Starring:
Tom Selleck as Thomas Sullivan Magnum III
John Hillerman as Jonathan Quayle Higgins III
Roger E. Mosley as Theodore ‘TC’ Calvin
Larry Manetti as Orville ‘Rick’ Wright
Special Features:
Simon & Simon Crossover Episodes
Sharon Stone Double Feature
Other Info:
Fullscreen (1.33:1)
Dolby 2.0 Digital Sound
Running Time: 18 Hours 33 Minutes
Synopsis:
This is the complete first season of Magnum P.I. which ran on CBS in 1980.
Thomas Magnum is a private investigator living in Hawaii. A former Naval Intelligence officer and Vietnam veteran, he now works in the private sector taking on cases nobody else is willing or able to solve. He also works as a security consultant for reclusive mystery writer Robin Masters. Despite never seeing him, Magnum operates out of a bungalow on Masters’ estate much to the chagrin of his manservant, Jonathan Quayle Higgins III. Magnum is occasionally aided by his old war buddies Theodore ‘TC’ Calvin
and Orville ‘Rick’ Wright.
18 episodes from the series are included in this set as well as 4 episodes from later seasons. They include Simon & Simon crossover episodes and a two part show starring Sharon Stone.
This DVD set is not rated.
The Series:
I can’t even remember the last time I saw an episode of Magnum P.I. I used to watch episodes back in the 80’s, but it’s been a long time since the last one that I saw. Watching it again on DVD, I see why it was so appealing. With cool cars, hot women, exotic locations, a charming leading man, and clever whodunits, it was a fun series that got a tremendous following.
I had forgotten why exactly Magnum lived on Robin Master’s estate. I had forgotten that he was a veteran. Seeing the pilot episode brought it all back. (Interestingly, the catchy theme song did come about until later in the series.) The great sense of humor on the show was evident from the beginning. Magnum had a sly sense of humor about him that made him appealing. His ongoing feuds with Higgins and the guard dogs also provided a lot of comedy. The excellent supporting cast of Rick and TC also contributed to the overall fun of the show.
Tom Selleck was excellent as Thomas Magnum. Besides the already mentioned sense of humor, he handled the drama well, too. Selleck had some great dramatic moments here and there that helped add depth to the character. The flashbacks to Vietnam also gave him an intriguing background. He also handled the action well. Between car chases, gunfights, helicopter chases and more, Selleck was always convincingly in the middle of it.
Supporting Selleck was John Hillerman as Jonathan Quayle Higgins III. He was a great straight man for Magnum though you always had to wonder what exactly his job was. Roger E. Mosley was also cool and funny as Theodore ‘TC’ Calvin, the pilot on the show. Larry Manetti also provided a lot of comedy relief as Orville ‘Rick’ Wright. The show had a number of interesting guest stars. Morgan Fairchild appeared on one episode. Judge Reinhold even played a brief role in the pilot. (On a side note for Star Wars fans, in the pilot Magnum frantically tries to enter a security code in the Ferrari to keep the alarm from going off. The first code he tries? “1138”. Amusing since Selleck was also the first choice to play Indiana Jones!)
If you were a fan of Magnum P.I., then this DVD set will be right up your alley. Even if you’re just a fan of mystery or detective shows, I think you’ll find this money well spent.
The Extras:
Though there are no commentaries or “making of” videos on this DVD set, there are a couple of bonus extras. The first is a couple of Simon & Simon Crossover Episodes. The first is from Season 3 of Magnum P.I. The second part of the episode was the Season 2 premiere of Simon & Simon. If you liked these two shows then this will be quite a treat for you. The second bonus feature is a Sharon Stone Double Feature. Before she hit super stardom, she had a guest appearance in two episodes of the 5th season. It’s a nice treat without having to wait for later seasons to come out.
The Bottom Line:
If you are a fan of Tom Selleck, Magnum P.I., Simon & Simon, Sharon Stone, or detective TV shows, then this DVD set is a required addition to your collection.
