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Resolutions (1)

Episode Screen Caps Episode Number: 161
Season Number: 8.12
Air Date: 5/1/1988
Writers: Stephen A. Miller, Chris Abbott
Director: Burt Brinkerhoff
Producer: Rick Weaver
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Recurring Characters
Gwen Verdon (Katherine Peterson), Patrice Martinez (Linda Lee Ellison), Joe Regalbuto (Don Eddie Rice), Jean Bruce Scott (Lt. Cmdr. Maggie Poole), Kathleen Lloyd (Carol Baldwin), Phyllis Davis (Cleo Mitchell), Julie Cobb (Karen), Brandon Call (Billy)
Guest Stars
Howard Duff (Thomas Sullivan Magnum II), Hal Williams (Dave the DJ), Peter Elbling (Emile), Jay Ingram (Capt. Brackett), Lauren Levinson (Sally Ann), James Grant Benton (Police Officer), Richard McPherson (Whitney Fisher), Judi Anderson (Sandy), Bob Fimiani (Captain Crowe), Clint Carmichael (Mark)
Episode Brief
Magnum ponders his future while paying a visit to his family in Tidewater, Virginia, where he unexpectedly meets his grandfather and considers an offer to be reinstated to the Navy. Thomas returns to Hawaii to ascertain whether former girlfriend Linda Lee Ellison is being stalked, while Rick prepares for his wedding to Cleo. As Thomas and Linda renew their relationship as he searches for her stalker, he becomes increasingly certain that his daughter Lily may still be alive.
Rating
8.8(44 votes)Rate Episode
Notes
1 This series finale originally aired as a special two-hour movie almost three full months after the previous episode ("Transitions") aired. The original broadcast of "Resolutions" was watched by some 50.7 million viewers, with a huge 32.0 rating (percentage of all television households) and a 48% share (percentage of televisions in use). Today it ranks as the fifth most-watched television series finale of all-time (behind only M*A*S*H, Cheers, Seinfeld, and Friends).

2 For unknown reasons, The Complete Eighth Season DVD uses the syndicated version, not the original broadcast version. The syndicated version breaks the episode into two parts and several scenes have been cut, including most of the Naval Academy reunion scene at the Naval Officer's Club, the entire scene with Magnum and Lt. Nolan Page at the estate tidal pool (~ three minutes of footage) and most of the end credits montage sequence (with highlight clips of scenes from previous episodes).

3 The original broadcast opening did not have any form of regular opening credits. Instead, before the episode title and guest star cast, the words "Magnum, p.i.", "Starring Tom Selleck" (and so on) were included on the in-episode shots of Magnum watching the Navy drill, before the guest cast credits appear. (Noted by Jay-Firestorm)

4 This special two-hour series finale was included in the 2011 The Best of the 80s: Magnum P.I. 2-disc DVD set from Universal, along with six other classic Magnum P.I. episodes ("Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii", "Memories Are Forever", "Home From the Sea", "Blind Justice", "The Kona Winds" and "Limbo").

5 Although not credited, Marta DuBois (Michelle) recorded a special reading of her final letter to Magnum that is heard in this episode. (Noted by Jay-Firestorm)

6 This is one of the few episodes in which there is no narration from Magnum.

7 During his trip to the mainland, Magnum visits the Lincoln Memorial, the U.S. Naval Academy (Bancroft Hall, The Navy Chapel, the Statue of Tecumseh, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium), downtown Annapolis, and his hometown of Tidewater, Virginia. Magnum's stroll through the Academy is accompanied by a wonderful Mike Post score.

8 At Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, we see a memorial "bench back" for Magnum's father (killed in the early stages of the Korean War in the Battle of Inchon) which shows his full name as Thomas Sullivan Magnum III. This would mean Magnum's correct full name is Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV! This contradicts what was in "Home From the Sea" (4.1) when his father is referred to as "Senior".

9 Magnum's childhood friend Don Eddie Rice (Joe Regalbuto) has been dating his cousin Karen (Julie Cobb) for four months. During the episode they become engaged. Don Eddie is now working in D.C. (as a cabbie).

10 We meet Magnum's grandfather Thomas Sullivan Magnum II for the first time. He was a Captain in the U.S. Navy. His nickname in the family is "The Captain".

11 At the Naval Academy, notice how Magnum salutes the Statue of Tecumseh with his left hand. This is not a flub. Midshipmen offer a left-handed salute to Tecumseh as a tribute. They also toss pennies in his quiver for good luck in exams and athletic contests.

12 Otis Redding's version of "Try A Little Tenderness" is heard again in this episode. The song was first heard in "Forty" (7.17). The Temptations' "My Girl" is also heard.
Quotes
1
Magnum: I'll have an Old Dusseldorf, in a longneck.

2
Higgins: Sorry to interrupt your vacation, but I just received a call from a Linda Lee Ellison. She's a television reporter you dated last year for a short time.
Magnum: Higgins, I know who I've dated.

3
Magnum: She said "Lily" and then there's a click. That is the sound of the car door opening. It's been positively identified. Lily got out of the car. She went... to get her doll. Maggie, she's alive, somewhere. I... feel it. And I need you to help me find her.
Maggie Poole: I don't want you to get your hopes up, Thomas. I'm going to help you, if for no other reason than the fact that you have to have this resolved.
Flubs
1 During Magnum's trip to Annapolis he is seen wearing a heavy leather jacket, scarf and gloves. He then has a surprise birthday party thrown for him by some old friends from the Academy. Magnum's birth date is given as August 8th in "Try to Remember" (2.15) and has been confirmed by series creator/executive producer Donald P. Bellisario as being the correct date. If the August birth date is correct, why then is Magnum wearing winter attire in August in Annapolis? His drivers license in "Memories Are Forever (1)" (2.5) showed his birth date as 1/5/46, maybe this was the correct date after all?

2 Magnum asks his mother if she remembered Maggie Poole, and later says he worked with her at "Naval Intelligence". Magnum met Maggie for the first time in Season Three's ""Did You See The Sunrise?", long after he resigned from the Navy! (Noted by N1095A)

3 The position of T.C.'s chopper headset microphone noticeably changes during the same scene (compare 31:32 and 32:46). (Noted by Bernd-Christian Schulze)


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