Skip to main content

TL;DR: 

  • NBC ordered two more seasons of Magnum P.I. after the Jay Hernandez show was canceled by CBS. 
  • Season 5 likely won’t air until 2023 at the earliest, according to a new report. 
  • Hernandez says he “can’t wait” to get back to work on the Hawaii-set series. 
Jay Hernandez as Magnum standing next to Domenick Lombardozzi as Nuzo in 'Magnum P.I.' Season 4
Jay Hernandez as Thomas Magnum and Domenick Lombardozzi as Nuzo in ‘Magnum P.I. Season 4 | Zack Dougan/CBS ©2022 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Magnum P.I. fans cheered when NBC stepped in and saved the show from cancellation. Now, with two more seasons of the Hawaii-set procedural confirmed, there’s one huge question on everyone’s mind: When will those new episodes air? While there’s no confirmed premiere date for Magnum P.I. Season 5, there are some clues about when the show might return. 

‘Magnum P.I.’ Season 5 will air on NBC, not CBS

Magnum P.I. viewers were gutted when CBS axed the show in May, just days after the season 4 finale aired. Reports soon surfaced that the series – which stars Jay Herandez as Thomas Magnum – was being shopped around to other networks and streamers in the hopes that it could be saved. 

In early July, those reports were confirmed when Deadline reported that NBC had picked up the show. The network has ordered 20 more episodes of the reboot of the popular 1980s Tom Selleck series. Those episodes will be split into two seasons.  

New episodes won’t air until 2023 at the earliest 

While Magnum P.I. Seasons 5 and 6 are confirmed, there’s no official word on when the show will be back on the air. It’s not part of NBC’s recently announced fall lineup. And according to a report from TVLine, production on the new episodes won’t start until the fall. That means season 5 won’t air until January 2023 at the earliest. 

As for where Magnum P.I. will fit in NBC’s schedule, that’s up in the air. TVLine speculated on what day and time the show might air. Wednesday night on NBC belongs to Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med. But Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday are all possibilities, depending on how other shows perform and other factors affecting the network’s schedule. On CBS, Magnum P.I. aired on Friday nights. 

Star Jay Hernandez is eager to get back to work on ‘Magnum P.I.’ 

Related

‘Magnum P.I.’ Canceled, No Season 5 for CBS Series

While we don’t yet know when we’ll see Thomas Magnum again, Hernandez has made it clear he’s eager to get back to work. 

“So many people worked very hard to make this happen,” he wrote in a July 3 tweet thanking fans and others for their vocal support of the show. “CBS, Universal, Magnum execs & all you fans out there. The tremendous effort paid off in a very unlikely move for any TV show. We can’t wait to start filming again.” 

For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s YouTube channel.

Best in Entertainment