grambax wrote:A very weak episode for me. I have no interest in sport, and no knowledge of American football, so that didn't help. But I've enjoyed plenty of other sports/football films and programs, so I don't think its just bias. However a few good moments save it from being a complete bust.
The good -
I'm surprised nobody seems to have mentioned how long Tom Selleck stretches out his reaction to finding out the player he's trying to question doesn't speak English. I'd swear the laughter of the crew had to be dubbed over, and I doubt that scene was intended to run so long. I think it was just a bit of casual "business" that they allowed to remain and let us see.
I'll answer that one.....as I see it was mentioned earlier by another person who is perhaps not from the USA or familiar with our brand of football..........it has been cliche for decades in this country for the kicker to be foreign.......so it was as obvious as a 500lb pink gorilla that the kicker would speak no English......plus they went out of their way to cast someone with an ethnic look. We refer to them sometimes as keeeckers.....because that's how they are stereotyped in identifying themselves.
woof, this episode is worse than I remember watching it many moons ago. The one saving grace about the plot choice was that they limited the gameplay to practice and did not write some ridiculous storyline that had Magnum playing a real game. Gave it a 7 and only that high because of Higgins missing Magnum.
Shermy wrote:Another oddity is the fact that TC- a man who is constantly too busy when Magnum needs him on a case- suddenly has time to try out for a professional football team. Not to mention the fact that he's in his late thirties and trying out for a professional football team. Or that he somehow manages to make the cut.
.
Difference is the football gig would actually pay TC for his services......
charybdis1966 wrote:I especially like it when Higgins points out the superiority of rugby to "American football" - exactly the sort of thing you'd expect him to say.
"I don't see the necessity for all the padding" he says(or something similar) - having watched rugby it is a very savage contact sport and any professional player has a 1 in 3 chance of being injured at any time during the season because of impact injuries.
Since my son started playing rugby a couple of years ago, I have to agree with this comment. Although I am born American, raised in the Midwest and a graduate of THE Ohio State University, I have found a new love: rugby! As seen on a t-shirt once: "If rugby were any easier, they'd call it football!" (or soccer).
As for the episode? Meh! What do you expect from a 1980's TV show? For TM and TC, at their age to be on the team? Of course it's ridiculous, but it moves the story along.
Did anyone else notice that the field had a Pro Bowl logo on it?
"You are three months at Dak Wei and still you crack jokes?" - Ivan
""Billy Joe Bob", may very well be my least favorite episodes of the show." terrible ep, agreed. Only saving grace is the extended footage of the Clarence Cooke estate front entrance, front yard and the big back lanai..
The barkeep pulling a cocked loaded shotgun at patrons is TOO much. This would NEVER happen. aside from the fact NO one keeps a shotgun at the bar in Waiks.
I hate magnum telling the redneck "I may have been all buttercups and daisies in there.." gawd DAMMIT! NO one speaks like that. This is so gay. Tom, do not ever do that again.
The coach was obviously based on Bear Bryant, and I wouldn't be surprised if the owner was based on Rams owner Georgia Frontiere, the only female owner in the NFL at the time. We also see a precursor to Tim Tebow in the God-fearing reserve quarterback.
There is a couple of possible 'flubs':
1) When TM enters the locker room looking for Dorsey he walks past at least a dozen people just to ask the weird guy who's banging his head against the locker. Why would he do that?
2) When Higgins delivers Magnum's mail in the locker room, how does he know Magnum is there? He never told him anything about his case...
snp389 wrote:I love the scene where JQH and the 'Lads' are on the estate lawn
I got a charge outa that scene too. JQH making "plans" for the evening with the lads....missing, but not saying he misses TM. Like he's trying very hard to convice himself about being glad TM's "gone". I think the perspective used was very effective, in that it made JQH look like he was feeling (or I assume he was feeling)....alone and small with just the lads for company and amusement.
This one was really a mixed bag for me. I am not a fan of American football at all so the story wasn't going to appeal to me all that much based on that. Taking that into account, I found it to be pretty poorly done.
I can see Magnum being hired to help protect this player that used to be his back up at Navy. What I can't see is that the actor seems far younger than Magnum which made it hard to believe they'd been teammates. TC just trying out for the team and making it at the same time Magnum was undercover was a bit much. It's not that feasable that a guy in his late 30s to early 40s with no professional experience and having not played the game at an organised level in around 13 years is really stretching. Pat Morita's role being so short was a disappointment as well. I thought they could've gotten another scene out of him at least. It seemed, at times, Magnum was there mostly to play around and be part of the football team than it did trying to protect his client or learn more about whom was out to kill him.
I liked the twist where there was another threat when the stalker was eliminated. They did that part of the story very well. Magnum realising what the team doctor was doing to Dorsey was also a very well done part. This was actually kind of relevant as players often got cortisone shots and ignored injuries to keep playing. In most professional sports there were abuses by team medical staffs to various degrees. Be it supplying pills, misdiagnosing injuries to suit team needs, etc. this was done and reflected well in the show.
