Seasons 1-4 are Superior to Seasons 5-8

[ConchRepublican]

Agree with you. Even though i prefer some seasons i can´t say that i think that a single episode on the entire show is unwatchable. Beat that Miami Vice

Well, there is Kiss of the Sabre . . . .

[grundle]

I agree that the first four seasons are better than the last four, as they had a better combination of action and fun. Many of the episodes from the last four seasons took themselves too seriously.

However, I do think that "Echoes of the Mind," "Mac's Back," "Torah Torah Torah," "Little Girl Who," "Paper War," "Laura," "Limbo," "Infinity and Jelly Doughnuts," and "Unfinished Business" are all excellent, which is why I do own seasons 5, 7, and 8 on DVD. If those episodes did not exist, I would agree that the show had "jumped the shark." But those episodes prevent any such jump.

Season 6 is the only season which I do not own on DVD, and it has no episodes that I consider to be among my favorites.

TV Guide bought jumptheshark.com several years ago and removed all the content. The original creator of the site has not created a new site for the content. I can understand why TV Guide would want the domain name as a way to redirect to their own website. But there is no excuse for not letting the content of the original site appear on some other domain name.

[Reef monkey]

Magnum debuted about a month before I turned 5, so I really don't remember Season 1 that well, I remember Season 2 a little better, but 1st grade (Season 3) is the first year I really remember being a big Magnum fan. I remember during 3rd grade (Season 5), thinking the show was darker and more serious than it had been before, and not liking that turn as much. I also distinctly remember Bonnick coming back, and though I did somewhat remember the Mac character, I wasn't that attached to the character and didn't really understand why it was necessary to bring him back, even if I did feel Magnum's happiness at finding him. I just remember as a kid not liking the heaviness that settled over the show in the fifth season and beyond, that Magnum seemed to become more emotionally and physically vulnerable, and I didn't like that. Between the 5th and 6th seasons, my family moved into a new house, and though I know I did continue to watch Magnum at the new house, when I think back to watching Magnum, most of my memories are from the old house. I think I went from an avid watcher to an occasional watcher about that time, and then when I entered junior high, at the start of the 8th season, I think I barely watched it at all, probably too busy with extracurriculars and whatnot, because I don't remember seeing the finale at all. Now, when I watch it on Netflix, my tendency is to watch seasons 2-4, maybe its because these are the seasons that I remember most fondly, but I am almost reluctant to watch beyond season 5, though I have now watched every episode at least once, I still stick to the early seasons to rewatch.

Thinking about the entire series, and comparing it to other shows that were my favorites that lasted about as long as Magnum or even longer (Star Trek: The Next Generation, The X-Files, The Simpsons, or to add one my wife liked, Sex and the City), a cycle appears. S&TC and The Simpsons are a little different because they are half hour comedies, not full hour dramas, and simpsons is still going strong almost 25 years on, but still, looking at its early years, it adheres to the cycle: in the first season, the show has compelling enough moments that it captures an audience, but hasn't quite worked out all the kinks - characters may not be fully developed yet, production values aren't where they are in later seasons. Season 2, the production values and character developments take a giant leap forward, and show tends to find its footing. Season 3, production values and characters settle into what they are going to be during the rest of the series. Season 3 and Season 4 tend to be the two best years of any show, as everything is finally fully fleshed out, but still pretty fresh. Season 5 seems to be where things start to go off the rails. I think the producers feel they need to start changing things up to keep them fresh and avoid just doing the same thing they have been doing the last two seasons, and in an action/drama, that usually means taking a darker turn, and throwing the characters some curve balls in their personal lives, more complicated plots, etc.. What happens is the concept and the tone of the show, the very thing that got people started watching it in the first place, has changed, and the viewers start getting alienated.

[Kevster]

Another pitfall of the aging show is "The Agenda".... Two shows that this is most apparent: M*A*S*H* and Quincy, ME. Both shows got to be full of themselves at some point, and it always seemed to be the cause of the week in the later seasons. Though I am and was a fan of both shows, I have little to no interest in any show that goes there sonce.

Since much of the current crop of TV shows have that inherent in their DNA, I just don't watch anything anymore. I don't watch shows on the networks, or on cable, that hasn't established itself, and there has to be enough information to verify the quality and make-up of the show. It sucks being a full-time cynic, but it is the nature of the times and Hollywood political climate. If it is truly fresh, creative, and entertaining, I'll watch it. Like early seasons of Mad Men, and all the seasons of The Walking Dead so far, it has to be entertaining and about the human condition.

[Steve]

With Thursday nights being Magnum,pi night for those of us with COZI-TV and the fact they have been in season 7 for the past three weeks I am finding just how many of that seasons episodes I love...........The season has so many of my favorites: Death and Taxes, AAPI, Little Girl Who, Paper War, Missing Melody, Solo Flight, Laura, Forty, Limbo. It also included in one of my opinions one episode that makes me cringe when it comes on and does not even merit me highlighting it in bold; Novel connection............

