40th Anniversary Watch Party

[MagnumsLeftShoulder]

Why wouldn’t he have a SSN? I moved to the U.S. shortly after this and I needed an SSN to work & go to university.

I didn't think you could get one if you weren't a citizen?

[Pahonu]

Why wouldn’t he have a SSN? I moved to the U.S. shortly after this and I needed an SSN to work & go to university.

I didn't think you could get one if you weren't a citizen?

My parents were both permanent resident aliens from Canada arriving in 1965. They both had SS# from then and never naturalized.

[T.Q.]

December 18th, 2020

[CBS 9:00] Magnum, P.I. [Reg]: China Doll
Season 1, episode 3

W: Donald P. Bellisario D: Donald P. Bellisario
With Alice Lemon (Tourist Wife), Roland Nip (Pin Ling), Remi Abellira (Moki), Lee De Broux (Duffy), Lee Woodd (Koko), Lee Gaber (Tourist Husband), Marvin Wong (Ho Ling), Susie Elene (Mai Ling), George Cheung (Choi), Yankee Chang (Han Ling).

A beautiful Chinese girl hires Magnum to protect a priceless ancient Oriental vase until it can be delivered to its owner.

[Pahonu]

December 18th, 2020

[CBS 9:00] Magnum, P.I. [Reg]: China Doll
Season 1, episode 3

W: Donald P. Bellisario D: Donald P. Bellisario
With Alice Lemon (Tourist Wife), Roland Nip (Pin Ling), Remi Abellira (Moki), Lee De Broux (Duffy), Lee Woodd (Koko), Lee Gaber (Tourist Husband), Marvin Wong (Ho Ling), Susie Elene (Mai Ling), George Cheung (Choi), Yankee Chang (Han Ling).

A beautiful Chinese girl hires Magnum to protect a priceless ancient Oriental vase until it can be delivered to its owner.

I’m in.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Why wouldn’t he have a SSN? I moved to the U.S. shortly after this and I needed an SSN to work & go to university.

I didn't think you could get one if you weren't a citizen?

My parents were both permanent resident aliens from Canada arriving in 1965. They both had SS# from then and never naturalized.

Yep we came to America in 1991 and the first thing we got was an SSN. Everyone who comes to live here must get one. I didn't become a citizen until 1999.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

So no one watched "China Doll" this past Friday??? Or simply no one cared to comment?

[308GUY]

I watched.....

I tried to adopt the mindset of having seen the 2 hour pilot the week before....and see this as the second appearance of TSM and the crew.

Anyway you go, this was a memorable episode to me.

I find it amazing that Selleck's portrayal of TSM didn't change all that much throughout the entire series, other than what seemed to be the natural progression of ageing and character development in line with the experiences put forth across the entire run.

I did find one thing peculiar, when TSM and TC are securing the chopper after landing on Kauai, TC says he is going for a beer.....out of line when put up next to his drinking habits portrayed for the remainder of the show.

Thoroughly enjoyable episode for me. Your results may differ.

[Pahonu]

I watched it Friday but was waiting again for comments, kind of like the first week. I figured it had kind of died. I actually took it off my calendar in my phone, but I guess I’ll put it back. I must admit that I watched it much later that night than the time when it originally aired, unlike the previous week with the pilot.

It’s always been a favorite of mine. Even though it’s been many months since the pilot was filmed, they are still using locations rather than sets, with the exception of the guest house which was already made for the pilot. The Higgins den scenes are an actual room in the Marks Estate. It’s the only time that you can see the rooms ceiling, which isn’t built on a set. It would be recreated as a set on the soundstage thereafter. The entrance to the den through the brick area was from the Marks Estate also, and will not be used again. The den entrance from the hall opening to the driveway will become standard.

The mention of TC having a beer fits in with the pilot, but will also change as does Rick’s Cafe Americain. Lastly, I also enjoy some of the more creative camera angles and cuts used in early episodes like this, the most obvious here being the cut from the tong in the gift shop killing Ho to Higgins practicing his Tae Kwan Do.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

It's definitely an episode that gets better with each rewatch. I never disliked it but thought it was a bit overrated around here. Some even claimed it was one of the very, very best. Top 5 material. For me it didn't even make top 5 for season 1 (actually I used to like "The Black Orchid" more, heh!). But it has definitely grown on me A LOT! Now it sits just outside of my top 5 for season 1, alongside "Lest We Forget" and "Don't Say Goodbye" - great episodes that just fall short of making the cut.

My top 5 for the season?

1. Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii
2. No Need to Know
3. Never Again... Never Again
4. Skin Deep
5. J. Digger Doyle

[T.Q.]

I love the Waikiki/Kalākaua scenes.

Especially this one.



Grew up spending a few days in Waikiki every year before going to our timeshare.

[Fr. Paddy McGuinness]

I love the Waikiki/Kalākaua scenes.

Especially this one.



Grew up spending a few days in Waikiki every year before going to our timeshare.

That scene is from a movie Selleck made with James Whitemore called “The Chinese Typewriter”. I found it on YouTube. It’s a tough watch. Whitemore plays the eponymous Billy Joe Bob in season 2’s premiere “Billy Joe Bob”. They used that scene a few times.

[T.Q.]

December 25th, 2020

[CBS 9:00] Magnum, P.I. [Reg]: Thank Heaven For Little Girls And Big Ones Too
Season 1, episode 4

W: Babs Greyhosky D: Bruce Seth Green
With Katherine Cannon (Linda Booton), Elizabeth Hoy (Lesli), Lauri Hendler (Nancy), Al Harrington (Mano), George Fisher (Boxer), Jim Demarest (Kidnapper), Pamela Piper (Melissa), Erin Ostrem (Darlene), Shannon Brady (Carolyn).

Magnum is hired by five young schoolgirls from Vermont to find their missing teacher.

[MagnumsLeftShoulder]

Did anybody else watch? I don't have a lot to say about it except, the scenes with TM and TC looking for the teacher are the best parts. Also, Thomas' chambray shirt is missing a button for the epaulet on the left shoulder.

[terryfromkerry]

Hi guys,
By today's conventions to see T.C. with his shirt wide open (displaying that finely toned torso) within the confines of the airport terminal is strange to say the least. If anyone of us did something like this now I am sure security would throw a net over us, drag us out and perhaps confine us for quite some time. God I loved the '80's !

[Pahonu]

Maybe my least favorite episode from season 1. I started to watch but didn’t get very far in and fell asleep, if that means anything.

I made some comment about the sets or location for the first two so I’ll continue. This is the first appearance of the living room set with adjoining stair hall and alcove with the door to the wine cellar. The living room is decorated a little differently than later episodes, not counting the Gauguin and Christmas tree! I think the cabinets on either side of the fireplace are unique to this episode.

It’s also the first appearance of the wine cellar set. These two sets will be the 3rd and 4th created for the series, after the guest house for the pilot, and Higgins, or should I say Huggins, den for China Doll.

As a side note, this is referencing the way the sets were built relative to the actual house. If one were to enter the double doors from the driveway of the actual home, the half-round stairs in the stair hall set are actually where a small service staircase is located, but they’re behind a door as this is the service side of the home. This further leads to the butler’s pantry and on to the kitchen of the actual house. This area is were the set shows Higgins’ den. The other side of the double doors is the trunk room in the actual house, again behind a door. This area is shown as the alcove with wine cellar door on the set. Lastly, the location of the living room set would be in the arches of the courtyard and part of the courtyard itself. The living room is the biggest mistake that was made when building the sets. It wouldn’t even be under the roof of the actual house as it is depicted.