Paniolo

Episode Number: 114
Season Number: 6.8
Air Date: 11/7/1985
Writer: Jay Huguely
Director: Russ Mayberry
Producer: Chris Abbott
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Guest Stars

Henry Darrow (Will Kenikowa), Michael Sharrett (Kenny Harbison), Mary Kate McGeehan (Lynn Harbison), Doug McClure (John Quillan), Kawika Pagan (Jesse Hikina), Clifford Lorenzo (David Pono)

Episode Brief

A supposed wealthy teenage ranch owner hires Magnum to stop a dangerous group of cattle rustlers on Hawaii's Big Island, but Magnum finds that his employer isn't quite all he seems and that the neighboring ranch owner implicated of being behind the cattle theft is a business partner of Robin Masters'.

Rating

7.5

(42 votes)

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Notes

¹ Paniolo means "Hawaiian cowboy", or "chief ranch hand".

² Most of this episode was filmed on the Big Island of Hawaii at the historic Kahua Ranch* in North Kohala (northern tip of the Big Island) and the Pu'u wa'awa'a Ranch near Kailua-Kona. The Kahua Ranch was run for decades by the innovative rancher Monty Richards. With Monty leading the way, Kahua Ranch was the first to use rapid rotational grazing, successfully integrate sheep into the ranch operations, provide land for an experimental wind farm, attempt hydroponic farming, maintain a pristine native Hawaiian forest and power the entire "Kahua village" on renewable energy. The Pu'u wa'awa'a Ranch was used for several scenes, including the homestead at the beginning, the airfield (w/ aircraft), and the luau scene and shootout at the quarry (where they found the rustled cattle). In addition to the ranches, the luxurious Mauna Lani Bay Hotel on the Kohala Coast is used as a filming location for a scene. The resort was just opening when the Magnum P.I. team filmed there. All of the cast and crew stayed at Mauna Lani Bay during filming on the Big Island. (Pu'u wa'awa'a Ranch info by Aaron Stene)

³ This is the second episode in a row to take place entirely outside of Oahu (and with no scenes at Robin's Nest). This is also the first and only episode to be filmed on the Big Island.

⁴ Well-known actor Henry Darrow (Will Kenikowa) receives a considerable amount of screen time in this episode. He's in almost every scene. Henry is probably best remembered for his role as Manolito Montoya in the 1960s Western-themed television series The High Chaparral, and was the first Latino actor to portray Zorro on television.

⁵ Magnum P.I. stunt coordinator (and stunt double for Roger E. Mosley) Bob Minor makes a brief, uncredited appearance as a cattle rustler. Magnum scraps with him in a cow pen.

⁶ Doug McClure (John Quillan) played Trampas on The Virginian from 1962 to 1971. The character of Troy McClure on The Simpsons was designed after him along with Troy Donahue.

⁷ The telegram that Magnum supposedly sends to T.C. and Rick is dated 11-9-85, two days after this episode originally aired. (Noted by Jay-Firestorm)

⁸ Magnum again mentions that his private investigator fee is "$200 a day, plus expenses".

⁹ Hawaii Five-O also has an episode titled "Paniolo" (from Season 3).

¹⁰ Watch closely in the scene where Magnum (on his horse) tackles Kenny (who is also on a horse), to avoid gunfire, and they both go crashing to the ground. Tom Selleck's stunt double lands square on his right shoulder, then "face plants" hard to the ground! A major ouch!

¹¹ In the denouement, Magnum wears a red cavalry bib shirt (with his Da Nang cap) that is very similar to the one that Tom Selleck wore in the 1990 Western film Quigley Down Under.

* Several indoor ranch scenes (the ranch office, Kenny's room) were filmed on a soundstage set at the Hawaii Film Studio in Oahu. See Magnum P.I. set decorator Rick Romer's blog for more information.

Quotes

¹
Magnum: When counting the assets of paradise, you have to start with the geographical diversity. Take the Big Island of Hawai'i for instance; twenty miles in either direction and you've been to the dark hills of the Dakotas, the ranches of Texas, or even the Moon from the beginning of time. Impressive. I like the idea of working on the Big Island. What I didn't like was the vague job description, but the one detail I was told had me on the next plane. Whatever the investigation, I'd have a chance to do something I'd never get to do on a case back home. You can't ride a horse on Hotel Street. (Narration)

²
Higgins: Where in gods name have you been?
Magnum: The docks.
Higgins: You're not feeling well?
Magnum: The shipping docks, Higgins.

³
Magnum: I did my first investigative work as Roy Rogers. With my trusty broom "Trigger", I kept the neighborhood free from rustlers and bad guys for years. My villians in those days were always simple and straightforward, just like in Roy's movies. In this case, I was dealing a villian who was anything but simple, and one who had led me on a very convincing false trail ... and unlike Roy I had to deal with reality, even if in the end I didn't end up on a "happy trail". (Narration)

Flubs

¹ In the scene at the luau party after Magnum has found out the truth about Kenny, he is holding his arm forward with his hat in his hand, yet as the shot cuts to a closeup on him, both of his arms are down by his side.

² When David is shot and falls off his horse, Magnum hurry's over to check on him, finding him dead. When Magnum gets over to David, you can see David's hat by his left side, only to mysteriously change in a few seconds to be by his head. (Noted by Mark Seaman)

³ When T.C. lands at the ranch and gets out of his helicopter, the rotor blades are whirling very fast, but in the very next moment the blades suddenly are moving very slowly (mark 20:22). (Noted by Bernd-Christian Schulze

⁴ In the scene where Magnum finds Jessee with the money, in the same sequence, Magnum is seen wearing two gloves, then none, then two again. (Noted by Mark Seaman)

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