Ranking the Likelihood of ‘Magnum P.I.’ & More Canceled Shows Being Saved
Fans have resurrected canceled TV shows before, and they certainly could work their magic again with this year’s batch of broadcast TV casualties as streaming platforms, cable channels, and even other broadcast channels could potentially come to the rescue.
For example, there’s already talk of NBC or USA rescuing CBS’ Magnum P.I. — which is hardly a surprise, since the Jay Hernandez-led procedural was the highest-rated TV show to be axed this season.
We’ve combined ratings figures with Google search data from the past month for this (admittedly unscientific) ranking of the recently-canceled broadcast TV shows most likely to be saved. Yes, Magnum P.I. ranks high, but you might be “charmed” to see other shows represented on the list below.
10. Mr. Mayor (NBC)
“Of course NBC canceled Mr. Mayor after it finally found its footing and was consistently being the funniest thing on the big networks,” writes @MattAaronHarper.
9. Charmed (The CW)
“We really got a Charmed multiverse, and then they canceled it,” laments @manndaraee.
8. Ordinary Joe (NBC)
“I’m gonna say what needs to be said: Ordinary Joe wasn’t the best show, but I dedicated my time to Amy Kindelán [Natalie Martinez, pictured above] for an entire season, and now I need to know what happens to her in all timelines,” @CarissaPolo says. “Peacock better pick it up.”
7. Promised Land (ABC)
“I’m so sad about Promised Land getting canceled,” @billiesutton_ writes.
6. How We Roll (CBS)
“Sad to hear about How We Roll [being] canceled, but wanted to thank [Pete Holmes] and the rest of the cast for providing me with laughter when I needed it,” says @Atl4life10.
5. The Endgame (NBC)
“This was such a good show,” @iDreamer18 writes. “@Netflix, please pick it up.”
4. Kenan (NBC)
“Kenan was canceled?” @divinejanai says. “Well, this sucks.”
3. B Positive (CBS)
“What the heck — CBS canceled B Positive too?!” @leedfrazer exclaims.
2. United States of Al (CBS)
“Just found out they canceled United States of Al after two seasons,” @meshmaterial says. “I don’t watch many TV shows at all and now one less. Really disappointing.”
1. Magnum P.I. (CBS)
“I never used Twitter up until Magnum P.I. was canceled. I’m here now so I can help #SaveMagnumPI,” writes @leannecove1. “So I kindly ask @NBCUniversal, @nbc, [and] @UniversalTV to please bring us back our show that meant so much to so many. It was the light in the darkness. We need our ohana back on our screens.”
Conversation77 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Register or sign in to join the conversation.
-
O
Magnum PI deserves to be saved, it's an amazing series and has a great fan base.
-
R
Agree 110% and I was a fan of the original series as well.
-
-
R
I agree tv took off some great shows off the air like Magnum PI and B-Positive I’m retired and those shoes made me happy and gave me something to look forward to every week.
-
R
Magnum PI is one of my favorite shows on tv I hope they bring the show back 😊
-
-
B
We need Magnum P.I. GREAT CAST, GREAT SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-
R
For elderly, we enjoyed Magnum PI and B Positive. Looked forward every week for these shows.
-
P
We need our Magnum PI back! The only show I saw on CBS Friday nights! I hope NBC picks it up!
-
O
💯 There is much more to reveal for all the great characters in this show!!
SaveMagnumPI
-
P
Save MagnumPi!!
-
R
I love the show was one of my favorites I looked forward to every Friday night watching it
-
C
Magnum needs to come back definitely. Also the Promise Land and the Endgame they were setting the ground work, now they have to continue the story. Please bring all three of these shows back.
-
O
"Yes, Magnum P.I. ranks high," Seems like you should be saying "highEST"!
And what's with using a picture of the "Macy Vaughn" character for Charmed? She left the show LAST season and wouldn't figure into any potential save!
-
B
I am upset about the cancellation of 'B Positive". It was a wonderful show for those of us who are younger seniors. There is not another show that we connect to like that. It was a great show to follow Ghosts.
-
O
Can’t believe Magnum PI was cancelled. Never missed an episode as long as the retro show has been on. Bring it back.
-
R
Cannot agree strongly enough. The only TV show I consistently watched!
-
-
C
Magnumpi was the best show on T.V. with great writers, cast & crew. Has a great fan base all over the world. Recognized our veterans which none of the other shows didn't. Great storylines & most of all an excellent team of actors. Please bring our ohana back to us. Hear my plea!
#saveMagnumpl
-
L
We love Magnum PI! Please don’t cancel it! It’s always 3 stories in one - keeps our interest every minute! We love all the characters!
-
G
The cast of Magnum PI had so much chemistry, the stories and Hawaiian location were something to look forward to every week. I hope to be watching season 5 on NBC, I won't be watching CBS without Magnum PI.
#SaveMagnumPI.
