Magnum P.I. (2018) - General Discussion

[Veronica]

22 hours ago, Tachi Rocinante said:

Lombardozzi  was wasted.  (He would make a better Rick.

This x infinity. 

[Real Eyes]

I’m old so I watched the original as a teen/young woman. Besides his charm and silliness, and the chemistry of the cast, Magnum was popular because Tom Selleck was an incredibly handsome man. The new Magnum is not handsome, nor does he have Selleck’s charisma. So for me, it’s a pass.  

[paigow]

Burning gasoline can reach 1500 degrees F while the melting point of gold is around 1900.... I thought the gold was toast, but I stand corrected...

[welnoc]

Where's Magnum's scar? Nuzo cauterized, with gunpowder no less, a bad wound on Magnun's torso slightly above the bellybutton. When he came out of the shower his torso is as smooth as a baby's butt. 

Really?

[Netfoot]

It isn't really Magnum PI, is it?  More like Magnum YA.

Edited October 1, 2018 by Netfoot

[statsgirl]

Bottom line, I think it's a better show than Hawaii 50 and far better than the new MacGyver.  Lenkov is about getting viewers, not making quality TV so I guess thaits successful.

When I saw James Remar as Buck Green, I wondered what was going to happen with Gambi on Black Lightning.  But then I went to imdb and Lance LeGault was only in 10 of the 158 episodes of the original.

On 9/25/2018 at 3:55 PM, roughing it said:

Hopefully it will be more of a big brother/little sister type relationship.

I think that will be a huge handicap to the show if they do.  One of the reasons the original Magnum was successful is because he was a charming rogue. (That's also why the moments of deep feeling like when he killed Ivan were so effective.)  And Magnum could be what he was because Higgins held a strong leash on him that permitted him to fight against it.  Because Higgins was so hard on him in the first seasons, Magnum pushing against his ridiculous rules gave Magnum more opportunities as a character.

It's already hard enough to buy Weeks reining in Hernandez (she's 33 to his 40.)  But as soon as the first episode, they're already starting to flirt with Higgins' attraction to Magnum, how is she supposed to be "Higgins" now?.

I'm all for gender switching Higgins, especially since Robin Masters" is a gender neutral name.  But they need someone in the role like Lucy Liu who can be tough without if looking like she's trying too hard.  Think of Laura Innes as Higgins.  Or CCH Pounder. Or Kyra Harper a fantastic actress, who is probably free now that Orphan Black is done..

[statsgirl]

Maybe because it's a weak time in TV for shows but while this doesn't come up to the level of the original  Some of that comes from it being whitewashed.

I agree about the differences between the POW situation in Viet Nam and in Afghanistan.  In addition, at the time of the original show, there was still a large amount of social shame left about Viet Nam and much of that transferred on to the returning vets.  At the time of the show, 1/3 of the homeless men in the US were vets, many with PTSD.  The original Magnum was the first TV show to touch the taboo of the effect of the Viet Nam war on the men who served in it.

There is nothing like that with Afghanistan. And I don't trust this show to be able to handle it if there had been.

On 9/25/2018 at 3:21 AM, biakbiak said:

I actually think it was necessary for her to be nicer right away because of the combo gender switch and making her the same age, I actually think it was much more necessary because of the age change than the gender change but if Juliet was like Higgins 1.0 It wouldn’t have read the same because most of their issues were a generational gap and how that exasperated the cultural gap between the two.

Don't forget that women are supposed to be nice. Especially young women.  If she weren't nice, she would have been labelled a bitch with her first words.

As I said on the episode thread, one of the reasons that Magnum could get away with being feckless much of the time is because Higgins balanced him as the stern, rule-following older authority figure, and later a voice of wisdom when there were problems.  A younger, female Higgins who is attracted to Magnum can provide none of that.

[maggiemae]

What? No shorts and eating hot dogs? Not much humor? No beach scenes? And Higgins a woman? Afghanistan? Couldn't they have been part of the team that got OBL?

