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After a major show of support by fans and last-minute Hollywood haggling, “Magnum P.I.” will return to network television this fall, according to Deadline.com.
The L.A.-based website reported that NBC has ordered 20 new episodes of the action series. The show, which was originally aired by CBS over its first four seasons, was surprisingly canceled in May, reportedly over licensing issues with the show’s co-producer, Universal Television.
The show, starring Jay Hernandez in the title role as a Marine-turned-private detective hunting down nefarious characters in Hawaii, was a reboot of the iconic 1980s show starring Tom Selleck and had been drawing 7 million weekly viewers, placing it in the top 25 in network series.
Deadline.com reported that the 20 episodes will be split into two seasons, about half the number for a typical television series, with an option for more. That should be a relief to the show’s worldwide audience, who had mounted a multipronged effort to save the show, including letter-writing campaigns to show executives, Twitter parties, an online petition, outreach to the show’s stars and a digital display in New York’s Times Square.
The actors had responded with online messages of thanks to the fans, and today Hernandez expressed his gratitude to fans on Twitter with the message: “It was a bit circuitous but we did it! Your love & support helped get us over the finish line, thank you & thanks to @nbc for stepping up! Time to dust off the Aloha shirt!”
In addition to Hernandez, who plays Thomas Magnum, the cast features Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin, a friend of Magnum’s from the Marines; Zachary Knighton as Orville “Rick” Wright, another former Marine; Perdita Weeks as former British operative Juliet Higgins; Tim Kang as police Detective Gordon Katsumoto; and Amy Hill as Teuila “Kumu” Tuileta, the cultural curator of estate where Magnum lives. Showrunner Eric Guggenheim, Justin Lin, John Davis and John Fox are executive producers. All are expected to return, according to Deadline.com.
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