The season’s last episode was supposed to be its finale, ‘Limbo’, but Selleck surprisingly chose to stay for 13 more episodes. It was a fitting title for the situation that Thomas Magnum was in.
If you haven’t already seen it, Thomas Magnum was actually shot in the episode, so it wasn’t that clear yet if his character died off or not. Thus, the title ‘Limbo.’
No More James Bond
Initially, the character of Thomas Magnum was supposed to have a personality similar to that of James Bond. The show’s producers, however, respected Tom Selleck’s opinion that it would not be as interesting to play such a personality.
They instead allowed him to play the character of Thomas Magnum as more of a regular, laid-back character.
Hawaii
Can you believe that "Magnum P.I." was originally set to be in Southern California? But as the planning of the show went on, the producers realized that the island of Oahu, Hawaii would be the best choice for a show with a focal point on the fictional beach of Robin’s Nest.
It was actually a practical decision for the network as well, as they tried to avoid closing the "Hawaii Five-O" production offices after the show’s cancellation.
NRA
Though Tom Selleck has continuously said that he does not consider himself to be a spokesperson for the National Rifle Association, he still is an active board member and even appeared in several of their advertisements. Instead, he considers himself a “registered Independent with a lot of Libertarian leanings.”
To him, gun violence is the consequence that America has to face for the freedom they’ve earned. Would you agree with him?
Jessica To The Rescue
When "Magnum P.I.’s" airing schedule got moved to Wednesday nights, the ratings actually started dropping. Apparently, the show was able to grab its mojo back when they aired their crossover episode with Jessica Fletcher from "Murder, She Wrote."
The two iconic characters joined forces on "Magnum P.I." before continuing the features on "Murder, She Wrote." The special guest shows, fortunately, were wise decisions for the shows’ ratings.