Who’s watching tonight?

[Styles Bitchley]

I gave it a shot, but bailed half way through. I guess I don’t really know why, but I think the pacing had a lot to do with it. Fast cuts and that constant bed of suspenseful music...it just doesn’t breathe. Not my vibe. The nods to the original were nice, but for some reason I just didn’t care. I don’t know why. I guess it’s like the Beatles reforming today, only it doesn’t have John or Paul or George or Ringo...but they’re still calling themselves the Beatles because the record label has the rights.

I won’t give it a letter grade, but I will give it a thumbs down.

[Pahonu]

Got back from a beautiful night sail with my son about an hour ago and decided to watch the pilot I DVR'd tomorrow and see what both he and I think. He's only 16 but has an appreciation for the original show that I admire, and I'd like to watch it with him after his volleyball practice tomorrow and see what he thinks.

[chadnum]

My .02

It was just so..... bland.

There was just no reason for anything to happen- except it was all there last time. We're just supposed to take it all for granted. Nothing was earned.

And Jay Hernandez was just sorta there.

Hopefully it won't be on long.

Edit: OK , after digesting it a little longer.... The new Blandnum is basically what you would get it you tried to explain what the real Magnum was to a robot, and then have it regurgitated. The pieces are there, but the soul sure isn't.

[Fr. Paddy McGuinness]

I never made it past the surfski scene. I was so used to seeing Selleck’s ten foot long legs going the length of the thing that Hernandez looked like he was a tiny child sitting inside a duck boat. I started laughing out loud and left for the gym.

P.S.
Between this and Hawaii 50, Lenkov is fascinated with unshaven Naval Officers in dress whites. It really irritates me.

[Steve]

It was not bad! If all you are going to do is compare to the 80's series, than there is no need to watch it, or nitpick every little thing! This is a new show, not the old one, most everything is going to be different! There is only one Magnum, but that doesn't mean this show has to be bad! It did make me think of the old show, which made me smile, with all the happy memories of that show! If you can just sit back, and watch the show, just for the fun of it, knowing the original as well as you do, might even make you enjoy this new version a little more! I'm going to watch it again at 9 pm my time, and see if I can notice any other little things, that bring back warm memories of Magnum, P.I.!

That is the way I am looking at it, a new show set in Hawaii with hopefully well developed characters and........Ferrari's.....I ask folks, how did you like the OG pilot when you first saw it, I know it rates high on this site but I find those first few shows to be weaker than later shows when the characters developed........By the way, I am loving Perdita Weeks!

[jeffran]

I never made it past the surfski scene. I was so used to seeing Selleck’s ten foot long legs going the length of the thing that Hernandez looked like he was a tiny child sitting inside a duck boat. I started laughing out loud and left for the gym.

P.S.
Between this and Hawaii 50, Lenkov is fascinated with unshaven Naval Officers in dress whites. It really irritates me.

I did chuckle at the "surfski" scene - it's so big (or Magnum is very small)!

[eagle]

I did chuckle at the "surfski" scene - it's so big (or Magnum is very small)!

I read that as “Magnum’s is very small,” and by “Magnum” I thought Tom Selleck. I guess that sums it up for me: I didn’t see Hernandez as Magnum. I saw a show with the same name and setting. I saw characters with the same names. That’s about all I saw. The rest was bland. I didn’t see the show’s reason for being, whereas the original clearly defined its reason for being in the opening scene, which astute readers might recall is my all time favorite scene from the original series.

[Reef monkey]

I never made it past the surfski scene. I was so used to seeing Selleck’s ten foot long legs going the length of the thing that Hernandez looked like he was a tiny child sitting inside a duck boat. I started laughing out loud and left for the gym.

P.S.
Between this and Hawaii 50, Lenkov is fascinated with unshaven Naval Officers in dress whites. It really irritates me.

I had the same thought, but it wasn’t just that Hernandez is smaller, it was also a wider, more stable beginners surfki, hence the enormous freeboard. Tom Selleck was actually a proficient surfski rider in his own right, so he could paddle that skinny tippy specski.

[Reef monkey]

It was not bad! If all you are going to do is compare to the 80's series, than there is no need to watch it, or nitpick every little thing! This is a new show, not the old one, most everything is going to be different! There is only one Magnum, but that doesn't mean this show has to be bad! It did make me think of the old show, which made me smile, with all the happy memories of that show! If you can just sit back, and watch the show, just for the fun of it, knowing the original as well as you do, might even make you enjoy this new version a little more! I'm going to watch it again at 9 pm my time, and see if I can notice any other little things, that bring back warm memories of Magnum, P.I.!

