Fragments (5.6)

[Styles Bitchley]

Psychic: "It's you in my vision, you're in the graveyard, but then, wait, someone who looks like you jumps towards me, but it's not really you but some freaky butt-kicking doppleganger..."

Thomas: "Don't worry it's my stunt double."

Sounds like dialogue from a Moonlighting episode!

Nice review nha trang.

[MaiTaiMan]

As I stated in my reviews of "Echoes of the Mind" Pts. 1 & 2...I love anything psychological, suspenseful, spooky, bizarre, etc...!

"Fragments" was another awesome example of all those aspects, and I loved the plot! The eerie visions, places they had to go, and that cemetary at the end with the freaky wind in the trees...perfect episode to watch around Halloween time!

This, and "Echoes of the Mind", are two of my favorites of season five, and of the series! I love intriguing and captivating episodes--especially ones that keep you on the edge of your seat, or you can't wait to see what happens next. These episodes fit that "bill" perfectly! I rated this episode "One of the Best"!

[miltontheripper]

Anyone else notice that for the second straight episode we have an appearance by the midget from season two's Tropical Madness? Look closely as Magnum is trying to get in his car to get away from all the people auditioning and as the psychic lady is approaching him you see the little guy walk accross the screen behind her. It's funny the way they reused bit characters again and again. Rather than flubs, I like to spot these people as they appear in different episodes/roles over the years.

[miltontheripper]

_____________

Seriously though - I loved this episode, rated it a 9.0. It's not a "core" classic by any means, but I almost enjoy these watchable "backwater" episodes the best.

Wow, that's exactly my opinion as well. The "core" classics, (Death and Taxes, Did You See the Sunrise, Memories are Forever, etc) are certainly 10's but sometimes I find the "backwater" episodes to be equally as entertaining. I love the "Halloweenish" theme of the graveyard at night. Rick trying to get her to read the future for gambling purposes was pretty hilarious as well. A good twist making the car salesman evil, I didn't expect it. Overall I really like this one.

[MaiTaiMan]

_____________

Seriously though - I loved this episode, rated it a 9.0. It's not a "core" classic by any means, but I almost enjoy these watchable "backwater" episodes the best.

Wow, that's exactly my opinion as well. The "core" classics, (Death and Taxes, Did You See the Sunrise, Memories are Forever, etc) are certainly 10's but sometimes I find the "backwater" episodes to be equally as entertaining. I love the "Halloweenish" theme of the graveyard at night. Rick trying to get her to read the future for gambling purposes was pretty hilarious as well. A good twist making the car salesman evil, I didn't expect it. Overall I really like this one.

Exactly! I love these kinds of episodes the best--"Fragments", "Death & Taxes", "Echoes of the Mind", "Deja Vu", etc...! I too love the spooky, classic horror setting of the cemetary in "Fragments"--lots of twists and suspense. Awesome!

[Croix de Lorraine]

When Manum, Rick, TC and the psychic lady are sitting at the outdoor table at the club, you can see Magnum's stuntman sitting at a nearby table wearing a baseball hat.

[Seaver41]

Anyone else notice that for the second straight episode we have an appearance by the midget from season two's Tropical Madness? Look closely as Magnum is trying to get in his car to get away from all the people auditioning and as the psychic lady is approaching him you see the little guy walk accross the screen behind her. It's funny the way they reused bit characters again and again. Rather than flubs, I like to spot these people as they appear in different episodes/roles over the years.

I assume it's a different midget than the one in Underworld? There is a scene in the patient waiting room and you can see the little person at the vending machine in the background.

[Neil Peel]

Towards the end of the episode, when Laura reveals the location of the McGuffin, the shot of Higgins' reaction is flipped over - his hair parting is on the wrong side. Just one of several flubs in this episode by a novice director, perhaps.

[J.J. Walters]

When Manum, Rick, TC and the psychic lady are sitting at the outdoor table at the club, you can see Magnum's stuntman sitting at a nearby table wearing a baseball hat.

Good spot there! Yes, I believe that is John Nordlum, one of Selleck's longtime stuntmen and stand-in's.



Also in this episode, you can see pretty much the entire film crew (albeit small in size) reflected in T.C.'s sunglasses! You can see it in three brief sequences when he is talking with Magnum and Laura Bennett. It's easier to see it if you watch as it plays out. You can see two big lights and just make out a bunch of people standing.

[Tuan Vu]

I watched this episode for the first time and thought it was just ok. For me, there was nothing really special or memorable about this episode, and nothing that significantly added to the Magnum mythos.

However, there were a couple of interesting things that local people here in Hawaii would find noteworthy or memorable:

1. As noted in the episode guide, Karen Keawehawaii played the part of the woman auditioning and singing the National Anthem. In Hawaii, she was very popular and even won Entertainer of the Year and Female Vocalist once or twice in the 1980s. She was also, sadly, noted for being charged with shoplifting at a local Longs Drugs store. I can't remember whatever happened to that case, but I do remember that back then I was part of a committee planning our company's Christmas party that year and we had already booked her and her family to be the main entertainment. We wanted to cancel, but all the other major entertainers had already been booked, so we kept the engagement. Of course, no one ever mentioned anything about the shoplifting incident, but even though it was a Christmas party and they did a lot of comedy in their act, there was tension and subdued atmosphere because everyone in Hawaii knew about the incident.

