Official Synopsis:
Left for dead at the end of Season Seven, Magnum's back in the eighth and final season of Magnum P.I., the unforgettable Primetime Emmy® Award- and Golden Globe®-winning series nominated for an incredible 30 awards during its impressive eight-year run. For thrilling adventures, rejoin Tom Selleck as the stylish private investigator Thomas Magnum, along with Higgins, T.C., Rick and some of television's hottest guest stars, including Amy Yasbeck (Wings), Carol Burnett (The Carol Burnett Show) and Joe Regalbuto (Murphy Brown). This must-own 3-disc collector's set includes every Season Eight episode, as well as a bonus episode of The Rockford Files featuring Tom Selleck in a performance that led to his most iconic role. Take home Magnum P.I.: The Complete Eighth Season and say goodbye as the red Ferrari drives off into the sunset forever!
  
Our Take:
There’s a reason why Magnum P.I. was nominated for so many awards during its original run, and that’s because it was a great show. Even here, in its final season, there are some really strong episodes to be found. Granted, by this late in any show’s run it’s not usually at its creative best, and Magnum is no different. The show was kept on the air for an eighth season because the fans were so passionate about it, and I count myself as one of them.

So among the 13 episodes included in this half-sized three disc set, we get several that deal with wrapping up the show, as it was obvious to everyone from producers to cast to viewers that this would be the show’s last. Heck, the final two episodes are called “Resolution, Parts 1 and 2”! (It was originally aired as a double-length episode, though, so the edits on it are a bit baffling.) Mixed in with all that however, are the excellent Raiders of the Lost Ark parody episode (fitting because Selleck was the original choice to play Indiana Jones) and some really nice episodes that have a lot of payoff for long term fans.

One nice bonus is that we actually get some extra features this time around. They are:

- Episode Commentaries – Three episodes feature commentary tracks with writer Jay Huguely on two and producer Charles Johnson on the third.
- Bonus Episode: The Rockford Files Season 5: "White on White and Nearly Perfect" – A bonus episode of Rockford that was the basis for Selleck getting his own show.

Magnum P.I. is one of those very special TV series that holds up after two decades, despite fashion and hairstyle changes, because it was so good. It’s the role Tom Selleck was born to play, and while I love him as an actor and will watch him in anything, it’s great to go back and revisit the show that put him on the map.

RECOMMENDED!

Overall Picture:
Show: B+
DVD: C+

- Mike Spring
Editor