Magnum Reloaded: Blessing kicks off speculation for new season of ‘Magnum P.I.’

In Hawaii, it is very common for businesses to hold a traditional Hawaiian blessing when they start a new venture. “Magnum P.I.” did the same when they started shooting the first season last summer and again on Monday to mark its second season. Led by Kahu Kordell Kekoa, who has played a kahu on “Hawaii Five-0,” the cast was linked together by maile lei to represent how the production cast and crew, Hawaii and the viewers create a “gift.”

The ceremony honors Hawaii and the Hawaiian cast and crew who support “Magnum P.I.” which is important for sustaining their success.

WHAT THE NEW SEASON HOLDS FOR MAGNUM

The biggest questions after Monday’s blessing are mostly focused on what will happen to Magnum, played by Jay Hernandez, and his friends in the show’s second season. The first season wrapped up without a cliffhanger ending, but we do know a few storylines have not been played out completely.

The questions have to do with Magnum asking Higgins, played by Perdita Weeks, to become his partner; and the role of Det. Katsumoto, played by Tim Kang, in Magnum’s life. Both potential storylines are on the positive side and might play out as smaller conflicts, but neither plot points are stories that could drive an entire season. In season one the main overarching conflict seemed to be the lingering effects of Magnum’s former lover Hannah (Jordana Brewster) and her betrayal of Magnum, Rick (Zachary Knighton) and TC (Stephen Hill).

It was Hannah who sold out Magnum and his friends to the Taliban which caused them to be held as prisoners of war for 18 months (and 11 days, but who’s counting?). Hannah returned in two episodes in last season: “Day the Past Came Back” and the season finale “The Day It All Came Together.” In the finale, Magnum finally got some of the answers he needed about why she left the man she supposedly loved to die. But while he may now realize Hannah sold them out to save her father, it might take his heart a while to catch up with his head.

If nothing else, we still have not seen how Magnum, Rick, TC and their late friend Sebastian Nuzo (Domenick Lombardozzi) escaped from the POW camp and how they were made war heroes. That definitely would be an epic episode and could really help to establish the foundation of the relationship between the three surviving friends. It would also help explain the use of the Cross of Lorraine rings the friends still wear but do not discuss.

THICKENING THE PLOTS

Even Higgins has some heart-mending to do this season, as she finally found the man who killed her lover, fellow MI6 agent Richard Dane, in “Day of the Viper.” Sadly, his killer was her mentor as well as her friend, Ian Pryce (Nigel Lindsay), but as Magnum convinced her not to kill him and turn him over to the authorities, Pryce could very well revisit his old pal Higgy for some payback. This would continue to be a nice nod to Higgins’ broken heart — which brought her to Hawaii where she collided with Magnum and his friends — as well as a way to be a connection to Higgins’ former past as an MI6 agent.

While Rick and TC may not have suffered the same kind of love loss as Magnum and Higgins, Rick had to deal with watching Toni (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) walk out of his life, even after he saved her in “Bad Day to Be a Hero.” And we haven’t seen TC spin his wings over a lady yet, but the potential for TC to lose his heart could be an option for the new season.

Both, however, have had some “daddy” issues. TC with his father, who failed to show up for a scheduled visit and disappointed TC again. And Rick with his father-figure Ice Pick (Corbin Bernsen), who Rick seems to have disappointed by dabbling in the underworld. Both storylines — especially with Rick and Ice Pick — could certainly take the second season into many interesting directions.

For the most part, cast members are usually closed-lipped about their potential character arcs and storylines, and very little was said yesterday after the blessing ceremony. Still, the potential for stronger storylines is certainly there for the cast of “Magnum P.I.”

Fans are anxiously waiting to see what the show has in store for them come September — let’s just hope that whatever drama they present will again propel them into another new season.

Wendie Burbridge writes the “Five-0 Redux” and “Magnum Reloaded” blogs for staradvertiser.com. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.