Season 5 Episode 18: Extracurricular Activities (5.18)

[KENJI]

Magnum and Higgins are hired by a University of Oahu dean to quietly investigate a professor who has been accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a female grad student; TC and Katsumoto take Cade and Dennis on a father-son camping trip.

[KENJI]

I'm hearing this episode will be directed by none other than Perdita Weeks.

[Laohu]

Very enjoyable episode. The interaction between the characters is so well done that it really is the most enjoyable show on TV right now .

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

LINK:
'Magnum P.I.' | Perdita Weeks Talks Directing Debut | Watch


As KENJI noted, this was directed by Perdita Weeks.
Always a good sign when capable members of the cast direct, it indicates they are invested in the series and want to do a good job.
A few seasons too late, maybe the mistakes in the early seasons that turned off Classic Magnum fans might have been avoided.

A good episode, contrasting two life paths, one via TC's foster son wanting to enter the Marines and showcasing how the brotherhood/life
lessons learned there is payed forward thru Rick and TC helping a homeless man and his son.

As opposed to life at university, from the amoral university suit who hires Higgins & Magnum to the various students backstabbing each other
to get what they want. Not the pursuit of knowledge, but a way to leverage their degree to make more money than the other guy.

We also get a action story with a Chinese intelligence operative posing as a student, plus a bad guy sleazy college professor preying on female students.
Instead of being a one dimensional cartoon bad guy, as a hack like Lenkov would have written him, the professor is still a patriot and honorable in his own
way when with a gun pointed at his head he refuses to cooperate with the Red agent.

This story line does reflect what is happening today in America and elsewhere.
The nature of heavy handed Chinese communism has always stifled innovation and individuals with an idea. So like the Soviets once did Peking steals
cutting edge breakthroughs from elsewhere.
Each year Australian Universities take in thousands of Chinese students as there isn't enough slots at Uni for them at home. However much these institutions make
off them is offset by the fact a certain number are in fact agents monitoring the Chinese students and/or trying to steal research the colleges are developing, as in this
episode of Magnum.
Plus some attempt to become Aussie citizens and thus long term moles hoping to one day leverage high academic achievement into jobs where they can access secrets.
Obviously the far majority of the students are there for the education, but it's undeniable the bad guys are amongst them as well.

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If it's the Captain's Mess, let him clean it up. - Bugs Bunny

[Aloha Friday]

Dobie, great synopsis...I watched the show this week, but never saw the deeper meanings of the different storylines until reading your post. Excellent and spot on. BTW, I agree with what others have posted this is a very good show...can't really compare with 1980's Magnum and may have been a mistake to bring it out as a remake...might have fared better with new character names.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Dobie, great synopsis...I watched the show this week, but never saw the deeper meanings of the different storylines until reading your post. Excellent and spot on. BTW, I agree with what others have posted this is a very good show...can't really compare with 1980's Magnum and may have been a mistake to bring it out as a remake...might have fared better with new character names.

Hi Aloha Friday,
Thank you.
It was a mistake to bring it back (though last 2 1/2 years it has been far better) as a remake because Lenkov didn't understand the original, it's soldiers ethos or indeed real life violence.
He needed to repeatedly watch the best episode of Classic Magnum - in my opinion - "Way of the Stalking Horse".
It's packed with KEY INSIGHTS into Thomas and indeed the series, to the extent it functions as a Cliff Notes study guide for the entire series.
The directing job was top notch as well, elevating the sterling writing and acting. I would suggest rereading the posts on the Magnum Mania Stalking Horse
thread as well, some very good stuff there.

I think you are spot on that instead of rebooting Magnum, they should have rebooted, say, Hawaiian Eye, which would have been a perfect fit for this type production and staff.
The last few years of the Magnum reboot they have indeed been a PI firm like Hawaiian Eye, which one poster here suggested years ago they do instead of all the mass firefights.

Shows you what I know, I didn't figure out for years that the "Eye" of Hawaiian Eye was short for Private Eye. To quote Homer Simpson, "Doh!"

[KENJI]

I had to laugh when Higgins was on the motorcycle going full tilt and then they do a close up and her hair is barely moving. I'm guessing it wasn't extra strength hairspray if you know what I mean.