[AnimeMania]

WTF moment: You give MI-6 the alias of a terrorist and they can track his phone and tell you exactly where he is at the moment. If he is that easy to locate, why haven't they picked him up.

How did that guy steal a tuna that takes 3 people to pick up?

[Mysteyman]

I thought this was a fun episode.

[Mysteyman]

On 9/26/2018 at 6:07 AM, Raja said:

With the backstory that Robin Masters was an embedded reporter with Magnum's unit, along with TC and Rick's squadron  and they are feeding him war stories that leaves little chance to tease the is Higgins actually Robin Masters adapting stories from when she was in the Queen's service

That might still come up, it's early days.

[Mars477]

One huge misstep they made (alongside all of the other missteps) is that they made Magnum and company elites when there's nothing about their behavior that suggests they were elites.  Magnum certainly doesn't behave like a SEAL or any other kind of elite special ops badass.  They could have made him just a generic Navy guy, like a Master at Arms (Navy MP), and not have him appear poorly when contrasted with the likes of McGarrett from Hawaii 5-0 come the inevitable crossover.

Even Burn Notice, which was pretty comedic, had the protagonist very dryly sarcastic instead of being a smarmy joker.

[Raja]

6 hours ago, Mars477 said:

One huge misstep they made (alongside all of the other missteps) is that they made Magnum and company elites when there's nothing about their behavior that suggests they were elites.  Magnum certainly doesn't behave like a SEAL or any other kind of elite special ops badass.  They could have made him just a generic Navy guy, like a Master at Arms (Navy MP), and not have him appear poorly when contrasted with the likes of McGarrett from Hawaii 5-0 come the inevitable crossover.

Even Burn Notice, which was pretty comedic, had the protagonist very dryly sarcastic instead of being a smarmy joker.

From the 2nd episode thread.

 

The original Magnum was perhaps the first special ops badass in popular culture, back before the society picked up the elite bias beyond he was a Marine. In action though he was a generic soldier, who happened to be in the Navy to go with the Hawaii theme. Because even if an Army division is stationed there, (where Ice-T was a long range scout what were called LURPS and then Rangers at the end of Vietnam before Ranger Regiments were brought back to the Army) and a giant USAF base we think of Pearl Harbor. Alsoh SEALs were unknown to the general public at that time so like the  H5-0 reboot McGarrett Magnum also had the Naval Intelligence background which brought Colonel Buck Greene, Mac and Maggie unto the show. As far as McGarrett Alex O'laughlin is in the too old and beat up for this shit phase and McGarrett has been given physical disabilities on 5-0 to slow him down

 

With Magnum going to Higgin's and her MI6 contacts there is no need for Mac/Maggie who did that role originally. So I guess Captain Buck will only show up when the Navy wants him instead of Magnum going to the Navy for help. Being only two years after their military service instead of roughly 10 years I guess Robin Masters also bank rolled TC's aircraft but how does Rick develop contacts throughout the Hawaii underworld? In the original he did take a weapon's conviction and on 5-0 when McGarrett was framed for an assassination while on the run ex-convict Kamekona  did have an illegal arms stash and now those two know each other. I bet that unless Taylor Wiley is unable to continue when 5-0 finishes its run Magnum becomes ohana to Kamekona to replace McGarrett and the 5-0 task force members.

[Raja]

I think the big mistake was 2 years ago. How did Rick meet his people? How did TC get his business over? Will the ghost of Nuzo be a regular thing?

[AnimeMania]

I thought it was a little weird how successful and more mature the other 3 are compared to Magnum. Magnum never seemed to put down any roots.

[Rambler]

I am still scratching my head over the terrorist plan. It kinda sounded like they implanted a flash drive into a giant tuna and then trained it to swim to Hawaii and commit suicide by getting caught on a fisherman's hook. I know that might sound just a wee bit ridiculous, but what are the alternatives? That maybe there was a spy on the fishing boat who got possession of the flash drive somehow (maybe dropped from a terrorist seagull???), and then stuck the drive into the tuna after they caught it? But why would he need to put the drive into the tuna in the first place when he could just stick it in his pocket. Are tuna fishermen regularly searched when they return to port? No, I prefer the trained tuna explanation. It’s much more elegant.

