Could Magnum P.I. Return Sooner Than 2024? It's Possible — Here's How

It’s not easy being a Magnum P.I. fan — even after the CBS castoff got saved and renewed for Season 5 on NBC.

For one, fans of the island drama saw NBC slot Season 5 for Sundays at 9/8c, where it led out of all manner of reruns — meaning, no strong lead-in. Viewership in turn fell 30% from its CBS swan song (which of course aired on Fridays). And now, with the release of NBC’s new fall schedule, it looks like the back half of that season might not see the light of day until midseason, meaning early 2024.

Unless….

While NBC’s newly released schedule has been positioned as relatively “strike-proof,” if the Writers Guild’s work stoppage lasts beyond a couple of months, shows that have already filmed episodes, like Magnum, might be called off the bench sooner than planned.

“We feel very good about where we are with our fall schedule relative to what could happen if there’s a prolonged strike,” Jeff Bader, President of Entertainment Program Planning Strategy for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, told TVLine. “Night Court, Extended Family, Quantum Leap, Found, Irrational… those are all scripted shows that will all be on in the fall.”

But if the WGA strike runs long — keeping the likes of, say, Law & Order: SVU and the #OneChicago trifecta from resuming production in time to make fall premieres — “We could pull in La Brea, Magnum P.I., Transplant…,” Bader suggested, “and we have our unscripted [programs that don’t use writers]. So, we feel like we’re in good shape.”

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