China Doll (1.3)

[ENSHealy]

OK, I think we've got a genuine mystery here, or at the very least I can't get my head round it. Pasted below are screen captures from the Chinese Typewriter where we can clearly identify 3 sailboats, a woman in a peach bikini and a dude in light blue shorts.

Then, after that, a picture from China Doll, with TM wearing the Tigers cap, that also shows the 3 sailboats, the woman and the man.

The former from a TV movie that supposedly aired in 1979, the latter from a TV episode filmed in the second half of 1980.

The sails on the sailboats are very similar, but not identical. They could just be boats owned by businesses in Waikiki that were there on both days. The images of bikini woman and blue shorts guy are not clear in enough in both sets of footage to positively verify they are the same people. But given all that we've seen about the producers willingness to live with continuity flubs and reversed negatives, it seems implausible that they would have gone to the trouble to find and costume two extras to match up with 5 seconds of stock footage from a previously aired TV movie. So what gives?

[ENSHealy]

Initially I thought this was a flub, being Rabbit Island when they were supposedly flying over Kauai, but now I'm not so sure. Thoughts?

[ENSHealy]

And last but not least: How many frames does it take for a throwing star to cross the path of a private investigator? 3. I believe that's 1/8 of a second for those of you scoring at home.

[Rembrandt's Girl]

Initially I thought this was a flub, being Rabbit Island when they were supposedly flying over Kauai, but now I'm not so sure. Thoughts?

I've got this one for ya', ENSHealy...

They're not in front of Rabbit Island, they're in front of the Mokolua Islands (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Na_Mokulua) which looks like one island in your screen cap because of the angle, and that's Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe in the distance. In my screen cap the red X is the chopper and the red arrow is showing the direction of your pic's view. Pahonu is circled bottom left, and Rabbit Island bottom right...

[ENSHealy]

Good work, RG! Looks like you are spot-on. So, still a "flub" although one of convenience, or "suspension of disbelief" as opposed to a genuine something-slipped-through flub. As we've often said, the producers definitely didn't count on DVR/DVD freeze frame capability and legions of obsessed fans with way too much leisure time.

[Rembrandt's Girl]

As we've often said, the producers definitely didn't count on DVR/DVD freeze frame capability and legions of obsessed fans with way too much leisure time.

"Leisure time"?? You mean JJ isn't paying you too?

[308GUY]

"Leisure time"?? You mean JJ isn't paying you too?

You "funny girl"!

[J.J. Walters]

OK, I think we've got a genuine mystery here, or at the very least I can't get my head round it. Pasted below are screen captures from the Chinese Typewriter where we can clearly identify 3 sailboats, a woman in a peach bikini and a dude in light blue shorts.

Then, after that, a picture from China Doll, with TM wearing the Tigers cap, that also shows the 3 sailboats, the woman and the man.

The former from a TV movie that supposedly aired in 1979, the latter from a TV episode filmed in the second half of 1980.

The sails on the sailboats are very similar, but not identical. They could just be boats owned by businesses in Waikiki that were there on both days. The images of bikini woman and blue shorts guy are not clear in enough in both sets of footage to positively verify they are the same people. But given all that we've seen about the producers willingness to live with continuity flubs and reversed negatives, it seems implausible that they would have gone to the trouble to find and costume two extras to match up with 5 seconds of stock footage from a previously aired TV movie. So what gives?

Interesting, indeed. The MPI pilot definitely wasn't filmed until sometime in the Fall of 1980. It was supposed to start filming in March 1980, but because of the AFTRA/Screen Actors Guild strike it was delayed (that's what cost Selleck the Indiana Jones job!). We know for sure that TCT aired in 1979, exact date unknown. It stands to reason then (as Homes would say) that the footage seen in "China Doll" is additional footage filmed for TCT, but footage that wasn't used in the movie. Maybe for some reason there was a delay in filming the scene. At which time new boats cruised in to the scene in the background.

That guy in the blue shorts in frightening!