It’s only been a couple of episodes, but this show seems even more stupid than Hawaii Five-O, if that's possible. They should have named this show Higgins P.I., because she seems to do all the work, while the only skill Magnum seems to possess is getting punched in the face repeatedly. All that said though, I do find myself genuinely amused at some of the interplay between Magnum and Higgins. I laughed at Higgins look of horror when Magnum ordered his steak well-done. It's sort of like a lower key McGarrett vs Dano. If they can keep the relationship platonic and not devolve into a shouting match like on 5-O, then I might be able to tune in for the rest of the season.

[Kohola3]

7 minutes ago, Rambler said:

It’s only been a couple of episodes, but this show seems even more stupid than Hawaii Five-O, if that's possible.

Amen to that.  Ugh.

[akg]

I suspect it's residual Dave from Happy Endings love but I'm really enjoying Rick. 

[Maverick]

 I like Rick better than Magnum.  He was pretty hot taking down that guy who got the drop on him.  

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

Magnum is hired to find out the true identity of a man's comatose fiancée when he learns that she's had extensive facial surgery.

[androzani1987]

I must be in the minority, as I have enjoyed the show so far.  It isn't exactly Masterpiece Theatre, but then again, it's not supposed to be.

I still don't understand how that guy got the fish in the freezer by himself.

[mythoughtis]

It’s ok. It’s not the original. There’s just enough of the original to make me nostalgic. The dogs,  the Island Hopper chopper... but the guys and gals aren’t compelling. 

Last episode we are shown that everyone is firmly established in Hawaii, except for Magnum. Rick knows everyone, TC’s business is established, as is Nuzo’s.  Nuzo has a wife of Hawaiian descent and a son about 5.  Nuzo was wealthy, Rick was comfortable, TC unknown and Magnum was broke. 

This episode we are told they just got out of the service less than 2 years ago and hadn’t thought  of going to Hawaii until then. You can’t be consistent for two episodes? 

Edited October 4, 2018 by mythoughtis

[maggiemae]

I think I will give it another week or two. However, Magnum is not as charming. Rick is not cute enough. TC is fine. But Higgins is a woman! Just no - in the original it was the 4 men and their camaraderie. Not one of those will Higgins and Magnum fall in love. And I miss Higgins telling stories, drinking whiskey, Magnum with a beer and his place - friends dropping by, beach scenes, less car chases, except for Magnum ruining the ferrari over and over. All the deals he and Higgins made (the one this epi was stupid). 

And gotta say it - the shorts. And women falling all over Magnum. And his not being too interested at this point. because of loosing his wife which we didn't know about for several years, iirc. Oh - an hanging out at Ricks bantering and Higgins complaining Magnum is not a member.

[Moxie Cat]

I thought this episode was an improvement. But honestly, they don't have to work hard with so much beautiful Hawaii scenery. I used to feel like I got a vacation once a week with 5-0 - now there are two hours! 

I agree the show has issues but I like Higgins, I thought her interplay with Magnum was fun (even though the tracking of the target was WTF), and the two guys are growing on me. I don't have a problem with Magnum being less successful than the other guys - everyone is different. I do think the casting is off - I'd have an easier time believing he was a slacker who was just getting by, but coasting on charm, if a different actor was in the part. Spitballing here, but someone like Ian Somerhalder, for example? Or Josh Jackson? I wonder who all they tested for the part. (Undoubtedly neither of those!)

[ML89]

They sort of remade the original Magnum pilot but completely changed how it ended, if I recall correctly.

They ripped off the title from Did You See the Sunrise - I saw somewhere they were talking about redoing that episode this season and NO, just no. You can't. This Magnum has no depth, plus the whole plot break in Sunrise keys around Stalag 17, which Magnum remembers because he and Higgins talk about the Bridge on the River Kwai because Higgins was there. So much of the show revolves around the guys' Vietnam experiences and Higgins' World War II and empire memories. You can get the Croix de Guerre from Vietnam but it makes no sense in Afghanistan.

