The Sixth Position (2.11)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the second season

Moderator: Styles Bitchley

How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
1
1%
9.5 (One of the Best)
3
3%
9.0 (Excellent)
6
6%
8.5 (Very Good)
21
19%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
22
20%
7.5 (Decent)
27
25%
7.0 (Average at Best)
16
15%
6.5 (Not So Good)
7
6%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
3
3%
5.0 (Just Awful)
2
2%
 
Total votes: 108

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J.J. Walters
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#16 Post by J.J. Walters »

rubber chicken, I'm not doubting you are correct, but how are you able to ID this particular house when it has no obvious landmarks, or "giveaways" (a uniquely shaped pool, tree, etc.)? Comparing a straight-down aerial shot with ground-level closeups, in this case, seems almost impossible. I guess the pool is somewhat unique, but surely there must hundreds more like it around the island.
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#17 Post by Sam »

James...I think RC is correct,as usual..What tips it for me are the 2 pools that are seen in the aerial shot.

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rubber chicken
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#18 Post by rubber chicken »

A little skepticism / constructive criticism never hurt anybody. :)

Well it's all pretty much laid out in the collage, but all the clues matching up means to me that it's an impossibility that this isn't the house. The first big clue is Diamond Head, which can't be anything other than that, because it's on the right side. Koko Head (on the southeast of the island) maybe could be confused with Diamond Head but then it would be on the left. And even if the film was flipped as has been shown to happen, all the other clues with the house would prevent Diamond head from being confused with something else.

So the only way to look at Diamond Head like that is from a house on Maunalua Bay. It doesn't take long to go through the houses on that shore with a view towards diamond head, and this is the only house which fits what's seen in the show.

But even disregarding all that, I'm going to have to disagree and say that it can be seen to be the correct house in comparing the screen caps and aerial shot. All the places match perfectly, and that could only happen with the right house. How many homes have a small pool in their center? And another one which perfectly matches where Magnum goes, with the little covered walkway inbetween two parts of the house? And the short grass section inbetween the house and the bay. And the white bench in the upper left of the grass section. And the folliage around the small pool in the middle. And all the lines connecting the screencaps and the aerial shot really do work perfectly. If you watch the show while comparing to the aerial shot, it may become more clear.

Watching the episode you can even follow the path Magnum takes...
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Last edited by rubber chicken on Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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J.J. Walters
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#19 Post by J.J. Walters »

Ah, Diamond Head. I missed that the first time. Still, even with that as a "marker", pretty impressive my friend! Downright stupendous, in fact!
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#20 Post by Apollo »

Unbeleavable!

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#21 Post by maggiepoole »

At the beginning of the show, when Magnum comes from the guest house to the main house (before he runs into the ballerinas). He comes down the guest house steps. Anyone notice a flash of some sort? It looks like lightning or a flash bulb. If it was lightning, he comes around the corner and it is sunny with fluffy clouds. Were the scenes shot on a different day or something? Or some sort of strange phenomena....... :shock:
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#22 Post by Jay-Firestorm »

The first of two reviews today. I’ve never really cared for this episode.

[rating=6]

As a favour to Robin Masters, Magnum winds up protecting a snobbish, famous ballerina after an attempt is made on her life, and uncovers a case of international intrigue. Possibly my least favourite episode from the first four seasons…

-----

This review contains moderate spoilers.

As a series, ‘Magnum’ can be summed up in two halves – seasons 1-4, and seasons 5-8, for it’s different styles of stories. ‘The Sixth Position’ is a strong contender for my least favourite episode from that first half of the series.

I just don’t care for this story much at all. I find the plot dull and unengaging, and I don’t buy the relationship between Magnum and spoilt ballerina Kendall Chase, which comes across as very unconvincing.

The revelation of T.C.’s love for ballet comes across as a rather forced “Wow, would you believe that” point, although thankfully is not completely overdone. His fondness for ballet would also be mentioned in several future episodes.

The story unfolds at a sluggish rate, and Magnum’s second case – which is supposed to be a diversion for him – is seemingly forgotten about, until suddenly being reintroduced later in the episode.

I suppose the climax, with the shootout in the deserted theatre, is fairly good, but by this stage, I’m afraid I had rather lost interest in the whole thing.

Overall, one of my least favourite episodes.

-----

Other notes, bloopers and misc.:

* For fans of spotting the real inside of the boat house, there is a good shot as Magnum goes to enter – we can see a wall where the stairs of the guest house supposedly are.

* On the DVD version, the third commercial break is abridged, playing right through.

