Magnum Mania!

The Woman on the Beach

Episode ID: 21
Episode Number: 2.3
Air Date: 10/22/1981
Writer: Andrew Schneider
Director: Donald P. Bellisario
Producers: Rick Weaver, Andrew Schneider
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Guest Stars

Judith Chapman (Sara Clifford/Lisa Page), Jack Hogan (Henry Ellison), Kenneth Mars (Joseph), Rebecca Clemons (Librarian)

Plot Outline

Rick, sad over a failed love affair, finds solace in the company of a beautiful woman named Sara. As the two walk along the beach, she vanishes into thin air. When Magnum investigates the woman's strange disappearance, he learns that Sara actually committed suicide 35 years before. Is someone impersonating the woman or is there some other logical explanation for her puzzling disappearance?

Rating

8.5 (22 votes) MM Episode Forum Thread & Poll

Notes

1 This is the second "Rick-centric" episode of the series, following Season One's "The Curse of the King Kamehameha Club" (1.11).

2 This is the second (and last) episode to be directed by series co-creator, writer, and executive producer Donald P. Bellisario.

3 Judith Chapman previously appeared in Season One's "The Black Orchid" (1.16).

4 This is the first episode to acknowledge the possible existence of ghosts within the context of the series. This will be touched upon several more times, most notably in "Mac's Back" (5.3), "Rapture" (6.11) and "Infinity and Jelly Doughnuts" (8.1).

5 The name of the book Lisa Page is writing is called The Woman on the Beach, the same title as the episode.

6 The actor who plays Henry Ellison, Jack Hogan (of Combat! fame), is also one of the casting directors for the show (1981-1983).

7 This is the first of many times that we see Magnum enjoying a good cigar.

8 A sign on the outside wall of the King Kamehameha Club states that the club was established in 1905.

9 Higgins mentions that the estate has a sauna. It will never be mentioned again.

10 Rick is shot in the right shoulder by Henry Ellison.

11 The house used for Lisa Page's residence was previously seen in "Skin Deep" (as Erin Wolfe's house) and will later be seen in Season Eight's "Forever in Time" (as the house where the Hawaiian princess had lived). (Noted by golfmobile & Sam)

12 Higgins was in Gwangju, South Korea in the summer of 1945. He transferred there from Beirut, Lebanon. (Noted by Stephen Huntley)

Quotes

1
Magnum: If I believed in ghosts, I'm sure I'd be frightened by now, but, since I didn't, the pounding in my chest must have been due to exertion.

2
Higgins: She disappeared from home during a party one night. They found the car the next day in the waters off Koko Head. Evidently, she had driven it over the cliff. Never found the body, currents carried her out to sea. Of course, there have been some hysterical reports that Ms. Clifford now haunts her old estate, but I tend to disregard rumors of the netherworld.
Magnum: The netherworld?
Higgins: Have you grilled me sufficiently?
Magnum: Yes, I think so Higgins - family scandal, affair d'coeur, and links to the netherworld. Thank you very much.

3
(Regarding Higgins' earlier quote)
T.C.: What's a "Vulgarian Visigoth"?

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