MPI Before MPI & During Five-O

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Little Garwood · #1 Post by **Little Garwood** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:01 pm

Sorry for the wacky title...This may ramble a bit, but I'll hopefully make some sense!

While watching Hawaii Five-O and spotting so many locations and seeing future MPI players, it got me thinking about story possibilities and what the MPI characters would be doing in and around Hawaii before they met. I also wonder how exactly Magnum came to apply for the security job and what that first meeting with Higgins was like. We did see 1970s-era Higgins in S4's Holmes is Where the Heart Is, and Magnum's first case in an episode (the title of which eludes me). Does anyone else think that Higgins, who came to Hawaii around 1976, could have met Steve McGarrett and Five-O? I know John Hillerman was a guest star in a latter-series episode of H5O, but I love the crossover potential of these two shows. Higgins and all his social affairs would no doubt provide an opportunity to run into McG. There's a second-season episode, Kiss the Queen Goodbye, where there was a big social event that I could easily see Higgins attending or emceeing. and every time I watch Five-O I think of our guys on MPI and what they would be doing while Five-O was in action. MPI referenced Five-O by name through most of their own run and it always gets me thinking about both shows occupying the same "universe."

Anyway, I don't expect anyone else thinks the same way in this case, but I thought I'd post it and see if anyone else plays this kind of nutty, fan fiction possibility game...

VM02 · #2 Post by **VM02** » Fri May 01, 2009 12:50 pm

Hmm - interesting post. I for one have always wondered about several points of TMs life.

1. More about Vietnam Experience 1968-1974
2. What did he do between Vietnam and our first glimpse of him as a beach bum (Dream a Little Dream, I believe) 1974-1979
3. How did he become A PI and get tied into robins nest as LG suggests in his post 1979-1980
4. Immediate post Resolutions 1989-90
5. Retirement? Current Day 2009.

The H50 crossover idea is intriguing, but I have never seen that show (but I know the music) so I can't really comment on it. Looking forward to having others do so though.

Frodoleader · #3 Post by **Frodoleader** » Fri May 01, 2009 4:08 pm

A couple of things...
1. I think TM would have had a number of run-ins with McGarrett. I'd like to believe that McG would have no patience for our hero. But later, there would have to be a bit of grudging respect for each other.
2. Post "Resolutions" period. Since the last episode occured in 1988, and the (first) Persian Gulf War happened in 1990-91, I'd say TM may have spent time in the Middle East. Then what about Lilly? I'd bet she stayed at Robin's Nest, under the care of Higgins and Agatha.

...my two cents...

Italian Ice · #4 Post by **Italian Ice** » Fri May 01, 2009 4:40 pm

There's also an episode of Sanford and Son called the Hawaiian Connection, a pretty good 2 parter. It's a spoof of Hawaii 5-0 in many ways, and it was done in 1976. You may notice some of the local actors who would later show up on MPI.

I like it when Fred responds to McGarret's investigatation by saying "How's McGarret's hair?"

Little Garwood · #5 Post by **Little Garwood** » Fri May 01, 2009 8:24 pm

I guess that's why people write fan fiction. They want to 1) Continue our heroes' adventures and 2) Fill in the blanks of the characters' lives. I'm actually glad that they don't reveal too much, because it's tantalizing to wonder what happened when and between which adventure. We did get a good amount on Higgin's life, as well as Thomas', but there's still so much to explore! That's what I like about MPI: so much was provided, but it doesn't get too tangled with continuity issues; I'm sure we all have our gripes.

Steve · #6 Post by **Steve** » Sat May 02, 2009 2:34 pm

It's too late now, but I always imagined a few years ago when there was talk that Tom Clancey was going to write a Magnum, PI screenplay, that TM was in charge of a Navy Seal squad in the nineties that had Osama Bin Laden cornered and were awaiting the orders to take him out (ala the chance during the Clinton years). Being told to "stand down" and losing a few of his men was just too much for him and he quits the Navy again, going back to Hawaii, his buddies and Lilly who was indeed at Robins Nest with Higgins.

Agatha · #7 Post by **Agatha** » Sun May 03, 2009 5:07 pm

So many interesting possiblities, Little Garwood! It almost doesn't matter what tidibit pops into our minds...we can wonder "what if" about it.

I think it would have been GRAND to have some crossover episodes with both Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum. But SOMEBODY would have had to think of the idea and put it together soon after Hawaii 5-0 went off the air. Which would have made it REALLY early in the Magnum series...maybe too early in the Magnum series. I don't know starting/stopping dates. I guess there's a reason why it didn't happen.

All I know is that if you had Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum PI going at the same time, you wouldn't have had to kill Tanaka off in Season 8. He'd have died way earlier in the series from stress! Being in the middle between McGarrett and Magnum would have been more than any human being would be able to stand!!

Little Garwood · #8 Post by **Little Garwood** » Sun May 03, 2009 8:54 pm

Agatha wrote:So many interesting possiblities, Little Garwood! It almost doesn't matter what tidibit pops into our minds...we can wonder "what if" about it.