-
R
Please return Magnum pi I really like this series. And the actors who play in it.
-
C
Magnum PI just plain entertaining. Bring it Back!
-
G
I was mad when I heard that Magnum PI was cancelled. It was my favorite show on TV for the last 4 years. On top of that, CBS allowed for all the characters stories to just hang there with really no resolution. That is why, for the 1st time in my life, I am joining other fans & have learned how to use twitter to help in saving this show this great cast & crew can continue to bring us great storylines . #SaveMagnumPI
-
B
I totally agree with the top three!! My twelve year old son and I have a standing date to watch Magnum each week. We also LOVED MacGyver! Last year losing MacGyver and NCIS New Orleans crushed me.
-
J
Bring back Magnum PI, United States of Al, B Positive! Why would you leave us hanging with Endgame?
No more reality, dating, singing dancing or remakes of old game shows, enough already!!
-
R
I think what bothers me a lot about Hollywood nowadays is they don’t really come up with much new it’s always remakes so when something like Magnum PI is on in a whole new light kudos to that
-
P
One of the shows that everyone would watch. I hope NBC sees the value and picks it up
-
O
Love magnum pi
-
B
I "pray" NBC picks up MAGNUM P.I. & shows it at 9:00pm Fridays EST where it rates #1 in the time slot beating whatever show CBS airs there! They tried this with MACGYVER and found nothing they broadcast at 8:00pm Friday EVER ACHIEVED the rating success MACGYVER brought them. I guess they don't learn from the past. Idiots!
-
B
CBS is losing more audiences with show cancelations
-
R
Magnum PI is the Best show on TV, bring it back. Greatest show ever! Everyone I know watches this show. Whoever ranks these shows, you are fired!
-
R
OK NBC GO GET MAGNUM. PUT IT ON 9PM ON FRIDAY AND SEE WHO WINS THE TIME SLOT. HOW STUPID WAS CBS. GREAT SHOE GREAT CHEMISTRY. 💖💖💖💖 LOVE THEM ALL.
-
G
I couldn't believe they would cancel such a great show that has a fantastic cast &a huge following of dedicated viewers I really hope it gets picked up again by NBC or another network!
-
G
We LOVE Magnum PI! Please bring it back!
-
G
Love love Magnum PI and one of the most entertaining and decent show on tv. Probably why it was canceled. Bring it back please.
-
C
MagnumPI must be saved, it is the only show in this list I watch, such a feel good show, fantastic cast and crew, with a stunning location! That's 3 good reasons to #SaveMagnumPI 🙏🙏🙏🙏
-
O
Magnum PI is one of many good family shows that CBS canceled! But for me Magnum PI is the only one I waited for all week to see on Friday nights! I hope NBC picks it up! CBS has to many duplicate shows like NCIS and FBI etc.
-
O
Please, save MAGNUM PI...it's one of our FaVORITE shows!!!🙏🙏🙏🙏
-
R
Please bring Magnum back. We watched the show every Friday night. Please bring Magnum back.
-
R
CBS were MORONS for canceling this show. It's on crazy night, asnis Blue Bloods which would create huge ratings!!! Plus they had really good ratings for Friday's so you're actually the reason for cancelation CBS!!! Somebody pleas save this show please
-
O
Save Magnum!!! That cast could go 10 years...Love it.
-
G
Magnum PI is an awesome show and it deserves to be saved, I look forward to watching it on my Friday night lineup...
-
B
I Waited all week long till Friday to Magnum PI come on one of my favorite shows so please bring it back I really miss the Magnum show
-
O
We need Magnum P I back. Fridays are not the same without this phenomenal show. We can't let them go. They are our family too.
-
G
Please save MagMagnum
-
O
I'm a senior citizen on a very limited income. So in the evenings I watch a lot of TV. On Friday nights I LOVED watching Magnum PI (especially since Magnum & Higgins FINALLY told each other how they felt)!! I can't understand why these networks let brain dead idiots pick which programs to cancel. They seem to cancel the HIGHEST ranking shows & they leave shows that a family with young children cannot watch!! They should hire REAL PEOPLE that ACTUALLY watch TV to clean out the crappy shows & put GOOD DECENT shows back on for families. BRING BACK MAGNUM PI.
-
P
You tell them MawMaw! They also only listen to people of a certain age range - so they're ageist as well lol! An audience is an audience is it not? And many more mature folks have more spending power for their silly ads than some younger people. Make no sense - oh wait, you did mention that they're idiots!
-
-
O
Any show cancelled by the CW has little chance of being picked up anywhere other than fan fiction or comic books.
