Forever in Time

Episode Number: 154
Season Number: 8.5
Air Date: 11/11/1987
Writer: Kimmer Ringwald
Director: Jackie Cooper
Producer: Tom Selleck
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Recurring Characters

Elisha Cook Jr. (Icepick), Gillian Dobb (Agatha Chumley)

Guest Stars

Gregg Henry (William Keyes), Doug Mossman (David Kaimi), Lei Maa Richmond (Victoria Keyes), Branscombe Richmond (Henchman #1), Dick Durock (Henchman #2), Puluelo Park (Pali-Uli Keahikapu), Palani Vaughan (Singer), Kawaikapuokalani Hewett (Kumu Hula)

Episode Brief

Magnum is running an errand to a local museum for Higgins' upcoming pageant for the Anglo-Hawaiian Historical Society, when he catches sight of a woman attending a funeral who, he soon learns, resembles a beautiful Hawaiian princess who tragically died in a fire in 1910. Magnum becomes enamoured with the elusive beauty, and experiences visions of himself, in 1900s naval uniform, with the woman. The mystery grows even more when he receives a package in the mail containing such a naval uniform, and a locket holding photographs of what looks like himself and the princess.

Rating

7.7

(31 votes)

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Notes

¹ The original script for this episode was titled "Eternally Yours".

² This is the last in an occasional line of "ghost stories" in the show, stretching back to Season Two's "The Woman on the Beach" (2.3), and also including Season Six's "Rapture" (6.11), not to mention several encounters with the ghost of "Mac". However, unlike those earlier stories, most of this one is explained away as not being supernatural - although there are still some unexplained plot points.

³ Magnum's subtle psychic abilities return (he believes he sees glimpses of the past). In narration, Magnum implies that this trait comes from the Sullivan side of the family, his mom's side.

⁴ The singer in the opening scene is local Hawaiian singer/songwriter/musician Palani Vaughan. The beautiful song he sings is "He Pua Wehiwa", one of his own.

⁵ The historic Queen Emma Summer Palace in the Nuuanu Valley is used as a filming location for several scenes.

⁶ Branscombe Richmond makes his final appearance on the show, playing yet another henchman. Branscombe has appeared in a total of five different episodes through the years, including the "Pilot Movie". In this episode, he is joined by his wife Lei Maa Richmond (Victoria Keyes), a Hawaiian dancer and former "Miss Hawaii". Legendary stuntman Dick Durock (uncredited) is his accomplice.

⁷ Agatha reads an excerpt from Robert Louis Stevenson's non-fiction essay collection In the South Seas - "...Along the beach men and women, lads and lasses, were returning from the bath in bright raiment, red and blue and green, such as we delighted to see in the coloured little pictures of our childhood; and presently the sun had cleared the eastern hill, and the glow of the day was over all".

⁸ The house that Magnum breaks into (the one where the Hawaiian princess had lived) appears to be the same house that was used in "Skin Deep" (as Erin Wolfe's house) and "The Woman on the Beach" (as Lisa Page's house). (Noted by golfmobile & Sam)

⁹ Gregg Henry (William Keyes) is a well-known character actor who often plays sleezeball characters (he's a James Woods clone). In 2005, he made a critically acclaimed performance as serial killer Dennis Rader in the made-for-television movie The Hunt for the BTK Killer.

¹⁰ Local Hawaiian actor Doug Mossman (David Kaimi) makes his third and final appearance on the show.

¹¹ Icepick's house is seen for only the third time. It appears to be the same house that was used in "The People vs. Orville Wright" (7.21).

¹² Magnum took his first saxophone lesson on October 4th, 1956. He hasn't progressed much since then.

¹³ The standard theme song is not played over the end credits. Instead, a slow tempo Hawaiian flute melody is heard.

Quotes

¹
Magnum: The Magnum side of me was saying loud and clear, stay out of something that is none of your business, but the Sullivan side kept me wondering why Victoria seemed so...frightened.
(short while later)
One character trait on the Magnum side of the family tree - extreme stubbornness. At least, that's what my mom always called it. My dad liked to call it "perseverance". When all logic and reason told me to stay away from this case, my stubborn streak took hold. I had to know this woman had tried to draw me into her world the day that she died. I could only hope that she left a clue behind that would give me some sort of an answer. (Narration)

²
Rick: I don't think you're supposed to go into dead people's houses.

³
Magnum: The ancient Hawaiians called it "hana hope". Some people called it karma. My grandfather called it destiny. But then, he was a Sullivan. I didn't know whether to believe it or not, but whether Victoria was living out the destiny of her famous grandmother or simply in trouble all her own, I knew I had to do whatever I could to help her. (Narration)

Flubs

¹ In the scene with Icepick and the tarot reader, the grain and color of the table the playing cards are lying on is not the same as when we see it in a closeup shot. (Noted by Bernd-Christian Schulze)

² In the fight at the house after it has been set on fire, Magnum has the henchman on the floor and punches him. His punch carries through and he accidentally ends up hitting Victoria's hip as she lies on the ground. You can see the actress (Lei Maa Richmond) flinch when being hit. (Noted by C.E. Winemiller)

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