Magnum P.I.: The Series

One of the top rated shows on the 1980s decade, Magnum, P.I. thrilled audiences with its exotic setting and fast-paced action. Winner of multiple Emmys and Golden Globes, the show was a mainstay in the Top 20 Nielsen Ratings.

The show’s Vietnam flashbacks (exploring the combat experiences of the main characters) were widely lauded, and Magnum, P.I. is considered the first television series to give recognition to the obstacles faced by Vietnam Veterans reentering American society. The range of topics, combined with a clever wit and heightened suspense, make Magnum, P.I. one of the more widely appealing TV series of its era.

Magnum, P.I. covers the life of Thomas Magnum (Tom Selleck), a former Naval Intelligence officer who resigns his position in order to set up his own private investigation business in Oahu, Hawaii. Through either luck or acquaintance, he lands a job as head of security for bestselling author Robin Masters’ luxurious beachfront estate.

This enables Magnum to drive around in Masters’ sporty flame-red Ferrari, make use of various high-tech toys, and live a life of relative ease in the estate’s guest house. But Magnum constantly butts heads with estate manager Jonathan Higgins (John Hillerman), a former British military man in his own right, and one with a strict penchant for order and discipline. Despite their conflicts, Magnum and Higgins maintain a healthy friendship, while Magnum’s friends Rick Wright (Larry Manetti) and T.C. Calvin (Roger E. Mosley) are forever being drawn into Magnum’s dangerous investigations…

The first season had some of my favorite episodes including the season premiere “Don’t Eat the Snow in Hawaii” in which Magnum learns of the death of his childhood friend and Navy buddy Dan Cook. Skeptical of the officially cited cause of death, Magnum launches an investigation of his own with the aid of Dan’s sister Alice. Eventually, the trail leads to an old military friend from Vietnam who might possibly be involved in a smuggling operation. Meanwhile, Magnum and Alice put their own lives on the line as they discover that someone is determined to put an end to their investigation.

Other notable episodes from Season 1 include “No Need to Know” in which Magnum is hired to protect one of Higgins’ friends from IRA assassins, and “Lest We Forget” in which a veteran of Pearl Harbor turned (Supreme Court Nominee) hires Magnum to investigate when he receives blackmail threats relating to his past.