Why? Why did the series end?

[James Bond]

Does anyone know what the issues were that caused the series to end. Money? Lack of stories? Tired of the same old roles? I mean it is obvious MPI could have gone on for 20 years. Even watching it today the show transcends to 2014 easily. I know Tom Selleck was considered the actor to explode onto the movie world as the new Clark Gable! Yet his movie career was a mild success at best. Three men and a baby was his movie high note. The rest of his films were lukewarm successes to Just bad movies. Tom Selleck Is a accomplished actor, producer and writer yet he has not really been able to make a movie that could be Oscar material. I did enjoy Quigley down under and other westerns he was in but there were still a few stinkers along the way. Blue bloods is a really good show. Yet I along with all of you yearn for a Magnum PI MOVIE or a continuance of the original show. I think Tom Selleck could have kept the show going and would have the freedom to be a movie producer, writer and Actor. Face it Tom Selleck started MPI as a employee but at the end he was a producer that help keep the show going into the eighth season. Anyone have the lowdown as to what happened. Why would you bail on a series at its peak of popularity! To gamble on a uncertain future without a back up!

Why would you give the two Dobermans poof names? Zeus and Apollo. The look on Higgins face....

[308GUY]

Welcome JB.

You ask a question we all wish we knew the answer to....well....at least me.

Could be many things, and chances are there may be somebody here that knows more than the rest of us about why things went the way they did.

We all seem to know that it was really supposed to end when the 7th season did, but it did make it back for an encore of one more season, some say, one of if not the best, but as always that is subject for debate.

Sad truth is, whatever the reason, 8 seasons was all we got, and we (at least I) grow to appreciate it more as time passes.

I agree, it could have gone on for quite a while, but maybe they (the producers-cast-crew-everybody involved) just wanted to quit while they were ahead?

With each year that goes by, it becomes less and less likely for anything more to develop from the original seed that was planted....but we're talking Hollywood here, so ANYTHING'S possible!

They re-did Star Trek, and H50, so there may be hope yet, but it's gonna take some special people to make it work the way it should, IMHO.

Stick around, you'll love the site, some great folks here, JJ being one of the best!

[James Bond]

Thank you for the welcome. Everyone here has excellent input. Maybe someone will write the great MPI history book and reveal all the technical issues that started the series, drove the series and ended the series. Hollywood has also shown how it can anger the viewing public. Hollywood can act like it knows better then we do. But then again the proof is in the pudding. From the recent explosion of cinematic crap that has been released I am not too hopeful that they will do ten intelligent thing in making the movie or starting the series up. I have viewed the movie Sahara staring Mathew McConaughey. He plays a retired Navy seal officer who with his navy seal buddy played by actor steve Zaharias have the essence of Magnum and Rick. Their boss a retired US navy admiral is played by william H Macy would also be a good Higgins type character. McConaughhey turned down 15 million to be in the Movie. It just seems funny that there is a huge black cloud over a magnum movie. Makes me wonder if Hollywood does not like the conservative military hero old fashion real man. He may not fit into the metrosexual nerd in today's chick flick genre. Well any way love the site and still love the Magnum PI SERIES,

[Higgins (aka Bondtoys)]

I am sure that other experts will chime in.

As far as I recall, TV ratings where on their way down and the show looked a bit outdated compared to Miami Vice which was the new kid on the block.

Surely Selleck was looking for a Hollywood carreer and was slightly gutted that he did not get the Indy role (probably because the Hwaii Shirt/shorts clichee was to strong for the producers).

The fact that Selleck was promoted had a lot to do with money and supposedly the series got more and more expensive by every new season.

Storywise, I like Magnum growing up with his main actor. You can't stay in the boathouse without a proper job for the rest of your life - at one time, he had to move forwards.

[Danno]

Welcome, James Bond!

I don't think any successful person wants to stay in the same place doing the same old thing.

