Magnum P.I.: Series Finale, on NBC

The corruption of one of Hawaii’s governors should not surprise anybody. In this instance, he has been thoroughly compromised by a highly organized blackmail operation. However, Magnum and Higgins must first work another case before they can get to the blackmailers in the back-to-back episodes that conclude the fifth and final season of Magnum P.I. this Wednesday on NBC.

Initially, “Ashes to Ashes” starts out as a tragedy. TC Calvin’s firefighter girlfriend Mahina is quite distraught over a death she was not able to prevent. To make matters worse, the victim’s niece has fallen under suspicion, but Mahina is convinced she is innocent of Uncle Moku’s presumed death-by-arson, so TC calls in a favor from Magnum.

Thanks to some legwork accompanied by snappy romantic banter, the he and Higgins quickly determine the body was not Uncle Moku, but rather an already deceased corpse stolen from a nearby mortuary. That means the real Moku could still be alive, but he would necessarily be in grave danger.

“Ashes to Ashes” features some solid procedural stuff, but the secondary storyline, chronicling “Kumu” Tuileta’s first day volunteering with Rick Wright at a veteran’s helpline is far more memorable. As you might expect, events take a dramatic turn in the tradition of The Slender Thread. Magnum P.I. is (or rather was) one of the few television/streaming shows featuring veteran characters who are not solely defined by their PTSD. However, in this case, the PTSD storyline is handled with sensitivity and empathy. It is also a great feature spot for series regular Amy Hill as Tuileta.

At one point in “Ashes to Ashes” Magnum and Higgins cut some legal corners for the sake of justice that will have repercussions in “The Big Squeeze.” Unbeknownst to them, they were recorded by henchmen working for Sam Bedrosian, a returning villain from four episodes ago, who uses it as leverage against the detectives. He needs them to solve the murder of the man responsible for his blackmail operation. Obviously, they cannot involve the cops, but their friend Det. Gordon Katsumoto catches wind of it anyway.

Magnum P.I.: Consciousness of Guilt

Humor has always been Jon Lovitz’s business, but in the last few weeks, he has gotten pretty serious, becoming a social media warrior against anti-Semitism and 10/7 atrocity denial. There is nothing funny about either. You have to respect Lovitz for fighting the good fight, but we can still enjoy his regular comedic business. As it just so happens, he helps liven up the “Consciousness of Guilt” episode of Magnum P.I., which premieres tomorrow on NBC.

Magnum’s friend and eternally-patient police contact, Det. Gordon Katsumoto had a checkered run last season, when he was forced to instigate a prison break. As a result, he was suspended, but subsequently reinstated. Not surprisingly, the wealthy Tate Walker uses this history against Katsumoto when he testifies at his murder trial. Despite being guilty as sin, Walker wins a mistrial and Katsumoto is formally ordered to steer clear. Enter Thomas Magnum.

While reinvestigating Walker, Magnum learns his previous high-powered attorney dropped him right before the trial. Obviously, she cannot discuss her client, but as Magnum wryly observes, behind every successful lawyer there is a “shady detective.” For her, that is Pierre, played by Lovitz.

Magnum P.I.: Hit and Run (Midseason Premiere)

This is one of the few shows on TV that features veteran characters who are not solely defined by their PTSD. Nevertheless, Theodore “TC” Calvin is currently in VA hospital, because of the gunshot wound he unfortunately sustained in the season 5A cliffhanger ending. He is understandably frustrated, but it is also worth noting he seems to be getting excellent care there, as my father did from the VA, despite how the media often smears VA hospitals. Meanwhile, life goes on for Thomas Magnum and Juliet Higgins when they accept an unusual case in “Hit and Run,” the midseason premiere of the Lenkov-verse reboot of Magnum P.I., which premieres tomorrow on NBC.

After a jokey prologue (which might in itself be notable for featuring a Russian oligarch as a bad guy), Magnum and Higgins get down to business. A hitman wants to hire them, via a planted burner phone, to protect the target of the contract he just refused. The mystery man kills for money, but he draws the line at a twelve-year-old girl.

Ordinarily, Magnum and Higgins would not be doing business with him, but these are extraordinary circumstances. Frankly, this could be a reasonably solid premise for a full feature. The scene in which they are hired is indeed fairly cinematic and the episode later echoes Leon the Professional when their client takes on an active role protecting the girl. Few critics will ever mention it, but Paul Blackthorne gives a great guest-starring performance as the conscientious mystery man.

In between the action, Higgins and Magnum banter and wait for the results of her pregnancy test the way all couples should (but maybe often don’t). Viewers also frequently check-in on TC as he struggles to acclimate to his wheelchair, with the help of regular series crony Kenny “Shammy” Shamberg, whose legs were paralyzed during the Iraq War. It is still unclear whether TC’s lower paralysis is temporary or permanent, which further fuels his anger and pessimism. Yet, these scenes are also handled with a good deal of sensitivity and empathy.

Magnum P.I.: The Passenger & The Breaking Point

NBC just saved Hawaii’s state economy. Since Hawaii Five-0 ended, CBS’s surprise cancelation of the Magnum P.I. reboot came as a particularly hard blow to the local film industry. However, the ratings were good and the show definitely fits with NBC’s new strategy of mining 80’s gold, fitting in nicely with their new Night Court and Quantum Leap shows. Magnum works two new cases with some reluctant help from his friends in “The Passenger” and “The Breaking Point,” the first two episodes of NBC’s first new season of Magnum P.I., premiering tomorrow night.

As the opening narration makes clear, the “new” Rick and TC are basically the same as the old ones. The “new” Higgins is Juliet Higgins, a former MI6 agent, who was first Magnum’s Tracy-and-Hepburn-style foil on the Robin Masters estate, then his Moonlighting-style partner in detective work, and as of the prior series finale, his Thin Man-esque romantic partner. They are trying to keep their new relationship on the downlow, but a good deal of “The Passenger” focuses on how they adjust professionally, or not, to their new personal arrangement.

The story itself, investigating a doctor’s suspicious accident is mostly routine, but instead of going in a cynical direction, the truth turns out to be rather edifying. It also teases a brief appearance from the great James Remar, as Magnum’s disgraced mentor, Captain Buck Greene, whose troubles appear likely to dominate the coming season.

One of the best aspects of the Magnum reboot comes out clearly in “The Breaking Point.” Jay Fernandez might not have Tom Selleck’s megawatt screen presence, but the new show is still one of the more veteran-friendly series on television (along with Blue Bloods, as it happens). While Magnum and Higgins go undercover as lifeguards (which is always a solid option for a Hawaiian based TV-show), TC and his annoying small-time operator friend Jin Jeong win an auction for an abandoned storage locker holding a prolific but freshly incarcerated burglar’s stash. Among the loot is a Purple Heart that TC, the former Marine insists they return to its rightful owner.

Bobby Lee is like fingernails on a blackboard as Jeong, but this subplot pays off in a big way, connecting with some very important Hawaiian history. The camaraderie of Magnum and his friends is also rooted in their service, and it definitely elevates the show.