Magnum Mania!

Laura

Episode ID: 145
Episode Number: 7.18
Air Date: 2/25/1987
Writer: Chris Abbott
Director: Alan J. Levi
Producer: Rick Weaver
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Recurring Characters

Joe Santos (Lt. Nolan Page)

Guest Stars

Frank Sinatra (Sgt. Michael Doheny), Steven Keats (Willie Clayton), Kevyn Major Howard (Kenneth Geiger), Joan McMurtrey (Marian Doheny O'Hara), Jack Kruschen (Doheny's Partner), Branscombe Richmond (Smitty), Kristin Brick (Laura)

Plot Outline

Revenge is bittersweet when Magnum helps a retired New York City police sergeant chase the two men who murdered his granddaughter.

Rating

9.0 (13 votes) MM Episode Forum Thread & Poll

Notes

1 This is the darkest, grittiest, most depressing episode of the entire series!

2 The legendary Frank Sinatra, in his last major television or film role, was offered a choice of three different scripts for his Magnum P.I. appearance. He chose "Laura" and is said to have loved the story. He worked for scale and stayed at the The Colony Surf hotel in Diamond Head. He and his entourage took up an entire floor at the hotel. There were plans to have Frank come back for another episode in Season Eight, but Tom Selleck's scheduling conflicts forced the producers to cut back on the number of episodes and his turn never came.

3 Genesis' "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" (from their 1986 album Invisible Touch) is memorably used in a 5+ minute sequence shot (featuring Frank Sinatra) that was filmed in the Honolulu vice district "Hotel Street" [video]. Genesis' "Mama" (from their 1983 self-titled album) was heard in its entirety, in another sequence shot, in "Death and Taxes" (7.6). The instrumental song "The Brazilian" (also from Invisible Touch) will be featured in Season Eight's "Unfinished Business" (8.8).

4 The episode title appears bottom-center of the screen, not the usual bottom-left.

5 The International Marketplace in Waikiki is used as a filming location for a stakeout scene. A wonderful two minute, 80s-style synth/electronic drums score by Mike Post & Pete Carpenter is featured during the scene. [audio]

6 Magnum orders an "Old Dusseldorf" at a dive bar. "Old Dusseldorf" hasn't been seen or mentioned since Season Four's "No More Mr. Nice Guy" (4.13).

7 Magnum is making a home video on "Private Investigation" for his nephew Billy, who was previously seen in Season Six's "Going Home" (6.7).

8 Laura's gravestone shows her birth date as June 14th 1979 and her date of death as December 29th 1986, two months before the actual episode was aired. We know that Doheny retired from the New York City police department sometime around christmas of 1986 (he wishes everybody a "merry christmas" at his retirement party), but we don't know for sure if it was before or after Laura's death.

9 A new bedroom is seen at the estate's main house [pic]. It was used by Doheny during his stay. Also, the "Anuenue Room" (or "Rainbow Room") set is used for a brief scene.

10 Magnum and T.C. are seen enjoying a game of chess together. Magnum (as White) is getting smoked. After T.C.'s Qh5+, he is facing Mate in 2! [chess board position]

11 The scene where Michael Doheny bashes a man's head through a window is quite brief in the actual episode, but during the closing credits it runs longer, and includes him pouring a glass of water over the shaggy guy's head! (Noted by Andrew Osborne)

12 At some point early in his career, Higgins was on a fact-finding mission just outside of Moscow in the dead of winter. A Russian infantryman returning from the front was informed that his wife and child had died from starvation. Higgins watched as the man beat his fist into a brick wall until every bone in his hand was crushed.

Quotes

1
Sgt. Michael Doheny: She was my granddaughter! You slimy bastard! You beat her face to a pulp. You broke her body down to nothin' and then you threw her in an alley to die. And I'm gonna do the same thing to you.
(begin ass kickin'!)

Flubs

1 In the final scene, when Doheny visits his granddaughter's grave in New York, palm trees can be spotted in the background. New York doesn't have palm trees. (Noted by Wally)

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

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