Selleck left at what you'd imagine would be the right time though. After huge success from years of MPI and starring in the top grossing film of 1987, 1988 saw Selleck at the top of his game. I guess once you have a certain level of success and financial security you're not necessarily motivated by money but the chance to reach higher and stretch yourself beyond what you'd done previously. Maybe.

Maybe Season 9 was written, but it was so bad everyone just decided to go back to the mainland.

[BWheelz54]

I suspect that Tom Selleck's overall career goal was to become a top-tier movie star. I think Mr. Selleck really loved and appreciated his time on Magnum, but at some time, Mr. Selleck needed to use Magnum as a springboard into his larger career goal on the big screen. I recall that he attempted to make that transition after the first and second season of Magnum with High Road to China and Lassiter (I might've misspelled that movie) - and those two movies didn't stick. Perhaps Magnum may have been a much shorter run show had those two movies in the early eighties been bigger.

But I think Mr. Selleck really underestimated how important Mr. Hillerman, Mr. Mosley and Mr. Manetti were to his success on Magnum. Those other actors really helped bring a chemistry to Magnum that is not on other tv shows. Always seemed to me that Mr. Selleck seemed a little flat on the big screen (in my mind the exception being Quigley Down Under). And I think he seemed a bit flat because he was removed from that incredible chemistry on Magnum. No revelation that Selleck was the central piece to Magnum. Maybe the show might've survived if any of the other actors chose to depart, but it could not go on without Selleck.

I certainly don't want to fault Selleck at all for his career goal. I think it is commendable to see someone take a risk to achieve his biggest dream. But sadly, he had to end Magnum to do it. Mr. Selleck did give back to at least return for half of season 8 to tie some strings back together. However, I do remain disappointed at the end of the last season. I just don't think the characters were given the credit they deserved. The gang at Rick's wedding seems to regress in their characters, after eight seasons of development. Honestly, that always bothered me.

I think Hollywood hasn't touched Magnum yet because Hollywood is no place for brave, creative people. Hollywood wants things according to a strict formula which limits their chances of failure on any project. While this may limit the movies and shows that end of a big bust, I think this gets a ton of mediocrity and little big successes. I bet Magnum confounds them. They would like to give it the cheap, comedic treatment (see the terrible Starsky and Hutch redo), but they know they can't touch that chemistry. Hollywood might think about relaunching Magnum, but they don't know how to guarantee it to themselves that they will get the lightning in the bottle chemistry like they did with Selleck, Hillerman, Mosley and Manetti. So, Hollywood doesn't do anything at all. I don't think it's because they dislike conservative politics or liberal politics. I just think Hollywood is very timid.

I fear the odds of anyone retouching Magnum are very slim, but I don't think there's zero chance. For what it's worth, I can see tv doing a revisit to Magnum because, if the networks figured out the rights to the show, it would be huge blockbuster for one night at least. If not tv, I might see, say, maybe something strange like a video game (set in a gorgeous Hawaii, big, open world, car chases, shoot-outs, dogs, helicopters, boats, a big sandbox game maybe with some of the actors' voices). Who knows? Maybe someone might get the rights and even write a book series? But I don't see Magnum as a big screen movie, and I feel that would be the worst home for Magnum. I have never considered Magnum a good choice for a big movie project.

Again, just think Selleck wanted to chase some other goals is all. Can't fault him for it. But then again, Mr. Selleck, shouldn't hold any grudges to any of us if we continue to want him to replay Magnum (I don't think he does at all, but just saying I think it's fine for all of us to dream).

[Pahonu]

I remember reading news about the show at the time, and the major factor was simply Selleck being tired. In a show like that, the lead appears in about 80% or more of the scenes. I remember the line "eighty hour work weeks" being mentioned. He wanted to end it at seven seasons, but was convinced to do another, though with fewer episodes. James Garner was forced to quit The Rockford Files after less than six seasons out of sheer exhaustion and the effect it was having on his health.

[Sisophous]

I don't have any proof, but I suspect it is fatigue that is the main reason people move on and shows end. After you do a job for many years it is natural to want a change, the monotony of it becomes a drain. Celebrities have many options and are not stuck in one thing whereas the general public would have difficulty moving from one job to another especially if they have debt and mortgages to pay off.

