Search - Magnum P.I.: The Complete Eighth Season on DVD

A "coda" to the symphony that is Magnum P.I.

Craig MACKINNON | Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada | 01/05/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Season 8 is a tacked-on afterthought by the executives of CBS. Not cancelled, then cancelled, then movie deals made and broken and the series uncancelled again.... Well, let's say that I thought the first end-of-series show was brilliant (Season 7's "Limbo") and was skeptical that Season 8 would be nothing better than a redundant add-on to the series. Unfortunately, for much of the season, that is exactly what it felt like. Old friends/guest stars return for one more spin in the Ferrari, and many of the shows felt like they were done before, and better, earlier in the series.

Then comes the second end-of-series show and all is redeemed. It's rare enough that a series-ender is great (I'm looking at you, Seinfeld!), but Magnum ends up with two! Without giving anything away, it's a completely different bridge to the future for Magnum, but one that is equally satisfying to long-time fans of the series.

20 years later I'm able to rewatch the entire season on DVD and can appreciate all the shows in this season better. True, the season is still uneven, expecially compared to the polish of Seasons 5-7. There are some real stinkers here - another reviewer likened them to the old ABC "After School Specials", and the comparison is apt. On the other hand, there are some excellent shows that make the bad ones easier to sit through. The best (other than the finale and premier) is the melodramatic "Unfinished Business", where we see Magnum in full Navy SEAL mode hunting down Michele's killer through espionage, survellience, and stealth. "Raiders of the Lost Art" is also a favourite, which must exist somewhat outside true Magnum canon: Tom Sellick plays Magnum as Indiana Jones by donning a fedora and bullwhip and pursuing the Lost Art of the Ancients, in competition with nefarious villians who would use the Art for their own sinister purposes. Sharp fans will remember that Sellick was originally cast for the lead in Raiders of the Lost Ark, but CBS refused to allow his participation as it would interfere with the Magnum series filming.

Obviously, fans of the series will need this disk to complete their collections, and it is certainly worth a look for casual fans, but overall it's not as good a season as 6 or 7 (it also has fewer episodes). There are, finally, a few commentaries on this disk, but they are generally uninteresting even though they contain some interesting nuggets of information. More interesting is the Rockford Files episode that is included, in which Tom Sellick is a guest star (in a very un-Magnum-like role)."

Gotta have it!

Craig J. Taylor | Vancouver, WA USA | 05/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a 50 yr old male, happily married, couple of late teen boys...and I just have a blast watching these DVDs...I have all of them now. I'm quite an admirer of Mr. Selleck, due to his independent conservative beliefs as well as his views on the 2nd Ammendment. I also gained GREAT respect for him for his handling of the Rosie O. attack he endured! I also find his cowboy movies are especially terrific examples of his acting ability, great story telling there. Never payed much attention to Magnum PI in the 80's when on TV, but now with TODAY's TV which is...well... total garbage, this show is a breath of fresh air. So I thought I'd buy the first season of Magnum, as I recalled it was a pretty good show, plus it has Selleck. What a great decision. The whole cast and the way they interact is like a tight family, funny, strong and loyal ties that bind, and is great fun to watch. You may find that a few episodes (here & there in season 4, 5, 6) are pretty simple (poorly written), BUT the actors tried to work with it and it's still the Magnum PI family. Buy it, enjoy it and turn OFF modern TV! It'll be good for you and yours, I promise ya ~"

All Good Things...

Kristin M Shaw | Pearl River, NY | 03/10/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a young child, I loved watching this television show with my dad...the series began a month before I was born. I was nostalgic when I purchased the first season, but it was my love for the show and its characters that kept me getting the seasons that followed as they came out on DVD. Anyone who is a fan of the show, or wishing we could go back to a time when there were more quality television shows available, this is a great purchase to make!"