Spoilers for the Magnum P.I. series finale lie ahead!
It’s the end of an era following the series finale of Magnum P.I. A reboot of Tom Selleck’s action drama of the same name from the 1980s, the series received a second chance when NBC saved it from cancellation at CBS. However, just 10 episodes into the 20-episode fifth season, the network announced that it, too, would be pulling the plug on the Jay Hernandez-led show. The series finale brings the drama to a close after 96 episodes, which is just four episodes short of the 100-episode milestone. And, apparently, there was still a lot planned.
The show wrapped filming on its fifth season in April 2023, a month before the cancellation was even announced. Magnum fans were probably happy that the episode didn’t end with any big cliffhangers and instead, wrapped up with Rick and Suzy getting engaged. With that said though, it was definitely clear that there was still much more that could’ve been done with the characters. Showrunner Eric Guggenheim told TV Guide the plans he had for Season 6, and it makes me even sadder that we won’t be getting it:
One idea I had was that Bedrosian would run for governor in a special election and win. So essentially, Magnum and Higgins’ decision to turn over the thumb drive [to the police], which triggered the governor’s resignation and deprived Bedrosian of all that blackmail material, would actually open up a path for him to become even more powerful than he was before. And on top of that, he’d still have leverage on Magnum and Higgins, but that’s a card he would hold onto and play at a later time.
There was so much more that could be done with a sixth season. Again, there is some sense of closure, but the fact that the stage was set for more stories is a bummer. Even Jay Hernandez has an idea for how to keep Magnum going, whether that’s with more episodes or even a movie. From the sounds of it, the supposed sixth season would have definitely been intense, especially for Magnum and Higgins. Speaking of, following the couple’s pregnancy scare and kid discussion, Higgins thought Magnum was proposing to her after finding a ring, which turned out to be Rick’s. Guggenheim said that the two aren’t ready to get married just yet.
Of course, there’s more to consider than the potential storylines. If Magnum P.I. had continued beyond Season 5, the series would’ve hit 100 episode, which is a remarkable feat. 100 episodes is essentially the prime standard when it comes to TV syndication. Unfortunately, Guggenheim doesn’t see the show switching to any other platform or streamer permanently, at this point:
Magnum is one of the very rare exceptions. It was on Paramount+ for the first four seasons but was taken off after the first cancellation and has yet to find its way onto another service. I think that would have to change. And then, of course, it would have to perform well, and demand for a revival would have to follow. So, a number of things would need to happen, but I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility.
That’s not to say that the procedural definitely won’t get picked up somewhere else, as it’s still possible. It was saved before, and it could happen again. Of course, it should also be mentioned that over the years, we’ve seen other shows find new homes in multiple places throughout their runs. (I’m looking at Fox, Comedy Central and Hulu’s Futurama).
Magnum P.I missing the 100-episode mark by just a few installments is truly a disappointment, and the same is true when you consider the massive amount of stories that are left on the table in the aftermath of the cancellation. Still, I suppose we should be grateful that the show did make a comeback. Let’s hope that history can repeat itself so that we can get more of this entertaining show. In the meantime, stream the first four seasons on Freevee, and grab a Peacock subscription to access the fifth one.
