ABC Putting Female Twist on Sequel to ‘Magnum P.I.’

ABC has acquired Magnum, a television series sequel to the 1980s detective show Magnum P.I., with the series set to focus on the private eye’s daughter.

According to Deadline, which first reported the news, Magnum will follow the exploits of Lily “Tommy” Magnum, who returns to Hawaii to continue the work begun by her father, Thomas Magnum, played in the original series by Tom Selleck.

“She and her tribe of friends mix tropical beaches with the seedy underbelly of international crime and modern espionage, even as she tries to unravel the mystery of the blown spy operation that ended her career in Navy Intelligence,” Deadline reports of the series synopsis.

Eva Longoria’s UnBeliEVAble Entertainment reportedly brought the project to ABC. Leverage creator John Rogers will write the script and serve as co-executive producer alongside Longoria, Ben Spector and Jennifer Court.

The original Magnum P.I. debuted on television in 1980 and starred Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a retired Navy captain who took on private eye cases in Hawaii. At the end of the show’s eight-season run, Magnum was reunited with his daughter, who had been raised by her mother and had appeared in four episodes of the show.

Selleck won an Emmy Award in 1984 and a Golden Globe in 1985 for his role as Thomas Magnum.

The new series is the latest in a long string of reboots headed to TV, according to Variety. Series based on the properties Lethal Weapon, MacGuyver and The Exorcist will be on TV this fall, while projects in development for next season include updated takes on The Lost Boys, The Departed and Varsity Blues.

 

Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum