nPosted on December 11, 2019
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nTV!
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Many people get a lot of entertainment and education from television, and shows vary from news, sports, documentaries, opinions (and even arguments) on issues of the day to cartoons and fictional storytelling. Because of streaming services, many of us can access SO MUCH variety of TV shows of the past as well as the present.n
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nToday’s special day is sort of a past-and-present TV show kind of day.
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nMagnum, P.I. first appeared in the universe as an American crime/drama series on this date in 1980. It ran for eight seasons and enjoyed very high ratings for the first five seasons (and had a devoted fan base all through its run.
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nNow there’s a new Magnum, P.I.: It was first released in September 2018, and it’s still going…for now!
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n“P.I.,” of course, stands for Private Investigator. According to the fictional Veronica Mars, ordinarily P.I. work involves a lot of safe-but-sordid stuff like following somebody’s husband or wife in the hopes of gaining photographic evidence of an extra-marital affair. But Magnum isn’t any ordinary P.I. First, he has a super-glam lifestyle that he (and most Private Investigators) could never afford, because he lives on a beachside estate in Hawaii, in the guest house of a famous and wealthy author, and he drives the author’s luxurious (and very fast!) Ferrari. Second, because of the free housing and car, Magnum doesn’t have to take sordid cases. And it being a TV show, of course there is a lot more danger and excitement in the cases he does take (even that time when his case was to find a little girl’s missing cat!).
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nHere are a few contrasts between the two versions of Magnum:
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The (current) reboot series (below) has more diversity
in its main cast.
In the original show (above), all the main
characters are men; the character of Higgins (the leftmost
man, wearing a tie) is the strict, proper caretaker of the
estate and a former British Army Major.
In the reboot show, Higgins is still the estate caretaker, but
she is a woman and a former M16 agent); she helps Magnum
with his cases and even becomes a partner in his P.I. business.
And Magnum is played by a Mexican American actor! |
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(Above) Police Lieutenant Yoshi Tanaka, original series.
(Below) HPD Detective Gordon Katsumoto, reboot series.
Both recurring police characters are played by
Korean American actors. |
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Magnum is able to use very expensive sports cars
that he doesn’t own. The Ferrari 308 GTS, above, was a
constant in the original series and briefly appeared
in the reboot’s first episode, but the updated Ferrari 488
Spider is reboot-Magnum’s usual ride.
By the way, when I say that a Ferrari 308 GTS appeared
briefly, in the first episode of the reboot show, Magnum
destroys not one, but two Ferraris! Yikes! |
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nAlso on this date:
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Anniversary of the dedication of a monument to the boll weevil! n
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nAstronomer Annie Jump Cannon’s birthday
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nUNICEF’s birthday
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nInternational Mountain Day
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nPhysicist Max Born’s birthday
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Proclamation of the Republic Day in Burkina Fason
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nAnniversary of the first recorded sighting of the Aurora Borealis in America
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nIndiana’s statehood day
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Kaleidoscope Day
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Birthday of the “Father of Bacteriology,” Robert Koch
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nPlan ahead:
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nCheck out my Pinterest pages on:
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nAnd here are my Pinterest boards for:
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nJanuary birthdays
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Many people get a lot of entertainment and education from television, and shows vary from news, sports, documentaries, opinions (and even arguments) on issues of the day to cartoons and fictional storytelling. Because of streaming services, many of us can access SO MUCH variety of TV shows of the past as well as the present.
Anniversary of the dedication of a monument to the boll weevil! 
