Magnum P.I. showrunner Eric Guggenheim shares details on what season 6 would have consisted of after the reboot’s unplanned series finale.
Magnum P.I. showrunner Eric Guggenheim shares details on what season 6 would have looked like. After a run that consisted of 96 episodes, five seasons, and two different broadcast networks, the Magnum P.I. reboot ended on January 3. NBC canceled the reboot in mid-2023, citing uncertainties related to the Hollywood strikes. But even if the story of Thomas Magnum (Jay Hernandez) and Juliet Higgins (Perdita Weeks) ended on a positive note, with potential wedding bells, Guggenheim says there was more story to be told.
In comments to TVLine, showrunner Guggenheim opened up about what would have happened if Magnum P.I. hadn’t been canceled. the showrunner discusses what might have been the next chapter of Thomas and Juliet. He also touches on some of the stories and continuations that he would have liked to see for supporting characters:
We actually didn’t have a clear ending in mind for Magnum and Higgins in Season 5. There were a lot of ideas for them as a couple and a lot of things we wanted to explore, but we weren’t building to anything specific. I was happy leaving room for discovery. It wasn’t like Season 4, which we knew from the very start would probably end with them kissing.
There was no timetable [for their engagement]. And yes, there definitely would have been fresh drama. Season 6 was going to have some pretty big stakes, and everyone was going to be affected — especially Magnum.
Rick and Kumu were obviously going to be in business together [as co-owners of La Mariana]. But unlike TC, Kumu wasn’t going to be a silent partner. She’d have opinions. So there was going to be a bit of friction there.
With Cade enlisting, TC was going to have to transition into the role of being a military parent. He was also going to pass up getting a second chopper and get a tour boat instead.
How Does Magnum P.I. End?
The series finale of Magnum P.I. is a mix of the personal and the procedural. Thomas and Juliet are blackmailed into doing a job for the villainous Sam Bedrosian (Better Call Saul alum Patrick Fabian), but Juliet is distracted because she accidentally stumbles upon an engagement ring. It turns out that the engagement ring belongs to Rick Wright (Zachary Knighton), who finally proposes to Suzy (Betsy Phillips). The pair’s engagement gives Thomas a chance to deliver a speech that is a nostalgic send-off for the series.
Bedrosian’s plans also don’t go as he hoped and, in the show’s final moments, the main group is celebrating Suzy and Rick’s engagement. After some misunderstandings and reluctance, Thomas and Juliet clear things up. She clarifies that if Thomas would ever propose, she would say yes. Coupled with the showrunner’s remarks, it’s safe to say that the fan-favorite couple is eventually going to get married, even with some drama along the way.
The unplanned series finale doesn’t allow for everyone’s story to be neatly tied up, but the main characters are left in a good place. T.C. (Stephen Hill) is looking to expand his helicopter business and Detective Gordon Katsumoto (Tim Kang) is spared Bedrosian’s interference. But it’s clear that if Magnum P.I. season 6 were to continue, there would be much more story to unravel.
