Magnum Mania!

Infinity and Jelly Doughnuts

Episode ID: 150
Episode Number: 8.1
Air Date: 10/7/1987
Writer: Chris Abbott
Director: John C. Flinn III
Producer: Tom Selleck
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Recurring Characters

Gwen Verdon (Katherine Peterson), Jean Bruce Scott (Lt. Cmdr. Maggie Poole), Kathleen Lloyd (Carol Baldwin), Jeff MacKay (Jim "Mac" Bonnick), Glenn Cannon (Doc Ibold), Kwan Hi Lim (Lt. Tanaka)

Guest Stars

John D'Aquino (Nick Patrelli), Richard Narita (Quang Ki), Barry Sattels (Ron Templeton)

Plot Outline

Still comatose, Magnum struggles to help himself as his friends and family try to talk him out of his unresponsive state.

Rating

9.0 (17 votes) MM Episode Forum Thread & Poll

Notes

1 After the producers made what they assumed would be the series finale in "Limbo" (with Magnum seemingly dying and going to heaven) the series was unexpectedly renewed for one more season. In a shortened season due to scheduling conflicts and a writers strike, the Magnum P.I. crew goes on to make 12 final episodes for the eighth and final season. Without the voluminous public outcry, and the spirited support of Tom Selleck, Season Eight probably would never have been made!

2 This is the third episode to be produced by Tom Selleck, following "Death and Taxes" (7.6) and "Limbo" (7.22). Tom's mother, Martha Selleck, and his son, Kevin Selleck, make a brief appearance in this episode as the grandmother and grandson in one of the flashback sequences.

3 Much of this episode was filmed on location at the Veterans Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific in Honolulu.

4 Gwen Verdon was nominated for a 1988 Emmy Award for her portrayal of Katherine Peterson in this episode.

5 This episode features only one brief scene at Robin's Nest, in Higgins' study.

6 Magnum's "time of death" is recorded as 11:05AM. He then immediately wakes up and asks for a "pint of stout", echoing Higgins' story heard earlier. After his "awakening", Magnum goes two weeks without speaking. During his rehab, he finally speaks and says, "time has little to do with infinity and jelly doughnuts".

7 Rick gives Magnum an Al Kaline rookie baseball card. Kaline is one of Magnum's favorite baseball players.

8 I think it's pretty clear that both Rick and Carol say "Bonnick" (not "Bonig"). And Carol refers to the old "Mac" as "MacReynolds", further evidence that his name is not "Mac Reynolds".

9 T.C. has modernized his chopper charter business a bit by procuring a personal computer for his office.

10 The classic movies Stalag 17 (1953) and The Magnificent Seven (1960) are mentioned again. Stalag 17 was earlier referenced in Season Three's "Did You See the Sunrise?" (3.1 & 3.2).

11 Rick has an Uncle Rudy "who works in the Merchant Marine".

12 The song played at the end of this episode is Joe Cocker's "I'm So Glad I'm Standing Here Today", written by Joe Sample (of The Crusaders) and Will Jennings.

Quotes

1
Higgins: After five days, the medical unit had given up hope and a runner was sent for Father Kirkpatrick. The runner had only been gone a scant ten minutes when the most miraculous event occurred. Private Channing, whom everyone had given up for dead, opened his eyes, looked around, and asked for a pint of stout.

2
(Magnum is about to kill Quang Ki with a 2x4)
(T.C. enters warehouse doorway)
T.C.: Thomas!! ... There's another way, man.

Flubs

1 During the scene in the gym, when Magnum and Rick break away from Fr. Timothy and Nick, there is two lines of dialog where the post-production audio does not match up with what is seen on screen.

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