I've long been curious about any first-hand opinions/thoughts from Vietnam veterans and/or other people serving in armed forces, about how the show dealt with (the) war and naval matters etc
I imagine it's fair to say that the show is widely considered to be one of the first to feature positive, complex representations of Vietnam vets and I guess I'm just looking to open up some conversation around that? (I searched the forums but couldn't find a thread like this - love to see one if I missed it though)
Of course, I'm keen to hear from any member on this topic, as it's one of my fav aspects of the show
The show stopped doing Vietnam flashbacks after Did You See The Sunrise. There were no more Vietnam scenes until All For One in season five and this was a huge mistake but it was due to Bellisario having less and less to do with the show. He left the show at some point and I think it was wrong for his name to continue to appear as Executive Producer when he had nothing to do with the show for the final 3 or 4 seasons. He got tired of it and he didn't write any more episodes or supervise the show in any way and the show suffered as a result. Without Don in charge they lost their way and the quality went down. I also think CBS decided they didn't want any more Vietnam flashbacks and maybe Selleck went along with it but he should have insisted on keeping them they were always great and made each episode much better whenever they were included. The best episodes had them.
Lindsay Writer wrote:The show stopped doing Vietnam flashbacks after Did You See The Sunrise. There were no more Vietnam scenes until All For One in season five and this was a huge mistake but it was due to Bellisario having less and less to do with the show. He left the show at some point and I think it was wrong for his name to continue to appear as Executive Producer when he had nothing to do with the show for the final 3 or 4 seasons. He got tired of it and he didn't write any more episodes or supervise the show in any way and the show suffered as a result. Without Don in charge they lost their way and the quality went down. I also think CBS decided they didn't want any more Vietnam flashbacks and maybe Selleck went along with it but he should have insisted on keeping them they were always great and made each episode much better whenever they were included. The best episodes had them.
Lindsay Writer wrote:The show stopped doing Vietnam flashbacks after Did You See The Sunrise. There were no more Vietnam scenes until All For One in season five and this was a huge mistake but it was due to Bellisario having less and less to do with the show
Heal Thyself in Season 3 had a lot of flashbacks to Vietnam.
I actually think they did a nice balance. If every episode was a Vietnam flashback, it would have gotten tired to me. They had just enough for exposition on how it reflected on the episode at hand. They had enough references with old friends/acquaintances without having to literally flash back.
The flashbacks probably cost a bunch to produce too.
Lindsay Writer wrote:The show stopped doing Vietnam flashbacks after Did You See The Sunrise. There were no more Vietnam scenes until All For One in season five and this was a huge mistake but it was due to Bellisario having less and less to do with the show
Heal Thyself in Season 3 had a lot of flashbacks to Vietnam.
I actually think they did a nice balance. If every episode was a Vietnam flashback, it would have gotten tired to me. They had just enough for exposition on how it reflected on the episode at hand. They had enough references with old friends/acquaintances without having to literally flash back.
The flashbacks probably cost a bunch to produce too.
But that's just my 2 cents.
With my penchant for statistical reviews I went through the synopses for all episodes. Counting 2 part episodes as one I found 21 shows out of the 155 episodes as having a "Vietnam Connection." Some of those episodes had the Vietnam Connection substantially as the main plot or a significant part and the rest had a more subtle connection such a friend seeking help from Magnum or merely a reference to the Vietnam aspect.
Main Plot Episodes (Season)
Don't Eat the Snow (1)
Memories are Forever (2)
Did You See the Sunrise (3)
All For One (5)
Little Girl Who (7)
Limbo (7)
Unfinished Business (8)
Resolutions (8)
More Subtle Connections
Thicker than Blood (1)
Adelaide (1)
JoJoro Kill (2)
Last Page (2)
Heal Thyself (3)
Two Birds of a Feather (3)
By Its Cover (3)
Sense of Debt ( 4)
The Look (4)
Paradise Blues (4)
Trans Quoc Jones (5)
Deja Vu (6)
Death and Taxes (8)
I think it was a pretty good mix. I wasn't a fan of the All For One episode, though. I think bringing up MIA's that may still be held captive was a little remote in 1984/1985 as far as time goes and may have opened some wounds with certain people.
If anyone can think of other episodes with the Vietnam Connection I hope you post!!
I know that a couple of people, including me, commented that MPI did not smother us with the Vietnam connection. I liked Magnum PI as a private investigator show and not just totally developing him and the whole show after the Vietnam connection. Otherwise I think it would have died an early death. There have been other shows that do that, IMO, such as Mentalist with Red John and Castle with Beckett's mother's murder which got real old, real fast for me but seem to have been successful. Does anyone know of other shows they would like to comment on as smothering the viewers with the same old recurring theme and whether you thought it worked or not? Just curious?!
