China Doll (1.3)

[eltonsean]

Smart move.

well, it was the obvious move, Not everyone likes boobs, lol.

[Doc Ibold]

Smart move.

well, it was the obvious move, Not everyone likes boobs, lol.

We do like to keep it kind of PG around here

[Primbud]

I gave this one a 6 of 10 and I liked it overall. I've always been interested in the Chinese culture so it was to my liking before even combing through it.

When Magnum called Ho a cousin in the car, he almost brakes the fourth wall as if acknowledging the possible misspeak.

I thought the bird at Uncle Han's place would say something, perhaps if this was a two-parter with a longer story, lol. I also felt that the Mai Ling actress ranged in beauty from slightly annoying bordering on unattractive to superbly attractive.

When Magnum says he had to wait. And wait. I thought it might go into more 'wait's like in the beginning of 'Casablanca'; after all, there was supposed to be a Casablanca in-joke in every one of the 22 original episodes, right?

[JKuriako]

Another of my favorite episodes, this one well TC and Magnum arguing, Magnum being suckered by Mei Ling (spelling?) the dogs chasing Magnum, Magnum antagonizing Higgins repeatedly even Rick who I at times felt was annoying was pretty amusing in this episode.

[Milton Collins]

This is a very solid episode. The Choi character introduced a great villain with lethal fighting abilities. Personally I think an ending with a one on one of Magnum against Choi would have been awesome but I doubt TM would have done too well, that guy was insanely tough and quick!

Funny to see good old Rodney Radcliffe from season 6 Old Acquaintance appearing as the sailor and even more funny to see him get knocked out after talking all big about how tough he was:) Hint hint: I hate the Rodney Radcliffe character from above mentioned episode!

These early ones are so darn good, hard to find much if anything I didn't like and gave it an 8.5. Mi Ling was a nice addition, soooo cute!

[KingKC]

I can see now why this was a top rated episode. I worried at first (Yes...back in 1980) how much Asian connection was going to be in MPI (since the pilot movie included a strong southeast Asian/Chinese connection) and more importantly how much violence this show would depict. The Choi character was lethal and capable of killing left and right. And the last scene implied tremendous violence, although in self-defense, of literally blowing someone's head off. As I have stated before several MPI episodes, especially in the first season, stay forever in my mind and this episode's images were not all good due to the violence. I am glad MPI did not turn into a constant showing of Asian connections as being evil or turn too gratuitously violent. I think it blended in the right amount of Vietnam/Asian influence without dominating the theme of the show.

[Little Garwood]

I voted China Doll a 7.0; "Average at Best".

I'm sure no one will agree with me on this and I'm just humorless and grouchy, as well as missing the delightful Thomas-T.C. banter, but there's one scene in this episode that annoys the hell out of me.

It's the four or five minute scene at the start when T.C. and Magnum are being extremely obnoxious while flying the middle-aged tourist couple around. T.C. in particular is annoyingly loud and behaving way out of character. What really irritates me is how he tries to terrify the couple with reckless flying and then blows them off ("If you want to know anything else, there's a guide book back there somewhere.") but then he's shown begging for their forgiveness and offering them back their money! Talk about failed attempts at comedy...

Hi little garwood, I'm new here to the forum, but i agree with you, that scene is painful to watch! T.C. is totally out of character and it's a cheesy attempt at comedy. T.C. usually takes his business very seriously and is more responsible with his customers. Perhaps this obnoxious moment was a turning point for T.C.? Maybe he learnt his lesson with this couple and from here on treats his customers better? Either way, I'm glad his character evolved into the T.C. that we all know and respect.

I see what you're saying about TC, but keep in mind this is the first "real" episode of the series after the pilot movie.

I agree TC'S actions seem out of character for the man we know later in the series, but I think there's an attempt throughout the timeline of the show to depict the evolution of each of the "core four". TC even goes in for a beer after they land, later in the series he's a teetotaler. I like to think of this as one of those moments, as an early businessman, where he's still figuring things out.

Watched "China Doll" again today and I hope no one sees this as me beating a dead horse but I wanted to add to our previous discussion regarding this episode's scene in question.

Normally, I would agree with the "it was an early episode" argument, but both China Doll and "Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii" were written by Donald P. Bellisario. Both episodes have extended chopper scenes featuring TM and TC. "Snow", however, boasts an outstanding chopper scene and was presumably written and filmed first but "China Doll" has an excruciating one and it immediately follows "Snow" in its broadcast order. Long story short? Bellisario just wrote a poor scene whereas in "Snow" he wrote an excellent one. Thankfully, as mentioned, these minor character kinks were quickly ironed out.

And that's it from me on the "dreaded" China Doll chopper scene! The rest of the episode will have to endure my review/observations later.

[UHmanoa-guy]

I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. This episode always makes me think of The arrow that is not aimed also because the martial arts stuff going on. Loved both episodes.

[KENJI]

Sam found this interview with Bellasario that touches on the early episode of China Doll and how the show grew into a huge success.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90BFQVXHm8A

[Big Kahuna]

In the clip form the opening credits – which comes from this episode – what martial art is Higgins practicing..? Is it tai chi, which seems a little predictable, or something like wing chun perhaps?

Many thanks.

[Turkey]

Great episode - the characters are mostly fully formed, especially for so early in the show's run.

However, I don't buy everyone laughing at Magnum's abilities as 'protector' seeing as they served in Nam with him and know he's more than capable. Of course, maybe they're just laughing at him because they know he thinks he's going to 'get lucky'?

