What happened to TC on Magnum P.I.? (Why is he in a wheelchair?)

Magnum P.I. just premiered the second half of its fifth and final season. However, some fans may be confused as to why TC (Stephen Hill) is spending the episode in a wheelchair. Find out here!

A reboot of the classic 1980s TV show that made Tom Selleck a star, Magnum P.I. originally premiered on CBS in 2018. Jay Martinez played Thomas Magnum, a former Navy SEAL now working as a private eye in Hawaii.

Aiding Magnum are his old SEAL buddies, Rick (Zachary Knighton) and TC (Hill). TC is a pilot who does helicopter tours and often aids Magnum on cases. He also helped Shammy (Christopher Thornton), a former veteran who is now a wheelchair user, to be a good aide. He’s had a few ups and downs but was doing well on the show…at least until recently.

How TC ended up in a wheelchair on Magnum P.I.

In Magnum P.I. season 5, Episode 10, “Charlie Foxtrot,” the team came under attack by mercenaries hired by CIA Agent Nadine Amherst, the girlfriend and former handler of Ahmed Hadid, a terrorist they’d killed on a mission years before. TC was the first target as he was shot while working at his hanger and left for dead.

Luckily, Shammy was able to kill the attacker and get TC to the hospital. It was said the bullet was by his spine, and thus, he was paralyzed, with the doctors unsure of whether or not he’d recover.

Season 5, episode 11, “Hit and Run,” takes place two weeks later as TC was moved into a health facility. He was obviously having issues with Shammy trying to help him adjust to it. TC was bitter, but Shammy helped him out, knowing what he was going through and paying TC back for his help in the past.

There was some good news as near the end of the episode, TC was able to wiggle his toes, so there’s a chance for a recovery. Hopefully, he’s back on his feet soon, although for now, his helicopter ride aides are a thing of the past as Magnum P.I. goes on.

Magnum P.I. airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC. The latest season streams on Peacock. You can stream seasons 1-4 on Amazon Freevee. For more great shows to stream on Freevee, click here.