Magnum P.I. Season 2 (1 Viewer)

Very excited to hear the announcement for Season Two. I know we don't even have a definite release date yet (March?), but I sure hope we get some extras, in the form of interviews, featurettes, or commentaries, along with the episodes this time. I would prefer this to bonus episodes from other seasons.

John Hillerman (Higgins) hasn't exactly reached octogenarian status, but he is getting up there in years. IMHO, it's important to get a record of the thoughts of folks like Hillerman, Roger Mosley (TC), Larry Manetti (Rick), and of course Tom Selleck on years spent making this wonderful show, especially since the DVD format is so accomodating towards this type of feature.

The Release date according to tvshowsondvd.com is April 12th. I am very excited its going to be an expensive day though. Along with magnum i will have to also buy a-team and knight rider 2nd seasons that day.

I'll be buying Magnum and A-Team that day as well. I don't expect any extras, nor do I require them, but I hope Universal doesn't pull another QL boner here. I didn't watch Magnum in its original run, so I don't know if there is any music to lose. The first season was very fun, though, and I want to continue onward.

Agreed, the most important thing is getting the episodes. However, "Knight Rider" (also from Universal) did include quite a few extras in the way of commentaries and featurettes, as well as some photo galleries. Unless the principals from "Magnum" are not interested, I don't see why something similar couldn't be done for the show's DVD release.

Not sure about the music issues on "Magnum." This fellow's site provides a list of well-known songs used on the show:

http://www.magnum-pi.de/music.php

Hopefully, none of them will be on A.W.O.L. on the DVD sets.

There is a lot of original music and there's no chance that Universal will pay for any of it.

As much as I love Magnum (and Quantum Leap) - there's no way I'll ever touch a TV release from Universal again.

I can't pass on Knight Rider Season 2 since it's my favorite of the series (Rebecca Holden).

I don't think you can say that. Quantum Leap Season 1 had all the music, and the upcoming Miami Vice looks to have all the music. I'm hoping QL: S2 and Northern Exposure: S2 turn out to be the exceptions, and that is why I think it's an important issue to take up with Universal now while we can still do some good.

Anyway, I shouldn't have been so dismissive of extras, Jon. I don't ever watch them myself, but I hope they are there for those who do.

Wow, that's quite a bit of music. I wish the songs were indexed to the appropriate episodes, but I can vouch for a couple. Deja Vu was included in Missing in Action. Since it was performed by an actress, it probably wouldn't have been an issue anyway. Swan Lake was included in Thank Heaven for Little Girls, and I'm sure it's public domain. Moonlight Serenade might be from Lest We Forget, but I'm not sure. I watched the episode before I knew replacement would be an issue, so it might even have been replaced with a similar song. I would have noticed at the time and just assumed they got a generic tune when it first aired, but it's been a few months and I don't recall. It might even have the real Moonlight Serenade.

*Does Snoopy dance*

This little bit of news makes my whole morning. I knew it was coming, but now that we have a (relatively close) release date, I'm jumping for joy. Since they released these on DVD, I have become such a Magnum addict.

Hopefully there will be a few bonus features on this one, although they probably would have been mentioned in the press release. Even if they include some more crossover episodes as with Season 1 (there was a Murder She Wrote crossover in Season 5, but they may save that until the fifth set). The Aussie edition didn't get any of the bonus episodes, but then again we do have a "best of" release as well, with highlights from various other seasons.



I agree with Greg_S_H - it is unfair to make a generalization about the music on all the Universal releases, based on two of their recent efforts. I was watching a Season 7 episode the other night on cable ('Death & Taxes') and realized how well music was used in Magnum. Hopefully they will be able to secure the rights in this case.

They have always been and always will be "able" to get the rights.

The question is whether they want to.

I hope sales for season two of Quantum Leap were so bad that Universal realized that they can't screw their customers - but I doubt it.

It'll definitely be interesting to see how the music issue is on this set. I'm hoping they don't follow teh first season intact then cut you off at the knees format they did with QL. But I'll wait to hear how much it's been butchered before I make a purchase decision.

Well, the record labels seem to have the studios over a barrel in these instances, as they can pretty much charge what they want.

