'Magnum P.I.' Reboot Under Development at CBS

By Sheanne Aguila, Christian Post Contributor Monday, October 23, 2017

"Magnum P.I." is officially heading back to the small screen.

CBS is working on an updated version of the classic 1980s series, according to reports. The upcoming series will be penned by Peter Lenkov, the network's go-to writer when it comes to procedural revivals who has worked on "Hawaii Five-0" and "MacGyver." Also serving as the reboot's writer is Eric Guggenheim.

"Magnum P.I." will still center on the same quartet of characters as the original TV series. However, instead of four male protagonists, it will be made up of one woman and three men. Jonathan Higgins (originally played by John Hillerman) is set to be reconceived as Juliet Higgins. This approach is similar to what CBS did for Sherlock Holmes' sidekick John Watson, who was turned into Joan Watson for "Elementary."

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CBS and CBS Television Studios are also home to "Magnum P.I.'s" lead star Tom Selleck, who currently stars in the long-running crime drama "Blue Bloods." The actor is not tied to the revival but considering his connection to the network, a cameo appearance may happen if the project moves forward.

Variety notes this is not the first attempt at an "Magnum P.I." reboot. In September, ABC tried to develop a sequel titled "Magnum," which would follow Thomas Magnum's (Selleck) daughter as she takes over her father's P.I. firm. Eva Longoria was supposed to serve as the program's executive producer, but the series did not get past the development stage.

Having aired from 1980 to 1988, the original procedural series ran for a total of eight seasons and 158 episodes. During its run, "Magnum P.I." snagged two Golden Globes: best supporting actor in a series, miniseries or motion picture made for television for John Hillerman, and best performance by an actor in a television series — drama — for Selleck.