Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

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midnightx
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Re: Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

#51 Post by midnightx »

EZiller wrote:One more thought-I think the reason they went with this and why it would have any plausibility at all was because the writers changed direction with Higgins character during the first season. Instead of just having him portray Higgins as the major-domo who was stiff, autocratic and rather humorless…they realized that Hillerman was an incredible actor and they had limitless possibilities of what they could do with Higgins character, given his extensive career resume and his background. For me the scenes with Higgins are usually the highlight of every episode.
Agreed. And it certainly was an intriguing story line to develop; the issue however becomes the contradictions in early episodes that would make it very unlikely that Higgins was Masters. If those can be overlooked as imperfections before the writers were able to fully develop the direction of the show, then the Higgins as Masters story line becomes more credible as the series progresses.

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Higgins (aka Bondtoys)
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Re: Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

#52 Post by Higgins (aka Bondtoys) »

Watching 'J Digger Doyle' tonight.

Higgins taping his resignation while in the Audi.
Why would he do this if he was Masters?

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Re: Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

#53 Post by Styles Bitchley »

Bondtoys.de wrote:Watching 'J Digger Doyle' tonight.

Higgins taping his resignation while in the Audi.
Why would he do this if he was Masters?
Good one, Bond!
"How fiendishly deceptive of you Magnum. I could have sworn I was hearing the emasculation of a large rodent."

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Higgins (aka Bondtoys)
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Re: Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

#54 Post by Higgins (aka Bondtoys) »

Thanks, Styles,

It seems that I am on a run :magnum:

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Re: Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

#55 Post by The Birdman »

Bondtoys.de wrote:Watching 'J Digger Doyle' tonight.

Higgins taping his resignation while in the Audi.
Why would he do this if he was Masters?
Yes, why would he do that? That is exactly what people would ask later when they hear the resignation. It would pretty well prove he was not robin masters. All part of the elaberate hoax. :D Or not.
Uh PHRASING!!!!

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Re: Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

#56 Post by eagle »

I finished my first run through of my DVDs last night, and I agree with those who believe that Higgins is not Robin. The writers certainly had fun with that plot line toward the end of the series, and it's certainly fun to think about.

I loved Higgins's comment at the marriage ceremony. :D

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Re: Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

#57 Post by Mrs. Higgins »

As much as it pains me to admit it, I don't believe Higgins is Robin Masters. I clung to the notion that Higgins paid someone to be Robin until I re-watched "Deja Vu" today. There's a scene where Higgins takes a call from Robin who asked if the party arrangements at Robin's Keep were in order. There's nobody else in the room for him to fool. So it's with a heavy heart that I admit...Higgins isn't Robin.

:cry:
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Re: Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

#58 Post by BWheelz54 »

I can't help it. I have to jump into the classic "Is Higgins Robin Masters Debate."

If you follow the show's logic, especially when Bellasario was really still leading the parade, I think there's absolutely no doubt, at all, that Robin and Higgins are two separate characters. Higgins and Robin share the shot on too many instances. There are episodes that just do not work at all if Higgins is Robin, for instance the episode - title eludes me at the moment - when a spy disguises herself as Robin's high school English teacher, or the episode where Robin gambles the estate over a softball game. I definitely agree that Robin and Higgins are written as very separate characters early on in the show.

However, I will admit that I prefer to imagine that Robin Masters is Higgins' pen name by the end of the series. I think someone got the idea that a whole new string of possible story ideas might be opened if the show could convince viewers that Higgins was the true writer of all those books. Higgins is always at the typewriter. I think a new level of intrigue might've been opened as Higgins explains perhaps why he assumed the false identity. I like to imagine all kinds of flashback episodes opening up. I watch the show to see Higgins as much as I watch it to see Magnum. He's really one of my favorite characters anywhere, and I love the idea that he's got this rich storyline in the background as the famous Robin Masters, that he lives on that estate to get away from it all to concentrate on his books, a task Magnum distracts him from on so many occasions.

