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2 • September 23 - 29, 2018 • Brainerd Dispatch By Kenneth Andeel TV Media N ame the most famous mus- tache to ever grace a TV screen. You have 10 seconds to de- duce the answer, and should you fail, a shadowy cabal of drug-deal- ing, bank-robbing, helicopter-hi- jacking racketeers will forever es- cape justice, in possession of a priceless crystal figurine and a dossier of fantastically important government secrets. With stakes so high, I'm confi- dent that you'll provide the correct information without breaking a sweat and declare that the single, indisputable answer is that of Thomas Sullivan Magnum, the now-iconic namesake of the 1980s hit, "Magnum, P.I." This fall, CBS is counting on the enduring recogni- tion of that iconic character when it reboots the classic series with Jay Hernandez ("Suicide Squad," 2016) as the inheritor of the Mag- num mojo. Catch the premiere when it airs Monday, Sept. 24, on CBS. Hernandez is backed up by Welsh actress Perdita Weeks ("Ready Player One," 2018) in the role of Higgins, the straight wom- an to Magnum's wild card, and fel- low Americans Zachary Knighton ("Happy Endings") and Stephen Hill ("Boardwalk Empire") as Rick and TC, close friends of Magnum's from his military past. The pilot for the new series was greenlit in February of this year, and a polished trailer for the show was dropped in May. The person behind the controls is Peter M. Lenkov, a self-professed fan of the '80s "Magnum" and a writer/pro- ducer on CBS's first Hawaiian crime-fest reboot, "Hawaii Five-0." Lenkov's secret weapon for the pi- lot was director Justin Lin. Lin is best known for thrilling audiences with his dynamic and outrageous action sequences in the immensely popular Fast and the Furious fran- chise, and his skill at creating high- energy setpieces is bringing Mag- num back with a bang. The original "Magnum, P.I." first aired in 1980, but for many critics and fans, the show holds up in sig- nificant ways. It still receives praise for being an early depiction of a Vietnam War veteran charac- ter, and the charisma of its star, Tom Selleck ("Blue Bloods"), has cemented the titular character as a memorable part of TV history. The modern sensibilities of fig- ureheads such as Lin and Lenkov heavily inform the reboot, and the differences between the old "Magnum, P.I." and the new "Magnum P.I." go well beyond that missing comma. For starters, the mustache is MIA. The first teas- er photo of Hernandez in his new role made it clear that the show wasn't interested in being a 1:1 re- make of its predecessor and was willing to take big, potentially clumsy risks that could attract the ire of diehard Magnum-heads. Magnum's second most essen- tial possession (after the mus- tache) was his red Ferrari, and it turns out that that ride wasn't so sacred, either. The Ferrari appears in the trailer for the show, but after a good-natured meta taunt, the trailer sends the poor vehicle to explode into smithereens at the wrong end of a speeding, multi- ton transport truck. And then the pulverized pieces fall off a cliff. So much for tradition. These sorts of changes seem like a declaration of intent and a statement that the show isn't in- terested in superficial fan service. Beyond these examples, however, are other alterations that seem to come from a more thoughtful place. The original Thomas Mag- num was something of a boiler- plate avatar of American heroism — the strapping, broad-chested former quarterback that audiences would have recognized from countless other stories. Hernandez earned the role in a culture that has made strides in offering a vari- ety of representation. The Mexi- can-American actor would have probably been relegated to sup- porting character status in the original series, but in 2018, a ma- jor network is happy to have him as the lead. The casting of Weeks in the role of Juliet Higgins was a deliberate decision meant to erode some of the "Boys' Club" atmosphere of the original series, in which Hig- gins was a male character. Some commentators have expressed concern that the grudging friend- ship between Higgins and Mag- num — a big part of the original show's charm — might be re- placed by an overused depen- dence on sexual tension in the new formula. That will ultimately come down to the skill and re- straint of the writing staff, howev- er, and there's no inherent reason the new dynamic can't be as en- grossing as its prototype was. There will be other notable cam- eos, though. Supporting characters from "Hawaii Five-0" will pop up during the first two episodes of "Magnum P.I.," and more involved crossovers featuring lead charac- ters will occur later in the season. Hawaii's not that big, so it's per- fectly logical that all of these tropi- cal crime-fighters would find their paths crossing. The initial announcement and gradual reveal of the "Magnum P.I." reboot has drawn mixed reac- tions, and a fair amount of skepti- cism, but perhaps the increased scrutiny will lead to more interest- ed eyeballs when the series de- buts. The network is hoping that the recent success of other reboot- ed properties across the television world (including its own "Hawaii Five-0") bode well for the latest example of this trend. This fall will give us an idea as to whether "Magnum P.I." can recapture some of the lasting pop culture penetration and abiding critical acclaim of the original, or if it will end up swept out to sea. Catch the premiere on Monday, Sept. 24, on CBS. Back to the well 'Magnum P.I.' returns to television with CBS reboot Cover Story this week The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon (repeat) I heard about a six-year-old in Utah who used her mom's Amazon account to order $350 worth of toys and video games. As punishment, the girl was sent to her room — where she had an awesome time! The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (repeat) Another reason Pompeo didn't have a good meeting with Kim Jong Un: he didn't meet with Kim Jong Un. But Kim had a very good excuse. Turns out he was too busy visiting a potato farm to meet with the U.S. secretary of state. But to be fair, a lot of people have trouble telling the difference between Mike Pompeo and a potato. You say potato, I say Pompeo. The Late Late Show With James Corden (repeat) A coffee company has recalled 65,000 cans of coffee beans over concerns that opening them could cause the lids to fly off and hit people in the face. Although, it saves you a step. Usually you have to drink the coffee to wake up in the morning, but this will take care of that. Late Night With Seth Meyers (repeat) A beach near San Francisco yesterday hosted the annual world dog surfing championships. And just like last year, the surfers had a really hard time staying on their dogs. Late Laughs SAVE $30 OFF THE REGULAR PRICE OF... 501 W Washington St., Brainerd, MN 218-828-1823 www.heartlandtireservice.com SAVE $10 OFF REGULAR PRICE Any full service Valvoline oil change Choose from, •semi-synthetic •high mileage •full synthetic oils Must present coupon to receive this savings. Offer expires 9/30/18 Wheel alignment service •reduce tire wear •improve steering •Improve fuel economy •improve drivers comfort Offer expires 9/30/18 SAVE $20 OFF REGULAR PRICE 001767370r1 13540 IRONWOOD DRIVE BRAINERD, MN 56401 HOURS MONDAY - FRIDAY 8AM-5PM Providing auto body repair in Brainerd, MN since 1996. 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