Magnum Mania!

Skin Deep

Episode ID: 6
Episode Number: 1.6
Air Date: 1/15/1981
Writer: Donald P. Bellisario
Director: Lawrence Doheny
Producer: J. Rickley Dumm
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Recurring Characters

Remi Abellira (Moki)

Guest Stars

Ian McShane (David Norman), Cathie Shirriff (Erin Wolfe), Ron Masak (J.J. Stein), Tommy Fujiwara (Dr. Makudo), Paul Dennis Martin (Helicopter Pilot)

Plot Outline

In an apparent suicide, a beautiful actress is killed by a shotgun blast in a scenario closely resembling a scene from the script of an upcoming film. Magnum is hired by her former producer, who also happens to be her lover, to investigate the case and finds that things are not they appear. Still haunted by nightmares of the Vietnam War, Magnum finds himself reliving it in a deadly hunt on a deserted tropical island.

Rating

8.5 (16 votes) MM Episode Forum Thread & Poll

Notes

1 During the filming of this episode, in a low-flying aerial sequence, a Hughes 369D (N58243*) helicopter crashed into the ocean, tragically killing the pilot and cameraman Robert Van Der Kar. The official NTSB report finds the cause as pilot error, a misjudgement in altitude. An on-screen caption before the closing credits reads:

This episode is dedicated to camera technician ROBERT VAN DER KAR who died during its filming

Oddly, the pilot is not referenced in the caption.

2 Prior to this episode, John Hillerman, Roger E. Mosley and Larry Manetti were listed in the opening credits as 'co-starring'. Starting with this episode, it becomes 'also starring'.

3 This episode features several Vietnam War flashback sequences. During one of the flashbacks, Rick is shot and subsequently saved by Magnum.

4 When T.C. is calling in his mayday, he identifies his himself as Bravo fiver one six. The camera pulls out as he fires a flare, and we see N58243 clearly on the side of the chopper.

5 The film script that Erin Wolfe is seen reading is 'Skin Deep by Donald P. Bellisario' -- the same title and writer of this episode.

6 Magnum wears the rarely seen black and purple "Jungle Bird" shirt for the first time. He usually wears a red one.

7 The GMC Jimmy is seen for the first time!

8 Ian McShane (David Norman) will appear again in Season Three's "Black on White" (3.6).

9 Magnum makes his first reference to writing a book on how to be a world-class private investigator - Page 1, "Investigate the crime scene".

10 The fictional Five-O police unit from the TV show Hawaii Five-O is mentioned again (Magnum pretends to be McGarrett) as being a real Honolulu police unit. Further evidence that MPI and Hawaii Five-0 exist in the same "universe". Previously, Five-O and Steve McGarrett were mentioned in the "Pilot Movie".

11 The house used for Erin Wolfe's residence will later be seen in Season Two's "The Woman on the Beach" (as Lisa Page's house) and Season Eight's "Forever in Time" (as the house where the Hawaiian princess used to live). (Noted by golfmobile & Sam)

12 At the King Kamehameha Club indoor bar, Magnum is seen drinking a fictional "Flagler Beer" [pic]. This beer will only be seen one more time, in Season Four's "Distant Relative" (4.4).

* N58243 is the chopper with floatation gear and long skids seen in the opening credits and in the first several episodes. After the accident, the show began using a Hughes 500D (N1095A) chopper. (Noted by N1095A)

Quotes

1
Erin Wolfe: So, a woman can't go out like a man, huh? She takes pills, or swims out to sea, or slits her wrists, but she ain't got the guts to blood-up the old face, isn't that what you said David? Huh? Well, here's one woman who's gonna take it right between the baby blues just to show you how smart you really are.

2
Magnum: Hey T.C.
T.C.: Yo!
Magnum: You ever think about 'Nam? I mean have memories flash through your head without really even thinking about it?
T.C.: Naw, never.
Magnum: Uh-huh, that's kinda what I thought.
T.C.: How about you?
Magnum: Who me? No.

Wish to add something? Got a correction? Shoot me an email.

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