Magnum Mania!

Three Minus Two

Episode Number: 40
Season Number: 2.22
Air Date: 4/1/1982
Writer: Robert Van Scoyk
Director: Sidney Hayers
Producers: Rick Weaver, Andrew Schneider
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Guest Stars

Jill St. John (Jan Kona), Beverly Garland (Florence Russell), Denny Miller (Ox), Robert Harker (Bart Lindsey), Wayne Ward (Wayne Lochman), Don Lamond (Alan Russell), Dick Jensen (Sgt. Kaio), Teri Ann Linn (Wendy), Julia Nickson (Lani), Shirley Rogers (Miss Jones - uncredited)

Episode Brief

A beautiful fashion designer asks for Magnum's help when one of her two partners is found murdered and she suspects the third partner of the crime. As Magnum investigates, he learns that there are several possible suspects and that someone may be planning another murder.

Rating

7.8

(26 votes)

Rate Episode

Notes

¹ Despite being the last episode shown in the season this evidently was one of the first produced, as demonstrated by a number of shots from this episode that have been used in the opening title sequence for the entire second season: (1) Magnum holding the girl as she learns to snorkel (the famous "snorkel shot"), (2) Magnum almost dropping the expensive camera as Higgins hands it to him, (3) T.C. holding the camera and smiling as he directs the female models, and (4) a car exploding.

² Mr. Masters camera (the one that T.C. uses at the photo shoot) appears to be a Hasselblad 1000F model (with a Vivitar 283 flash). (Camera ID'd by Sam & Frodoleader)

³ The shot of Magnum pretending to nearly drop the Hasselblad camera is edited different in the episode versus what is seen in the opening credits. On the credits, he pretends to drop it, and flips the equipment case lid down. In the episode itself, he goes to drop it, and we cut to some close-up reaction shots, with the lid heard to close off-camera. (Noted by Jay-Firestorm)

⁴ Denny Miller (Ox) will appear in Season Four's "A Sense of Debt" (4.8) and Season Six's "Photo Play" (6.21).

⁵ Local Hawaiian singer, dancer, Waikiki showroom star Dick Jensen (Sgt. Kaio) makes his first appearance on the show. He will later be seen in "Blind Justice" (5.7), "The Kona Winds" (6.4), "Death and Taxes" (7.6) and "Kapu" (7.10) (in his most memorable role as Mano the Hawaiian Chief)

⁶ The actresses who play the two beautiful swimsuit models, Julia Nickson (Lani) and Teri Ann Linn (Wendy), will be seen again in the show. Julia Nickson will appear in "Legacy From a Friend" (3.19) as a street merchant, and Teri Ann Linn will play "Legs" in "Faith and Begorrah" (3.23). The lady ("Miss Jones") who appears in the famous "snorkel shot" scene with Selleck (used in the opening title sequence for Seasons 2-8) is Shirley Rogers (uncredited). Shirley appeared in the denouement of Season One's "Don't Say Goodbye" (1.15) and was also an extra on the show for many years.

⁷ Magnum mentions his Dad and some advice that he gave one time - "Never throw a punch at a redwood tree!".

⁸ This episode features a rare peak inside the estate's boathouse (the guesthouse in the show) via the lanai door.

⁹ During a scene at the KKC beach bar, Rick is seen drinking a "Coops" beer with the label clearly visible.

Quotes

¹
(to Magnum)
T.C.: I knew this investigative business was easy, else you wouldn't be in it!

²
Magnum: I'm supposed to meet Jan Kona here.
Rick: Oh yeah!
Magnum: What do you mean, oh yeah?
Rick: Nothin', except she's one sexy lady, pal.
Magnum: How well do you know her?
Rick: Not as well as I'd like to. Her real name is Janie Cougin. She used to be a waitress. Thomas, she used to wear this little costume and she wore these black mesh stockings. She had legs all the way up to her neck. It was to die when you see this dame!

Shoot me an email if you'd like to have something added or corrected

---

---