Magnum Mania!

Italian Ice

Episode Number: 34
Season Number: 2.16
Air Date: 2/4/1982
Writer: Donald P. Bellisario
Director: Gilbert M. Shilton
Producers: Rick Weaver, Andrew Schneider
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Guest Stars

Mimi Rogers (Margo Perina), Ann Dusenberry (Katrina Tremaine), Jean Claudio (The Marchese), Wallace Merck (Segundo), Lilyan Chauvin (Maria), Lenny Montana (The Marchese's Bodyguard), Mark Tuinei ("Shamu"), Camila Griggs (College Student)

Episode Brief

Robin asks Magnum to fly to Sicily to rescue a beautiful young woman who is in the clutches of dangerous mobsters. The woman develops an immediate crush of Magnum, which puts his new relationship in jeopardy. Later, when the mobsters turn up on the island, trouble kicks into high gear.

Rating

8.6

(36 votes)

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Notes

¹ Several key plot elements will be "borrowed" for a Season Two episode of Airwolf (1984) called "The Truth About Holly" - a young lady is rescued from a foreign drug kingpin compound who later, in a jealous rage, tries to kill the people who saved her, namely the "girlfriend" (Jean Bruce Scott's character) of the "hero"! Both of these episodes were written by Donald P. Bellisario.

² When Magnum calls 911 for Higgins, he gives the partial address of Robin's Nest as "Kalakaua Drive, North Shore". The NORTH SHORE?! The estate has Rabbit Island in the background and we never see any waves breaking in the ocean! This is the first time the estate's general location on Oahu has been mentioned. The North Shore location will be referenced only a handful of times in the series, most notably in "The Big Blow" (3.22) and "Unfinished Business" (8.8).

³ The University of Hawaii at Manoa is used as a filming location for the college campus scenes. Andrews Amphitheater is featured in the climactic scene.

⁴ This episode includes a rare guesthouse filming angle "through the wall and over Magnum's dressing table" while Margo is picking up Magnum's clothes. (Noted by J.G.)

⁵ Tom Selleck and Mimi Rogers (Margo) co-starred together in the 1982 TV movie Divorce Wars: A Love Story. They were also known to be dating each other around this time. In 2005, Mimi appeared in the first Jesse Stone movie, Stone Cold.

⁶ Both T.C. and Magnum tear down the "fourth wall" by looking directly at the camera. This is one of the few times T.C. does so.

⁷ University of Hawaii defensive lineman, and Punahou School alum, Mark Tuinei has a small role as a college student. After college in 1983 he was picked up by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent and went on to have a stellar 15 year career with them as an offensive lineman. He sadly died of a drug overdose in Texas in 1999.

⁸ The Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel is used as a filming location. (Noted by Sam)

⁹ Lenny Montana (The Marchese's Bodyguard) is a former mobster (a Columbo Family "associate") and pro wrestler (in the 1950s and 1960s). His first acting role was in The Godfather (as bodyguard Luca Brasi). (Noted by Sam)

¹⁰ Rick suggests that the Marchese may have connections with the Sicilian racketeering "Black Hand" organization, and that they should call "Five-0". Once again, this shows that Magnum P.I. and Hawaii Five-0 exist in the same universe. (Noted by J.G.)

¹¹ Higgins is shockingly shot in the left shoulder (by Katrina). We learn that he does the London Times crossword puzzle every week, and he was the "finest long croquet player in the Pacific". He also mentions that he is a good chess player and used to beat Robin regularly.

¹² In 1941, Higgins was shot in El Alamein, Egypt, where he learned he has the rare Type AB Negative blood type, which is present in only ~1% of the population.

Quotes

¹
Higgins: He's probably doing a Burt Reynolds impersonation for the tourists!

²
Magnum: Margo, come on. This is the girl! Let me explain!
Margo: Thomas, it would take a 1930's movie to explain this and I bear absolutely no resemblance to Myrna Loy!

³
(On seeing T.C.'s helicopter fly past the estate)
Margo: Who's that?
Magnum: Oh, that is a buddy of mine, and he sometimes flies tourists over the estate to see what famous person might be sunbathing naked on the beach.
Margo: Well, I'm not famous or naked.
Magnum: You will be..... famous. (smiles)

⁴
(To Magnum)
Higgins: Oh...My...God! I suppose you tried to repair the damage using spit, or something else equally disgusting!

⁵
Higgins: It's not a scratch, it's a bloody gouge!

Flubs

¹ The Marchese (Italian noble) talks with a strong French accent!

² When Magnum pulls out of the estate after talking to Katrina, there is a shot of the Ferrari making a turn with a different driver, one with no baseball cap and a different shirt on. In the next immediate shot we see Magnum again with the correct cap and shirt.

³ Near the start of the episode, when Magnum reaches into the Rolls Royce to remove the keys, it is pitch dark, yet in the interior closeup shot of him removing the keys the lighting appears to be daylight. There is too much light to match the surrounding shots.

⁴ Two different scenes are featured at Margo's college acting class, each taking place on two different days (one towards the beginning of the episode and one at the end). Yet, all the students in the class are wearing the exact same clothes in both scenes! (Noted by John Kosowski Jr.)

⁵ During the close-up shot where Magnum is running his hand over the Ferrari's fender scratch, the orange turn signal lamp seen on the fender is round. However, the turn signal lamp on the Ferrari's fender is rectangular. It is a mock-up fender. (Noted by J.G.)

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