Magnum PI Season 8 (1 Viewer)

Great news - Magnum PI season 8 is coming out on March 4. A nice quick turn around time from season 7 to 8.

We're going to get some real extras, two commentaries from writers and one commentary from an executive producer. While I'd rather have had commentaries from the stars, at least they are giving us something decent. Also we're getting the season 7 finale, Limbo, again. I think there are two versions of Limbo, one when they thought season 7 was the last season, and a slightly revised episode shown before season 8. Hopefully this will be the modified one.

There were two versions of "Limbo". The first one gave a proper end to the series (a little bittersweet but ending with a wink and a nod). When the show came back for the shortened 8th season (I believe there were only 11 episodes), "Limbo" got tweaked a little, becoming a cliffhanger rather than an ending. And the cliffhanger gets answered in the 8th season opener "Infnity and Jelly Donuts".

I'd be very curious if one of those commentaries is Chas. Johnson, as he was on the show all the way down. He told me a couple of years ago that he was a lot happier with the Season 8 finale ending the series, and that they tried to do a better wrap-up.

I just have issues with the last season in general. I found the 7th season to be a real comeback for the show and a nice way to go out. Since they knew it was to be their last year, it looks like everyone turned in their "rainy day" ideas and their best stories. When they came back for the 8th season, it really felt like the show was staying around too long and had run out of stories to tell. (This is part of the reason why they only did 11 shows.)

Kevin, Charles Johnson is the executive producer who will be commenting on the series final episode. There are 13 shows in the final season, well 12 if you are counting the last episode as a two hour movie.

I liked the final season, I thought it was a strong finish. Although I would have preferred Magnum not to rejoin the Navy, but to remain a PI living in the guest house with his daughter, and Higgins having a strong influence in raising Lilly. With the Navy ending, I'm not sure if Magnum would remain on the estate with Lilly or not. If Higgins is Robin Masters, I'm sure he would let Magnum stay on. If not, the question is would Magnum be able to be both security expert and in the Navy, even assuming he remains in Pearl Harbor.

All this notwithstanding, I'll be buying the eighth and last season simply to complete another series!

I took a look at the press release. I see Chas. listed as doing commentary on the 2nd hour of the final episode. I'm sure he'll give an overview about all the people that worked on the show, and why he preferred the series to end the way it did. And this will include Magnum's reactivated commission. I think you'll find Chas. to be a very pleasant commentator. But I have to say, couldn't we have had commentaries on the best eps of the show along the way, like the pilot or "Memories are Forever", "Did You See the Sunrise" or "Home From the Sea"? I would very much like to have heard Don Bellisario's comments on those.

And you're right, the last season was 12 eps - sorry, I was off by one. I knew it was a shorter season, which allowed Selleck to continue with his feature schedule, and made for an less intense final season for the crew. I just didn't think it was up to the quality of the season before it or the earliest and best seasons. But I'll probably pick up this set to complete the series, one way or the other.

The eighth season is my favorite out of the entire series, and I very glad they added audio commentaries to it (especially on the final episode). I could do without the bonus episode of "The Rockford Files" though.


Yeah, hopefully "Limbo" is not a repeat here, but the modified one. I also hope we'll be seeing the final season uncut and with no music replacements again.

Universal actually got this right. The Rockford Files episode features one of Selleck's celebrated guest appearances on that show as cocky private eye, Lance White. It's said that this guest spot, which continued into at least one more episode, helped Selleck secure the part of Magnum.

That is Most Excellent News, Quicker than i had anticipated. Bravo Universal throwing in some extras finally! Hey Tom Selleck had said he would have liked to participate in the shows release on DVD right around the time S1 was announced and those rumors of a Magnum Movie were floating around. So while i would have hoped Universal would have stepped to the plate and worked something out with Tom and others, I will take what i can get and just be thankful. One of my Top 3 All-time shows will be completed in just a few months. Can anyone say Magnum Marathon for the month of March!!

Do you think they'll release a complete series Magnum set sometime next year after this?

If not I'd love to repick up s1 6 and 8.

Amazon.com has the following product description for the eighth season:

This is the first time this bit about the Rockford episode has appeared in any of the descriptions and/or press releases for the Season 8, even tvshowsondvd.com. There was a second Rockford episode with Selleck as Lance White. It's too bad this couldn't have been included on one of the Magnum sets as well.

I just finished up with Season 7 and it's been a long while since Ive seen the "finale" (which I didn't realize was the finale because I saw it in re runs) and was surprised that they would try to end the show this way. Were season 7's ratings pretty bad back in the day?

There's no music disclaimer for the final season of "Magnum". Thank you, Universal, for clearing all of the original broadcast music.



"Limbo" is not listed on the back... I presume the modified version is still there? Are there any reviews for Season 8 and is it complete?

I'll be picking up the set tomorrow when I go out. Best Buy is offering two sets of Magnum for $50. Since I already have them all, I'll grab an extra copy of Season 1 and sell it on eBay since it's only costing me $15.

I picked this up today. It is so great to have completed one of my top 3 shows of alltime. This is one show i will be re-visiting many times over through the upcoming years. It is worth every single penny spent!

Not to get off topic, but on a side-note. I found the included insert abit interesting. It is the same generic insert which has been included in the last few Magnum sets. Only this time gone is Simon & Simon (uh oh, damnit!) and appearing in it's spot on the insert is now Las Vegas. Hopefully it does not mean anything for possible future releases of S&S, but everything sure does point to the brothers Simon having been laid to rest for good.

And these fricking studios wonder why sales on DVD's are declining. Studios refuse to reward the loyalty of fans who purchase their favourite shows and the list is long and extensive:

double sided DVD's
half season sets priced at full season prices
first season or two released and the rest is abandoned
no special features
defective disks
poor quality control

When "The Cosby Show" was placed opposite "Magnum, p.i." in 1984, "Magnum" started to slide in the ratings.

"Magnum, p.i." had been a mainstay on Thursdays for CBS -- a ratings winner. But "Cosby" helped bring NBC out of the ratings basement as a network and ushered in 20 or so years of ratings dominance on Thursdays for the Peacock (with shows like "Seinfeld" and "Friends").

So...CBS moved "Magnum, p.i." to Wednesdays at 9e/8c sometime during the 7th season. What they found was that the show had a resurgence in the ratings. In addition, fans weren't happy to see Magnum go out the way he did at the end of season 7.

You have to love season 8 for the cute "Raiders of the Lost Ark" spoof "Legends of the Lost Art" (quite honestly, when I saw the ep, I thought what a good Indiana Jones Selleck would have made).

Anyhow...

For some reason, I missed season 7 when it was released. I picked up seasons 7 and 8 today during the Best Buy sale. Very nice!

I've read on the IMDb or on another film and TV website/forum that the series finale "Resolutions" was an edited version. There was a longer version of the reunion scene at the bar. I bought the R2 instead, hoping it would have the series finale in one go. Instead it was in two parts. Also the picture/print quality of "Resolutions" was soft and not as sharp as the other episodes I tested in the S8 boxset.

I email Universal about that problem and this was their reply:

Thank you for contacting Universal Studios Home Entertainment. We strive to provide the highest standard in product quality and customer care.

Our DVD releases are comprised of the highest quality master film elements available in our archives. Unfortunately, original components occasionally are lost or damaged through the decades.

Why does this happen to all the two hour shows? Back on the Charlies Angels sets from Sony they had the same problem. Who stores these prints anyway?