications or cliffhangers which will by no means be resolved.

Rick and Suzy, the closest factor to a nuclear household, bought engaged. After preventing a case of the yips, Juliet tells Thomas she’s going to settle for when he does get round to proposing. (That marriage ceremony belongs in an precise finale.)

Kumu purchased T.C.’s share of La Mariana in a transfer that stunned nobody. (I assumed she already owned a bit of the bar.)

The most important lacking scene would have been Shammy deciding on his new chopper off the web. But you may’t have all the things.

In the phrases of Peggy Lee, is that each one there may be in the case of Magnum P.I.?

Lesser sequence have been bailed out by streaming companies determined for contemporary content material. And Magnum is unquestionably a model title.

Freevee, with the Amazon cash behind it, has been selecting up recognized portions in want of a brand new residence. So has Netflix. So something’s potential.

If not, a minimum of Magnum’s Ohana was left in a superb place after 5 pleasant seasons.

To revisit this fan favourite, watch Magnum P.I. on-line.

What did you consider this finale?

What was your favourite factor about Magnum?

Do you assume it would rise but once more?

Comment under.

Edit Delete