Skin Deep (1.6)

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MaiTaiMan · #46 Post by **MaiTaiMan** » Mon May 16, 2011 1:50 am

I LOVE this episode, and it's one of my favorites! This is really one where the show is starting to "prove" itself!

The plot is awesome, and very intriguing. Again, I thought the Vietnam flashbacks were captivatingly woven into the episode and Tom Selleck (as usual) does an outstanding acting job! Also, I know that producer Michael Mann is famously known for having very abrupt/sometimes "hanging"/definite in-your-face type endings to "Miami Vice" episodes. But, there are a few "Magnums" that do that as well...and Bellisario and Larson were doing that 4 years before "MV". I liked the abrupt but heart-felt ending to this with Magnum and T.C. mentioning the effects of their Vietnam experiences. Something you usually don't see at the time.

But, my favorite part about this episode is that it's obviously Donald Bellisario and Glen Larson's own take on the classic 1944 film noir movie "Laura"!

In "Laura" a beautiful rich socialite, named Laura, is brutally murdered by a shotgun blast to the face...therefore she is not identifiable by the face--in 1944 there was no DNA and I don't know if they looked at dental charts then or not? Anyway, the cop that has to solve the murder is captivated by who Laura was and as he investigates her life, he ends up falling in love with her. Then, she suddenly shows back up alive!

Come to find out, it was another girl she let stay in her apartment that was mistaken for Laura and subsequently murdered. Together, Laura and the cop solve who was trying to kill her and why. I love film noirs, so "Laura" is one of my all-time favorites. Therefore, it makes the "Magnum" episode, "Skin Deep", one I truly enjoy and love everytime I go through the show.

Another popular cop-show that did it's own version of "Laura" too, was the 90's cop-drama "Silk Stalkings"--starring Rob Estes and Mitzi Kapture.

#47 Post by **J.J. Walters** » Sat May 21, 2011 4:48 am

Glen Larson was only involved in the Pilot (co-creator). It was Bellisario's show from "China Doll" on.

Interesting about the similarities with the Laura film!

MaiTaiMan · #48 Post by **MaiTaiMan** » Sat May 21, 2011 5:30 am

J.J. Walters wrote:Glen Larson was only involved in the Pilot (co-creator). It was Bellisario's show from "China Doll" on.

Interesting about the similarities with the Laura film!

Thanks for the info!

However, was Larson still involved somehow with helping produce the show? Even though Bellisario was listed as the executive producer for the rest of the show after the "Pilot"...during the end credits of the show it still stays "Magnum" was produced in association with Bellisarius Productions...and Glen A. Larson Productions. Just wondering??

miltontheripper · #49 Post by **miltontheripper** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 5:00 pm

Have to start with Erin Wolf.....WOW! I'm sure all you guys will agree. Very entertaining episode. Anyone ever notice that the mansion used in this episode is used in at least 4 or 5 other episodes that I can remember?

MaiTaiMan · #50 Post by **MaiTaiMan** » Sat Jul 02, 2011 5:38 am

miltontheripper wrote:Have to start with Erin Wolf.....WOW! I'm sure all you guys will agree. Very entertaining episode. Anyone ever notice that the mansion used in this episode is used in at least 4 or 5 other episodes that I can remember?

Yup...Erin Wolf...however, when referring to the "Laura" plot idea I still have to go with Gene Tierney.

However, for an updated (80's) idea, Erin Wolf was beautiful too!

As I stated earlier, I love this episode and it's one of my all-time favorites!

rubber chicken · #51 Post by **rubber chicken** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 6:26 am

miltontheripper wrote:Anyone ever notice that the mansion used in this episode is used in at least 4 or 5 other episodes that I can remember?

The home is known as Haumalu (located here), and was in four episodes that I know of so far. Combined with Lanihau next door, they were in six episodes that I know of. You can check out the Chicken Guide if you're interested, and the page I made for the history of the homes can be viewed here.

MaiTaiMan · #52 Post by **MaiTaiMan** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:35 am

rubber chicken wrote:
miltontheripper wrote:Anyone ever notice that the mansion used in this episode is used in at least 4 or 5 other episodes that I can remember?
The home is known as Haumalu (located here), and was in four episodes that I know of so far. Combined with Lanihau next door, they were in six episodes that I know of. You can check out the Chicken Guide if you're interested, and the page I made for the history of the homes can be viewed here.

Awesome, rubber chicken...you definitely are the "master location sleuth"!

Visiting Stewardess · Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:52 am

Wow! You guys even know all the locations!!!

One of the most noteworthy lines for me was Magnum's "Hi, this is McGarrett from Five-0".... I used to love this show, Jack Lord was so wonderfully cheesy.

When looking at the "beauty" of women, one always have to take into account, that this show is now 30 (!!!) years old, and that at the time there people just had a different idea of beauty (for example, it was the time of perms, whereas today someone is beautiful with long straight hair).

So I guess at the time, she *was* really beautiful. And I don't think Erin Wolfe that bad looking even by today's standards, for that matter.

timm525 · #54 Post by **timm525** » Wed Jul 20, 2011 7:42 am

I didn't see this blooper mentioned in the reviews so I'll mention it here.

At index 2912 Higgins has walked into the girl's apartment to show Magnum the ballistics report he came up with. He says:

"This...is a 12 gauge double-ought shot gun shell."