I think it would have been GRAND to have some crossover episodes with both Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum. But SOMEBODY would have had to think of the idea and put it together soon after Hawaii 5-0 went off the air. Which would have made it REALLY early in the Magnum series...maybe too early in the Magnum series. I don't know starting/stopping dates. I guess there's a reason why it didn't happen.

All I know is that if you had Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum PI going at the same time, you wouldn't have had to kill Tanaka off in Season 8. He'd have died way earlier in the series from stress! Being in the middle between McGarrett and Magnum would have been more than any human being would be able to stand!!

...And I encourage everyone to post their ideas! The "what ifs" are endless and always interesting to ponder.

As for Kwan Hi Lim, he DID deal with McGarrett a lot during the show, in a variety of roles. In season six's The Sunday Torch, he plays an arson investigator. However, he usually played a slimy lawyer/assistant to a "syndicate" boss or some such crime lord. His best work is on H5-O, especially as a villain.

Hawaii Five-O ended its run on April 26, 1980. MPI premiered December 11, 1980 (at least according to The Complete Directory to Primetime Network and TV Shows!)

Agatha · #9 Post by **Agatha** » Sun May 03, 2009 10:42 pm

So Kwan Hi Lim was on Hawaii 5-0? OK, Little Garwood! I give! I'm going to order the first season from Netflix!!

Little Garwood · #10 Post by **Little Garwood** » Tue May 05, 2009 10:11 pm

Agatha wrote:So Kwan Hi Lim was on Hawaii 5-0? OK, Little Garwood! I give! I'm going to order the first season from Netflix!!

I don't think he appears in season one. However, he is at his most oily in Five-O's fourth year: as an oily lawyer in "Skinhead" and as an oily syndicate man in "Didn't we Meet at a Murder."

In season five he appears throughout the legendary "Vashon Trilogy." He's great in these episodes.

Happy viewing!

Little Garwood · #11 Post by **Little Garwood** » Wed May 06, 2009 11:02 pm

Italian Ice wrote:There's also an episode of Sanford and Son called the Hawaiian Connection, a pretty good 2 parter. It's a spoof of Hawaii 5-0 in many ways, and it was done in 1976. You may notice some of the local actors who would later show up on MPI.

I like it when Fred responds to McGarret's investigatation by saying "How's McGarret's hair?"

Was this the one that had Greg Morris of Mission: Impossible on it? I believe that episode was on a few weeks ago.

Little Garwood · #12 Post by **Little Garwood** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 8:44 pm

VM02 wrote:Hmm - interesting post. I for one have always wondered about several points of TMs life.

2. What did he do between Vietnam and our first glimpse of him as a beach bum (Dream a Little Dream, I believe) 1974-1979
3. How did he become A PI and get tied into robins nest as LG suggests in his post 1979-1980
4. Immediate post Resolutions 1989-90
5. Retirement? Current Day 2009.

I wonder if TM was stationed in Hawaii with the NIA after returning from Vietnam? He seemed to know a lot of navy personnel while a private investigator, so it stands to reason that he was in command of a desk or off on missions in the Far East.

As posted earlier, I'd love to see what that first Magnum/Higgins meeting was like, as well as how Thomas got the job at Robin's Nest.

Higgy_baby · #13 Post by **Higgy_baby** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 3:11 pm

Interesting thread Little Garwood. We share a love of the same two shows. I'll go out on a limb and confess on here that I actually like the early Five-O years over MPI.

I agree as already mentioned that McGarrett would have had a run-in with Magnum, but respect likely developed over time.

I think early on Steve would have told Magnum to back off and keep his nose out of police matters. I think Danno and Chin Ho would have been the middle men between Magnum and McGarrett, always trying to smooth things over and keep TS from ending up in the slammer, while at the same time respecting and using Magnums instincts and skills to eventually help Danno 'BOOK 'EM'.

Of course McGarrett would get along with Higgins, both finding Magnum incorrigible. Steve would likely opt out of the Tea parties though.

Lastly, I can see Kono, Chin, TC and Rick all kicking some bad guy ass at some point where Magnum gets his friends drawn into a case that Five-0 told him to stay out of. McGarrett would reluctantly approve without saying so.

Book 'em Danno!

#14 Post by **Styles Bitchley** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:29 pm

Higgy_baby wrote:I'll go out on a limb and confess on here that I actually like the early Five-O years over MPI.

Blasphemy!!!

Little Garwood · #15 Post by **Little Garwood** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:19 pm

I (finally) got my ninth season Five-O DVDs and today I watched the John Hillerman episode, "Man on Fire." It was pretty cool seeing our future "Higgy Baby" in his scenes (only two, unfortunately) with the legendary Steve McGarrett. Seeing the two together had me imagining the possibilities: Higgins hosting some kind of Anglo-Hawaiian shindig with McGarrett attending, whether it be for security--pre-Magnum-- or for some festive occasion where McGarrett could dazzle us with some of his garish off-duty attire! The ninth season takes place in the 1976-77 season, which would've been perfect for a Higgins-McGarrett story!