I just take that leap of imagination. Honestly, I just suspend my logic, and let it go so that Higgins, in my viewings, is indeed Robin Masters. I don't at all feel guilty about this, because if my favorite show can reuse the same actors time and time and time again for different characters, then I feel I can ignore all the proof and logic and see Higgins and Robin as the same person. In those episodes, like Digger Doyle, when Higgins and Robin seem to share the spotlight, I just laugh and say, "oh, look, there's that body double Higgins hires to play Robin Masters again." It's silly, but it's how I enjoy the show. Guess you can say I'm taking some viewer liberties with the Magnumverse. Hope the pure-bloods can forgive me for doing so.

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Re: Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

#59 Post by Turkey »

BWheelz54 wrote:I can't help it. I have to jump into the classic "Is Higgins Robin Masters Debate."

If you follow the show's logic, especially when Bellasario was really still leading the parade, I think there's absolutely no doubt, at all, that Robin and Higgins are two separate characters. Higgins and Robin share the shot on too many instances. There are episodes that just do not work at all if Higgins is Robin, for instance the episode - title eludes me at the moment - when a spy disguises herself as Robin's high school English teacher, or the episode where Robin gambles the estate over a softball game. I definitely agree that Robin and Higgins are written as very separate characters early on in the show.

However, I will admit that I prefer to imagine that Robin Masters is Higgins' pen name by the end of the series. I think someone got the idea that a whole new string of possible story ideas might be opened if the show could convince viewers that Higgins was the true writer of all those books. Higgins is always at the typewriter. I think a new level of intrigue might've been opened as Higgins explains perhaps why he assumed the false identity. I like to imagine all kinds of flashback episodes opening up. I watch the show to see Higgins as much as I watch it to see Magnum. He's really one of my favorite characters anywhere, and I love the idea that he's got this rich storyline in the background as the famous Robin Masters, that he lives on that estate to get away from it all to concentrate on his books, a task Magnum distracts him from on so many occasions.

I just take that leap of imagination. Honestly, I just suspend my logic, and let it go so that Higgins, in my viewings, is indeed Robin Masters. I don't at all feel guilty about this, because if my favorite show can reuse the same actors time and time and time again for different characters, then I feel I can ignore all the proof and logic and see Higgins and Robin as the same person. In those episodes, like Digger Doyle, when Higgins and Robin seem to share the spotlight, I just laugh and say, "oh, look, there's that body double Higgins hires to play Robin Masters again." It's silly, but it's how I enjoy the show. Guess you can say I'm taking some viewer liberties with the Magnumverse. Hope the pure-bloods can forgive me for doing so.

Agreed, it's a bit of fun to think Higgins & Robin are one and the same for me too :)


It actually leads to one of my all-time favourite Higgins moment, when he stirs Magnum up during the last episode 'admitting' to being Robin then taking it back
Make it two weeks.

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Re: Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

#60 Post by Styles Bitchley »

Bondtoys.de wrote:Watching 'J Digger Doyle' tonight.

Higgins taping his resignation while in the Audi.
Why would he do this if he was Masters?
Was just rereading this thread from the beginning and noticed Kenji noted the Audi scene on page 1.
KENJI wrote:I think Higgins is not R.M. based on a few episodes, one being J. Digger Doyle where he is giving Robin his resignation over the Audi's tape recorder /dictaphone just before the ambush. If you are the real Robin why would you take this step, as there is no real need. Which means you would be leaving your own house and the front you have carefully put together and going where....Robin's chalet or..? Also Magnum has so much access to info. via Maggie, Mack (until Ivan came along) and being a world class private investigator that it should be easy for him to find out something as simple as this. I loved they played this guessing game with us, but at the end of the day my vote is no.
"How fiendishly deceptive of you Magnum. I could have sworn I was hearing the emasculation of a large rodent."

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Re: Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

#61 Post by Tesza »

Being a Magnum Maniac inevitably leads to wondering whether Higgins and Robin Masters are one and the same person or not.

I myself might be too deeply stuck into logic, but to me they are and will ever be two different characters. As many people already mentioned, it's too obvious and seeming to be forced that the makers in the late phase of the series let their own logic down and thought, "Hmm, we have to create a new phenomenon no one expects to deal with in the following seasons. Any ideas?" - "Hey, why not make Magnum believe Higgins is Robin Masters?" - "Not bad, but this is against the series's logic, consider we originally created both as two." - "Logic? It's not more logical that all American and Soviet agents ever alive seem to be resident in the same street, and that every other inhabitant of Honolulu seems to be British." - "Good point. Who needs internal logic, let's do it."

