Blast From The Past: Magnum PI

The 80s were indeed a time of its own.  A lot was happening both on a local, national, and international scale.  The disco era was coming to an end and open sexual relations were a constant theme of behind the time.  The contemporary detective drama Magnum P.I. was at first what seemed to be simple detective drama set on the beautiful island of O'ahu.  The series, which was a Universal Studios production that was aired on CBS from 1980-1988,  embodied and continued a lot of the discourse that was happening at the time. 

As a millennial myself, Magnum P.I. was created before my time, and had completed it's original run well before my conception.  Upon first viewing the drama, I was shocked to a certain extent by the contrast and well as some of the similarities that Magnum P.I. had to some of the contemporary detective dramas of 2013.  I noticed that Magnum P.I., similar to many other detective dramas incorporated the voice inside of the head aspect of detective dramas.  I was surprised to a certain extent by this detective series theme was present and implemented into dramas even at that time.  In the pilot episode of Magnum P.I. "Don't Eat The Snow In Hawaii" Magnum was constantly talking to himself, and going through different scenarios in his head as he came upon new clues in the murder case of lieutenant Dan Cook.

Magnum P.I. contrasted a lot to some of the contemporary detective dramas of 2013 because of much of the underlying 80s discourse that was incorporated in the drama.  Themes of the 80s that can be found in the drama include the open use of drugs, and sex.  As the drama was filmed on the heels of the disco era, and AIDs was yet to be discovered, a constant theme in the series was that of enjoying the pleasures of life, free of responsibility and worry.  In the pilot episode of the series the women in particular at the estate which Magnum lives on are constantly in revealing clothing, and seeming trying to provide Magnum to have a sexual encounter with them.

Magnum P.I. is truly a detective drama of its own time.  Though embodying much of the similar themes one would expect to see in a detective drama, it also contains within itself a flair from the 80s.  Much of the open indulgence into pleasure, that was a theme of the 80s is seen in the drama.