Tom Selleck’s Magnum, P.I. Finds a Gritty Spiritual Successor with Apple TV+’s Hit Crime Series
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Tom Selleck’s Magnum, P.I. defined an era, with its sun-soaked Hawaiian backdrop, palm trees, tropical shirts, and an effortlessly cool private investigator at the heart of it all. For eight seasons, Thomas Magnum became an icon, and while many have tried, few shows have managed to capture the same blend of adventure, charm, and crime-solving spirit.
Now, 36 years after Magnum, P.I. ended, Apple TV+ may have finally delivered the perfect spiritual successor with Bad Monkey—a hit crime dramedy boasting a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score that proves the formula still works, even with a grittier twist.
🎬 Bad Monkey Feels Like Magnum, P.I.—But Darke
Starring Vince Vaughn as Andrew Yancy, Bad Monkey follows a disgraced detective turned restaurant inspector, who finds himself tangled in a messy case that could be his ticket back to real police work. Like Thomas Magnum, Yancy operates in the space between official law enforcement and private sleuthing, driven by stubbornness, curiosity, and a knack for getting involved in trouble he can’t quite walk away from.
And the similarities don’t stop there:
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Tropical settings: Magnum, P.I. had Hawaii; Bad Monkey has the sun-drenched chaos of Florida.
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Tropical shirts and charm: Both characters embody a laid-back, rebellious energy, even as they navigate serious criminal undertakings.
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Investigative spirit: Magnum tackled new cases each episode, while Bad Monkey explores a single, slow-burning investigation, adding a serialized depth to the detective formula.
Where they diverge is in tone: Bad Monkey is darker, sharper, and intentionally comedic, avoiding the unintentional campiness that occasionally made Magnum, P.I. feel dated.
🕵️♂️ How Bad Monkey Season 2 Can Continue the Legacy
Bad Monkey Season 1 has exhausted the storyline from Carl Hiaasen’s 2013 novel, concluding Yancy’s initial case. However, Yancy’s story isn’t over. If Apple TV+ greenlights Season 2, the series is expected to adapt Razor Girl, Hiaasen’s sequel featuring Yancy.
This would mirror how Magnum, P.I. handled its cases across multiple seasons, giving Yancy a chance to build his legacy as a contemporary, grittier Thomas Magnum. It would also allow viewers to see Vaughn’s Yancy tackle new Florida-based mysteries, proving his investigative success was no fluke.
🌟 Why Bad Monkey Is the Modern Magnum, P.I. Fans Didn’t Know They Needed
While no show will fully replicate the cultural footprint of Magnum, P.I., Bad Monkey channels its spirit in a way that feels both nostalgic and fresh:
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It captures the sun-drenched aesthetic of crime-solving in paradise.
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It delivers humor and heart, even amid darker themes.
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It champions a flawed but compelling investigator you can’t help but root for.
In a landscape crowded with crime dramas, Bad Monkey feels like a love letter to the spirit of Magnum, P.I. while embracing modern storytelling and layered characters that speak to today’s audience.
Tom Selleck’s Thomas Magnum was a hero for his time, and Bad Monkey’s Andrew Yancy may be the flawed, messy hero for ours. As Bad Monkey continues its journey on Apple TV+, it offers Magnum, P.I. fans a chance to rediscover the thrill of sunlit crime-solving adventures—this time with a sharper edge and a modern sensibility.
If you miss the days of Hawaiian shirts, convertible drives, and cases that mix heart with humor, Bad Monkey might just be your next must-watch.