SignGuyHPW wrote:
I liked the twist where there was another threat when the stalker was eliminated. They did that part of the story very well. Magnum realising what the team doctor was doing to Dorsey was also a very well done part. This was actually kind of relevant as players often got cortisone shots and ignored injuries to keep playing. In most professional sports there were abuses by team medical staffs to various degrees. Be it supplying pills, misdiagnosing injuries to suit team needs, etc. this was done and reflected well in the show.
This was coming to my mind when I watched the episode yesterday. It's a kind of, maybe subtle, critic to some aspects to professional sports. I like how the story is unfolding sadly the story around the story is kind to broad brushed. I would say it would be one of the really good episodes if they wouldn't have done all football related stuff that kind of "one dimensional" (excessive pool party, locker head banging and so on). What I really like is the end of the episode. It's none of that cute and goopy happy ending instead Dorsey decides to play even with risking his whole career with not curing that shoulder completely.
A flaw I saw: TM is redshirted during practice. This means he isn't allowed to be touched (tackled). Twice he's droved to the ground which for sure will never happen in a professional football team (even not in HS or College). Redshirt means: This body is untouchable.
daveinitiv wrote:
A flaw I saw: TM is redshirted during practice. This means he isn't allowed to be touched (tackled). Twice he's droved to the ground which for sure will never happen in a professional football team (even not in HS or College). Redshirt means: This body is untouchable.
As a gigantic football fan, nice catch! I can't believe I never caught that one before!
SignGuyHPW wrote:This one was really a mixed bag for me. I am not a fan of American football at all so the story wasn't going to appeal to me all that much based on that. Taking that into account, I found it to be pretty poorly done.
I can see Magnum being hired to help protect this player that used to be his back up at Navy. What I can't see is that the actor seems far younger than Magnum which made it hard to believe they'd been teammates. TC just trying out for the team and making it at the same time Magnum was undercover was a bit much. It's not that feasable that a guy in his late 30s to early 40s with no professional experience and having not played the game at an organised level in around 13 years is really stretching...
Honestly, the whole backstory that Magnum was a star QB at the Naval Academy always bothered me as too far fetched. If he had been a star QB, the first thing many people would say when they meet him throughout the series, would have been to mention that or say they remember his playing days, wouldn't it? It would seem like kind of a big deal.
They tried too hard to give superhero backstories to the characters in the series (Higgins being royalty for example). The far out backstories often bothered me. That said, therefore, I don't find this episode necessarily any less believable than him having been a star QB in the first place, though its not one of my favorites.
I don't think they said he was a "star" quarterback. He was a starting quarterback for Navy, but wasn't a Heisman trophy candidate or anything. Navy has had other "star" QB's, but can you name any besides Roger Staubach? I don't think many of his clients would have remembered his Navy football days.
It's not a big deal to me but I can see what Dave is talking about. I like Magnum for his "everyman" qualities. Playing QB for a major college program is a bit Lance White-ish. Except he would have played for an Ivy League team!
Playing college football is fine. Being a starter on a known team seems different somehow. I can't really explain what the difference is. The more exceptional things that Magnum has done, the less relatable he becomes, I guess.
Not a big deal to me with Magnum, but there have been other shows that build up their characters bios to such heights that they would embarrass JQH. That's rarely a good move imo.
SignGuyHPW wrote:This one was really a mixed bag for me. I am not a fan of American football at all so the story wasn't going to appeal to me all that much based on that. Taking that into account, I found it to be pretty poorly done.
I can see Magnum being hired to help protect this player that used to be his back up at Navy. What I can't see is that the actor seems far younger than Magnum which made it hard to believe they'd been teammates. TC just trying out for the team and making it at the same time Magnum was undercover was a bit much. It's not that feasable that a guy in his late 30s to early 40s with no professional experience and having not played the game at an organised level in around 13 years is really stretching...
Honestly, the whole backstory that Magnum was a star QB at the Naval Academy always bothered me as too far fetched. If he had been a star QB, the first thing many people would say when they meet him throughout the series, would have been to mention that or say they remember his playing days, wouldn't it? It would seem like kind of a big deal.
I'm not sure that far removed from his playing days and playing far away from Annapolis would have gotten him a lot of instant recognition in those days. This was before everyone had dozens of channels to play college ball and the internet to try to keep up with individual players. Plus, when Magnum graduated he went right to Nam so there wasn't much to distinguish him from dozens of other players of similiar stature.
Rewatching this today it still seems odd that Dorsey would have an open affair with the wife of the team owner. You'd think that the owner could get rid of him even if he had to pay him his salary. It never really got resolved as to why the relationship was allowed.
