“Ted Danson Takes a Beating from Magnum P.I.”

1981 was a pivotal year for Ted Danson. Not only did he gain Hollywood acclaim for his supporting role in the sultry thriller Body Heat, but he also faced a memorable showdown on Magnum P.I.—and ended up on the losing side. Talk about a double whammy.

Danson’s appearance on Magnum P.I. was significant for a couple of reasons, as Tom Selleck shared with Danson on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast. First, the day Danson filmed his episode was also the day Selleck learned that the show had been renewed for a second season. “We were doing pretty well,” Selleck recalled, “but you never really know.”

The second noteworthy aspect of the episode was Selleck’s departure from the usual script. Danson played the week’s antagonist—a “murderous, wimpy husband”—in a dramatic boat confrontation. “Here’s what was monumental about this episode,” Selleck said. During a tense scene, Danson’s character, armed with a grappling hook, faced off against Selleck’s Magnum, who had to fend him off. “You were acting up a storm with that grappling hook,” Selleck remembered.

But things took an unexpected turn when Selleck suggested a more logical approach: “He’s got a grappling hook, and she’s behind me. I have the keys to the boat. Why don’t I just grab her, dive into the water, and escape?”

“And that’s exactly what you did,” Danson chuckled.

Selleck noted that this unsanctioned change surprised the crew. “The writers were back in L.A.,” he said. With Hawaii being three hours behind, they made changes without formal approval. “We shifted the show’s typical clichés and made our own mark.”

However, this infamous fight might have impacted Danson’s film career. “Here’s what I remember,” Danson recounted. “Steven Spielberg was casting for Poltergeist. We had a meeting, and I was told he was very interested. Then he saw the episode where I’m being pummeled by tall, handsome Tom Selleck.”

To make matters worse, Danson had an epiphany during an overhead shot of the fight. “I realized I had a noticeable bald spot. And you, with no bald spot, were delivering the beating,” Danson laughed. “I think Spielberg probably thought, ‘No thanks.’”