Following Magnum P.I.'s Latest Game-Changer, One Star Addresses That Miggy Development And Changes On The Way
Magnum P.I. had another game-changer in its latest episode, and one actor opened up about what happened and what's going to have to change!
UPDATE with VIDEO:
Warning: spoilers ahead for the March 12 episode of Magnum P.I. on NBC, called “Welcome To Paradise, Now Die!”
Magnum P.I. finally returned to TV in the 2023 premiere schedule after its longest-ever hiatus, but the drama hasn’t skipped a beat with its characters since being cancelled by CBS and then rescued by NBC. The latest episode had a few subplots to keep all the series regulars busy; in an unexpected twist, it was the story without life-and-death stakes that delivered the game-changer. T.C. and Rick have officially discovered that Magnum and Higgins are in a secret relationship, and actor Stephen Hill opened up about the storyline and what the Miggy reveal means for the group moving forward.
While Magnum and Gordon were chasing a missing man who turned out to be connected to the mob, and while Higgins and Kumu were on the hunt for a person who murdered a dog, Rick and T.C. had their own search back at the guest house. Rick had emerged from his pillow fort to make some pancakes, and accidentally let Roberto II out of his cage. The two war heroes searched the house over and over again, and came up empty except for a necklace under Magnum’s bed that made them suspect that he was secretly seeing somebody.
Cue the reveal! After Roberto II was found safe and sound with some mouse-sized pancakes, Higgins claimed her necklace, and T.C. and Rick connected the dots, with T.C. declaring it a “game-changer.” While it's possible that this storyline could get more serious moving forward, there were a lot of laughs to be found in the T.C./Rick plot this week. Speaking with CinemaBlend, star Stephen Hill – who has been playing the helicopter pilot from the very beginning – first opened up about sometimes starring in lighter storylines opposite some much darker developments. Hill explained that he calls it “turning corners” or “playing the music,” then elaborated:
The side quest for T.C. and Rick of “Welcome To Paradise, Now Die!” worked to not only deliver some lightness to counter the much more serious storylines elsewhere in the episode, but also let Magnum’s longtime best friends discover the truth about Miggy. They didn’t even need a Velma to pitch in like Scooby-Doo and Shaggy might have! Although Stephen Hill’s comments did make me wonder: who would be Scooby and who would be Shaggy?
Both Magnum P.I. characters are certainly much braver than the animated mystery-solvers, after all! In all seriousness, Stephen Hill went on to share what he appreciates about the show and how it manages to strike a balance. The actor said:
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Of course, the dynamic of the characters has been a bit different in Season 5 with Magnum and Higgins keeping their relationship a secret. Kumu (played by Amy Hill, who recently revealed that she feels more connected to fans this season) came close to stumbling on the truth a couple times, first in the guest house in the premiere and then in this episode when she realized that the lads were suddenly being friendly to Magnum. The actress did describe her as the show’s “voice of reason” for a good reason! Now that Rick and T.C. are in on the Miggy secret, Stephen Hill weighed in on the twist that has been a very long time coming:
Stephen Hill has been open about appreciating the fans, and even reflected on what their support meant to him in the “darkest hour” after Magnum P.I.’s cancellation and before the NBC save. According to him, it’s “really cool” that the fans are finally getting to see Magnum and Higgins together. Plus, given their comments in earlier seasons, Rick and T.C. undoubtedly qualify as in-universe fans! That doesn’t mean that the status quo won’t have to change, though, and Hill addressed the changes on the way:
Will there be challenges on the Miggy front that could also cause some complications? Perdita Weeks shared her thoughts on how differently the two characters approached their relationship after the big kiss. Hopefully fans will still get to enjoy “guy time” between the three brothers-in-arms as well as the extra dose of romance this season.
Tune in to NBC on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET for new episodes of Magnum P.I., to see the aftermath of T.C. and Rick’s discovery, plus more of Stephen Hill. You can also revisit all the episodes of Season 5 so far now with a Peacock Premium subscription.
Laura turned a lifelong love of television into a valid reason to write and think about TV on a daily basis. She's not a doctor, lawyer, or detective, but watches a lot of them in primetime. CinemaBlend's resident expert and interviewer for One Chicago, the galaxy far, far away, and a variety of other primetime television. Will not time travel and can cite multiple TV shows to explain why. She does, however, want to believe that she can sneak references to The X-Files into daily conversation (and author bios).