Magnum P.I.: Chantal Thuy Joins Season 4 as HPD Detective/New Love Interest — Get First Look
Magnum P.I. has added Black Lightning‘s Chantal Thuy to the Season 4 mix — and with this exclusive casting news, a recent TVLine Blind Item is solved.
When last we tuned into the Hawaii-set CBS procedural, Magnum (played by Jay Hernandez) bid Juliet Higgins (Perdita Weeks) a tender farewell, as his sleuthing partner left to accompany her beau Ethan (Jay Ali) on his six-month Doctors Without Borders gig in Kenya. The goodbye was laden with unexpressed emotions, given that Thomas had earlier posited to the fellas that he and Higgy were perhaps destined to be “more” than friends and business partners. In fact, Rick, T.C. et al nudged Magnum to tell Higgins what all he was feeling before she left, but he instead encouraged his best friend to be happy at Ethan’s side.
Well, in Juliet’s absence, it appears that Thomas in turn sought out his own kind of “happy.”
When Season 4 kicks off on Friday, Oct. 1, viewers will meet Thuy’s character, Lia Kaleo, a smart, street-savvy HPD Detective who has been secretly dating Magnum behind everyone’s back — including that of her partner, Gordon Katsumoto (Tim Kang). And as the season progresses, we’ll learn that Lia’s relationship with Magnum isn’t the only secret she’s been keeping. Get a first look below:
In addition to her run as Black Lightning shapeshifter Grace Choi, Thuy’s previous TV credits include episodes of Madam Secretary and Pretty Little Liars.
Magnum P.I. again will air Fridays at 9/8c, now hammocked between S.W.A.T. and Blue Bloods.
Want more scoop on Magnum P.I., or for any other show? Email InsideLine@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line.
Of course, the point of another new love interest is to keep the will-they-won’t-they thing going as long as possible. But I never really thought Magnum and Higgins would make a great couple anyway. (I know the whole “she’s by-the-book, he’s by-the-seat-of-his-pants” thing is a time-honored TV tradition, but it often appears that she doesn’t have that much respect for him.)
I’d rather Magnum and Higgins never become a romantic thing on the show. I know it’s the thing to do when you have two leads to eventually put them together but can we just for once actually honor the characters? You’re completely right in that Higgins barely tolerates Magnum, doesn’t really respect him that much, and is very dismissive of him. Why would they ever date each other? Watching Magnum “secretly” pine away for Higgins is rough. Why would he ever be romantically interested in someone like that and her to him? They’re not even really believable as business partners, but fine. I get they have to put these two leads in the same space for the sake of the show but let that be the end of it. It seems a couple of folks working on these shows read these comments, so I hope someone from Magnum P.I reads this and reconsiders putting them together. The show is better off without the Magnum/Higgins pairing.
Completely agree
I agree, so often it’s just lazy writing or in the modern era pandering to shippers to put male and female characters together.
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I said this when the show was announced cos it was an obvious wil they/won’t they scenario, I’d rather they had gender flipped either Rick or TC because it would have removed that aspect of the show if they had all served together in the military (yes I know a lot of TV shows ignore fraternisation rules though).
I think they are soul mates, but I’d prefer them not to get together until the final season, if not the final episode of the series. They have fantastic chemistry.
You hear that funny sound? That’s John Hillerman rolling over in his grave at the mere mention of the new Higgins and Magnum hooking up. It would run the whole show.
Lol. You’d think by now people would be over Higgins being a woman.
Look at you speaking for a dead person you’ve never met.
As Higgins, John Hillerman was a Texan playing an Englishman. He was in “Blazing Saddles”. My guess is that John Hillerman would be fine with whatever works.
Don’t worry this will be the final season . With these lazy story lines it obvious the powers don’t care . I mean the 3rd season final ratings were down and there only going down father .
They were down cause of the whole Ethan/Higgins thing, messed with the whole higgy/magnum dynamic. Watching Juliet trying hard to fool herself into loving someone else besides Magnum was cringy.
And for those who say she’s “dismissive” of him and they’d never work, maybe I’m watching a different show. I mean episodes 1.15 and 3.16 were pretty clear on where they were coming from regarding their dynamic. They are soulmates, but the show insists on not making it happen. I’m hoping it doesn’t get “Macgyvered”.
OR… the ratings for everything were down last season, because of pandemic, delays and what not.
Magnum PI writers better count on it, Matt, that pandemic factored in bumping down the ratings, since, well, here we go again in season 4 with the same ‘third wheel’ plotline, dragging on the inevitable.
I agree with the lazy story lines. But the Hawaiian landscape shots are always amazing and they have at last dropped those two hideously fat characters.
Guaranteed that Higgins comes back and has broken up with Ethan and now is the one pining for Magnum
I agree!! And can I also say how disappointed I am that SWAT is going to be the lead in instead of the cancelled MacGyver?
I agree. I still liked MacGyver! Put Swat back on another night. I watch it sometimes.
Agreed good plot twist
well, that was one disappointing reveal of a blind item.
That’s TVLine Blind Items for you. I checked the comments and not a single person guessed it correctly.
I did.
I liked her on Black Lightning. I always thought it odd Katsumoto didn’t seem to have regular partner.
This was the blind item? You guys said they were closer than ever etc, etc. They left the season with Higgins still with Ethan, they gave some breadcrumbs and a hug but nothing to the extent of the BI description IMO.
At least they’re giving Magnum a girlfriend. Considering the original Magnum was a serial dater, it’s about time. Besides, he’s nice & deserves to be happy:)
Think two major flaws in original Magnum would made hard go forward. One was unspoken Higgins and magnum relationship what it actually was to be. Second actually believeable was Hawaiian idea weird unquie to islands idea of family.
Last big flaw was magnum wife and kid too convenient.
Ok now all crap how was okay magnum and Higgins become item etc. Horse poop and cow poop on that.
Frist off both actors extremely comfortable at least on screen with their will they won’t chemistry plus natural sense to it visually much more than old magnum and old Higgins. I get joke in writing etc you very old when I very young even accept that.
Second writers thrown fans especially fans of shipness of these actors in everyone face.
Love idea as fan of Higgins coming back find herself playing second fiddle as they say God knows magnums been other side being toyed with in good spirits and all regardless of Higgins says she massive soft spot for magnum.
Okay does Higgins take magnum love etc for granted but huge yes and of course but at same time can’t blame her look how many times all good sense they leave other high and dry. But do they?
Okay hopefully settled does magnum and does Higgins love and respect each other but of course but have both taken each other for granted?
But as far magnum loving Higgins to me nothing says more than him being willing let her go do her think.
Frankly I’m okay magnum not being settled down yet but perhaps they both jumped too soon after burn badly before knew each other.
To the Producers and writers of Magnum PI,
Please sprinkle guest appearances by Hawaii Five O and MacGiver cast members this upcoming season.0
Doesn’t Magnum already on occasion have a snack at Kamekona’s Shrimp Shack?
More excited that Katsumoto finally has a partner because, seriously, what was up with that?
Well I guess she passes the person of color censorship.
Waittttt is anyone thinking that she’s the stalker or could it be the person that magnum got assigned from his old boss on the High secret mission following him . Magnum is a great character in a way of questions us how he’s going to cope without his associate Higgins
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