Magnum P.I.: The Complete Second Season DVD Review:

In the tradition of many great detective shows which came before it, Magnum P.I. added flair of its own. While many of the classics relied only upon their brains to solve the crimes and make help the little guy, Magnum adds in a little charisma and some inevitable action. Taking place on the Hawaiian Islands, Magnum P.I. is more laid back and relaxed than most detective shows, but has a setting which seems to inspire more crime than New York or Los Angeles combined. Tom Selleck brings a level of charm which is fun to watch, despite the moustache and awful eighties costumes. Besides, if nothing else, Magnum’s car never goes out of style.

Season two jump starts with a job in which Magnum helps to take down a crime lord on the Islands, after he corrupts a young southern girl, but the highlight of the season comes a few episodes in, when it gets more personal. In a two part show, episodes five and six, Magnum sees a woman he believed to be dead, and she happens to be a woman he was married to. Delving into greater detail about Magnum’s life as well as bring the mystery in to a more personal level, these episodes are some of the best in season two.

It is also a relief to get back to the humor though, especially concerning some of the supporting characters on the show. While some of the great detectives and private investigator shows relied only upon the main actor, Magnum P.I. does itself a favor and brings in a cast of supporting characters such as Higgins, T.C., and Rick. In Tropical Madness, episode 7, an English woman chooses Higgins over Magnum. That is one of the strangest and also most humorous in the season.

Much of the show is just silly fun, but there isn’t anything wrong with that occasionally. If you find yourself in that kind of a mood this may be the right choice. with all twenty-two episodes from the second season, there should be plenty of fun to last. There are an assortment of guest stars within the episodes, including Mimi Rogers, Dick Butkus, Pat Morita, and Jill St. John. There are no real special features, but included is one episode from The A Team Season 2 and one episode of Knight Rider as well. The twenty-two episodes, plus bonus two, are all fit into three double sided discs. All of the discs have slim cases in a compact box set to fit nicely on your shelf.



Ryan Izay