You make a fair point about giving the show a chance to exist in its own right instead of comparing it to the original, but even doing that, how does it measure up as an example of its genre? The PI with a past, living in paradise? It wasn’t even nearly as good as Burn Notice’s pilot. The script, the pacing, the characters, just didn’t measure up to the genre.

[eagle]

You make a fair point about giving the show a chance to exist in its own right instead of comparing it to the original, but even doing that, how does it measure up as an example of its genre? The PI with a past, living in paradise? It wasn’t even nearly as good as Burn Notice’s pilot. The script, the pacing, the characters, just didn’t measure up to the genre.

Right, I struggle with the show's reason for being. I watched the entire series of Burn Notice, from the pilot to the end, and completely agree with this assessment.

In my opinion, this show was bland, with generic good guys fighting generic bad guys. It was contrived and lacked gravitas. It is a product of its era, with bromance instead of camaraderie, and lots of guns blazing.

I may give it try by watching 1 or 2 more episodes, but probably not. I love PI and detective type shows (they are my favorites), but this one didn't do it for me.

[Kevster]

I watched last night... My reaction was: "Meh..."

It is what it is. Jay H did nothing that will make me a fan. The two actors/characters that I sensed would have any depth were the Rick and Higgins actors. Perdita Weeks was the best of the lot... Of course, John H was the most accomplished of the original series, so that isn't a surprise.

The actors playing Magnum and TC in last night's episode were not appealing to me. It may be only one episode, so I won't say my opinion is defined yet. Just a thought... Maybe this episode was not meant to contain anything to wow the audience on the acting of Jay H. and Stephen Hill? If that was the case, they succeeded.

The action was typical Justin Lin. A bit too over the top... Of course, based on what I've seen of the actors thus far, Justin Lin didn't have the raw materials to do much other than action.

I'm not considering it a show genuinely related to the original, so I'm not getting worked up over it. However, I don't think what they've presented thus far is honoring the legacy. Thus far, it is style over substance, and a pretty weak in key areas.

[Hawaii84]

Jay can't act...neither can the guy playing Tanaka.

[Pahonu]

I gave it a shot, but bailed half way through. I guess I don’t really know why, but I think the pacing had a lot to do with it. Fast cuts and that constant bed of suspenseful music...it just doesn’t breathe. Not my vibe. The nods to the original were nice, but for some reason I just didn’t care. I don’t know why. I guess it’s like the Beatles reforming today, only it doesn’t have John or Paul or George or Ringo...but they’re still calling themselves the Beatles because the record label has the rights.

I won’t give it a letter grade, but I will give it a thumbs down.

Similar feelings Styles. I just watched it yesterday with my 16-year old son. He has several episodes of the original series he likes to watch with me, like Black on White and the pilot. About halfway through viewing I asked if he wanted to keep watching and he said no. I turned it off. He watches all the superhero movies and Transformers, etc..., so I was wondering what he would think. He seemed more bothered by the changes than me. He and I both noticed some of the nods to the original you mention, but it just seemed underwhelming, and as you said, I just didn't seem to care.

[Stelth]

I stayed away in droves.

[46_James]

I did reluctantly watch. I am hopelessly in love with the MPI, do I have to even say the original MPI. Maybe I'm just old cranky and don't care.

My impression of episode one: they are trying too hard, explaining the team ring, introducing the team.

The shootout scene in the beginning with the ambulance...ok there is a pretty serious shoot out, long guns, lots of rounds, etc. The Ferrari is shot to hell, the scene way overdone. But that isn't all, after the shoot out the ambulance drives away, the DRIVER HAS HIS SEATBELT ON.

Then I'm on twitter following some of the actors and producer, somehow I make my way to the actress that plays Higgins or whatever her name is, her twitter account. Major PETA supporter, ok fine. I like animals, I take in cats from the streets, I took in a cat from hurricane Harvey, I think PETA goes overboard but whatever. What do I get treated with on her twitter? PETA videos of dogs getting hacked to death. Just lovely.

Screw the new MPI, going to keep watching the REAL MPI, it makes me happy.