Magnum Mania!

Home From the Sea

Episode ID: 64
Episode Number: 4.1
Air Date: 9/29/1983
Writer: Donald P. Bellisario
Director: Harvey S. Laidman
Producer: Reuben Leder
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Recurring Characters

R.J. Williams (Magnum, 1950), Gillian Dobb (Agatha Chumley)

Guest Stars

Robert Pine (Lt. Thomas Sullivan Magnum III, 1950), Susan Blanchard (Katherine Magnum, 1950), Constance Forslund (Sandy)

Plot Outline

Magnum finds himself in troubled waters when his surf ski capsizes and he becomes trapped in a powerful, fast-moving, ocean current. Higgins, T.C., and Rick all have a premonition that something has happened to Magnum, but they're in a race against time to find their friend before he sinks from exhaustion to a watery grave.

Rating

9.5 (17 votes) MM Episode Forum Thread & Poll

Notes

1 This episode is commonly referred to as "The Treading Water Episode".

2 R.J. Williams received a 1985 Young Artist Award nomination for Best Young Actor, Guest in a Television Series for his portrayal of young Thomas Magnum in this episode.

3 Magnum's annual tradition of spending 4th of July alone at sea is also featured in "Death and Taxes" (7.6).

4 At the funeral, Magnum's father is referred to as Thomas Sullivan Magnum Senior. In "Resolutions (1)" (8.12), the last episode of the series, we learn that Magnum's grandfather (on his father's side) is also named Thomas Sullivan Magnum, and apparently so is his father. Thus, using the finale as canon, Magnum's correct full name is Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV.

5 Gwen Verdon will play Magnum's mom in the present, Katherine Peterson, starting with Season Six's "Going Home" (6.7).

6 The watch that Magnum inherits from his father is a Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT Master (16750, with the "pepsi" bezel). This is based on visual evidence (from this and other episodes) as the watch type is not actually mentioned in the show. Unfortunately this watch, or anything close to resembling it, was not around in the early 1950s. The Rolex GMT Master didn't appear until the mid 1960s!

7 This is one of the rare episodes that does not feature any villians.

8 In this episode we learn that Magnum was born in 1945. This contradicts the 1/05/1946 date shown on Magnum's driver's license in "Memories Are Forever (1)" (2.5).

9 The estate's phone number is 555-2100. In "Luther Gillis: File #001" (5.10), the number is given as 555-2481. (Noted by Mike Barnes)

10 Higgins says that "just after the war" he was in Pakistan, where he encountered Lt. Teddy Fabishaw, a good officer but one with an unfortunate compulsion to worship lizards. Teddy lost his commission when he was caught with a Colonel's daughter performing an unspeakable act with an iguana! (Noted by Stephen Huntley)

Quotes

1
Magnum: I've always felt at home on the ocean, even as a kid. Maybe that's why I spend so much time alone on it, even on the 4th of July. I know, the Fourth should be spent with your buddies drinking beer, or eating hot dogs at the ballpark, or hoping into a potato sack race with your best girl, or barbequing in the back yard with your folks. Maybe for most Americans, but for me it's been a day to spend alone, to remember. So, here I was all alone on the ocean starting my annual Independance Day remembrance. At least I wouldn't get my fingers blown off by a cherry bomb. (Narration)
(Magnum is knocked off his surf ski by a reckless boater)

2
Magnum: I once had one [a shark] follow me on my surf ski. He just hung a few meters off my rudder. I know I set a personal speed record getting back to shore that day. (Narration)

Flubs

1 T.C. takes his little league team to see a "Hawaii Islanders" baseball game (at Aloha Stadium), but when we see the game in action, we see highlights from a Detroit Tigers game! Even worse, we see highlights of the Tigers playing two different teams! (Noted by Mike Barnes)

2 The show has apparently forgotten the first name of Magnum's mom. In "Try to Remember" (2.15) her first name was "Martha". Here it is "Katherine".

Wish to add something? Got a correction? Shoot me an email.

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