[Rembrandt's Girl]

I think I may have an answer...

First, the scene in The Chinese Typewriter is just a cut from China Doll - they're identical but TCT is just a fraction of what we see in China Doll.

The Chinese Typewriter was a one-hour pilot that TS made but when it aired once on March 3, 1979 it was called "Boston and Kilbride", not TCT. I can't find that it was ever shown again until August 1982, and that's when the title was changed to TCT.

So I'm thinking the original pilot, Boston and Kilbride, didn't have that scene and Universal "borrowed" it from MPI and added it in before they re-released it as TCT... maybe to "jazz" it up? Just guessing, I'm not sure why. I was going to say maybe to make it longer but that scene is pretty short.

[K Hale]

In this episode, Magnum implies he can speak French and Vietnamese. But in "Little Girl Who," it's obvious he cannot speak French, he needs Higgins to translate what Lily is saying.

[T.Q.]

Awesome episode.

Love the T.C. and Magnum helicopter scene.

Rick has already become Rick sitting around the club.

Forgot Higgins breaks the Fourth Wall at the safe.

Love the Kalākaua street scenes.

I grew up staying at the Hyatt for a few days before going to Maui. The two building are prominent in the scene so I used to pretend I was Magnum when I was a teenager.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

I stayed at the Hyatt this summer! Loved it! Had an ocean and Diamond Head view. I call the hotel the Twin Towers of Waikiki. They shot the scene between Magnum and Mac there in "Thicker Than Blood". You can see the waterfall behind them.

It was built in the mid-70s. I love watching some of these buildings slowly appearing as I watch the original Hawaii Five-O over its 12 year run. Many of them didn't exist in 1968 when the show started. But by 1980 so many of them popped up.

[T.Q.]

I stayed at the Hyatt this summer! Loved it! Had an ocean and Diamond Head view. I call the hotel the Twin Towers of Waikiki. They shot the scene between Magnum and Mac there in "Thicker Than Blood". You can see the waterfall behind them.

It was built in the mid-70s. I love watching some of these buildings slowly appearing as I watch the original Hawaii Five-O over its 12 year run. Many of them didn't exist in 1968 when the show started. But by 1980 so many of them popped up.

That’s awesome.

Yep, the bar and waterfall scene with Mac. As you no doubt saw the waterfall is gone now.

Also, when Magnum was following Rick who was sleeping around. Computer Date?

The Hyatt has been undergoing renovations for so long. Still kinda far from its glory days these days but still nice.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

I stayed at the Hyatt this summer! Loved it! Had an ocean and Diamond Head view. I call the hotel the Twin Towers of Waikiki. They shot the scene between Magnum and Mac there in "Thicker Than Blood". You can see the waterfall behind them.

It was built in the mid-70s. I love watching some of these buildings slowly appearing as I watch the original Hawaii Five-O over its 12 year run. Many of them didn't exist in 1968 when the show started. But by 1980 so many of them popped up.

That’s awesome.

Yep, the bar and waterfall scene with Mac. As you no doubt saw the waterfall is gone now.

Also, when Magnum was following Rick who was sleeping around. Computer Date?

The Hyatt has been undergoing renovations for so long. Still kinda far from its glory days these days but still nice.

Oh the waterfall is still there. I even have a video of it that I took. Falls from the second floor to the first floor. Unless there was another one higher up, where the bar area was. I need to check out that episode again. But anyway that area is now the pool area and the dining area. I had breakfast there every morning - it was included in my hotel package

Yes Computer Date was the other episode that was filmed there.

[T.Q.]

Oh the waterfall is still there. I even have a video of it that I took. Falls from the second floor to the first floor. Unless there was another one higher up, where the bar area was. I need to check out that episode again. But anyway that area is now the pool area and the dining area. I had breakfast there every morning - it was included in my hotel package

Yes Computer Date was the other episode that was filmed there.

Maybe waterfall was off as part of the renovations last year.

This one right?