* A nitpick: In the evening/night scene where Magnum and Kendall are taking a walk, and a guy falls out of the tree, Magnum says for Kendall to go back to the guest house. Surely this is rather silly – who knows what other goons are lurking around – wouldn’t it have made more sense to stay with her?
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#23 Post by Quigley »

Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:11 am Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the beginning of the show, when Magnum comes from the guest house to the main house (before he runs into the ballerinas). He comes down the guest house steps. Anyone notice a flash of some sort? It looks like lightning or a flash bulb. If it was lightning, he comes around the corner and it is sunny with fluffy clouds. Were the scenes shot on a different day or something? Or some sort of strange phenomena.......



Maggie - I was watching this yesterday and noticed the same thing! I would not have remembered about it unless I'd read your comment. I thought it may have been a reflection of the sun off something. Weird!

Another interesting thing about this scene is how you see Magnum come down the guest house steps and then in the next scene he comes around the corner of the main house on the ocean side before running into the ballerinas (which of course makes no sense if you know the layout of the estate)!
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#24 Post by Jaybird »

Wow! The "you walk like a duck!" scene where Magnum ends up passionately kissing Andrea after the two argue and push each other....what a classic scene! It made me think of Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert in "It Happened One Night." Just a great scene. Tom Selleck does have a certain "Gable-esque" appeal.

That scene made the entire episode much more enjoyable. It also showed, I believe, Tom Selleck's range and appeal as a leading man.
Just a great scene.

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#25 Post by J.J. Walters »

maggiepoole wrote:At the beginning of the show, when Magnum comes from the guest house to the main house (before he runs into the ballerinas). He comes down the guest house steps. Anyone notice a flash of some sort? It looks like lightning or a flash bulb. If it was lightning, he comes around the corner and it is sunny with fluffy clouds. Were the scenes shot on a different day or something? Or some sort of strange phenomena.......
Quigley wrote:Maggie - I was watching this yesterday and noticed the same thing! I would not have remembered about it unless I'd read your comment. I thought it may have been a reflection of the sun off something. Weird!

Another interesting thing about this scene is how you see Magnum come down the guest house steps and then in the next scene he comes around the corner of the main house on the ocean side before running into the ballerinas (which of course makes no sense if you know the layout of the estate)!
Weird! :shock: I could be wrong, but I don't think it's a flash. It looks to me like the film itself is damaged...

Image

Image

Although in the second screen cap, it almost looks like there might be a reflection of some sort. Are those human legs on TM's back?

Or maybe it's the long-suspected, secret teleportation device that enables Magnum to quickly get from the guesthouse to areas around the main house, especially when you consider that in a split second after the above shots, we see this (as pointed out by Quigley)...

Image

:)
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Styles Bitchley
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#26 Post by Styles Bitchley »

James J. Walters wrote:Are those human legs on TM's back?
I see a man's face just up and to the left of Magnum's head. Maybe it's the ghost of Robin's Nest!
"How fiendishly deceptive of you Magnum. I could have sworn I was hearing the emasculation of a large rodent."

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#27 Post by charybdis1966 »

Hello all, I have a feeling this episode was written after a network exec said “Hey, how about having a story about a ballerina needing a bodyguard?” Then the poor writers were supposed to come up with something in about 24 hours, and it shows – the quality of the writing is lamentable sadly and though the cast tried valiantly to make something of it (the regulars I mean, the actress playing Kendall seemed as wooden as Andy McDowell in Four Weddings and a funeral) the overall effect is of a poorly written and shoddily executed script.
Sorry to be so negative on my first post – I’m watching season 2 & 3 on DMAX in the UK at the moment.
I’ll comment on one of the majority of the episodes that are good next time.

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#28 Post by Donuts ensucrats »

charybdis1966 wrote:Hello all, I have a feeling this episode was written after a network exec said “Hey, how about having a story about a ballerina needing a bodyguard?” Then the poor writers were supposed to come up with something in about 24 hours, and it shows – the quality of the writing is lamentable sadly and though the cast tried valiantly to make something of it (the regulars I mean, the actress playing Kendall seemed as wooden as Andy McDowell in Four Weddings and a funeral) the overall effect is of a poorly written and shoddily executed script.
Sorry to be so negative on my first post – I’m watching season 2 & 3 on DMAX in the UK at the moment.
I’ll comment on one of the majority of the episodes that are good next time.
Don't worry.

I agree and...one more thing. It have the worst picture quality of all Seson 2.
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#29 Post by charybdis1966 »

It's funny you should say that Donuts ensucrats as I thought most of the outdoor shots looked quite dull and overcast. I assumed there was something wrong with my TV's brightness settings, but now having read what you said I agree about the picture quality.
Also, why couldn't they have picked a different ballet to show at the beginning ?
Swan Lake is such an obvious choice.

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#30 Post by Styles Bitchley »

charybdis1966 wrote:Swan Lake is such an obvious choice.
Better to go obvious in a mainstream TV show. Especially when it's the only time in the whole series it is featured as a theme.
"How fiendishly deceptive of you Magnum. I could have sworn I was hearing the emasculation of a large rodent."

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