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'Magnum P.I.': scheduled MINUS :-( the 1987 ep featuring FRANK SINATRA!

posted 9 years ago by SceneByScene
7 replies | jump to latest

Anybody know what happened to this episode of 'Magnum P.I.': s07 e18 "Laura".

??

It NEVER seems to be rebroadcast. Here in the UK - on the US channel CBS Drama - that channel are rerunning this great series on freeview TV. But it 2 sets of reruns that I have seen, this particular episode - starring Frank Sinatra, yey! - is always missed off the schedule i.e. is never broadcast! :-(

IMDB cites the episode as: Series 7 Episode 17 (www.imdb.com/title/tt0080240/episodes?season=7).
Other websites cite the episode as: Series 7 Episode 18 [as Episode 1 of that series was a 2-parter].

Even the reliable TV schedule website of RadioTimes.com has a distinct gap! where the above episode should be, & instead its schedule skips from ep 17 to ep 19.

Frank Sinatra plays a guest role in this 1987 episode: the character of 'Retired Police Sergeant Michael Doheny'.

My only theory as to why that particular episode is always missed off the schedule is:
I think F.S.’s family must own the right to the episode. I noticed that the episode was missed out of the broadcast on channel CBS Drama, last time the programme was broadcast on that channel a few months ago; & yet again the episode was missed off the schedule on the more recent rebroadcast (October 2015) of the series. Surely it can't be a coincidence that this one episode alone is never broadcast in reruns?!

Can anyone corroborate this theory?

It’s a shame not to be able to see this episode, as I’d really like to see it: I love the programme ‘Magnum P.I.’, like Frank Sinatra, and! it’s F.S.’s last ever!! acting role.

from SceneByScene (UK) . . . I  films and Freeview TV! 

[–] d_homen 9 years ago

I have seen it in the last few months here in the U.S.A.... The only thing I can think of is the Phil Collins song used as backround music ....Most TV show avoid using well known and expensive copy-written music as sometimes the use can be denied after a certain amount time without more money being thrown to the copy-write holder....I know it's weird but I have heard of episodes of rerun TV shows having to alter the sound track and cover up and install new generic music as the rites have lapsed and this seems silly but it can happen. When you deal with broadcasts in other countries there could be situations where the problem is with different laws in other countries and that how the contract was written may make it difficult....read expensive....and it may be more practical to omit the episode than deal with the expense.....

THE MUSIC WAS INTEGRAL TO THE EPISODE trying to edit out the music from what I remember would be near impossible. The Music was used throughout the episode to set the mood of the story and as such I don't think that if there is a rights problem that there would be a way to alter the episode and make it work.

P.S. This is just a guess as to why it might be omitted and this is the only theory I can come up with off the top of my head.

[–] tsm_pi 9 years ago

Was on Netflix 6 months ago when I introduced the series to my teenager. They've taken Magnum off their list now though.

[–] ThomasMagnumPI 9 years ago

They show it all the time here in the USA. Magnum gets a block on Thursday night over the air TV where I live.

[–] d_homen 9 years ago

I think his original Question was why in the rotation, that is as he said, where he lives, is that the series seems to be played in the original order but whenever that episode should play that particular episode seems to get skipped.

My meager theory is the only explanation I could come up with and I would welcome any other/better theory as to why he hasn't been seeing it where he lives.

[–] Brownieunc 8 years ago

Was just on Encore about 2 weeks ago.

[–] lorrainearmstrongfl 8 years ago

I just finished watching it on Starz Encore. There is hope.

It's a terrific episode with a big Miami Vice vibe, especially the final act.

[–] CarolTheDabbler (518) a year ago

Since you're talking about the UK, there's another possible reason I can think of, namely themes considered unsuitable for certain audiences. For example, there were a few episodes of the original Star Trek that were not shown there, apparently because the show was considered family fare. If Magnum was likewise considered appropriate for family viewing, they might have considered the Sinatra episode too harsh.

One way to tell -- do the British broadcasts include "Did You See the Run Rise?"? If so, then that can't possibly be it!