Magnum Mania!

A Sense of Debt

Episode ID: 71
Episode Number: 4.8
Air Date: 12/1/1983
Writer: Jay Huguely
Director: Ivan Dixon
Producer: Reuben Leder
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Guest Stars

Denny Miller (Leon Platt), Shannen Doherty (Ima Platt), Greg Mullavy (Charlie Amos), Donald Gibb (Condley Willard), Robert Whiting (Claude), Barbara Sinclair (Wanda), Alan Trammell (Himself), Lou Whitaker (Himself)

Plot Outline

After he runs into - literally - Vietnam veteran and professional boxer Leon Platt, T.C. steps into the ring in order to win a boxing prize that will save the man and his daughter from destitution. Higgins summons Magnum back from a job in Detroit to help before T.C.'s sense of guilt knocks him out for good.

Rating

8.0 (9 votes) MM Episode Forum Thread & Poll

Notes

1 The original title of this episode was "King of the Mountain". (Noted by Mike Barnes)

2 This is the third "T.C.-centric" episode of the series.

3 T.C.'s nickname in the bare-knuckle, no rules, boxing event is The Ebony Assassin. T.C. mentions that he was Light Heavyweight Regional Gold Glove Champion at Camp Lejuene and "All-Southern Conference" at Grambling, but is cut-off. He's also seen wearing a Grambling sweatshirt.

4 Detroit Tigers stars Alan Trammell (SS) and Lou Whitaker (2B) make a brief apperance as themselves [pic]. Stock aerial footage of Tiger Stadium in Detroit is seen briefly. And Tigers manager Sparky Anderson is mentioned again.

5 Delta 4/1, Leon's unit that saved T.C. from his downed chopper in Vietnam, is partly fictional. Delta refers to the U.S. Marines' Delta Company, which did indeed serve in Vietnam. There was no Delta Company unit named 4/1, however.

6 Hollywood tough guy Donald Gibb (Condley Willard) previously appeared in "The Eighth Part of the Village" (3.4).

7 During her stay at the estate, Ima, without Higgins' knowledge, has re-named Zeus and Apollo, "Buster" and "Bobby-K". A memorable denouement has Higgins returning to the estate only to discover that Zeus and Apollo only respond to "Buster" and "Bobby-K"!

Quotes

1
T.C.: Hey, this bare-knuckle stuff is easy!

2
Magnum: When you spend your every working day basking in the balmy breezes of paradise, when you play year round on the beautiful sunny beaches of the Pacific, where do you dream of going on a vacation? The answer is obvious: Detroit. Reason one: Detroit's a fun city. Reason two: There's a superior group of athletes there known as the Tigers! (Narration)

3
Higgins: You ran through a pen, striking Mr. Platt, who was chasing a pig?! It's so... Magnum-esque. The body has departed, but the spirit has remained behind to haunt me. Why?

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