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A Girl Named Sue

Episode Screen Caps Episode Number: 156
Season Number: 8.7
Air Date: 1/13/1988
Writer: Stephen A. Miller
Director: Russ Mayberry
Producer: Tom Selleck
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Recurring Characters
Carol Burnett (Susan Johnson)
Guest Stars
Shelley Smith (Melissa Wainwright), John Calvin (Arthur Wainwirght), George Coe (William Wainwright), Rosalee Mayeux (Julie Marsh), Hank Lindsley (Dutton)
Episode Brief
Magnum is hired by an attractive woman to find the missing will of her late father, who was recently killed in a suspicious boating accident, which she suspects her brother of being behind, in order to steal the will. Working on the case, Thomas finds that former client Susan Johnson - whom he was once locked in a bank vault with - is now a fellow private investigator, and is working on the same case - for the brother, who suspects his sister as responsible for their father's death. The two P.I.'s are soon locked in a battle of wills as they both race to solve the investigation first, but the pair are forced to put their rather love-hate relationship to one side and team up to solve the case of sibling rivalry.
Rating
7.7(35 votes)Rate Episode
Notes
1 Susan Johnson (Carol Burnett) was first featured in Season Four's "Rembrandt's Girl" (4.14). Events from that episode are mentioned, including the famous "bank vault" scene.

2 This is the last episode to be produced by Tom Selleck. Starting with the next episode longtime Magnum P.I. producer Rick Weaver will take over lead producer duties for the rest of the season. All total, Selleck "officially" produced nine episodes, including the classic episodes "Death and Taxes" (7.6), "Limbo" (7.22) and "Infinity and Jelly Doughnuts" (8.1), but in reality he produced quite a few more (most of Season Seven and half of Season Eight).

3 Carol Burnett gets to do voice-over narration ala Magnum (she even borrows Magnum's catch phrase, "I know what you're thinking..."). Carol Burnett has maintained a home in Hawaii (Maui) since the early 1980s. Tom Selleck was once quoted as saying that Carol Burnett was "one of the sexiest women" he has ever met.

4 Rick only appears in one scene in this episode, at the King Kamehameha Club near the beginning.

5 Shelley Smith (Melissa Wainwright) previously appeared in Season Six's "All Thieves on Deck" (6.15).

6 Veteran actor George Coe (William Wainwright) was an original cast member on the first three episodes of Saturday Night Live and later voiced the character of Woodhouse, the much-put-upon butler, in the great animated television series Archer.

7 Magnum comes across a lock that he can't pick, a rarity. Susan picks it successfully with a corkscrew.

8 This is John Calvin's (Arthur Wainwirght) third and final appearance on Magnum P.I.. He appeared in Season Two's "Wave Goodbye" (as Gary the drug dealer) and Season Three's "Two Birds of a Feather" (as Nick).

9 Magnum briefly plays his saxophone (badly).

10 Higgins first met William Wainwright in Burma, 1944. William was in Merrill's Marauders. Higgins was helping to train one of the local Burmese defense forces. During the monsoon season, William constructed a "snowshoe" contraption made out of vines and leaves to keep the troops from sinking into the "knee deep muck". Two hours after they cleared the camp, an air strike leveled everything around. Several hundred soldiers owe their life to the inventiveness of William Wainwright.
Quotes
1
Magnum: I know what you're thinking, and you're right. There are few things more dangerous than getting in the middle of a family quarrel, especially a family quarrel over a large fortune. Ask any cop and he'll tell you; more policeman are injured answering family disturbance calls than any other kind. It's like that old love song says, "you always hurt the one you love", and anyone else who happens to be in the line of fire. Well, I wasn't planning to make the 10 o'clock news the hard way. (Narration)

2
Susan Johnson: I know what you're thinking, and you're right. I felt bad about ending up in a competition with a stand-up guy like Thomas. I'd always liked his style. Hmph, in fact, he had a lot to do with my deciding to join the flat-foot fraternity. But the first thing I learned at "Lucky Steele's Detective School" was that a savy P.I. doesn't think much about the human condition. We always suspect everyone. And that's why we are so rarely disappointed. I wasn't ready to panic, but the palm on my shifting hand was starting to itch. And since my heap had the horses, I decided to use them. I had to hope the gumshoe gods were watching over me. (Narration)

3
(to Susan Johnson)
Magnum: Nice looking coat! What is it? Unborn linoleum?

