It looks like the new Magnum P.I. hasn't been taken off the case after all. In May, it was reported that CBS had decided to cancel Magnum P.I. after four seasons with the series getting booted along with B Positive, Good Sam, How We Roll, and United States of Al. While reviews and ratings had still been strong, the series was reportedly canceled when business talks stalled over a license fee.
Per Deadline, fans may be happy to know that Magnum P.I. was saved from its fate and the series will indeed return at a new home. NBC has just closed a deal to order 20 new episodes of the reboot series with plans to split them into two 10-episode seasons. That would up the show's overall episode count to 96 with the deal including an option to continue on if NBC is happy with the results that Magnum P.I. brings to the network. Currently, the cast members are finalizing their deals to reprise their roles, and it's expected that all of the major players will be back.
The move to NBC is reminiscent of when the network had similarly saved the popular comedy series Brookyln Nine-Nine. That show had gotten the boot at Fox after five seasons, but NBC noticed how many fans were calling for it to be saved. NBC would swoop in and rescue Brookyln Nine-Nine where it would air for an additional three seasons. There were many fans hoping that Magnum P.I. would be saved as well.
Magnum P.I. Is a Rare Successful Reboot
CBS Studios
Typically, remakes and reboots are not welcomed by fans with open arms. It takes an exceptional level of quality for a new adaptation to be accepted when an original is still such a beloved part of pop culture. The original Magnum P.I. with Tom Selleck is still remembered as one of the most popular shows of its era, but its successor has proven to be a hit on its own, making it surprising for many when it was first announced that CBS had canceled the series.
Donald P. Bellisario and Glen A. Larson created the original series. The new version is created by Peter Lenkov and Eric Guggenheim with Jay Hernandez in the titular role originally played by Selleck. The cast also includes Perdita Weeks, Zachary Knighton, Stephen Hill, Tim Kang, and Amy Hill. Guggenheim serves as showrunner and executive produces with Justin Lin, John Davis, and John Fox.
In the series, "A modern take on the classic series starring Jay Hernandez as Thomas Magnum, a decorated former Navy SEAL who, upon returning home from Afghanistan, repurposes his military skills to become a private investigator in Hawaii."