[Reef monkey]

Another pitfall of the aging show is "The Agenda".... Two shows that this is most apparent: M*A*S*H* and Quincy, ME. Both shows got to be full of themselves at some point, and it always seemed to be the cause of the week in the later seasons. Though I am and was a fan of both shows, I have little to no interest in any show that goes there sonce.

Since much of the current crop of TV shows have that inherent in their DNA, I just don't watch anything anymore. I don't watch shows on the networks, or on cable, that hasn't established itself, and there has to be enough information to verify the quality and make-up of the show. It sucks being a full-time cynic, but it is the nature of the times and Hollywood political climate. If it is truly fresh, creative, and entertaining, I'll watch it. Like early seasons of Mad Men, and all the seasons of The Walking Dead so far, it has to be entertaining and about the human condition.

Well said, some shows, when they get older, resort to what jumptheshark.com called "A Very Special Episode" syndrome, where they diverted from their successful formulas to address social issues, and start taking themselves too seriously. I was a little young to appreciate MASH in first run, it went off the air not long after I turned 7, but I feel like I have seen every episode in syndicated reruns. Though I like the character of Hunnicut just fine, and actually like Winchester as a more formidable adversary than Burns, I really hated the episodes where mostly Hawkeye, but sometimes Hunnicut too would overact and get maudlin about something. The Trapper/Blake years and the early Potter/Winchester years are the best, even though I liked Winchester best once he was mostly friend, and just occasional antagonist. I tend to avoid the NCIS and CSIs and other "Gritty" shows, I watch TV to be entertained, not depressed.

[mctyler]

Sorry for my language... but I'd like to put the focus on a point of great importance,about the assertion "season 1-4 ..ect".
I think that to estabilish this ,it needs to calculate how many episodes like or not and how much pathos and emotions are there,that is the contest and the trend of the season.
Provided that each season is fantastic my votes are:

-1 Season ,my vote is 9,4 (except :the ugliest do in the hawaai,lest we forget,all roads lead to floyd,adelaide,don't say goodbye)..the strengths are in: (the pilot,china doll,black orchid,j digger doyle,beauty knows no pain)

-2S, ,my vote: 9,5 (except: billy joe bob,the taking of dick mcwilliams,ghost writer) strengths the woman on the beach.memories are forever,mad buck gibson,try to remember,the jororo kill)

-3S vote: 9,4 (except:almost home,heal thyself,by its cover,faith and begorrah) strengths:(did you see the sunrise,the eight part of the village,black on white,the arrow that is not aimed,basket case,two birds of a feather)

-4S vote: 9,6 (except:the look) strengths :(home from the sea,luther gillis,distant relatives,operation silent night,holmes is where the heart is,dream a little dream,I witness)

-5S vote : 9,8 (except:professor jh,let me hear the music,a pretty good dancing chicken) strengths:(echoes of the mind,mac's back,under world,murder 101,little games,all for one,the love for sale boat)

-6S vote: 9 (except:old acquaitance,round and around,blood and honor,summer school,this island is not big enough) strengths:(deja vu,going home,the treasure of kalaniopu'u,way of the staliking horse,a little bit of luck,a little bit of grief)

-7S vote 9,9 (except:straight and narrow) strengths:(death and taxes,little girl who,paper war,solo flight,forthy,limbo)

-8S vote 9,8 (the great hawaiian a.c.) strengths:(infinity and jelly doughnuts,pleasure principle,unfinished business,resolutions)

well,My votes are significant and give more weight on harmony of Thomas,Jonathan,Rick, TC and the development of personal stories and emotions than not in the singular season but in the novel of the series..
For example I give an higher vote to 5S than a 2S because ,for example, if a virgin person watchs at the first time "the woman of the beach" she like it doubtless..and the same for the "all for one".
But if she is a veteran,that she has seen all seasons, she will be so passionate and affectionate to people who appreciate every nuance that the episode produces..
I call this harmony and symbiosis between the characters first and between characters and the watchers also..So there is more empathy in"all for one" than in "the woman of the beach"and more in 5S than in 2S consequently...my reasoning is just this because the trend of empathy grow from season to season..then all depends by the plot obviously.

I Love the unripe,mocked but professional Thomas of the 1st and 2nd series,I love the carefree but careful Thomas of the 3rd and 4th,I love the mystical and fervent of 5th and 6th,I love the mature and determined Tom of 7th and 8th.I love the full tale as the singular episode,but I find less beautiful dissect the seasons

[Sisophous]

I Love the unripe,mocked but professional Thomas of the 1st and 2nd series,I love the carefree but careful Thomas of the 3rd and 4th,I love the mystical and fervent of 5th and 6th,I love the mature and determined Tom of 7th and 8th.I love the full tale as the singular episode,but I find less beautiful dissect the seasons

Wow you are easy to please, basically, you like everything. I think seasons 5 and 6 are lethargic and downright lousy. Season 6 is particularly bad. I agree with most of the strengths you listed by episodes. Billy Joe Bob, the hot headed Texan, I really liked that one from Season 2.

[terryfromkerry]

Hi Mctyler.

