Only ET traveled to 'Magnum's set in Honolulu, Hawaii, to get the scoop straight from the stars on all the mai tais and mayhem ahead!
Say "aloha" to the newest adrenaline-pumping reboot!
Magnum P.I. is headed back to our screens on Monday at 9 p.m. ET/PT with star Jay Hernandez taking over for Tom Selleck as the titular private investigator in this action-packed drama.
The CBS series follows the investigations of Thomas Magnum as he pals around with his former military buddies, T.C. Calvin (Steven Hill) and Rick Wright (Zachary Knighton) and tries to solve paradise's most high-stakes crimes. Only ET was the first to travel to Magnum's set in Honolulu, Hawaii, to get the exclusive scoop straight from the stars on all the mai tais and mayhem ahead!
Here are five reasons why the cast of Magnum P.I. wants you to tune in tonight...
1. Hernandez Has a Plan for Selleck to Return: When Hernandez first found out that he landed the lead role in this new reboot, he did what any good son would do – he immediately called up his mom to tell her the good news! “She almost fell out of her seat and you know what she said? She said, ‘Who's going to be Magnum?’” he revealed with a laugh to our cameras. Turns out, his mom is a massive Tom Selleck fan and has wanted to meet the legendary actor for more than 30 years, so Hernandez has come up with a plan to get the two Magnums in the same scene. “I’ve got to make a great show. If we make a great show, he'll come around,” Hernandez said confidently.
2. They're Paying Homage to the Original Magnum: Although you won't see Hernandez rockin' Magnum's signature 'stache, there are plenty of other Easter eggs hidden within the series that are meant to pay homage to the '80s original. Not only will you see Hernandez sporting the same navy blue Detroit Lions cap, but fans will also be treated to a special appearance of the ferocious 308 GTS Ferrari that Selleck drove during Magnum P.I.'s eight-season run -- complete with the iconic "Robin 1" license plate.
3. The New Ferrari Will Rock Your World!: We're not going to spoil a fun plot-twist that happens in tonight's premiere, but let's just say that Fast and Furious director Justin Lin directed the pilot, so you can bet that not all of the pricey cars will survive the hour. As a result, Magnum also gets to drive a revamped version of the red-hot Ferrari, and Hernandez revealed that he gets to do a lot of his own behind-the-wheel stunts without undergoing any special training. “They were just like, ‘Get in there and slam the pedal down and hopefully nobody dies,’ I'm serious. I'm kind of not joking,” the actor dished to ET while standing in front of the gleaming car on set. “I've learned her idiosyncrasies. I know how to drive her and treat her well. It's amazing, really amazing.”
4. This Isn't a Boys' Club Anymore: In a fun casting shake-up, the role of property manager Higgins, which was originally portrayed by the late John Hillerman, is now being played by Perdita Weeks. The former Tudors actress revealed that it's been interesting to add a layer of sexual tension to the working relationship between Higgins and Magnum -- but she's not quite ready for the duo to officially date. "I think if they go there, then there's no taking it back, you know what I mean?" Weeks told us at the Television Critics Association Summer press tour in August. "I like playing the tension and keeping that alive and then maybe if the audience hopes that it happens like in some way, that'd be great. It's a great story -- it kind of keeps people on the edge of their seats in some way."
5. The Friendships Onscreen Are 100% Genuine: It's clear that Magnum and his former military buddies, T.C. and Rick, are a tight-knit group on screen, but off screen, the Magnum P.I. cast can't get enough of each other! In fact, Hernandez and Knighton get along so well that they decided to share an apartment together in Honolulu -- and their living situation is as "bromantic" as it gets. “We call it ‘Lambda Lambda Lambda’ – that’s the name of our house. We’re like sister wives now,” Knighton joked. “When I go home, I am going to prepare some sort of dinner for my sister wife, Jay Hernandez. He'll come home, we'll have a little food and we'll talk about the day.”
Magnum P.I. premieres Monday, Sept. 24 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
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