CBS announced its latest edition to the upcoming Magnum P.I. reboot, and this time there’s a major twist on one of the show’s original characters.
British actress Pedita Weeks, best known for her tenure on Penny Dreadful, has been cast as the female lead as Juliet Higgins, the gender-swapped version of Jonathan Higgins, played in the 1980s version by John Hillerman.
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Deadline reports that the new show will follow Thomas Magnum, who was portrayed in the original show by Tom Selleck, but will now be played by Jay Hernandez, a ex-Navy SEAL who returns home from serving in Afghanistan to become a private investigator. Week’s Higgins character is described as a disavowed former MI-6 agent.
“Weeks’ Higgins is the “majordomo” (i.e., property manager) for the large Hawaiian estate of writer Robin Masters, for whom Magnum ostensibly works security and lives in his guest house. She is commanding, confident, tough, uses sarcasm to deflect emotion and is hard to get to know — but it’s worth it in the end,” Deadline reports when describing the character.
The new version of Magnum P.I. will be run by Peter Lenkov, Davis Entertainment, CBS TV Studios and Universal TV Studios. Lenkov and Eric Guggenheim, who are both the executive producers and showrunners on one of CBS’s other television reboots in Hawaii Five-0, will co-write the show.
The pilot will be directed by Justin Lin, whose filmography includes four installments in the Fast & Furious series, Star Trek: Beyond and the pilots for both Scorpion and S.W.A.T.
Hernandez, playing the titular Magnum, was cast back on Feb. 20 and is best known for his roles in Scandal and Last Resort. While there’s no word on if he’ll grow the signature mustache Selleck wore during his time on the show, it has been confirmed he’ll be wearing the Detroit Tigers baseball cap.
The original Magnum P.I. ran from 1980 through 1988 for 162 episodes across eight seasons.
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"Cold Comfort" – Frank contends with a potentially dirty cop within his ranks when Danny and Baez's investigation into a brutal assault on an NYPD detective reveals evidence the officer may be corrupt. Also, Eddie and Badillo track down the culprits behind the theft of valuable rare works from a celebrated bookstore; Jamie begrudgingly joins Henry as he looks into an old friend's death he deems suspicious; and Erin snoops into the background of a new woman in Anthony's life, on the CBS Original series BLUE BLOODS, Friday, Jan. 28 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.* Pictured: Tom Selleck as Frank Reagan and Donnie Wahlberg as Danny Reagan. -
MAGNUM P.I. — "The Big Squeeze" Episode 520 — Pictured: (l-r) Emily Alabi as Mahina, Stephen Hill as Theodore "TC" Calvin, Jay Hernandez as Thomas Magnum, Perdita Weeks as Juliet Higgins, Amy Hill as Teuila "Kumu" Tuileta — (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC) -
MAGNUM P.I. — "The Breaking Point" Episode 502 — Pictured: Jay Hernandez as Thomas Magnum — (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)
