Unfinished Business

Episode Number: 157
Season Number: 8.8
Air Date: 1/20/1988
Writers: Chris Abbott, Jeri Taylor
Director: Russ Mayberry
Producer: Rick Weaver
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Recurring Characters

Lance LeGault (Col. Buck Greene), Jean Bruce Scott (Lt. Cmdr. Maggie Poole), Marta DuBois (Michelle Hue), Kristin Carreira (Lily Catherine), Andrew Dupree (Buck Greene's Aide)

Guest Stars

Richard Narita (Quang Ki), Vincent Baggetta (Gary Rankin), Robert Harker (Commander Edward Rockwell), Leslie Wing (Miss Rockwell), Harry Endo (Judge Haruda), Cynthia Yip (Defense Attorney)

Episode Brief

Magnum prepares for the trial of Quang Ki, who attempted to kill both him and his family. When the case is suddenly, unexpectedly acquitted, angered Magnum suspects some other hand is behind Ki's release. It becomes evident that his archnemesis will stop at nothing to destroy Magnum and his family, when he receives a videotape containing terrible information about the fate of his former wife and young daughter. As Magnum plans his revenge against Ki, he is thrust into a quagmire of intrigue endangering a sensitive, prisoner exchange program.

Rating

9.4

(67 votes)

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Notes

¹ Unusual for the show, this episode does not feature an opening preview clip.

² This episode concludes the events of the Quang Ki storyline, which began in the Season Seven finale "Limbo" (7.22) and continued with "Infinity and Jelly Doughnuts" (8.1), and is the second episode to feature the possibility of POW's remaining in Vietnam as a theme (following Season Five's "All For One").

³ Cinematographer John C. Flinn III (1985-1988) was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Series for this episode.

⁴ Rick only appears in one scene in this episode.

⁵ The montage sequence with Magnum searching for information about Quang Ki (and then making preparations to kill him) are accompanied memorably by the entire version of the Genesis instrumental song "The Brazilian" from their 1986 album Invisible Touch. This is the third and final Genesis song to be featured in extended music sequences. "Mama" (from their 1983 self-titled album) was featured in "Death and Taxes" (7.6) and "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" (also from Invisible Touch) was featured in "Laura" (7.18).

⁶ Magnum cries on-screen for the third and final time, following Season Two's "Memories Are Forever" and Season Four's "Distant Relative". (Noted by Timmer33)

⁷ The package that Magnum receives in the mail shows the address of Robin's Nest as "1541 Kalakaua Ave, North Shore, HI 96801". This is only the fourth time in eight years the location of the estate on Oahu is mentioned (following "Italian Ice", "Double Jeopardy" and "The Big Blow") and is the only time the full address is seen or mentioned.

⁸ Episode co-writer Jeri Taylor will go on to become an important staff member of the Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager TV shows, writing and executive producing many episodes. Jeri was also one of the producers on Magnum P.I. for Season Eight.

⁹ According to cinematographer John C. Flinn III, the P.O.W. camp scene (at the beginning of the episode) was created on the back lot of Stage One (the Magnum P.I. soundstage) at the Hawaii Film Studio.

¹⁰ The sniper rifle that Magnum uses in this episode is a Steyr SSG 69, with a butter knife bolt handle and double set triggers. (Noted by MaximRecoil)

¹¹ Fort Ruger ("Transport Quang Ki to Ile Debonnevie 2100 hours 1/18"), Honolulu International Airport and Keehi Boat Harbor are used as filming locations.

¹² The island of "Ile Debonnevie" is fictional. Although its specific location is not mentioned, it's more than likely supposed to be somewhere in French Polynesia. All of the scenes involving "Ile Debonnevie" (including the climactic prisoner exchange) were filmed on the grounds of Fort Ruger inside the Diamond Head crater. Fort Ruger was built in 1909 and is still being used (for Hawaii National Guard training). (Filming location ID'd by rubber chicken)

¹³ Magnum's MIA braclet (worn since Season Three's "Forty Years From Sand Island") is discarded by Magnum at Ile Debonnevie just before his assassination attempt.

¹⁴ Maggie Poole is seen driving a mustard-colored MGB sports car (manufactured by MG in England and Australia between 1962-1980). We also get to see Maggie with her hair down (and in civilian clothes) for only the second time. She'll have it down again in the series finale "Resolutions".

¹⁵ Quang Ki's brother's (Col. Ki from "Memories Are Forever") full name is Yan Luan Ki.

¹⁶ Harry Endo (Judge Haruda) was a Hawaii Five-O regular. He played crime lab technician Che Fong in over 100 episodes.

¹⁷ Cynthia Yip (Defense Attorney) was a news reporter at Honolulu's KITV4 at the time this episode was filmed.

Quotes

¹
The "Letters to Lily" Narrations
Magnum: Dear Lily Catherine, Well, it's another beautiful day in paradise. I woke up this morning and thought about taking you up to the top of the Koolau's, where you can see the ocean everywhere you look. I wonder if you can see the ocean from where you are now? I wonder where you are now? And I guess if you could read this, you would wonder why I've taken to writing you letters. Letters I have no idea where to send since the Navy gave you and your mother new names and a new life. I don't really know myself, except that writing them somehow makes me feel a little closer to you. Somehow, I know I will see you again. I hope that you and your mama are well and happy. I think of you every day.
(short while later)
... I wish I could tell you that the world is a safe and loving place, that the "Bogey Man" is only a figment of your imagination, and that I could protect you from anything bad that should ever come you way. I wish I could tell you that nobody could ever hurt you, but that wouldn't be the truth.
(short while later, after he believes Michelle and Lily are dead)
... Dear Lily Catherine, I guess I never really told you all the things I wanted to do with you, places I've thought about showing you, books I've thought about giving you to read, the christmas mornings I thought we'd share, the graduation from high school. I guess, even the arguments we would have if you were still here, close to me. I've just lived on blind faith that we would do all of those things, somehow.
(short while later)
... I'd been thinking about how much you'd changed since the first time I saw you at five years old and six years old, and I'd been wondering what you had looked like on your seventh birthday. It's funny, I can't quite see you. I wish your mom could have sent me a picture, but I have pictures of you in my head. Pictures of things we havn't done together, ice skating in Rockefeller Center, snorkeling in Hanauma Bay, cheering and screaming at Tiger Stadium. And those "pictures" are as clear to me as if they actually happened.
(short while later, after deciding not to kill Quang Ki, and, in turn, save a POW)
... And so, Lily Catherine, even though I know you will never read this, I needed to write this to tell you I once did something I think would have made you proud.

²
(to Quang Ki)
Col. Buck Greene: Let me make this perfectly clear. I ever catch you so much as setting your little toe in my country again I'm going to personally rip your heart out....through your throat! You got that.

Flubs

¹ Once again, the spelling of the last name of Lance LeGault's character in the onscreen credits ("Green") differs from the spelling on his name badge ("Greene").

² Rockwell's rank is incorrectly given as "Colonel" in the end credits. There is no rank of "Colonel" in the U.S. Navy. In several scenes he is shown in uniform wearing the insignia of a Commander, including the dossier picture of him taken before he was captured. Later, when his daughter is talking about him to Magnum, she refers to him as "Commander Rockwell". At the end of the show, as Magnum walks away from his sniper's nest, the narration read by a newscaster refers to him as "Captain Edward Rockwell". Maybe he was given a promotion to Captain on his release, but the insignia on his uniform during the exchange was still that of a "Commander". (Noted by eegorr)

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