Season 1 Episode 1: I Saw the Sun Rise - Pilot (1.1)

[Gatchaman]

I'm surprised you guys aren't whining about him using a cell phone, because Magnum didn't use one in the 80's show! It's a new show, they are not trying to be the 80's Magnum! I get it, either you like it or not! But the comments about what they do now, that they didn't do in the 80's makes no sense! They have the names, locals, and general theme of the original, but they are not the same characters, and they are not trying to be! Why did he do that? Why did they do this? Because it's a new show, not the old one, and that's the way they do it in the new show! It was more fun to watch than a lot shows now, and I have no problem separating the two!

That's just it. It is a new show, yet they are using all the character names from the original show. If they didn't want the two to be compared, they should have just made the same show they made anyway but used new names for the characters. Instead they have tried to have their cake and eat it too, and the fallout is predictably negative.

This is what I was about to say. They use the same names, vehicles, locations, even theme music, but they don't want us to compare. They could have made a completely new show, but they want to milk on nostalgia and try to steal--that's basically what they're doing, stealing--something that worked. We the people who grew up with the original and still love it and are upset this is a reboot and not a continuation are going to nitpick the heck out of it. If they didn't see that coming, they're as foolish as they were when they thought this would hold a candle to the original.

And make no mistake about it...the only reason Higgins is an attractive woman is to get more men to watch it. We all know that already, right?

[MagnumILWU]

I'm surprised you guys aren't whining about him using a cell phone, because Magnum didn't use one in the 80's show! It's a new show, they are not trying to be the 80's Magnum!

Why is it called "Magnum P.I.", then?

I get it, either you like it or not! But the comments about what they do now, that they didn't do in the 80's makes no sense! They have the names, locals, and general theme of the original, but they are not the same characters, and they are not trying to be!

Why do they have the same names as those established characters, then?

No it's just how everyone tries to compare, the new to the old, it makes no sense! They are two different things! They are not trying to be the old show!

Why is it called "Magnum P.I.", then?

Because it's a NEW show, based on a 1980's show! Why is that so hard for people to understand? Of course they will use the title, characters names, and the general concept of the old show, but in a updated version, not meant to be an exact copy of the 80"s version! THAT'S WHY!

[K Hale]

Well... if it's based on the 1980s show, then they need to expect comparisons to what it's based on.

[Kevster]

I don't know how trying to use all the characters and locations, not to mention throwing in a bunch of Easter Eggs to the original series, can not be seen in two ways: an exploitation and an homage. Of course they are exploiting (or attempting to) the existing good will for the original series, but that is a great business model if it is successfully executed. They hope it is seen as more homage than exploitation, but stating it as either is just semantics. It is what it is, and the difference is subjective. Regardless of the subjective viewpoint on all that, the show will still stand or fall on its own merits.

That said, it is important to note that the 4.6 on IMDB is not just because board members from here trashed it. There has to be some serious misgivings amongst those that watched it, and I imagine a significant number of them were not emotionally beholden to the original show. The flaws in the original show were primarily tied to stylistic issues in the 1980's and a creative team that ran out of gas. The cast was quite solid (though one of the four actors playing the primary characters was never a particularly strong actor), and even most of the supporting regulars had some acting chops. Conversely, I saw really tepid performances out of two of the four primary actors in the show Monday night, and only one of them showed real depth and range. For a SERIES PREMIERE, that's bad news. Either the creative team made choices that would not showcase depth, or the actors didn't have the tools to communicate that. Either way: bad news.

[MagnumILWU]

Well in this day and time, a remake of a show could never be made like the original, without updating it to be politically correct! Case in point, Ms Higgins! Look at Hawaii Five-0, One Day at a Time, Lost in Space, just to name a few! They will change the sex, or race of a character or add new ones, to appeal to a wider audience. I heard they are going to remake, The Greatest American Hero, with a woman as the lead, is that good or bad? I also read where remakes of Perry Mason, Starsky & Hutch, and Miami Vice are in the works! It doesn't mean it's better, it doesn't it's worse! It's the way TV and movies are made today! They already made a reference in the new show about white vs dark meat(Magnum)! If you really love a TV show or a movie, a remake will never live up to it! I still think Sean Connery is James Bond, and Roger Moore is the Saint, but I enjoyed most of the Bond movies they made after Connery(even in those, they made M a woman)! That's the way it is!

