Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the second season

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How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
2
2%
9.5 (One of the Best)
12
11%
9.0 (Excellent)
19
17%
8.5 (Very Good)
23
20%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
29
25%
7.5 (Decent)
11
10%
7.0 (Average at Best)
8
7%
6.5 (Not So Good)
7
6%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
2
2%
5.0 (Just Awful)
1
1%
 
Total votes: 114

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Pahonu
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#61 Post by Pahonu »

Milton Collins wrote:Decent episode but nothing more. The best part for me is:

Tm and Higgins "kudu buck/Horace interactions" highlighted "Would you join me in a brandy and soda?" Higgins "No I had a whiskey earlier perhaps I will retire." ha ha ha
I laugh at this every time I watch this episode:)
I always loved that scene too. Higgins has a humorous pause between saying, "I had a whisky after lunch...perhaps that should suffice." as he seemingly contemplates his sanity after hearing the goat repeatedly. Nice, subtle work by John Hillerman!

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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#62 Post by jdequeir »

Hi Friends,

Enjoyable but pretty simple plot. However, the beautiful actress and her sexy voice add some glamour to this episode. I think TM has not dated her because of her dead father. TM is a very respectful guy - he doesn't want scholarship money nor takes advantages of a broken heart.

José

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Pahonu
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#63 Post by Pahonu »

Just watched this one with my son and he noticed that Magnum told Marion to grab the "rope" when they were pulling up to Dr. Martinez' Whaler in the King Kam I. He realized any sailor and surely a former naval officer like Magnum should have called it a "line". Technically it was the anchor "rode", but I was impressed he noticed it. We've sailed quite a bit together over the years, including on a Cal 20 like the one shown at the very beginning of the episode.

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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#64 Post by Mad Kudu Buck »

I never used to know a damn thing about sailing. The biggest "boat" I ever had was a $39 inflatable dinghy. Then a few years ago I got a small sailboat and taught myself to sail. Now when I watch the old TV shows and movies, I notice flaws all over the place.

"What the hell? He can't tack through the wind with his sails rigged like that!"

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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#65 Post by Pahonu »

Mad Kudu Buck wrote:I never used to know a damn thing about sailing. The biggest "boat" I ever had was a $39 inflatable dinghy. Then a few years ago I got a small sailboat and taught myself to sail. Now when I watch the old TV shows and movies, I notice flaws all over the place.

"What the hell? He can't tack through the wind with his sails rigged like that!"
Nice to have a fellow sailor onboard, pun intended. :lol: And you're totally right about all the mistakes made on shows.

What kind of boat do you have? I have 1968 Columbia 28 sloop I bought in 2003. Lots of work done to her over the years. I've been sailing for close to 20 years now.

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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#66 Post by Mad Kudu Buck »

I looked up your boat. Nice. Unlike mine, you can actually sleep in that boat and get out of the weather. My "sailboat" is just a 15ft catamaran. (...and I'm not quite a real sailor yet.)

Here's a picture of it in front of my house, parked on a sand bar. ("Everybody remember where we parked!")

Image

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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#67 Post by Pahonu »

Mad Kudu Buck wrote:I looked up your boat. Nice. Unlike mine, you can actually sleep in that boat and get out of the weather. My "sailboat" is just a 15ft catamaran. (...and I'm not quite a real sailor yet.)

Here's a picture of it in front of my house, parked on a sand bar. ("Everybody remember where we parked!")

Image

Nice! Right by your place. Mine is too. It's slipped at the marina where I live, about one minute away. :D You're a real sailor on a cat, especially if you've flown one hull.

I learned to sail on a friend's father's Hobie 16 cat back in the 90's. That was on a lake, but they sail them right through the surf here in Long Beach. What type is yours? Does it have a trapeze? I only used one a few times. I'm getting too old for that now!

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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#68 Post by Mad Kudu Buck »

It doesn't have a trapeze. It's not really meant for severe sports sailing. (though I have had it on one hull, but luckily didn't tip over)

The main advantage is that unlike the Hobie, you don't need a trailer. It completely disassembles and can be loaded on a car roof. Also, you can remove the sails and row it like a row boat. The best thing is that it's basically unsinkable. (...or at least I assume so :P )

Here's the site: http://www.x-cat.com/

I just hope I don't get caught in the Molokai Express. :D

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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#69 Post by Pahonu »

Mad Kudu Buck wrote:It doesn't have a trapeze. It's not really meant for severe sports sailing. (though I have had it on one hull, but luckily didn't tip over)

The main advantage is that unlike the Hobie, you don't need a trailer. It completely disassembles and can be loaded on a car roof. Also, you can remove the sails and row it like a row boat. The best thing is that it's basically unsinkable. (...or at least I assume so :P )

Here's the site: http://www.x-cat.com/

I just hope I don't get caught in the Molokai Express. :D

That's a pretty clever rig. I've never seen a single rudder on cat before. I wouldn't get that windward hull too high out of the water either. You'd lose a lot of control as the rudder began lifting out!

I just noticed you're Canadian. My parents were both from Quebec, but they came out here to SoCal long ago, in 1965. It's where I've lived (and sailed) most of my life.

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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#70 Post by Mad Kudu Buck »

Pahonu wrote:I wouldn't get that windward hull too high out of the water either. You'd lose a lot of control as the rudder began lifting out!
Good point. Another tricky thing on the XCAT is the aluminum centre bar - needed for the sliding seat rowing - but you end up bashing your knees and legs on it as you shift side to side when sailing. (I need to buy some shin guards.)

