Legendary comedian and actress Carol Burnett celebrated her 91st birthday in April 2024, marking her almost seven-decade-long career in the entertainment industry. While Burnett is best known for The Carol Burnett Show, she has also guest starred in the classic 80s detective series Magnum, P.I.
The comedic interactions between Tom Selleck's Thomas Magnum and Carol Burnett's Susan Johnson drew immense laughter and emerged as memorable moments in the history of fan-adored Magnum, P.I.
Which Episodes Did Carol Burnett Appear In Magnum, P.I.?
The original Magnum, P.I. came out in 1980 on CBS and ran for a triumphant eight seasons till 1988. During this time, many acclaimed figures from the entertainment world made guest appearances in the series including the famous comedian Carol Burnett.
While Carol Burnett's guest appearance was only for two episodes in different seasons, the actress made sure to leave a lasting impact on the show. She played Susan Johnson, an assistant branch manager at First Anglo Hawaiian Bank.
Burnett first appeared as Susan in season 4, episode 14 Rembrandt's Girl which came out in 1984. Susan is seen desperately wanting to hire the iconic private investigator to solve a bank robbery case that she thought involved her ex-con father.
Initially, Thomas Magnum rejected Susan's request on a call, but little did he know about the two crossing paths at the bank, and even got locked up in a vault.
After being trapped inside, Susan and Thomas shared wine and chocolate and encountered the robber. Interestingly, he turned out to be Susan's boyfriend who unlocked the vault the two were trapped in.
Carol Burnett made her second guest appearance in Magnum, P.I. in season 8, episode seven titled A Girl Named Sue. In this episode, fans saw Susan Johnson transition into a private investigator who also drives a red Ferrari after leaving her first job.
Now that Thomas and Susan both worked as investigators, a new case arrived linking them together. This time, the two were hired by the Wainwright siblings and were completely unaware that they were working on a similar case.
Eventually, Thomas Magnum and Susan Johnson were locked up again in a warehouse and learned that they were working on the same case. The two then joined forces and succeeded in solving the case.
Carol Burnett's Character Arc in Magnum, P.I.
Carol Burnett's character arc in Magnum, P.I. is undeniably remarkable as Susan Johnson was initially believed to be a helpless bank manager who's afraid that her father would attempt a big robbery and only Thomas Magnum could solve her case.
Susan became a friendly rival to Thomas Magnum, and the two being locked up after every encounter became the iconic moment between them. In the four-year gap from 1984 to 1988, Susan developed her investigative skills and gave Thomas a tough competition.
In her final scene, Burnett's Susan Johnson visits Thomas Magnum at his estate for a final goodbye and remembers their first meet, but the two again end up being trapped in a room, concluding her arc in a lighthearted manner.
The original Magnum, P.I. is available on Prime Video.
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