[jeffran]

Well in this day and time, a remake of a show could never be made like the original, without updating it to be politically correct! Case in point, Ms Higgins! Look at Hawaii Five-0, One Day at a Time, Lost in Space, just to name a few! They will change the sex, or race of a character or add new ones, to appeal to a wider audience. I heard they are going to remake, The Greatest American Hero, with a woman as the lead, is that good or bad? I also read where remakes of Perry Mason, Starsky & Hutch, and Miami Vice are in the works! It doesn't mean it's better, it doesn't it's worse! It's the way TV and movies are made today! They already made a reference in the new show about white vs dark meat(Magnum)! If you really love a TV show or a movie, a remake will never live up to it! I still think Sean Connery is James Bond, and Roger Moore is the Saint, but I enjoyed most of the Bond movies they made after Connery(even in those, they made M a woman)! That's the way it is!

Who are you trying to convince?

[Kevster]

Well in this day and time, a remake of a show could never be made like the original, without updating it to be politically correct! Case in point, Ms Higgins! Look at Hawaii Five-0, One Day at a Time, Lost in Space, just to name a few! They will change the sex, or race of a character or add new ones, to appeal to a wider audience. I heard they are going to remake, The Greatest American Hero, with a woman as the lead, is that good or bad? I also read where remakes of Perry Mason, Starsky & Hutch, and Miami Vice are in the works! It doesn't mean it's better, it doesn't it's worse! It's the way TV and movies are made today! They already made a reference in the new show about white vs dark meat(Magnum)! If you really love a TV show or a movie, a remake will never live up to it! I still think Sean Connery is James Bond, and Roger Moore is the Saint, but I enjoyed most of the Bond movies they made after Connery(even in those, they made M a woman)! That's the way it is!

Greatest American Hero with a female lead? I don't remember a LOT about the original, though I do remember the actors who played in it. IFRC, William Katt came off a little less than brilliant, which was necessary for the central premise. Women in that type of role seems less appealing. There are plenty of people from all races, creeds, colors, and genders that aren't brainiacs, but I don't think the societal norms will be as open to that. It still comes down to the casting, writing, etc.

Melissa McCarthy might pull it off, but it takes the right talent to play... Obviously, though I don't consider the challenges of Ghostbusters to be a MM issue (as there were many flaws), a certain amount of care must be used when changing the gender of key characters.

I'm not entirely certain that Katt pulled off the part all that well either. Again, that was a LONG TIME ago. I remember liking Robert Culp and Connie Selleca more so than anyone else.

[MagnumILWU]

Well in this day and time, a remake of a show could never be made like the original, without updating it to be politically correct! Case in point, Ms Higgins! Look at Hawaii Five-0, One Day at a Time, Lost in Space, just to name a few! They will change the sex, or race of a character or add new ones, to appeal to a wider audience. I heard they are going to remake, The Greatest American Hero, with a woman as the lead, is that good or bad? I also read where remakes of Perry Mason, Starsky & Hutch, and Miami Vice are in the works! It doesn't mean it's better, it doesn't it's worse! It's the way TV and movies are made today! They already made a reference in the new show about white vs dark meat(Magnum)! If you really love a TV show or a movie, a remake will never live up to it! I still think Sean Connery is James Bond, and Roger Moore is the Saint, but I enjoyed most of the Bond movies they made after Connery(even in those, they made M a woman)! That's the way it is!

Who are you trying to convince?

Anybody with a brain! Is that why you don't get it?

[MaximRecoil]

Because it's a NEW show

Why doesn't this NEW show have a NEW name?

based on a 1980's show!

The real Magnum, P.I. show wasn't based on an older show. Why did they base this NEW show on an older show? You see, it's not really a NEW show as you suppose. They commandeered elements from the real show, including the title and character names (none of those are NEW, obviously), and then they crapped all over everything.

Why is that so hard for people to understand? Of course they will use the title, characters names, and the general concept of the old show, but in a updated version, not meant to be an exact copy of the 80"s version! THAT'S WHY!