Yes, I'm Canadian. That's why I often use the Higgins quote, "I'm not a bloody American." :P

Actually, my sister lives in Southern California. Lots of Canadians move down there ...mainly the wimps who can't handle the Canadian cold! :wink: It's fun sailing in -30˚C winds past icebergs with fingers frozen by ice spray. (...well... not really)

Edit: Here's what my "front yard" looks like right now:
Image
It's not really possible to sail on this.

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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#71 Post by ENSHealy »

There was a question earlier on whether it was a flub that the boat seen in the opening is clearly a different boat from the one that is ransacked later. I don't think it's a flub, Marion's father clearly had two boats. One was a larger vessel that he lived in, the other one was for trips where a smaller craft was needed. I think the sailboat is probably too big to be considered a tender for the larger one? Speaking of the larger one, what was it? It looked like a tugboat to me, but clearly it can't be that, can it?

On the question of why the professor wanted to kill Marion's father: I still have my doubts about our having to rely on/assume as fact the plot point that her father finding the stele https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stele is enough to kill the father. It shows a Hawaiian with a mahiole https://sites.google.com/site/100object ... her-helmet. (I have a friend who referred to it Kamehameha's mahiole as as a Phrygian cap - that would clearly require independent development, wouldn't it?). Earlier, the debate was, is the mahiole Spanish influenced, or did the Hawaiians develop it independently of the Spaniards. Unless you can date the stele, it doesn't answer the question, and we don't get a date on it. It's even confused more by the fact that they find it in the same place they expected to find the sunken Spanish ship. Which came first? All in all, it makes for a weak base for the murderous intent upon which the whole plot pivots.
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#72 Post by ☨magnum.t »

ENSHealy wrote:There was a question earlier on whether it was a flub that the boat seen in the opening is clearly a different boat from the one that is ransacked later. I don't think it's a flub, Marion's father clearly had two boats. One was a larger vessel that he lived in, the other one was for trips where a smaller craft was needed. I think the sailboat is probably too big to be considered a tender for the larger one? Speaking of the larger one, what was it? It looked like a tugboat to me, but clearly it can't be that, can it?

On the question of why the professor wanted to kill Marion's father: I still have my doubts about our having to rely on/assume as fact the plot point that her father finding the stele https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stele is enough to kill the father. It shows a Hawaiian with a mahiole https://sites.google.com/site/100object ... her-helmet. (I have a friend who referred to it Kamehameha's mahiole as as a Phrygian cap - that would clearly require independent development, wouldn't it?). Earlier, the debate was, is the mahiole Spanish influenced, or did the Hawaiians develop it independently of the Spaniards. Unless you can date the stele, it doesn't answer the question, and we don't get a date on it. It's even confused more by the fact that they find it in the same place they expected to find the sunken Spanish ship. Which came first? All in all, it makes for a weak base for the murderous intent upon which the whole plot pivots.

Ever told a woman she was wrong? Then start telling her why she's wrong with supporting facts? OH murder is believable alright!! haha
That reminds me of the time....

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ENSHealy
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#73 Post by ENSHealy »

And further: are we supposed to believe the Hawaiians are happy because the professor's theory was proven wrong? It seems a stretch to infer that Keone had briefed them so well that they were able immediately realize the import of the find, before it's even dry? It seems to me their more likely reaction would be to be furious that one of their sacred sites was not only breached by a bunch of haoles, but they hauled stuff away too!

Mind you, I don't think this takes much enjoyment away from watching the episode, but it just leaves you sort of scratching your head at the end.

One last thought: Thomas was still below the surface when the bomb went off. Wouldn't that have blown his eardrums, even if he was far enough away that he wasn't otherwise injured?
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#74 Post by Pahonu »

ENSHealy wrote:There was a question earlier on whether it was a flub that the boat seen in the opening is clearly a different boat from the one that is ransacked later. I don't think it's a flub, Marion's father clearly had two boats. One was a larger vessel that he lived in, the other one was for trips where a smaller craft was needed. I think the sailboat is probably too big to be considered a tender for the larger one? Speaking of the larger one, what was it? It looked like a tugboat to me, but clearly it can't be that, can it?
You're right, Dr. Hammond had two boats. I don't precisely know what it is, but the live-aboard is what they call a "character boat". They're made to look like older, work or pleasure boats. The tugboat look is common. There's one in a nearby marina that looks like a small Mississippi Riverboat. Also, the Cal 20 would not likely be a tender. I didn't notice if it had an outboard in the well, but it's too big and with a deep keel would be poor for running about. It is a little surprising he would use a sailboat for research work, though, not a lot of space to work.

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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#75 Post by karolis »

This episode to me is the best since season one so far. I do not dig really deep to all of the plot holes and other flubs. I like episodes that makes me feel good after i watch them and this one really does! I really liked Wendy Girard as Marion, she isn't the hottest female guest star in the series, but is one of the most believable and likeable ones, seems to have character and is not in the episode just to look good. I like episodes with treasure, Hawaiian history, funny dialogue between Magnum and Higgins, ocean. And this definitely has all of it. When i watched all of the Magnum P.I. episodes last year the one that i remember i liked the most was Christmas episode Operation: Silent Night, which has similar mood.

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