2. There is a scene where the cheating couple are in a car chase after TM and for a split second you see what used to be the largest pineapple in the world: http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolul ... e=1#artanc. It was an iconic sight in Honolulu up until 1993 when Dole Pineapple shut down its cannery at that location and dismantled the giant pineapple. According to the before-mentioned article, the pineapple has been destroyed.

3. The cheating couple wind up in the canal in Chinatown in Honolulu, which looks like this today and as you can see hasn't changed a whole lot: . Notice the bridge, which you can see clearly in the scene where Magnum talks to the policeman. In addition, there was the Toyo Theater (opened in 1938) located nearby there (you actually see the "TOYO" sign for a split second during the chase scene as Magnum's car zooms by). That theater was designated a national historical site in 1982. Yet, it was eventually torn down and today on that location is a Hawaii USA Federal Credit Union (that green-roofed building on the left of the above picture).

Anyway, these are just some trivia about the recent past that will soon fade from memory as time passes.

[Milton Collins]

I notice that there are only 3 pages of comments on this one, I find that kind of odd as it was a pretty eventful episode wether you like or hate it. I happen to really like it. Yes the psycich visions are a bit ridiculous but overll I like the scary, creepy demenor. Especially at that old abandoned restaurant where they find the dead body and the ending scene in the graveyard with "Evil Archie" was awesome! And he was a great villian, almost laughable at first and then just pure evil at the end. I wish there had been more spooky/creepy Magnum episodes. I know that wasn't the overal theme of the show but mysteries could lend pretty closely to those kinds of scenarios and I liked those kinds of episodes where there was a killer or a darker type mystery (Death and Taxes Milton also my namesake and favorite all time villain, Mixed Double's Ronald the creepy Carrie Reardon obsessed stalker, etc.) Anyway, I like this episode. Is the midget in the yard at the beginning with all the other performers the same one from Season 2's Tropical Madness (as the sumo wrestlers sidekick) and Season 3's Of Sound Mind (the little guy dancing in the frankenstein suit) and Season 6 I never Wanted to France Anyway (as one of the circus performers). Just curious as I like spotting recurring actors and I'm pretty sure this is him.

[Dave Anderson]

I notice that there are only 3 pages of comments on this one, I find that kind of odd as it was a pretty eventful episode wether you like or hate it. I happen to really like it. Yes the psycich visions are a bit ridiculous but overll I like the scary, creepy demenor. Especially at that old abandoned restaurant where they find the dead body and the ending scene in the graveyard with "Evil Archie" was awesome! And he was a great villian, almost laughable at first and then just pure evil at the end. I wish there had been more spooky/creepy Magnum episodes. I know that wasn't the overal theme of the show but mysteries could lend pretty closely to those kinds of scenarios and I liked those kinds of episodes where there was a killer or a darker type mystery (Death and Taxes Milton also my namesake and favorite all time villain, Mixed Double's Ronald the creepy Carrie Reardon obsessed stalker, etc.)...

This is in my Magnum top 5 episodes (I haven't formally ranked them, but I'm sure it is), so yes, I like it.

What about Woman on the Beach, that's one of the scary/creepy episodes, and of course Echos of the Mind was a creepy psychological thriller (though not Halloween type spooky). Compulsion, also from season 5 is a creepy episode, though its a little lower in quality.

[Milton Collins]

This is in my Magnum top 5 episodes (I haven't formally ranked them, but I'm sure it is), so yes, I like it.

What about Woman on the Beach, that's one of the scary/creepy episodes, and of course Echos of the Mind was a creepy psychological thriller (though not Halloween type spooky). Compulsion, also from season 5 is a creepy episode, though its a little lower in quality.

We think alike Dave! Both Woman on the Beach and Echos are good solid scary/thriller episodes (Echos is a top ten for me:):) and I agree compulsion tried but was less than stellar. Fragments is a really good episode that I can watch again and again.

[shaun082]

New to the board. Thanks for creating this. Did anyone notice Keoki behind TC when he is doing the card trick to Rick?

[SignGuyHPW]

I was not a huge fan of this one, but I found it to be alright. I actually really liked the comedy in this one. Higgins acting as if the newspaper printing Magnum's picture instead of his own when advertising his benefit to save the worms was classic. The parade of low level entertainers and novelty acts going through the estate was magnificant. I put the B story above the A story in this episode.

While they never went too serious with the psychic aspects of the story they did seem to make it more sci fi like than the normal episodes. I was also never a fan when Magnum would blow off a potential client that had a serious problem like he did in this. I think the episode was meant to be a Halloween themed episode, but they didn't want to make it too outlandish which kind of hurt the main story. It also never was explained why the newspaper's printing the wrong picture would cause Higgins to not have any acts for the benefit. I just couldn't understand how that connected.

I loved the comedy aspects in this one including the subtle ones such as Magnum explaining the complex plots as being "simple, really." The concern Higgins had for the wine was great since he was more worried about preserving it as something to drink than the historical signifigance to it being in Hitler's bunker was also brilliant. I like voodooish episodes for shows, but this one was toned down some I think. The idea behind it was pretty great I think though.