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.
Yes definitely. :p Maybe they can reboot Mr. Ed next.
I could actually see that happening.
There’s only one of me, Wilbur.
Hehe
Rick Simon is a conservative?
I had no idea.
He had the ultra tough looking Power Wagon.
“Rick Simon is a conservative?”
I think his wife, Delta Burke, is conservative as well. Re McRaney, From Wikipedia:
“Politically, McRaney is a conservative Republican[6] and a member of the National Rifle Association.
Having played a Marine Corps veteran on Simon & Simon and a Marine Corps officer on Major Dad, he has always been very supportive of veterans and soldiers, although he is not a veteran himself. He made many visits to support the soldiers in Operation Desert Storm. During one USO-sponsored trip, McRaney visited sailors and Marines on board ships ported in Toulon, France, on Thanksgiving of 1993 and signed autographs for the men on board the ships. While on board the USS Ashland, he autographed one sailor’s cowboy hat. He also visited troops during Operation Restore Hope in Somalia in 1993.”
“I LOVE those Jesse Stone movies and the Robert Parker novels they’re based on.”
We are HUGE Robert Parker fans in this house. the worst thing about him dying is that we’ll never know if Sunny Randall and Jesse ever get married! :(
Remember, ‘Spenser for Hire?’ I remember that show; Robert Urich? Are those based on Parker’s ‘Spenser’ character? If so, it kind of missed the mark.
Jesse Stone is by far his strongest (written) character, IMHO.
Couldn’t the millionaire couple be two guys?
Your other comment: Spenser for Hire is based on Robert Parker's novels. Bing research is often pretty good at answering questions like that.
Jesse Stone needed Tom Selleck. Selleck, in all three of his major characters, is so great at bringing out the complexities of his character.
Jesse Stone is wonderful. He's so self-aware of his strengths and weaknesses. He has such a strong concept of right vs wrong. He accepts people as they are. He doesn't blame anyone or anything else for his flaws. He's a problem solver. And he's imperfect. Credit also to the other characters. I don't think there have been more than a half dozen big-screen movies that have better than those Jesse Stone made-for-TV movies since they were first aired.
I had forgotten about Delta Burke completely.
Ditto for your Jesse Stone and Robert Parker remarks. And thanks, Diana, for the Magnum and Stone pics.
Absolutely!
I watched that episode on DVD again not long ago. It could have been a feature film, and a damned good one.
The new series will never reach those heights.
Good luck with that one. Some things just cannot be copied. Magnum PI, Charlie’s Angels and Rockford Files being 3 examples. :-)
I see. Thanks.
The last episode of Magnum involved him finding his daughter (who he thought dead) - and reenlisting in the US Navy. That's why Tom Clancy was interested in reviving the story in a feature film. Pity that never worked out.
No. And I’m not impressed with the new Hawaii 5-O, either.
Yes, I don’t believe that they can recapture the ‘feel’ of the original. I’ll enjoy my classic Magnum PI on my dvds. I will say that I thought the re-boot of the 1979-80 Battlestar Galactica was well done. But that is the ONLY re-boot that I’ve seen that has been worth watching beyond the first one or two episodes.
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