DVD Review: Magnum P.I. - The Complete Seventh Season

By June L. Nov 15, 2007, 15:49 GMT

Magnum is back and better than ever in all 21 action-packed episodes of Magnum P.I.: The Complete Seventh Season! Tom Selleck returns as TV\'s most charming Primetime Emmy® Award-winning detective, heating up the exotic streets of Hawaii with his hot red Ferrari and top-notch investigative skills. Along for the ride are everyone\'s favorite characters - Higgins, TC and Rick - as well as Jessica Fletcher from Murder, She Wrote in ...more

Remember the 1980’s?  Can you picture the cars, the clothes, the hair, and the love affair with Hawaii?  They are all here, and more.  Magnum is one of those shows that can withstand the test of time. 

Tom Selleck heads a cast of regulars and guest stars in stories that still hold our attention and entertain.  In watching these episodes of Season Seven, it is fascinating to note how many of the stories are exceptionally good, and make up the special moments in the series.  No wonder many fans of Magnum P. I. feel that this season was the best in the show’s run.

Season Seven had a little bit of everything.  There were absolutely chilling moments of crime; such as the killer who baited Magnum with nursery rhymes as clues and was horrifyingly bizarre and yet more pathetic in his obsession. 

The humor in the interchanges between Magnum and Higgins (John Hillerman) whose grudging acceptance of each other set the stage for a lot of silliness, is still funny to watch.  And there were the heart-wrenching moments with Michelle and Lily, or when Thomas remembered absent friends. 

Perhaps the most incredible episode of all was the season finale, which was first written as the show’s finale.  In this episode Magnum was shot, and was originally supposed to die, resulting in a retrospective of his life. 

A fan uprising caused the writers to change the script, and Magnum survived to return for an eighth season.  The resulting episode “Limbo” is poignant and meaningful, illuminated by the John Denver song “Looking for Space,” indicating a corner turned, and a life reevaluated.

Frank Sinatra is among the guest stars during this season as well as a young Dana Delaney as Magnum’s love interest in the early episodes.  Best of all there is a crossover with the show Murder She Wrote. 

Both series episodes are included in this DVD set, as well as a featurette about the story called “Inside The Ultimate Crime Crossover.”  The set of five discs are attractively boxed with episode guides printed on the covers.  An additional bonus feature is on disc five called “America’s Top Sleuths.” 

The running time for all five discs is over seventeen hours, and is in a full frame presentation, with English subtitles available.

This is definitely an excellent addition to Magnum P. I. fan’s collections, and if you haven’t seen the series since it originally aired, it is a great way to relive the adventures.

Magnum P.I. - The Complete Seventh Season is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.