If you lose one or two main characters who want to terminate their services, you may as well pack it in. Sounds like Tom Selleck said no more.

[Doc Ibold]

But I think Mr. Selleck really underestimated how important Mr. Hillerman, Mr. Mosley and Mr. Manetti were to his success on Magnum.

Hi BWheelz,

Agree with all points, save for the above statement. TS was pretty insistent that the guys all get their share of screentime and would ask for script revisions if he felt they weren't in an episode enough. I think even if he didn't have other engagements, the Higgins/TC/Rick episodes would have happened.

I also don't think he would have bought them each Porsches prior to season 8. When he worked on the Rockford Files, he liked the inclusive atmosphere and wanted to recreate it with Magnum.

But unfortunately, it did have to end as all good things do. I am glad that it went out without becoming stale or jumping the shark.

[BWheelz54]

Hey Doc. I consider myself corrected. I see now that my statement was unfair. Once more, the forum helps me better appreciate what Magnum was all about.

[Pahonu]

I don't have any proof, but I suspect it is fatigue that is the main reason people move on and shows end. After you do a job for many years it is natural to want a change, the monotony of it becomes a drain. Celebrities have many options and are not stuck in one thing whereas the general public would have difficulty moving from one job to another especially if they have debt and mortgages to pay off.

If you lose one or two main characters who want to terminate their services, you may as well pack it in. Sounds like Tom Selleck said no more.

I also remember an interview done by Selleck where he explained that in a show like Magnum, based around a single character, if he walked away everybody on that crew lost a job. The show just couldn't go on. He wanted to end it after season 7 but I think he felt that responsibility. Remember, the show wasn't canceled by the network. It was his call. He was convinced into doing another partial season if he had more control. This is the reason for his production credit in season 8 and, of course, fewer episodes. He was working on his film career the entire time he was on the show. Once they had a hit, the network wasn't going to let him go, so they accommodated him unlike at the beginning when he had to give up the Indiana Jones role.

[Sisophous]

He wanted to end it after season 7 but I think he felt that responsibility. Remember, the show wasn't canceled by the network. It was his call. He was convinced into doing another partial season if he had more control.

That's interesting, I never knew that. Basically, if Tom Selleck had the desire to keep the show going it may have continued for years. I always assumed networks cancel shows.

His contract commitment to MPI cost him the role of Indiana Jones which went to Harrison Ford. I'm glad he never got the role of Indiana Jones otherwise MPI would never have been.

I wonder who would have replaced TS had it aired without him.

[Doc Ibold]

Hey Doc. I consider myself corrected. I see now that my statement was unfair. Once more, the forum helps me better appreciate what Magnum was all about.

I wouldn't consider it unfair, just a little bit off! I was totally behind everything else you said.

(It also helps when I've read a bunch of interviews about the show, and they all say the same thing about TS treating it like a family)

It was a really great show, with some real heart behind it... Not necessarily like today where it's whiz, bang explosion!

[Reef monkey]

Remember the early premise of the show, that Magnum went off to war and never got to be a carefree guy in his 20s so he was doing that in his 30s. But that couldn't last forever. His beach bum lifestyle and the light hearted nature were part if the charm of the first four years, but as magnum approached 40, that lifestyle started to look ridiculous on him. The shows in the later seasons got more serious, and so more heavy, less enjoyable, and ratings were going down. And it was a late1970s style show in the late 1980s, a time when tv styles were changing a lot, because of cable, because of innovations Tartikoff was making at NBC that CBS was surely noticing, etc. It made sense to wrap up the series. Plus, the commitment to the series made it necessary for the cast and crew to love in Hawaii a good part of the year, away from Hollywood, which made it very difficult for them to do other side projects.

[J.J. Walters]

It just ran its course. Eight years is a long time for a TV show. And by all indications, Selleck was ready to make a bigger push into theatrical movies.