Magnum has no personality and his voiceovers make Harrison Ford on the original Bladerunner sound good. The best parts of original Magnum were the voiceovers.

Higgins is not Higgins but she was at least alive which is more than I could say for TC. Rick was fair to middlin' but again, some personality. Still can't see him with Icepick, though.

I think it's funny that they spent the first season of original Magnum referencing 5-0 and they're back at it, although this time they can have the inevitable crossover.

Zeus and Apollo were good but you can't have Magnum without Magnum's weird little laugh and Higgins' "Oh My God!" 

[Raja]

13 hours ago, ML89 said:

They sort of remade the original Magnum pilot but completely changed how it ended, if I recall correctly.

They ripped off the title from Did You See the Sunrise - I saw somewhere they were talking about redoing that episode this season and NO, just no. You can't. This Magnum has no depth, plus the whole plot break in Sunrise keys around Stalag 17, which Magnum remembers because he and Higgins talk about the Bridge on the River Kwai because Higgins was there. So much of the show revolves around the guys' Vietnam experiences and Higgins' World War II and empire memories. You can get the Croix de Guerre from Vietnam but it makes no sense in Afghanistan.

Magnum has no personality and his voiceovers make Harrison Ford on the original Bladerunner sound good. The best parts of original Magnum were the voiceovers.

Higgins is not Higgins but she was at least alive which is more than I could say for TC. Rick was fair to middlin' but again, some personality. Still can't see him with Icepick, though.

I think it's funny that they spent the first season of original Magnum referencing 5-0 and they're back at it, although this time they can have the inevitable crossover.

Zeus and Apollo were good but you can't have Magnum without Magnum's weird little laugh and Higgins' "Oh My God!" 

The mention of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan is given since that is were the major combat has taken place during their lifetimes  but Magnum and Nuzo are modern day special ops soldiers. They are the go anywhere destination unknown types, as most TV series about them show.  This show even teased the North Korea sea story at the beginning that Robin Master's used for a book.

Escaping from a third nation's prison makes much more sense than a Taliban POW camp . Also since they switched Buck Greene's branch of service perhaps Rick and TC should have been soldiers and not Marines since Army special operations aviators and USAF ones not the USMC do most of the flying for those SEAL missions

[BaskingsharkGTX]

On 9/24/2018 at 11:25 PM, brgjoe said:

Not impressed either.  The lead just doesn't seem to have the presence to carry the title character of the show.  At least from what I saw from this 1st episode.  Everyone else was OK.  I kinda liked Higgins being from MI-6.  And it looks like she is being set up to be part of the team. 

But not impressed with the show in general.  I can't see it lasting too long.  But then again, I wasn't a huge fan of the Five-O reboot.  And it's been on how many seasons now?  So I definitely have been wrong before about these sort of things. 

I also hated that two Ferrari's gave their lives during shooting of this episode.  ;)

One Ferrari (which was likely already totaled since it wasn't moving when it got shot up). The 328 was either CGI or some sort of mockup or a combo. Either way they got the rear engine cover wrong. When it flies off the car, it's flat. Ferrari 328 engine covers are not flat, they encompass part of the rear buttresses.

This was so very lame. Unfortunately I really don't think Jay Hernandez has the sort of charisma to carry a show like this and the whole thing felt so very generic. He had more chemistry with the dogs than with Perdita Weeks. And those voice overs... Ugh!

Edited October 8, 2018 by BaskingsharkGTX

[Netfoot]

12 hours ago, BaskingsharkGTX said:

I really don't think Jay Hernandez has the sort of charisma to carry a show like this...

Or any charisma at all, really...

[BaskingsharkGTX]

34 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

Or any charisma at all, really...

Sad but true.