"It contains 12 30-caliber pellets."

Now watch as he pour the pellets into the fish looking ash tray. Count the pellets and you come up with 14, not 12 pellets.

Oooops!

Magnum T. · #55 Post by **Magnum T.** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 11:06 pm

Really?
You got them!
Bravo!

ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) · Tue Aug 02, 2011 11:02 pm

Big fan of this episode! I'm almost done with the first season - have 3 more to go through ("Lest We Forget", "J. Digger Doyle", and "Beauty Knows No Pain") but this one is in my TOP 3 of the season, next to the pilot episode and the previous "No Need to Know". It's probably the darkest episode of the season which is something I really liked. It's certainly not as easy-going as your typical MPI episode. And with its obvious reference to Otto Preminger's 1944 classic LAURA, combined with Magnum's black-and-white Vietnam flashbacks, this one has a definite noirish feel to it. Love it!

Ian McShane does a terrific job playing a shallow and opportunistic (not to mention quite mad) movie producer and Cathie Shirriff is excellent in her role as Erin Wolfe. She's particularly memorable in the opening scenes of the episode where she's rehearsing her "suicide" - a scene which is quite disturbing to watch. Especially as you know what is about to happen. And I love the scenes in her apartment where you see Magnum getting drawn into her life (via watching her tapes for hours) - like Dana Andrews getting drawn into Gene Tierney's life in LAURA!

And how can you not mention the plot twist? Along with this season's excellent "Never Again... Never Again" and season 3's "Black on White" (also guest-starring Ian McShane) this is the best plot twist of the series. Although I guess I'm only starting out with the series.

Anyway, definitely did not see that one coming! Great twist! That's when the LAURA reference immediately kicked in for me. By the way, HAWAII FIVE-0 also paid a homage of sorts to LAURA - in its 4th season opener "Highest Castle, Deepest Grave". While it's not as LAURA-esque as this episode it did show McGarrett getting a strong attachment to a portrait of a beautiful wealthy woman whose death he is investigating. Herbert Lom of the PINK PANTHER films guest-starred in that episode as the wealthy husband of the deceased woman.

All in all, "Skin Deep" was an all-around excellent episode!!

And as a side note, I'm surprised by how good the first season is. Usually the first season of any show is fairly shaky and a show usually doesn't find its footing until the second season. Or even the third season. But here it hit the ground running - starting straight off with the spectacular pilot!

Seaver41 · #57 Post by **Seaver41** » Thu Jan 05, 2012 5:23 pm

J.J. Walters wrote:Love your reviews Agatha! They are well-written and chalk full of all kinds of interesting insights and opinions. I like your style. Keep 'em up.

Agatha wrote:3 - When someone is murdered, isn't the house a crime scene? Could somebody like Thomas just come in and spend the night watching movies and eating the murdered person's food?
For most people, no. For people like Columbo, Rockford and Magnum, yes!

not being a cop, my opinion is a stab.....but could Agatha's question be more of a product of the modern day CSI type forensic policework that is performed at a crime scene which requires maybe more of a lockdown of such a crime scene then say 30 years ago when they essentially dusted for prints, made a sweep, and moved on?

Sisophous · #58 Post by **Sisophous** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 9:16 pm

Unless I missed it something has not been brought up on this thread. The episode was dedicated to Robert Van Der Kar, a cameraman on the series who was killed in a helicopter crash during production. Does anyone know the details on exactly what happened, where it happened? Was he killed during the filming of Magnum for actual airing or at a different site unrelated to the filming? I wonder if one of the choppers was lost and they did not bother to mention it.

I would imagine the producers would try to hush it up as much as possible so not to draw any negative publicity, that's how it usually works when a tragedy takes place on set.

#59 Post by **Styles Bitchley** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 9:39 am

Sisophous wrote:Unless I missed it something has not been brought up on this thread. The episode was dedicated to Robert Van Der Kar, a cameraman on the series who was killed in a helicopter crash during production. Does anyone know the details on exactly what happened, where it happened? Was he killed during the filming of Magnum for actual airing or at a different site unrelated to the filming? I wonder if one of the choppers was lost and they did not bother to mention it.

I would imagine the producers would try to hush it up as much as possible so not to draw any negative publicity, that's how it usually works when a tragedy takes place on set.

This has been discussed at length elsewhere on the forum. I'll see if I can find the relevant thread and post it here.

StarchedUndershirts · Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:06 am

N1095A wrote:When TC is calling in his mayday, he identifies his himself as Bravo fiver one six. The camera pulls out as he fires a flare, and we see N58243 clearly on the side of the chopper.

Toward the end of the episode after the vollyball game Magnum asks TC if he ever thinks about Nam. Take a look at the scar (prop) on Magnum's shoulder. It looks loose, like it's coming off.

Side note: N58243 is the chopper with the floatation gear and long skids seen in opening credits and early episodes. Since later in the series N1095A is used, N58243 could be the chopper that crashed during this episode's filming killing camera technician Robert Van Der Kar.

This chopper was also used before Magnum aired in the 3rd season premier episode of Vega$ "Aloha, You're Dead!"

Skin Deep (1.6)

How Would You Rate This Episode?

It's "Laura"!!