Odds are, most everyone out there within the Magnum PI fandom has already heard the news about season 6. As of right now, it is not happening at NBC. The network formally canceled the show last Friday, and there seem to be a number of various reasons behind it. Streaming availability may be a factor; uncertainty around shooting schedules and the writers’ strike could be another, but we don’t buy into that fully since the networks and streaming services could bring this to an end if they’d just give the writers what they deserve.
We do want to caution everyone as we dive into the subject of the future by saying this: We are speaking hypothetically here about a longshot possibility. Yet, there is a precedent for it, so we’re not coming out here with an idea that is beyond the realm of possibility. Could NBC actually change their mind on the cancellation?
First and foremost, note that they have done this before with Timeless, canceling the show before bringing it back with a farewell Christmas movie designed to tie up loose ends. Elsewhere, CBS opted to un-cancel SWAT just earlier this year after fans rallied for it. This enabled the show to get a 13-episode final season.
At present, what we wonder is this: Is there a chance for the Jay Hernandez drama to still get a ten-episode sixth and final season? It would be a measure of goodwill for fans, and also something that NBC could further monetize at some point. We’re sure the idea was already considered, but sometimes things change after cancellation news hits the internet. Sure, we’d love to say that moving the series somewhere else is feasible, but in this financial climate, that is a significant challenge.
Why NBC could consider it
For starters, it would be a move that generates goodwill; we’re not sure how much they care about this, but shouldn’t they? It would bring Magnum PI past 100 episodes, and allow for an official series finale. We know that the season 5 finale should offer at least some closure, but will that be enough?
Also, it is worth remembering that at one point, it did seem like the network was ready to order more episodes — consider that Production Weekly listing from season 6 in the past. Typically, you don’t see those unless there are plans to bring a show back.
If you really do believe that industry strikes are a serious component to all this, it does seem like there is positive traction for SAG-AFTRA negotiations this weekend. If that deal gets done, we do think that we could see something more with the WGA and the networks / streaming services after the fact. It may be unfair, but it’s felt for a while that once the directors and actors’ deals were set up, the AMPTP would circle back to the writers.