[Danny Lin]

On everyone laughing at Magnum´s abilities as a protector:

Great episode - the characters are mostly fully formed, especially for so early in the show's run.

However, I don't buy everyone laughing at Magnum's abilities as 'protector' seeing as they served in Nam with him and know he's more than capable. Of course, maybe they're just laughing at him because they know he thinks he's going to 'get lucky'?

I guess your first assumption is right. They´re supposed to laugh at Thomas because they think that he´s incapable of being a protector to Mai Ling. That´s one of those things that occur repeatedly throughout the shows run: Higgins, T.C. and Rick every now and then show a little disrespect for Thomas profession as for example when he´s having a case involving jealous husbands or wifes.

And just like you I don´t buy those scenes in this episode. They´re a clear inconsistency in the story of the characters involved. Poor writing which unfortunately happens far too often...

Edit: After having seen the sequences again, I now tend to your second assumption that they are meant to laugh at Magnum because they believe to know that he would try to get lucky. Especially Higgins saying "...the thought of you, protecting a beautiful woman..." got me to change my mind on those "laughing sequences."
But this doesn´t really make things better. It remains poor writing anyway since even if Magnum in fact "got lucky" that certainly wouldn´t mean that he would neglect his job to protect the girls from what threatens them. After all they´re grown up people. And at least Rick (perhaps not so much Higgins yet) would know very well about Thomas abilities from their times in Vietnam.

[Danny Lin]

On Magnum mutating into James Bond:

It was already pointed out by some of you that in the graveyard scenes there are some sound effects used that are known from the six million dollar man.

Did you realize that there is a scene where Magnum kinda mutates into James Bond?

The music that is played from the moment when Magnum starts off from the King Kamehameha Club in the Ferrari together with Mai Ling until he turns in on the main road is as clearly taken from James Bond as the "bionic" music is taken from the x million dollar man.

[Danny Lin]

On the "no passenger"-flub:

...

By the way, the flub mentioned in the episode guide about the Ferrari leaving the KKC with only the driver might be wrong. Look closely, the Ferrari is driving on the left side of the (divided) road and it looks like Magnum's head sticking up a little above the roof but on the right. I think they flipped the negative so we are looking at a mirror image. The head on the left would be the girl. It's at about 27:08.

What do you think?

Here we need to distinguish the scene in which Magnum turns in on the main road from the scene after the next cut, showing him just driving down the road (on the left side as you mentioned, Pahonu).
The flub from the episode guide refers to the scene when Magnum turns in on the road. Anyway in fact there is no flub. If you watch carefully you will see the head of the person sitting in the passenger seat, even without using the pause button. Using the pause button it gets clear that there´s someone sitting in the passenger seat.

On the next scene, where the car drives on the left of the divided road and the driver is seen on the right: That seems to be the same thing as in "Don´t eat the snow in Hawaii", when the letters on the helicopter are reversed. As someone suggested for the helicopter scene even in the scene from "China Doll" the vehicle probably was needed to move in the other direction on screen than it in fact was filmed like. So they just reversed the film.

[Danny Lin]

On the uncle Ho/ cousin Ho question:

...

Did you notice the flub? The flub occurred when Magnum entered the Treasures of the Dove at the beginning of the episode. When he entered, the narration by Magnum/Selleck referred to Mai Lin's "Uncle" Ho, when in fact it was her "Cousin" Ho.

...

I watched this episode this morning and was just about to post that!

It could be either way, actually: Ho could be her cousin or her uncle. I don't think there was any other mention of him, and it is more likely that Selleck screwed up memorized dialog (when he referred to Ho as her cousin) than narration, unless there was a problem with the script.

eegorr,

I haven't watched the "China Doll" episode in a while, but I believe that there was a reference to "Ho" as Mai Lin's "Cousin." I think it was after TC gets attacked by the Tong-Warrior and Magnum and Mai Lin are driving to her Grandfather's house, and Mai Lin was explaining her family's legacy of protecting the "Soul of Sung" to Magnum, and how all or most of her relatives before her have died protecting the "Soul of Sung" and then Magnum refers to "Cousin Ho." The last time I watched this episode was on DVD. The television version may have edited that scene out for time.

...

You certainly have a good memory!

That scene was in the show as presented on WGN this morning. It is what I referred to as memorized dialog. The narration near the beginning of the show, when Magnum referred to Ho as Mai Lin's Uncle, was probably read from a script without having to be memorized, so it is more likely to be correct, IMHO.

Unless there was a error in the script, of course!

I see what you mean eegorr. I always thought the reference by Magnum to Ho as "Counsin Ho" was how it was meant to be, and that there was either a mistake in the script that referred to Ho as "Uncle Ho," or TS just made a mistake in the narration, because Ho looks about the same age as Mai Lin, if not younger. However, I understand it is possible for a niece to be older than her uncle.

I just find it interesting how many flubs and continuity errors make it past the film editors. Of course, this is a TV series and I'm sure they have demanding time limits to deal with and probably let some flubs slide rather than taking the time to correct the error.

There is an additional scene that has to be taken into consideration:
When Magnum and Mai Ling enter Higgins´ study at the end, Higgins offers Mai Ling his condolences on the death of her "Cousin" Ho.
Also in both of those dialogues in which "Cousin" Ho is mentioned one can read from the lips of Thomas as well as Higgins that what they actually say is "cousin", so that we can assume that that´s what the writers meant it to be like.

If there was made a mistake by Tom when speaking the voice over monologue at the beginning or if there was a mistake in the script is mere speculation.