Magnum, P.I.: Legend of the Lost Art (1988)
Season 8, Episode 10
8/10
"Raiders" retelling with tongue firmly planted in cheek.
16 June 2011
This particular episode of "Magnum" is one of the most famous, almost as famous as "Did You See the Sun Rise," because it addresses one of the most notorious "missed opportunity" stories in Hollywood history. Everyone (almost) knows how Selleck missed out on doing "Raiders" because of the conflict with "Magnum," and how the writers' strike of 1980 would have let him do it, and how (dammit!) they *were even shooting scenes in Hawaii while he was there*!!! Well, this one shows what might have been.

An almost shot-for-shot (with obvious abridging and Magnumesque touches) remake of the movie, we get to see what the film might have been like with Selleck in the lead, and, for my part, I think it would have made even more money.

As for the episode itself, it is very well done, with humorous dialogue (the characters flip-flopping between self-aware expository dialogue and stilted "heroic" dialogue when they realize they're breaking character is especially amusing), good action, and effective physical comedy.

All in all, worth a re-watch if you can track it down.
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