What do you mean, "of course"? There was no law that required them to remake Magnum, P.I.; there's no "of course" about it. They could have just come up with their own ideas, including their own title and character names, you know, like most creators of NEW shows do, and like the creators of the real Magnum, P.I. did.

And also, even though I'm not keen on the idea of a remake of MPI at all, it could have been done as an "updated version" that was not "an exact copy" of the real show, while at the same time not crapping all over the real show.

Well in this day and time, a remake of a show could never be made like the original, without updating it to be politically correct!

It doesn't mean it's better, it doesn't it's worse!

Yeah, it means it's worse... way worse. Anything done to a TV show or movie for the sake "political correctness" rather than the sake of the movie or show is utterly asinine.

[MagnumILWU]

Because it's a NEW show

Why doesn't this NEW show have a NEW name?

based on a 1980's show!

The real Magnum, P.I. show wasn't based on an older show. Why did they base this NEW show on an older show? You see, it's not really a NEW show as you suppose. They commandeered elements from the real show, including the title and character names (none of those are NEW, obviously), and then they crapped all over everything.

Why is that so hard for people to understand? Of course they will use the title, characters names, and the general concept of the old show, but in a updated version, not meant to be an exact copy of the 80"s version! THAT'S WHY!

What do you mean, "of course"? There was no law that required them to remake Magnum, P.I.; there's no "of course" about it. They could have just come up with their own ideas, including their own title and character names, you know, like most creators of NEW shows do, and like the creators of the real Magnum, P.I. did.

And also, even though I'm not keen on the idea of a remake of MPI at all, it could have been done as an "updated version" that was not "an exact copy" of the real show, while at the same time not crapping all over the real show.

Well in this day and time, a remake of a show could never be made like the original, without updating it to be politically correct!

It doesn't mean it's better, it doesn't it's worse!

Yeah, it means it's worse... way worse. Anything done to a TV show or movie for the sake "political correctness" rather than the sake of the movie or show is utterly asinine.

You really are a nut! All you you are doing is whining because they made a new show! They ruined my Magnum! Go have a good cry, you big baby!

[T.Q.]

You really are a nut! All you you are doing is whining because they made a new show! They ruined my Magnum! Go have a good cry, you big baby!

Holy Mac.



So much hostility.

[jeffran]

Well in this day and time, a remake of a show could never be made like the original, without updating it to be politically correct! Case in point, Ms Higgins! Look at Hawaii Five-0, One Day at a Time, Lost in Space, just to name a few! They will change the sex, or race of a character or add new ones, to appeal to a wider audience. I heard they are going to remake, The Greatest American Hero, with a woman as the lead, is that good or bad? I also read where remakes of Perry Mason, Starsky & Hutch, and Miami Vice are in the works! It doesn't mean it's better, it doesn't it's worse! It's the way TV and movies are made today! They already made a reference in the new show about white vs dark meat(Magnum)! If you really love a TV show or a movie, a remake will never live up to it! I still think Sean Connery is James Bond, and Roger Moore is the Saint, but I enjoyed most of the Bond movies they made after Connery(even in those, they made M a woman)! That's the way it is!

Who are you trying to convince?

Anybody with a brain! Is that why you don't get it?

The only thing I don't get is why you have such a problem with people providing their opinion about a TV show on a forum dedicated to that TV show. But, I guess I'm just being stupid.

[Mad Kudu Buck]

Anybody with a brain! Is that why you don't get it?

You really are a nut! All you you are doing is whining because they made a new show! They ruined my Magnum! Go have a good cry, you big baby!

You obviously never heard of general forum rules about no personal attacks. Attack the idea, not the person.

I think jeffran's and MaximRecoil's comments make perfect sense. I totally agree with them.

[K Hale]

Hi MagnumILWU,
I just have to ask you, what does the ILWU mean in your monicker?

I Love Women's Underwear! Just kidding! Women used to laugh when we used that answer, not sure how they would take it today?

I think you would find that most of us are very accepting and don't care at all what kind of underwear you like wearing. It's really no one's business but yours.

[Kevster]

New name for the episode thread: As The Forum Turns...