I mentioned this over in the Lethal Weapon forum, but the character they brought in on LW to replace Clayne Crawford/Riggs is quite similar to Magnum in a lot of ways, except Seann William Scott is great. The difference in charisma level and performances are shocking. Given that LW will probably end this season, I wish he and Hernandez had each been cast in the other's roles.

Edited October 8, 2018 by BaskingsharkGTX

[headhoncho]

Cho's personality hasn't changed LOL

[AnimeMania]

I liked the episode, the only thing that bothered me was: A woman that has to borrow money from her mother to pay off her abusive boyfriend, she couldn't afford to get a tattoo removed, let alone the hundreds of thousands of dollars required to get facial reconstruction surgery. I wonder if she even had a job, living in that fancy house, with her fancy vacuum cleaner and food in her refrigerator.

[Gregg247]

The title of the episode kind of gave away the "mystery" Magnum was trying to solve.  Great job, show! :(

I thought Higgins was going to save the day (again) at the end of the episode, but then I remembered that the show is called "Magnum PI" and not "Higgins MI6", so I was glad to see Magnum got to do some action scenes himself for once.

Glad to see Dr. Ken and Agent Cho again.  These guys are great character actors, so I hope we see more of both of them.  Rick is great in this incarnation, but TC needs more to do.

[Raja]

So far the named characters were at least acting like their legacy character namesake but then we got Luther Gillis from St Louis. I remembered him to be something  like Vern St Cloud on The Rockford Files. At least amy Hill didn't turn out to be Agatha.

[namelesscommenter]

1 hour ago, AnimeMania said:

I liked the episode, the only thing that bothered me was: A woman that has to borrow money from her mother to pay off her abusive boyfriend, she couldn't afford to get a tattoo removed, let alone the hundreds of thousands of dollars required to get facial reconstruction surgery. I wonder if she even had a job, living in that fancy house, with her fancy vacuum cleaner and food in her refrigerator.

I thought that was the apartment she shared with the fiance. 

It was a nice to see Jack Cutmore-Scott back on my screen. He's always a joy to watch, and I hope he can get a show that sticks around next season. 

[mertensia]

7 hours ago, Raja said:

So far the named characters were at least acting like their legacy character namesake but then we got Luther Gillis from St Louis. I remembered him to be something  like Vern St Cloud on The Rockford Files. At least amy Hill didn't turn out to be Agatha.

Luther Gillis was originally played by character actor Eugene Roche (who will forever be E Ronald Mallu on Soap to me) and Luther was a loud, brash Missourian, so when he's suddenly an Oahu resident who plays poker with Magnum, it's really jarring.

It's like dudes, not every character has to be named after one from the original series. 

[akg]

9 hours ago, Gregg247 said:

I thought Higgins was going to save the day (again) at the end of the episode, but then I remembered that the show is called "Magnum PI" and not "Higgins MI6", so I was glad to see Magnum got to do some action scenes himself for once.

I was actually disappointed. When the bad guy handed Higgins the hammer, I laughed evilly and was looking forward to her using it against him.

The case itself seemed like a big invasion of privacy. The fiance's inability to trust Emily or even wait until she woke up endangered her life and the lives of her mom and daughter. It never seemed to occur to him or Magnum that she had a valid reason for wanting to hide and that should be respected/protected.

[FrankOFoley]

First episode I watched and was pleasantly surprised at how I enjoyed it. Also happy to see Michael Graziadei as the bad guy. Happy to see he's getting work.

[laredhead]

I liked Tim Kang's character on The Mentalist, and laughed when he seemed to be channeling Cho in this episode.  Hope he becomes a regular.

[Raja]

6 minutes ago, laredhead said:

I liked Tim Kang's character on The Mentalist, and laughed when he seemed to be channeling Cho in this episode.  Hope he becomes a regular.

Both him and Amy Hill were added to the opening credits. Something that didn't happen on 5-0 to the reoccurring Asians other than Masi Oka until Park and Kim left under controversy  

[Raja]

2 hours ago, mertensia said:

Luther Gillis was originally played by character actor Eugene Roche (who will forever be E Ronald Mallu on Soap to me) and Luther was a loud, brash Missourian, so when he's suddenly an Oahu resident who plays poker with Magnum, it's really jarring.

