CBS Orders Magnum P.I. Reboot, Four Other Series
CBS has ordered five new series for the 2018-19 season: a reboot of Magnum P.I.; the Greg Berlanti-executive produced religious dramedy God Friended Me; the military drama The Code; the Ava DuVernay-executive produced cop drama The Red Line; and the multi-camera comedy Fam. (via Variety)
Magnum P.I. stars Jay Hernandez as Thomas Magnum, the role originally played by Tom Selleck in the 1980 TV series on which the show is based. Hernandez's Magnum is a decorated ex-Navy SEAL who, after returning home to Hawaii from Afghanistan, uses his military skills to become a private investigator. Perdita Weeks, Zachary Knighton, and Stephen Hill also star in the series, which comes from Hawaii Five-0's Peter Lenkov and Eric Guggenheim, who write and executive produce. John Davis (I, Robot), John Fox (Game Night), and Danielle Woodrow (S.W.A.T.) also executive produce alongside Justin Lin (Fast Five), who directed the pilot.
God Friended Me, executive produced by the Arrow-verse's Berlanti and Sarah Shechter, stars Brandon Michael Hall as an outspoken atheist whose life is turned upside down when he is "friended" by God on social media. He has to become an agent of change in the lives and destinies of others around him. Violett Beane, Suraj Sharma, Javicia Leslie, and Joe Morton also star in the series, which is written and executive produced by Steven Lilien (Gotham) and Bryan Wynbrandt (Hawaii Five-0). Marcos Siega (The Following) directed the pilot and also executive produces.
The Code follows the military's brightest minds as they take on the country's toughest challenges, both inside the courtroom and out. Each attorney is trained as a prosecutor, a defense lawyer, an investigator — and a Marine. Anna Wood, Ato Essandoh, Phillipa Soo, and Raffi Barsoumian star in the series. Mira Sorvino and Dave Annable had roles in the pilot, but those parts will be recast. The show comes from Craig Sweeny (Medium), with Carl Beverly (Justified) and Sarah Timberman (Elementary) executive producing. Marc Webb (The Amazing Spider-Man) directed the pilot.
The Red Line follows three different families in the aftermath of a white cop in Chicago accidentally shooting and killing a black doctor. The series is also executive produced by Berlanti and Schechter, alongside Ava DuVernay (Selma). Victoria Mahoney (Power) directed the pilot for the series, which stars Noah Wyle, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Aliyah Royale, Noel Fisher, Michael Patrick Thornton, Vinny Chhibber, Howard Charles, and Elizabeth Laidlaw.
The only comedy of the bunch is Fam, which stars The Vampire Diaries' Nina Dobrev as a woman whose dreams of a life with her new fiancee and upstanding family are dashed when her younger train wreck of a half-sister (Odessa Adlon) comes to live with her to escape their train wreck of a father. Tone Bell, Brian Stokes Mitchelle, and Sheryl Lee Ralph also star in the series, which comes from Corinne Kingsbury (The Newsroom). Aaron Kaplan (American Housewife), Dana Honor (My, Myself, and I), Bob Kushnell (3rd Rock From the Sun), and Wendi Trilling (9JKL) executive produce the show alongside Scott Ellis (30 Rock), who directed the pilot.
CBS' other new series for the fall include the multicamera comedy Welcome to the Neighborhood, starring Cedric the Entertainer; an untitled multicamera comedy starring Damon Wayans Jr.; the Dick Wolf procedural FBI; and a reboot of Murphy Brown. The network's returning series include Elementary, Criminal Minds, Instinct, Man With A Plan, Life in Pieces, The Big Bang Theory, Blue Bloods, Bull, Hawaii Five-0, Madam Secretary, MacGyver, Mom, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, SEAL Team, SWAT, Young Sheldon, Ransom, and Salvation. Canceled are Kevin Can Wait, Superior Donuts, Scorpion, Living Biblically, Me, Myself, and I, 9JKL, and Wisdom of the Crowd.