Spoilers ahead for Episode 14 of Magnum P.I. Season 5, called "Night Has a Thousand Eyes."
The fifth and sadly final season of Magnum P.I. is quickly running out of episodes in the 2023 TV schedule, and "Night Has a Thousand Eyes" ended on Higgins and T.C. talking about the future at La Mariana. While the future of the show currently consists of the six remaining installments that were already filmed prior to the beginnings of the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA actors strike, Higgy's words combined with what Jay Hernandez previously told CinemaBlend inspired me about how I really want Thomas Magnum's story to (realistically) end.
"Night Has a Thousand Eyes" was rough for both Higgins and T.C., with the former benched after failing her P.I. license renewal exam and the latter discovering that neglecting Mahina during his hospital stay wasn't something he could fix now that he was on the road to recovery. The two ended up at the bar at La Mariana together, with Higgins reassuring T.C. that there was no right way to deal with what he went through, although he acknowledged that he handled it the wrong way. She told him:
Sometimes the right person comes along at the wrong time, but you've got to have hope, T.C. You just don't know what the future holds.
Now, Perdita Weeks' character may have dropped those lines while trying to make T.C. feel better in the wake of a breakup, but they also sound pretty good to me in the wake of Magnum P.I. being cancelled over the summer. Fans have been hoping and campaigning for another rescue, like how NBC stepped in to save the show after CBS cancelled it following Season 4. That hasn't happened so far, and showrunner Eric Guggenheim's comments weren't too promising. But Higgins talking about the future in "Night Has a Thousand Eyes" reminded me of a milestone that I'd so love to see Magnum P.I. hit.
Season 5 of Magnum P.I. is airing in two blocks of ten episodes, with the second airing this fall after the first aired back in the spring (and is currently streaming for Peacock Premium subscribers). That means the show will conclude with a series finale that also happens to be Episode 96, and I can't be the only one who thinks it's a shame that Magnum's adventures will end for good just four episodes shy of the 100-episode milestone.
So, an order for a four-episode mini sixth season that could be billed as a finale event would reach that 100-episode mark and be a fitting way to end the series, if it has to end. When I spoke with Jay Hernandez following the spring finale back in April before the cancellation news, he even shared his thoughts on possibly hitting that milestone. He said:
COVID robbed us of a little bit, I think, but we're almost there. I think we'll get there, and it'll be pretty exciting because it's such a rare thing to happen, period, especially now with the way the industry is shifting and just the types of content that people are creating. To get to that 100-episode mark is a feat, and it's something that all of us – from the crew members to the writers to the actors [to] the producers – should be proud of.
Is it too much to hope for that Magnum P.I. could get just enough episodes after the Season 5 finale to reach 100 episodes? Probably, especially since Hernandez shared those thoughts before the strikes began. Still, FX recently announced a bonus three-part finale event for Archer, which just ended; could NBC or another platform make a similar move for Thomas Magnum? Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist got a bonus special on Roku after it was cancelled, as an example from NBC!
Regardless of whether fans will be lucky enough to get more of Magnum P.I. beyond the Season 5 finale, the showrunner did already tease that it's not going to end on a painful cliffhanger. Six episodes are still remaining before the final credits roll, so be sure to keep tuning in to NBC on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET to see what's next. You can also revisit earlier episodes of Season 5 streaming on Peacock and the first four seasons streaming via Freevee.