It's like dudes, not every character has to be named after one from the original series. 

It looks like that after the pilot that the actor chosen to play Magnum's HPD contact changed. However comments from the original trailer had already changed the original actor with the role  to the legacy character LT. Tanaka. Just as comments changed TC from a Staff Sergeant in the trailer to a more rank appropriate Major in the final cut.

[HurricaneVal]

I loved Cho!notCho...  I can see him as the deadpan, dryly humorous, and sneakily cheeky thorn in the side.

 

I figured it out last night why that guy got cast as Magnum.  I mean, he's harmless, quite handsome, and apparently Hispanic, which is an unrepresented demographic on TV.  So nothing against Jay Hernandez, he just doesn't seem to have the je ne sais quoi charisma that Tom Selleck brought to the screen as Magnum.  But last night, I was off in the other room finishing up putting dinner away so I couldn't see the TV, but I could hear it.  Jay Hernandez sounded just like a young Tom Selleck.  He's got that same lilting wry crack in his voice, and his voiceovers capture Tom Selleck-as-Magnum's cadence and tone nearly perfectly.  For a moment there, I wondered if maybe Tom had made a special unannounced cameo, but no.  Just the new guy.

[koloagirl]

As someone who lives in Hawaiʻi, I always look for things in shows or movies that make it look as if someone actually lives here.

I give this show one point so far for showing the “Loves” brand of bread from here.  But why the heck is everyone (local or not) wearing their shoes inside the houses - or should I say mansions?

The original “Magnum PI” house was recently demolished so they are filming a good distance away on the North Shore.  Definitely not close for the ocean kayaking we see him doing around Rabbit Island. 

I know they were filming this at a 1933 estate just off Kalanianaʻole Highway - locally called “Pahonu” aka the Anderson Estate.  

Edited October 10, 2018 by koloagirl
Spelling

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

A close friend of Higgins, an art connoisseur who recently hired Magnum to test his security, is murdered, and Thomas is arrested as the main suspect.

Airing Monday, 10/15.

[Netfoot]

Is it too late to re-re-imagine this show?  Rick and TC stay the same, Perdita Weeks becomes Tammy J. Magnum, they bring in a new Higgins, and Jay Hernandez gets left in a roadside diner somewhere too far away for him to walk back.

[Tachi Rocinante]

Horrible editing - at the beginning when Ken Jeong is shooting pool, he's right-handed.  But in the final pool playing shot of just the hand, the player is shooting left-handed. Then back to right-handed Ken.

How fucking hard is it to keep that straight?

Perdita is the only one who's believable and can act worth a damn, but I can't stay on for much more just for her.

Edited October 13, 2018 by Tachi Rocinante
Cause, spelling

[derriere]

I can't believe we're now three episodes deep and Magnum hasn't worn his UDT shorts yet. Authenticity, people! ;)

[Raja]

1 hour ago, derriere said:

I can't believe we're now three episodes deep and Magnum hasn't worn his UDT shorts yet. Authenticity, people! ;)

Only worn by the original pop culture SEAL. None of the thousands on TV and the movies who have played SEALs since then are willing to be compared to Tom Selleck in his prime

[Raja]

I  think that they lucked into a Juliet and Magnum show. Don't fall into the mistake Sleepy Hollow did by trying to jam the initial plan (80's Magnum, sped up as if on Meth) down the viewers throat.

Edited October 13, 2018 by Raja

[seacliffsal]

I miss the Hawaiian shirts...

I, like a poster above, really like Jay's voice.  

I also liked the addition of the two new cast members.  The show is slowly improving and I hope all of the elements soon come together.

[Netfoot]

I new Insurance Woman in the red dress was guilty before the crime was committed!

A grown man who can't tie a tie.  Well, hopefully he can tie his shoelaces....