Another point I haven't found anyone mentioning. If Higgins is Robin Masters, how does he manage to at the same time not only write two different books in two completely different styles but also always to switch between two variants of English language? If he wants to fool the whole world he has to be careful always to write, for example, "favorite" when being RM and "favourite" when being JQH, as well as taking care of certain grammatical and idiomatic differences between UK and US variant - and not to mix it up at even one point. Even if he is able to switch codes whenever necessary and knows both perfectly (at least those differences in written language, of course, aren't that extraordinarily big, but they exist), I imagine it very hard to concentrate on that, especially if not even the editor is allowed to notice (and I personally wouldn't inform him about me having a secret identity ...).

(At least I don't recall anything said in the series about Masters having another nationality than American ... if there is, forget what I said :D )

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Re: Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

#62 Post by midnightx »

Styles Bitchley wrote:
Bondtoys.de wrote:Watching 'J Digger Doyle' tonight.

Higgins taping his resignation while in the Audi.
Why would he do this if he was Masters?
Was just rereading this thread from the beginning and noticed Kenji noted the Audi scene on page 1.
KENJI wrote:I think Higgins is not R.M. based on a few episodes, one being J. Digger Doyle where he is giving Robin his resignation over the Audi's tape recorder /dictaphone just before the ambush. If you are the real Robin why would you take this step, as there is no real need. Which means you would be leaving your own house and the front you have carefully put together and going where....Robin's chalet or..? Also Magnum has so much access to info. via Maggie, Mack (until Ivan came along) and being a world class private investigator that it should be easy for him to find out something as simple as this. I loved they played this guessing game with us, but at the end of the day my vote is no.
There is no doubt that if one pays attention to the details from the early seasons, there is really no compelling evidence that Higgins could conceivably be Masters. That said, Magnum PI would not be the first show to evolve and change some central and key elements during the show's progression. If one does not hold the show to its original premise of Higgins and Masters being two completely different characters, and allow for the possibility of the characters being the same person based on the evolution of the overall character development and direction of the show, it is certainly an entertaining notion. As with many television series, certain interpretations are left to the viewers and fans.

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Re: Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

#63 Post by Tesza »

midnightx wrote: There is no doubt that if one pays attention to the details from the early seasons, there is really no compelling evidence that Higgins could conceivably be Masters. That said, Magnum PI would not be the first show to evolve and change some central and key elements during the show's progression. If one does not hold the show to its original premise of Higgins and Masters being two completely different characters, and allow for the possibility of the characters being the same person based on the evolution of the overall character development and direction of the show, it is certainly an entertaining notion. As with many television series, certain interpretations are left to the viewers and fans.
I know this is not directly related to what I wrote before, but just to make sure not to be misunderstood. Although I'm stuck into the internal logic of the entire series including the first seasons, which makes a personal union of JQH and RM impossible, I think it was a properly entertaining notion, and I had a lot of fun watching Magnum presenting his theory to his environment, and also the reactions of the others. Just saying, "No, he's not RM" and keeping on is hard as a fan, despite the lack of evidence supporting Magnum's theory, so I just enjoy the running gag they implemented in the last few seasons. I can cope with the contradiction, but I'm also glad they never solved it by just saying, "Okay, yes, he IS Robin Masters."

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Re: Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

#64 Post by No need to know! »

Never really liked this theory since it´s so obviously planted in season seven and onwards. It is entertaining in it´s way yes but it doesn´t stack up.
Onion´s extra?

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Re: Is Jonathan Higgins Robin Masters?

#65 Post by MHTR »

We as viewers know it's impossible for "Higgy baby" to be Robin Masters (although some would argue that). My question is: is there anything in the course of the show that should make it obvious to Magnum that is impossible? If there is, then we'd have to conclude that Magnum was beginning to lose his mind. :wink:

I think I've mentioned this before, but I was never a fan of this idea. The only worse thing I can think of was bringing Jeff MacKay back as the look-alike Jim Bonnick (although I do think the debut episode of Jim Bonnick was a great story). Not because I don't like Jeff MacKay as an actor, but because I can't stand the character of Jim Bonnick. And the whole "look-alike" idea is dumb and "cartoonish" in my opinion.

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