4
T.C.: We are always pleased when you select Island Hoppers tours, because our ultimate goal is to create those special memories that make the Hawaiian Islands truly a land of mystic enchantment. There's no better way to see the wonders of Hawai'i than from an Island Hoppers helicopter. Your tour is in the hands of a skilled and experienced pilot. So sit back.. and enjoy the scenery.

5
Magnum: Gale! God, it's good to see you! ... You're not Gale, I'm sorry.
Julie Marsh No, I'm Julie, Julie Marsh. But I'd be willing to change my name.
Magnum: That's not necessary Julie. I'm sorry, I'm Thomas Magnum.
Julie Marsh: No Kidding!
Magnum: Oh, this is Susan Johnson.
Julie Marsh: I've always loved the name Tom it's so...strong...so...sensual...
Susan Johnson: So easy to spell.
Julie Marsh: Is there something I can do for you?
Magnum: Well, I hope so. I really hope so.
Susan Johnson: Actually you can do it for both of us.
Magnum: Right...uh...we're trying to locate a yacht that's berthed here. It's the Wainwight...uh...WainWRIGHT yacht.
Julie Marsh: Why Tom, you know I can't tell you where people keep their boats. What if you turned out to be a...criminal.
Magnum: Well, you could always frisk me first.
Julie Marsh: That might be interesting!
Susan Johnson: Is there a firehose around here, just in case?
Julie Marsh: But, unfortunately, the WainWRIGHT yacht is out.
Magnum: I thought so. (to Susan) Arthur took it.
Julie Marsh: I don't think it was Arthur. I can check the trip sheets. It might say.
Magnum: Could you?
Julie Marsh: Sure.
Magnum: Thanks!
Magnum: (to Susan) What are you doing? I'm trying to get some information here.
Susan Johnson: Oh, is THAT what you were trying to get? Tell me, is that the way Melissa Wainwight suckered you into this case, with her fluttering eyelashes and her smouldering looks?
Magnum: That is not...can we talk about this later?
Julie Marsrh: It, ah, doesn't say who took the boat out. No crew listed, destination Hilo.
Magnum: Uh, Julie, are those the trip sheets for the Wainwright yacht? Could I, uh, take a look at them?
Julie Marsh: I don't normally let a man take a look at my trip sheets until the second date, but, uh, in this case, Tom...
Magnum: Uh, what's this Williams Island?
Julie Marsh: That's the WainWIGHTS' pwivate island. It's near Hilo.
Magnum: Hilo? Susan...Susan...
Susan Johnson: Hmm?
Magnum: How would you like to meet a major religious leader?

6
Grandpa Sullivan: You can only get really angry at those people that love you enough to forgive you.
(as related by Thomas Magnum)
Flubs
1 When Magnum and Susan are trapped in the warehouse, when Magnum becomes frustrated and tries to force down the door, watch carefully to see the door (or is it the wall?) move very slightly - obviously it's just a mock-up set and not a "real" room!

2 Magnum fires too many shots from his .45, without reloading, when he and Susan are locked in the warehouse.

3 At around the 30 minute mark, when Magnum and Susan are asking for information, a boom mic can be seen for several seconds. (Noted by Carlo)

4 At mark 33:12, you can see the Magnum film crew reflected in Susan Johnson's sunglasses! (Noted by Bernd-Christian Schulze)

5 When William Wainwright captures Magnum and Susan, and takes them to the beach, you can clearly see Rabbit Island off Oahu behind Magnum's head. T.C. has supposedly flown them near Hilo on the Big Island. (Noted by James Pinson)


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