-
G
There is no reason for Magnum to be revived if USA is the only option. There are too many people like myself that do not pay for cable or any subscription service. I spent about 30 years driving for studios and have seen ridiculous scenarios like this based on economics. For example when I was at Warner Bros, Without A Trace was consistently a top 10 show but WB decided to cancel it anyway because it became too expensive. Scripted shows are not the only ones that have had casualties. Ben Bailey's Who's Still Standing Now cancelled after 2 seasons and the same with 1 vs 100 because of production costs. It is difficult to understand tv execs and their decisions. Look at Star Trek. Cancelled after 3 seasons due to so-called low ratings, but 56 years later a version of it is still on the air. The rebooted show is so much better than the original. Selleck was constantly being beat up and Higgins was just annoying. The new Magnum actually knows how to fight and a female Higgins was quite a coup. They do stretch the boundary of reality every episode thanks to Justin Lin trying to make it into a tv version of Fast and Furious, but it makes Fridays worth staying home for and it would be a tragedy for it to not be renewed.
-
B
I'm not retired and still really looked forward to Magnum PI on my Friday nights after work , along with my pizza delivery or Chinese takeout. That was my thing on Friday nights. I was so disappointed to find it was cancelled, but hopeful that another network may recognize the show's worth and revives it.
-
O
Bring Magnum PI back on please. I want to see where Magnum and Higgins end up and it better be together. I have waited so long for that.
-
O
I looked forward to watching Magnum PI every week. It was my favorite network show. Please bring it back.
-
C
well I read the shows that people want revived .. but honestly I have NEVER heard of any of them except Magnum PI ... so many of us are working hard to get our show back
-
P
Has CBS list their minds. Bring Magnum PI back.
-
C
Sad to see magnum and b positie dropped higgins and thomas never resolved their relationship at very least do a final show do they can hook up
As for b positive the gina character is very talented dance sing comidic timing shes a hard worker in real life
-
P
Yes, please bring back Tom Selleck for season 9 of "magnum, p.i.."
-
G
Absolute great show!! Why would they take it off ?!?
-
B
I think Magnum Pl or Hawaii or new series.
-
O
Please bring the endgame back on I loved that show too.
-
O
Please bring ordinary Joe back on I really liked that show.
-
O
Glad to see some being picked up and wish McGyver was added to the list
-
P
As for me and my family and friends we want magnum pi the endgame and legacies back and good sam they're better shows than what was kept don't know what people are choosing what to cancel but they should be fired for being idiots
-
O
I loved Magnum PI and hated that it was canceled. Please somebody bring it back!,
-
B
Magnum PI , United States of Al, B positive and Good Sam should be all saved!
-
O
I was upset when they canceled Hawaii Five O, MacGyver and NCIS New Orleans. So please bring back Magnum PI. Its the one series that I love all the characters in. So please , please bring it back 🙏😪
-
C
I HOPE I WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED, AND MAGNUM P.I. DOES RETURN. HOW DO THINGS
LIKE THIS HAPPEN?
-
R
I Love B Positive and United States of Al. Those r great shows. I could think of others that r really stupid that should b gone
-
O
Would love to see the Endgame and Mr. Mayor saved. And while I know it’s unlikely, also a guilty pleasure CW show: In The Dark.
I haven’t watched the Magnum PI reboot but seeing all the love for it here is convincing me to give it a shot at this late date.
-
O
Bring it back- NEVER should have been canceled 👺
-
G
Bring back Magnum PI, United States of Al, B positive I'm home bound due to my health and I mainly watch cbs I'd be more than willing to switch Networks just to see my shows bring them back.plz and thx 🙏
-
G
Magnum. B Positive and USA of Al three shows I really enjoyed cannot afford streaming services. Guess I’ll be reading more
-
P
The problem is the network people in California, don’t think like the people in the rest of the country. If they did, they never would have cancelled a top-20 TV show. California thinking isn’t always the best!
-
O
Well, out of the 10 listed, I watched 4 of the shows every week. I loved Ordinary Joe, Magnum, and the End Game. I was just getting into Promised Land when I read about it being canceled too. I am really hoping that Hulu will pick up one or more, and if not Hulu, then Amazon Prime or Disney+. I don't have Netflix.
-
B
How about Legacies?
-
O
It’s fun TV with a great cast and it gives you the ability to escape from the daily grind and simply enjoy an hour
-
G
I'd rather see be positive ordinary Joe magnm PI and charming all of them stay on the air but not these creepy nCiS and cap shows and fire shows.right now we need more comedy shows family shows , than we need those kind of shows like crime shows fire shows be cause i thank they permitt Violence and I'm getting to the point if you keep canceling all those good shows I'm just not gonna watch TV anymore because all you have on is crapie shows like nCIS cap shows or fire depment department shows or I will watch cable shows like the Chanel's that show the Waltons and golden grill and even mayberry rfd and leave it to bever.
-
B
I LOVE Magnum...PLEASE bring it back! Why do they keep crappy and brainless reality shows and cancel good, entertaining shows! Save Magnum!!!!!!
-
P
none of those shows deserve to be saved
-
G
Purely from a ratings standpoint, Magnum P.I. deserves to be saved. I can't necessarily say that for any of the others.
-
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services