New 'Magnum P.I.' series in the works, with daughter as star
The TV new series will follow the crime-solving adventures of Magnum's daughter Lily, who returns to Hawaii to run her father's private investigation firm.
Fans may not see Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum racing after criminals in his Ferrari 308 GTS, but they will see Magnum's daughter Lily solving mysteries in a new "Magnum P.I." TV sequel in the works.
The new series, for ABC, is helmed by "Leverage" creator John Rogers and Eva Longoria's UnbeliEVAble Entertainment production company.
The series will follow Lily "Tommy" Magnum, "who returns to Hawaii to take up the mantle of her father's PI firm," according to Deadline, which reported the news Thursday. "Lily and her friends mix tropical beaches with the seedy underbelly of international crime and modern espionage, even as she tries to unravel the mystery of the blown spy operation that ended her career in Navy Intelligence."
Lily was first introduced in the original '80s "Magnum P.I." series as a young girl who was raised by Magnum's presumed-dead wife Michele.
Lily (played by Kristen Carreira) appeared in five episodes in the original "Magnum P.I." TV series.
At the end of the series, when her mother and criminal czar stepfather actually die, Magnum reunites with his daughter, promising to raise her himself as he returned to his previous career as an officer in Naval Intelligence.
Whether Selleck -- who currently stars in the TV series "Blue Bloods" -- will reprise his role as Magnum in any future cameos of the sequel is up in the air. But it's doubtful his role will be, or could be, filled by any other actor.
"We knew no one could replace the iconic role of Thomas Magnum, so John decided to make the reboot a sequel and continue the adventure of a Magnum -- his daughter, who was established in the original series," Longoria and Spector told Deadline.
Fingers crossed that other characters from the original series make an appearance. I'd love to see T.C. (Roger Earl Mosley), Rick (Larry Manetti) and Higgins (John Benedict Hillerman) show up to help Lily out.