Posted on 10/20/2017 7:10:51 PM PDT by EdnaMode
CBS has shelled out a big pilot production commitment to Magnum P.I., an update of the classic 1980s Tom Selleck series set in Hawaii. It hails from Peter Lenkov, CBS/CBS Studios’ go-to writer for rebooting iconic procedurals who has successfully revived Hawaii Five-0 and MacGyver, and Davis Entertainment (The Blacklist).
Co-written by Lenkov and fellow Hawaii Five-0 executive producer/showrunner Eric Guggenheim, Magnum P.I. will feature the same central quartet of characters but, instead of four guys, it will consist of three men and a woman, with Higgins (played by John Hillerman) reconceived as Juliet Higgins. CBS/CBS Studios took a similar approach with Sherlock Holmes’ sidekick Watson on Elementary, who became Joan Watson.
The new Magnum P.I. follows Thomas Magnum, a decorated ex-Navy SEAL who, upon returning home from Afghanistan, repurposes his military skills to become a private investigator. With help from fellow vets Theodore “TC” Calvin and Orville “Rick” Wright, as well as that of disavowed former MI:6 agent Juliet Higgins, Magnum takes on the cases no one else will, helping those who have no one else to turn to. Action, adventure and comedy aside, Magnum P.I. will also explore a brotherhood forged by the trauma of combat, what it means to return home an ex-soldier, and a commitment to continuing to serve while in the private sector.
Lenkov and Guggenheim executive produce with John Davis and John Fox of Davis Entertainment. CBS TV Studios co-produces with rights holder Universal TV.
Tom Selleck, who played Magnum P.I. in the original series in one of his signature roles, is on CBS as the star/executive producer of long-running cop family drama Blue Bloods and, as part of that, he has a deal at CBS TV Studios. There were discussions about him getting involved in the reboot. I hear he opted not to get formally on board but gave the project his blessing.
I hear Lenkov originally had the idea for a new take on Magnum P.I., with Davis Entertainment spearheading the effort to bring all parties together. Magnum P.I. falls outside of Davis’ overall deal at Sony Pictures TV Studios.
Last year, ABC developed Magnum, a sequel to Magnum P.I., from Leverage creator John Rogers and Eva Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment. It followed Magnum’s daughter, Lily “Tommy” Magnum, who returns to Hawaii to take up the mantle of her father’s PI firm.
Lenkov is an executive producer on three CBS/CBS Studios series — Hawaii Five-0, MacGyver and summer drama Salvation, which was just renewed for a second season. He is repped by CAA and Del Shaw.
Guggenheim joined Hawaii Five-0 as a co-producer in Season 4 and was elevated to co-showrunner at the start of Season 7. Prior to that he was a writer on the first four seasons of the NBC/Uni TV drama Parenthood. Guggenheim is repped by ICM Partners and ZIffren Brittenham.
Just no.
So he’s going to be sofa surfing at a chick’s mansion this time?
That’s an improvement over the gay guy.
As much as I LOVE Magnum, P.I. AND Tom Selleck, I gotta vote NO on this one, too.
Is there ANYONE out there with any ORIGINAL ideas for new TV series?
(Yes, I’m STILL bitter over the cancellation of, ‘Firefly’ by the p*ssies at FOX!)
Also, this thread is USELESS without pictures! (I’ll get right on that...)
Yeah, I’ll pass.
Typical Hollywood -- they don't know the difference between a sailor and a soldier. This won't end well.
Ooohhhh....
So this is why CBS has been calling me.
Never mind.
My wife looked at the screen and said CVS, the pharmacy called.
It seems the ointment for my rash is in.
Well, I’d have made a good Magnum.
Except for having to stop every hour to put on some ointment.
I guess it would have been like Fred Sanford in Hawaii.
A sure hit.
Gak...That world is just the opposite. Stupid Hollywood.
Probalby will star some trannie
Yeah, but the man with the dogs made the show what it was. It was like "The Bridge On The River Kwai" being shown every week.
you beat me to it. :^)
They’ll ruin it. The original was funny, and a little reverent about vet issues. This will be a scoldy, whiney, crappy one.
I’m waiting for Rockford to be rebooted, and the topic of his daily rate ($200 per day) comes up, and the modern rate in 2017 would be $1,000 per day.
I kinda agree....this one-time usage of Hawaii and the original Magnum worked. Suggesting the Hawaii landscape, models for clients, and retired special forces people always in the background....probably won’t work this time around.
Meanwhile, I have this idea for a reboot of Gilligan’s Island, with a gay PhD professor, a ‘snowflake’ Mary Anne, a washed-up Baywatch actress, a home-shopping-network millionaire couple, a retired SEAL for Skipper, and a French guy playing Gilligan.
I never was a huge fan, saw the show occasionally back in the day.
But just thinking, if we want to watch Magnum, there are always reruns. Why the need to reboot series of the past?
Heck, where does it end? Reboot I love Lucy, Brady Bunch, you name it......
You might be onto something there...
Are there no original ideas left?
Magnum P.I. was one of those “lightning in a bottle” things. Right actors, right concept at the right time and all that. It still holds up well on DVD (old cars aside).
I predict colossal failure. I also predict that, given today’s social justice climate, that Rick and T.C. will be gay lovers and that Magnum’s Ferrari will be replaced by a red Prius.
Yeesh... Who would ever want to watch a tv show about the real world? And you call Hollywood stupid?
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