It isn't a question of wanting to secure the rights, it is a question of being able to afford them. Yes, big studios have lots of money too, but will they spend the big bucks on a release that will essentially be geared to a niche audience?

As for Quantum Leap, do you really think if they sell less copies, Universal are going to be inclined to pay more for the music rights? The lack of sales could be due to the music rights, but they could also be due to a lack of mainstream interest in a 16-year old TV show.

As I said above, each case is going to be different and will depend on the music involved, and who they have to deal with. You can't generalize with these things.

One thing is for sure, and that is companies need to take a stand on these things at some point and say "Sorry - not playing, we're going ahead without the music". If the record labels realise that. Plus, we as consumers have to be more active in voicing our opinions to the studio. Simply not buying the set is only going to reinforce the notion that paying large amounts for music rights is cost prohibitive.

Having said all that, I will be deeply disappointed if the music is changed, although I'd be hard pressed to tell, barely remembering them from their original run. I will buy one way or the other.

I just don't get why people aren't more upset with music replacement.

To me someone who buys a TV boxset with replaced music is as misguided as someone who buys a fullscreen version of a widescreen movie.

Well, we've all seen how effective the education campaign on widescreen has been, haven't we? I've been arguing this one with my dad and my girlfriend's dad for years, with no progress on either front. Neither of them can get past the fact that widescreen images look smaller, in terms of screen real estate, and the argument that they're getting more visual information just doesn't overcome their perception that they're getting less. In other words, they don't care.

I think the same thing basically applies with the music rights issue. The vast majority of the DVD-buying public is either (a) unaware of the issue, (b) not bothered by it (i.e., they don't care), or (c) willing to compromise in order to actually get the TV sets they want.

Personally, I fall in to category (c).

It's not that I don't share your frustration, Chris. I do. I hate that changes have been made and that I have to compromise on my goal of having perfect, archival-edition copies of the movies and TV shows I love. However, in the case of the older programming I grew up on and which has been unavailable to me for a lot of years in any video format (including televised re-runs), I don't see that I have a lot of choice. If I want to see Magnum or Northern Exposure or Quantum Leap, I've got to live with the changes. I don't hold out much hope of these titles ever being revisited and done "right," so if I want them, I've got to compromise.

The alternative, of course, is to just not see these shows again.

Jon Hillerman did do a commentary... oh wait, that's on Homer Simpsons copy.

I was a sometime fan when the show originally ran, found out that I really enjoyed the first season.

I am so glad that season 2 is coming soon.

I think I have got to this point as well. I will simply be glad to own the discs, regardless of format. I will buy them, but hope for the best and join you in whatever campaign (i.e. letters, petitions) it takes to let the studios we do care. Otherwise, I will compromise. It isn't that we don't care, I just don't think there is enough of us who know.

I can't wait for Season 2!! I understand everyone's apprehension over the music, although I too haven't seen many of these episodes since first aired, if ever, so I'd probably never notice. I think it may be jumping the gun though to assume music will be replaced on these. Yes, the list above is long, but if that covers 8 seasons of Magnum it's probably at least half the number of songs in Quantum Leap and Northern Exposure, so I think there's hope!

"Hawaii Five-0" reruns in the 80's got me steered onto "Magnum PI", as I loved the gorgeous Hawaiian scenery. I started watching Magnum for the last 2 seasons it aired on CBS, but rarely caught any syndicated reruns. I liked those 2 seasons, which seemed rather serious for the most part. However, I was delighted when I bought Season 1 on DVD last fall on a blind buy, as those episodes were so much FUN! Most of the episodes in that season were somewhat lighthearted, and Tom Selleck's breezy portrayal significantly contributed to this. I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did, so I cannot wait for Season 2!

Everyone does seem to be jumping the gun a bit on the music issue. That list was generated by a fan and some crucial information, such as which episodes correspond to the music selections, is missing. I know fans have been stung by the unfortunate music changes in the Hunter, Quantum Leap, and Wiseguy sets, among others. I think the talk of boycotting Magnum releases should come after there is a rescoring issue with the show. Hopefully, this scenario will not arise.

On a related note, I'm a regular lurker on the main Magnum discussion group. Amongst the posters there, there is a frightening level of encyclopedic knowledge regarding the show. Nary a peep was raised about music changes in Season 1. If there is a problem, it will be aired out in that forum.