Magnum Mania!

Resolutions (1)

Episode Number: 161
Season Number: 8.12
Air Date: 5/1/1988
Writers: Stephen A. Miller, Chris Abbott
Director: Burt Brinkerhoff
Producer: Rick Weaver
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Recurring Characters

Gwen Verdon (Katherine Peterson), Patrice Martinez (Linda Lee Ellison), Joe Regalbuto (Don Eddie Rice), Jean Bruce Scott (Lt. Cmdr. Maggie Poole), Kathleen Lloyd (Carol Baldwin), Phyllis Davis (Cleo Mitchell), Julie Cobb (Karen), Brandon Call (Billy)

Guest Stars

Howard Duff (Thomas Sullivan Magnum II), Hal Williams (Dave the DJ), Peter Elbling (Emile), Jay Ingram (Capt. Brackett), Lauren Levinson (Sally Ann), James Grant Benton (Police Officer), Richard McPherson (Whitney Fisher), Judi Anderson (Sandy), Bob Fimiani (Captain Crowe), Clint Carmichael (Mark)

Episode Brief

During a visit with his family in Virginia, Magnum receives a phone call that sends him rushing back to Hawaii to find romance, suspense, danger, and maybe even the true identity of Robin Masters.

Rating

8.8

(35 votes)

Rate Episode

Notes

¹ This series finale originally aired as a special two-hour movie almost three full months after the previous episode ("Transitions") aired. For unknown reasons, The Complete Eighth Season DVD uses the syndicated version, not the original broadcast version. The syndicated version breaks the episode into two parts and several scenes have been cut, including most of the Naval Academy reunion scene at the Naval Officer's Club, the entire scene with Magnum and Lt. Nolan Page at the estate tidal pool (~ three minutes of footage) and most of the end credits montage sequence (with highlight clips of scenes from previous episodes).

² The original broadcast opening did not have any form of regular opening credits. Instead, before the episode title and guest star cast, the words "Magnum, p.i.", "Starring Tom Selleck" (and so on) were included on the in-episode shots of Magnum watching the Navy drill, before the guest cast credits appear. (Noted by Jay-Firestorm)

³ Although not credited, Marta DuBois (Michelle) recorded a special reading of her final letter to Magnum that is heard in this episode. (Noted by Jay-Firestorm)

⁴ This is one of the few episodes in which there is no narration from Magnum.

⁵ During his trip to the mainland, Magnum visits the Lincoln Memorial, the U.S. Naval Academy (Bancroft Hall, The Navy Chapel, the Statue of Tecumseh, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium), downtown Annapolis, and his hometown of Tidewater, Virginia. Magnum's stroll through the Academy is accompanied by a wonderful Mike Post score.

⁶ At Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, we see a memorial "bench back" for Magnum's father (killed in the early stages of the Korean War in the Battle of Inchon) which shows his full name as Thomas Sullivan Magnum III. This would mean Magnum's correct full name is Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV! This contradicts what was in "Home From the Sea" (4.1) when his father is referred to as "Senior".

⁷ Magnum's longtime friend Don Eddie Rice (Joe Regalbuto) has been dating his cousin Karen (Julie Cobb) for four months. During the episode they become engaged. Don Eddie is now working in D.C. (as a cabbie).

⁸ We meet Magnum's grandfather Thomas Sullivan Magnum II for the first time. He also was in the Navy, a Captain. His nickname in the family is "The Captain".

⁹ Magnum's mother introduces him to his grandfather as LCDR Thomas Magnum. Magnum was never a Lieutenant Commander. He was a Lieutenant when he resigned, and was promoted to full Commander when he was reinstated in Season Two's "Memories Are Forever". (Noted by N1095A)

¹⁰ At the Naval Academy, notice how Magnum salutes the Statue of Tecumseh with his left hand. This is not a flub. Midshipmen offer a left-handed salute to Tecumseh as a tribute. They also toss pennies in his quiver for good luck in exams and athletic contests.

¹¹ Waimea Falls on the North Shore is used as a filming location.

¹² Otis Redding's version of "Try A Little Tenderness" is heard again in this episode. The song was first heard in "Forty" (7.17). The Temptations' "My Girl" is also heard.

Quotes

¹
Higgins: Sorry to interrupt your vacation, but I just received a call from a Linda Lee Ellison. She's a television reporter you dated last year for a short time.
Magnum: Higgins, I know who I've dated.

Flubs

¹ During Magnum's trip to Annapolis he is seen wearing a heavy leather jacket, scarf and gloves. He then has a surprise birthday party thrown for him by some old friends from the Academy. Magnum's birth date is given as August 8th in "Try to Remember" (2.15) and has been confirmed by series creator/executive producer Donald P. Bellisario as being the correct date. If the August birth date is correct, why then is Magnum wearing winter attire in August in Annapolis? His drivers license in "Memories Are Forever (1)" (2.5) showed his birth date as 1/5/46, maybe this was the correct date after all?

² Magnum asks his mother if she remembered Maggie Poole, and later says he worked with her at "Naval Intelligence". Magnum met Maggie for the first time in Season Three's ""Did You See The Sunrise?", long after he resigned from the Navy! (Noted by N1095A)

Shoot me an email if you'd like to have something added or corrected

---

---