That was a very brave and impassioned first post. You are like me. We view the series almost as an auto biorgraphy . Each episode in sequence. It must also be viewed in the mind set we had looking at it in the '80's .Its nostalgic value to us is immense. We cannot and should not review MPI in any sort of harsh sense today. It was an exceptional product of its time. Credit to everyone concerned in the production , a lot of the credit must go to T.S. He despite 6 failed pilots insisted his character should be flawed and vulnerable as opposed to the stereo typical hero who always solved the case and got the girl. This was a brave decision. A "LANCE WHITE" would have died in its first season. This decision also challenged the writers to be creative and inventive in a way that forced them to take risks. Ok there maybe be a handful of episodes ( even to us ) one could be critical about. Despite this we must not forget even these episodes had wonderful comedic moments and character development.

Mctyler if we are ever by chance comotose together we must wake up and enjoy a pint of stout together.

[Sisophous]

We cannot and should not review MPI in any sort of harsh sense today.

Why not? It is my favorite series on television from the past, perhaps the Honeymooners from the mid 1950s was better, but that was a different era of course and a different type of series. I also enjoyed Kolchak The Night Stalker from the early 70s,with Darren McGavin. They each had their flaws.

It was an exceptional product of its time.

I wholeheartedly agree, but we should be permitted to be critical at times.

[mctyler]

Billy Joe Bob, the hot headed Texan, I really liked that one from Season 2.[/quote]


Ok I appreciate the character of Billy Joe Bob but he makes the episode annoying and boring for me..To find out if I like or not an episode I find out it when and if I decide to see it again..And I prefer others than Billy Joe Bob..

Hi Mctyler.

Each episode in sequence. It must also be viewed in the mind set we had looking at it in the '80's .Its nostalgic value to us is immense. We cannot and should not review MPI in any sort of harsh sense today. It was an exceptional product of its time.
.

I think that Magnum p.i. is an exceptional product of its time but it still lives today because it contains values of life that can't be lost..honor,friendship,integrity,love,feeling..I don't think that the youth of today can find that in Buffy,vampires diaris and whatnot.

[Brian]

I think that Magnum p.i. is an exceptional product of its time but it still lives today because it contains values of life that can't be lost..honor,friendship,integrity,love,feeling..I don't think that the youth of today can find that in Buffy,vampires diaris and whatnot.[/quote]

Exactly, I could not agree more. Just look at this years biggest show, breaking bad. I can't stand TV and movies indirectly glorifying Looser criminals taking the essay way, I always want these charters to fail and to experience justice for their crimes.

I'm thankful for every episode of Magnum, each one gives the audience a little more of who these charters are. I don't dislike any episode of Magnum.

[ConchRepublican]

I think that Magnum p.i. is an exceptional product of its time but it still lives today because it contains values of life that can't be lost..honor,friendship,integrity,love,feeling..I don't think that the youth of today can find that in Buffy,vampires diaris and whatnot.

Exactly, I could not agree more. Just look at this years biggest show, breaking bad. I can't stand TV and movies indirectly glorifying Looser criminals taking the essay way, I always want these charters to fail and to experience justice for their crimes.

I'm thankful for every episode of Magnum, each one gives the audience a little more of who these charters are. I don't dislike any episode of Magnum.

I glad you pointed out Breaking Bad. A friend of mine told me about it years ago, during it's first season, and how great it was.

Me - You mean the show about the guy, a teacher, with cancer who becomes a drug kingpin?
Him - yeah . . .
Me - Where he uses his knowledge to create the best drugs on the street to make money he can leave for his family?
Him - Yup, that's the one!
Me - So, this guy finds out he's dying and decides that the last things he will do with his life is to contribute to the midwestern drug epidemic and by extension help kill an untold number of people? Yeah, that sounds like a show I want to invest my time in . . .
Him - Well . . . I guess that's one way to look at it.

[marlboro]

Were there any major behind the scenes changes that explain the changes? New writers? Different directors?

[The Birdman]

I think that Magnum p.i. is an exceptional product of its time but it still lives today because it contains values of life that can't be lost..honor,friendship,integrity,love,feeling..I don't think that the youth of today can find that in Buffy,vampires diaris and whatnot.

Exactly, I could not agree more. Just look at this years biggest show, breaking bad. I can't stand TV and movies indirectly glorifying Looser criminals taking the essay way, I always want these charters to fail and to experience justice for their crimes.

I'm thankful for every episode of Magnum, each one gives the audience a little more of who these charters are. I don't dislike any episode of Magnum.

I glad you pointed out Breaking Bad. A friend of mine told me about it years ago, during it's first season, and how great it was.

Me - You mean the show about the guy, a teacher, with cancer who becomes a drug kingpin?
Him - yeah . . .
Me - Where he uses his knowledge to create the best drugs on the street to make money he can leave for his family?
Him - Yup, that's the one!
Me - So, this guy finds out he's dying and decides that the last things he will do with his life is to contribute to the midwestern drug epidemic and by extension help kill an untold number of people? Yeah, that sounds like a show I want to invest my time in . . .
Him - Well . . . I guess that's one way to look at it.

But at the end of that series Walt had killed basically everybody else in the drug world then died him self. Maybe that was his plan all along? Of course that just meens somebody else will move in on his teritory though.