Mad Buck Gibson (2.9)

[J.J. Walters]

This is the official MM thread for Mad Buck Gibson (2.9). All discussions and reviews for this episode should go here. If you wish to rate the episode, please do so with the poll. The avg. score will be the official 'community rating', which will be used on the episode page (updated monthly).

This thread is also linked in the episode page of the Episode Guide.

Original Air Date: 11/26/1981
Magnum is asked by the ex-wife of the adventure-seeking author Mad Buck Gibson to keep him out of harm's way until she collects the alimony he owes her. But, this task proves to be difficult as Magnum learns that Mad Buck is harboring a secret that could be the reason for his self-destructive behavior.

[Jean-Claude Fornier]

One of my favorite episodes. The character of "Mad Buck" is very interesting to follow.
It's a reflexion about the disease and the behaviour to adopt facing it.

[grundle]

Mad Buck Gibson = the father from the movie "A Christmas Story."

[J.J. Walters]

To me, Darren McGavin will always be Carl Kolchak - The Night Stalker!

This is a really good episode, by the way. No villains, just crazy Mad Buck and a frustrated Magnum. I gotta try "Beach Croquet" sometime.

[IslandHopper]

To me, Darren McGavin will always be Carl Kolchak - The Night Stalker!

To me Darren McGavin will always be "Ralphie's father from A Christmas Story." "FRAGEELEE, it must be from Italy." [his misread of the word FRAGILE]. Gota love it.

[golfmobile]

To me, Darren McGavin is Captain Grey Holden of "Riverboat."

Now I've given away my age! But I WAS just a little bitty girl then!!

golf

[Carol the Dabbler]

We just watched this episode on DVD. I had no particular recollection of ever seeing it broadcast, but was really looking forward to it because Darren McGavin was such a terrific actor (I mean, Night Stalker *and* Ralphie's father -- talk about range!). But what a downer!

Am I the only one here who doesn't like the episode?

At the end, I'm thinking, why doesn't Magnum go get Rick and the KKC yacht, or TC and his helicopter, and follow Buck (at a discrete distance)? After all, Magnum was supposedly still working for the ex-Mrs. Buck, with the responsibility of keeping Buck alive. Apparently, Magnum felt that his greater duty was to honor Buck's wishes -- but if Buck was drowning under his parasail, he might have been very grateful for Magnum to disregard those wishes!

Of course, that would have ruined the drama -- but in this case, I say to h*ll with dramatic integrity!

[SelleckLover]

I prefer to think that Buck made it to Maui on his hang-glider. His last words were, "With my luck I'll make it!"

[Carol the Dabbler]

Yeah, me too.

But Magnum's behavior still bothers me.

And you're right, Buck referred to it as a hang-glider. I remember that because the subtitles had "hand glider." Gack!

[IslandHopper]

At the end, I'm thinking, why doesn't Magnum go get Rick and the KKC yacht, or TC and his helicopter, and follow Buck (at a discrete distance)? After all, Magnum was supposedly still working for the ex-Mrs. Buck, with the responsibility of keeping Buck alive.

Good point Carol. The way Magnum lets "Mad Buck" fly off into the distance and to his death reminds me of the episode "Tran Quoc Jones" and how Magnum, TC, Rick and Higgins just let Tran Quoc Jones walk away to resume his life on the street after all of their efforts to help him. At least "Mad Buck" was an adult who had lived his life, but TQJ was only about 8 or 9 years old. I always thought that was very odd.

[Carol the Dabbler]

The way Magnum lets "Mad Buck" fly off into the distance and to his death reminds me of the episode "Tran Quoc Jones" and how Magnum, TC, Rick and Higgins just let Tran Quoc Jones walk away to resume his life on the street after all of their efforts to help him.

Of course, we don't actually *know* that Magnum didn't somehow follow Buck. He might have -- just as Buck might, as SelleckLover points out, have actually made it across.

But, alas, I think the whole point of the ending was that they didn't. It's supposed to be really heroic to fly off on a virtually-impossible journey. Is that a guy thing? If so, this is one of the few really guy-thing endings in the series. (Some might cite the black-out from "Did You See the Sun Rise?" -- but if that was a guy thing, then I'm a guy!)

The ending of "Tran Quoc Jones" is different. I don't remember it very well, but from the comments on this and other threads, it made no pretense of being heroic or dramatic.

[IslandHopper]

The ending of "Tran Quoc Jones" is different. I don't remember it very well, but from the comments on this and other threads, it made no pretense of being heroic or dramatic.

You're right, but my point was that I found both endings equally strange in that the audience is expected to believe that Magnum has this remarkable ability to disassociate himself, or immediately forget traumatic or terrible events like the death of a friend flying off into the distance, or a young homeless child wandering off to make it on his own (especially after they risked their lives to help TQJ). We of course know this isn't true, because we are often reminded of Magnum's memories of Michelle, Mac, Diane and his experiences in Vietnam. I think they call it suspension of disbelief.

[N1095A]

So, I'm watching this episode just now, and I've gotten to the part where TM and Rick are having their initial meeting with Buck's ex-wife. As she's talking, I notice that her necklace is actually a pendant that is a word. reviewing it frame by frame, and watching the light reflect from it, I was suprised to conclude the word is "BITCH". Shocking that was shown in 1980's prime time. Check it out.

[Artie Canoe]

Wow that's an interesting find, it definitely looks like it...maybe Buck gave it to her!

[SelleckLover]

N1095A wrote:

Shocking that was shown in 1980's prime time.

I think it would be shocking that it was shown if you could have read it! Remember, that back then you didn't have the ability to review an episode frame by frame, and if you did, you probably wouldn't have been able to read it anyway as the TV screens weren't as big as the ones we have today, or as clear. I remember originally watching Magnum epiosdes on a semi-fuzzy 12 inch screen...black & white, no less!. (I think we were able to afford our first color TV around 1985 or so.)