Mad Dogs and Englishmen

Episode Number: 120
Season Number: 6.14
Air Date: 1/16/1986
Writer: Jay Huguely
Director: Virgil W. Vogel
Producer: Chris Abbott
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Recurring Characters

"Uncredited Actor" (Robin Masters - voice only), Gillian Dobb (Agatha Chumley)

Guest Stars

Darleen Carr (Ginny Malcolm), Michael Halsey (Justin Chesum), Rex Ryon (Dan Davis), John McCann (Lt. Drake), Jeff Olson (Ray), Fuzzy Moody (Guard)

Episode Brief

Magnum is more than a little taken aback when Higgins suddenly leaves his position on the Estate, after seemingly being found out by Robin Masters for stealing large amounts of money and valuable art objects. As Higgins' replacement, a rather dizzy actress, arrives to take his place on the Estate, Magnum investigates the mystery surrounding his abrupt departure.

Rating

8.1

(39 votes)

Rate Episode

Notes

¹ Higgins is recalled into service with MI6 (the United Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Service) for an important mission.

² The title of this episode is a direct reference to the Noel Coward song "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" ("Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun"). Higgins was seen reading The Noel Coward Diaries in the Season Three episode "Foiled Again" (3.8).

³ Darleen Carr (Ginny Malcolm) previously guest starred in Season Four's "Limited Engagement" (4.5).

⁴ Three rarely seen estate sets are used in this episode - The computer room, the wine cellar and Higgins' bedroom.

⁵ Robin Masters is seen from behind, and is heard for only the sixth time in the series. Orson Welles provided the voice for Robin four times before he died in 1985. Red Crandall did the voice work for "Deja Vu (2)" (6.2). Here, Robin Masters voice is provided by an unknown, uncredited actor. Robin mentions Ian Mackerras, the majordomo of Robin's Keep in England who was seen in "Deja Vu" (played by Peter Davison). Robin's "special reserve" wine is a 1938 Chateau Lafite Rothschild.

⁶ T.C.'s Island Hoppers headquarters appears to have temporarily relocated to a different location. Instead of the usual Makai Research Pier location, Island Hoppers is now at an unidentified marina, with a construction trailer for an office!

⁷ Agatha's house is seen for only the second time, following Season Five's "Echoes of the Mind" (5.2). The house is located in the Nuuanu Valley (near Oahu Country Club) in the same general area as the Marks Estate (the second setting for the King Kamehameha Club) and Jennifer Chapman's house in "Tropical Madness" (2.7). The house is located at 2913 Pali Hwy.

⁸ Magnum and Higgins communicate via computers using an early peer-to-peer instant text communication system, one that looks very similiar to UNIX "talk"! The screen is not split like real UNIX "talk", and no UNIX commands are shown, so this is clearly a mock-up, but one made to look very similar to the real thing! It's interesting to note that the more popular Internet Relay Chat (IRC) was still a full two and a half years away from being invented at this point in time!

⁹ This is a high body count episode, with LOTS of weapons fire! In the gunfight with the rogue guerilla group, Magnum, Higgins, Rick and T.C. literally kill dozens of people! Magnum uses three different types of weapons: A submachine gun, a heavy machine gun and a M72 LAW, a 66mm anti-tank weapon!

¹⁰ Magnum mentions "Kengi", a seldom seen Robin's Nest workman, by name.

Quotes

¹
Magnum: Sometimes I think maybe I've spent too long in paradise. I sort of take it for granted, like pizza. I mean, while I find a lot of security in the knowledge that "paradise" and "pizza" are always there, it's too easy to get complacent. Pepperoni or sausage? Perfect sunrise or a perfect rainbow? Why not just have all of the above, today? Now, I can deprive myself of pizza for a week and appreciate it again, but paradise...it's always at my door. And while it can be very pleasant, it can also be very predictable. (Narration)

²
Magnum: Robin, why havn't you returned my calls?
Robin Masters: Why isn't Ginny answering the phone, Thomas? She hasn't arrived yet?
Magnum: Uh, yeah, uh, she's here, but I've got some questions.
Robin Masters: If it's about Higgins, the subject is closed. Now, I expect your full cooperation orienting Ginny to her estate duties. She'll be there until I can get a permanent replacement, or get Ian Mackerras in from London.
Magnum: ...There are some art objects missing, but I'm sure Higgins meant to tell me about them.
Robin Masters: I doubt that seriously... When Higgins refused to explain a recent disappearance of $50,000 from the estate account, he was politely dismissed. But now that he's been unmasked as a common thief, he'll have to be dealt with my way. You, Thomas, will forget the entire incident AND you will forget Higgins!

³
(Regarding Higgins' abrupt departure)
Magnum: ... I mean, what am I really saying goodbye to? Constant complaints, constant arguments. Put downs. Threats. Early wakeups. Long, boring stories. And always, always somebody coming in to my house, without knocking! So let's look on the bright side, I mean whatever this guy is, he's not another Higgins.... I think I can talk Robin into giving Higgins his job back.

⁴
Magnum: I'm not buying it Higgins. You, as a second banana in a military dictatorship?!

Flubs

¹ When Ginny calls Magnum about the alarm going off at the estate, Magnum is wearning his VMO2 DA NANG cap. When he pulls up to the gate in the Ferrari, he is wearing his Detroit Tigers hat, and then moments later he is wearing the DA NANG cap again. (Noted by Mark Seaman)

² When T.C. and Rick are flying to back up Magnum, lighting crew equipment can clearly be seen in the reflection of T.C.'s sunglasses. (Noted by Jay-Firestorm)

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

---

---