(Photo: Zack Dougan/CBS)
Thomas Magnum and his friends may get another chance at having a fifth season. Last month, CBS cancelled the Friday night series but there are discussions underway to possibly save it. Magnum PI was likely the most-watched broadcast series to be cancelled during the 2021-22 season.
An action-drama series, Magnum PI stars Jay Hernandez, Perdita Weeks, Zachary Knighton, Stephen Hill, Tim Kang, and Amy Hill. Recurring performers include Lance Kim, Chantal Thuy, and Martin Martinez. This reboot of the 1980s TV show follows Thomas Magnum (Hernandez), a decorated former Navy SEAL who repurposes his military skills to become a private investigator. He lives in a guest cottage on Robin’s Nest, the luxurious estate where he works as a security consultant to supplement his P.I. business. The “majordomo” of the property is Juliet Higgins (Weeks), a beautiful and commanding disavowed MI:6 agent who keeps Magnum in line. When Magnum needs back-up on a job, he turns to his trusted buddies and fellow POW survivors, chopper pilot Theodore “TC” Calvin (Hill) and Orville “Rick” Wright (Knighton), a former Marine door-gunner who now runs a nightclub. Magnum frequently has run-ins with police detective Gordon Katsumoto (Kang) and the two are more alike than either cares to admit. The unofficial “House Mom” and cultural curator of Robin’s Nest, Teuila “Kumu” Tuileta (Hill) is also one of Magnum’s biggest fans.
The fourth season of Magnum PI averaged a 0.42 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 5.24 million viewers. Compared to season three, that’s down by 20% in the demo and down by 6% in viewership in the live+same day ratings (including DVR playback through 3:00 AM). In the live+7 day ratings, the reboot averaged a 0.70 demo and 7.38 million with delayed viewing added in.
It was reported that the cancellation came after CBS and the show’s co-producing studio, Universal Television, couldn’t come to an agreement for a fifth year. As traditional viewing has been dropping, networks are less willing to spend as much on shows that they don’t own. It also didn’t help Magnum’s chances of survival when the network’s pilots for new drama ended dup being strong contenders for space on the schedule.
Deadline now reports that there are talks underway for NBC and/or USA Network to save the series. One scenario being considered would see fifth season episodes running on NBC while USA would air reruns. There has also been talk of potentially moving the series to the Paramount+ streaming service.
A deal for season five of Magnum PI would need to be worked out by the end of the month, before the cast’s contracts expire. NBCUniversal would need to extend the cast options if negotiations continued past that date.
What do you think? Are you hoping that the Magnum PI series is saved on NBC or USA Network? Were you disappointed by the CBS cancellation?
Please bring it back—It’s the best tv story, and it’s loved by millions.
Please renew. You can’t end it as soon as Magnum as Higgins finally get together. It is just the start of what could be a great season.
Yessssssssss my thoughts exactly Shannon!! This is a great family show… DO NOT Cancel it, despite the ones that think it should.. they prob not tv watchers!
Great show……….want more, especially since higgy & Magnum finally together. 🙂 renew for TV though…….don’t have the other channels.. cable expensive enough. 🙁
Please renew Magnum PI!!! So much fun watching this show. All the actors were very likable!
I really enjoyed Magnum P.I. and would love to see more seasons of it, wherever they air it. I hope they are able to do a deal to continue this series.
Higgins only reason why I watch the show. Some of the other aspects were just unappealing after the second season.
Saturday nights are the lowest for ratings, with Fridays being the next worst. Yet Magnum found an audience. How about NBC move them to a better day.
He can you please save my series right away
I don’t care what station it is on, JUST BRING BACK MAGNUM PI PLEASE!!! One of my favorite shows!!!
I hope it stays Cancelled! Fake Magnum
Unbelievably great news. Please make it so. I just use the other Hawaii show for background noise. USA please bring back the 1980’s Magnum too. Thank you sooo much.
1980’s Magnum is available on Encore as well as other free with ads streaming platforms.
I love it and could not believe it was canceled. From my point of view the fact that they were just starting a relationship of sorts with magnum and Higgins that it would be a different dynamic for them to explore. Would’ve been fun watching them work together how they interact after being intimate lol.
They kept politically correct NCIS: Hawaii which I could not see for one episode. It was no chemistry and just looked bad all around. Magnum was fun, they were quirky and I like that.
I watched every episode of NCIS Hawaii. Didn’t hate it. But after watching an entire season, I cannot tell you the name of any of the characters. Not interesting enough to stick in my brain.
That would be great. Please save MAGNUM. Cancelling the show was one of CBS’s worst judgment calls
NBC, USA, Peacock… whatever it takes, just bring the show back.
It’s too bad Universal didn’t own a piece of CW so they could also save Legends of Tomorrow.
CBS is known to be the ultimate forerunner to cancel tv shows. Nice to have other competitors like NBC to recognize this and step in. Hopefully it works out well for the Magnum P.I. series to continue successfully.
Actually the NBC parent Universal is the one who makes Magnum P.I. so not really a competitor but the actual creator of the show keeping it instead of selling it off.