The Absolute Worst Episodes

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Sisophous
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The Absolute Worst Episodes

#1 Post by Sisophous »

I have rated every episode in this 8 Season series on the scale of 1-5, for my own reference. I only give a 1 star rating to an episode if it is truly horrid. In no particular order of lousiness, I put together a list of the worst of the worst episodes, all I rated as 1 star. They are all bad. I found no dud episodes from Season 1. Any thoughts? It is no surprise to me that Seasons 5 and 6 have the most duds.


The Woman on the Beach: Season 2

Legacy From a Friend: Season 3

Limited Engagement: Season 4
The Case of the Red Faced Thespian: Season 4
Rembrandt's Girl: Season 4

Tran Quoc Jones: Season 5
Kiss of the Sabre: Season 5
Let me Hear the Music: Season 5
The Man From Marseilles: Season 5
Torah, Torah, Torah: Season 5

The Kona Winds: Season 6
The Hotel Dick: Season 6
Paniolo: Season 6
Who is Don Luis Higgins, and Why is He Doing These Terrible Things to Me?: Season 6

Murder by Night: Season 7

Forever in Time: Season 8
Legend of the Lost Art: Season 8
Last edited by Sisophous on Tue Jul 30, 2013 8:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: The Absolute Worst Episodes

#2 Post by ConchRepublican »

Sisophous wrote:I have rated every episode in this 8 Season series on the scale of 1-5, for my own reference. I only give a 1 star rating to an episode if it truly horrid. In no particular order of lousiness, I put together a list of the worst of the worst episodes, all I rated as 1 star. They are all bad. I found no dud episodes from Season 1. Any thoughts? It is no surprise to me that Seasons 5 and 6 have the most duds.


The Woman on the Beach: Season 2

Say WHAT??

Sisophous wrote: continued . . .
Legacy From a Friend: Season 3

Limited Engagement: Season 4
The Case of the Red Faced Thespian: Season 4
Rembrandt's Girl: Season 4

Tran Quoc Jones: Season 5
Kiss of the Sabre: Season 5
Let me Hear the Music: Season 5
The Man From Marseilles: Season 5
Torah, Torah, Torah: Season 5

The Kona Winds: Season 6
The Hotel Dick: Season 6
Paniolo: Season 6
Who is Don Luis Higgins, and Why is He Doing These Terrible Things to Me?: Season 6

Murder by Night: Season 7

Forever in Time: Season 8
Legend of the Lost Art: Season 8

Ummm . . . wow. OK, I get it. Not everything is going to click all the time. Hey I didn't care for Kiss of the Sabre or Kona Winds either. I thought Sabre was just too strange and Kona undermined Magnum's character a bit too much, although I think I understand what they were trying to do.

But 17 episodes of a TV series you joined a forum for you feel are "truly horrid"?? Wow . . .that's all I got.
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Re: The Absolute Worst Episodes

#3 Post by Sisophous »

ConchRepublican wrote:

The Woman on the Beach: Season 2

Say WHAT??

Well, maybe I made a mistake as I only viewed this episode one time. In my personal notes I jotted that the storyline was impossible to follow and it had a ghost theme, it just did not click with me.

ConchRepublican wrote: But 17 episodes of a TV series you joined a forum for you feel are "truly horrid"??
Well, 162 episodes over 8 seasons and I found 17 to be unwatchable. The other 145 I rated between 2-5 stars.

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Re: The Absolute Worst Episodes

#4 Post by Doc Ibold »

I liked WOTB, simply because it introduced some of the fantasy elements later on in the series. I think that's what kept it fresh throughout the years.

Torah Torah Torah is a personal favorite of mine, if simply for Magnums scenes with Nehemiah Persoff and the Higgins character reveal. I think Persoffs characterization of the rabbi was good because like Magnum, I found myself saying... "I LIKE this guy". Especially considering NP was frequently cast as a villain (or so I read somewhere).

But to take some heat too.. I'll be posting my Top 10 of least favorite episodes. I think each episode has something that redeems it, which kept Magnum from jumping the shark - but some are just better than others.

I think it's a boon to this forum that we can come out and say, I didn't like this one because... And not get hated on, as we respect each others individual tastes.

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Re: The Absolute Worst Episodes

#5 Post by Doc Ibold »

Here goes!

I decided on least favorite and honorable mention 2nd least for each season:

(Everyone has their own taste, and mine vary in terms of dislike from 1 to 2). And frankly, this kind of lines up with a top 10 anyway, regardless of season). Even then, I can't say I truly dislike any of them save for I Do? Or Novel Connection. Everything about those episodes annoyed me. (But I still watch them)

I have a feeling S2, 5 and 6 Honorable Mentions will raise some questions

:wink:


S1:

All Roads Lead To Floyd (Rough, because it wasn't terrible.. But wasn't memorable either)
Hon Mention: Adelaide (See above)

S2:

The Taking Of Dick McWilliams (It's been said before... Who would WANT to rescue this guy? He was established as shady before the denouement)
Hon Mention: The Last Page. (Seemed a little forced. Although it seems DPB like to cast Joanna Kerns as "frazzled wife")

S3:

I Do? (By a landslide - See above)
Hon Mention: Heal Thyself (If only because the Vietnam connection seemed forced to me, not so like in other episodes that dealt with it - Skin Deep, MAF, 1 & 2 All for One 1 & 2)

S4:

Smaller Than Life (The ending is like a bad joke. "Tell me if you heard this one.... Anthony Kiedis' dad and a little person get into a Kung fu fight..")
Hon Mention: None

S5:

A Pretty Good Dancing Chicken (TS in prison did it better in An Innocent Man)
Hon Mention: The Man From Marseilles (Misty is kind of the only thing going for it, IMO)

S6:

Find Me A Rainbow (Another Landslide)
Hon Mention: Blood and Honor (Plot seemed a little far fetched)

S7:

Novel Connection (At least it answer the age old question - What would happen if you crossed Magnum PI and MSW? Answer: Magnum sitting at the kids table and Angela Lansbury and her friends annoy everyone - onscreen and off)
Hon Mention: Out Of Sync (Dana D being Dana D saved it, Magnum wasn't "Magnum" in this one)

S8:

Transitions: (The second to last episode, and this? At least Luther gets some closure and Blanche gets her man)
Hon Mention: The Great Hawaiian Adventure Company (I chuckle at that motorcycle "gang"... Even a Higgins sans Karate Chop Of Doom (r) / Rick tag team of would take them out)

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Re: The Absolute Worst Episodes

#6 Post by ConchRepublican »

Doc Ibold wrote:I think it's a boon to this forum that we can come out and say, I didn't like this one because... And not get hated on, as we respect each others individual tastes.
OK ..... I hope I didn't come across too heavy, I'm just surprised to see that many labeled "truly horrid". Seems excessive to me for a "fave series", that's all. I have my fave episodes and seasons, as well as ones I care for less that others.

Truly horrid? That's tough. The only episode that I feel that way about would probably be Kiss of the Sabre, but mostly because I was embarrassed for the actors watching it. I actually turned it off, so maybe it got better.

I also get that sometimes bad episodes feel worse because you know what they can, and have, done. It makes the chasm deeper when you feel something may have been mailed in, or someone writing just didn't understand the characters as they should.

I think for me it's more scenes I feel they did too quickly or gave themselves an out. Like the fan fave Paper War. Did they really have to count all the way down to building demolition? Did Thomas and Higgins have to appear out of a cloud of debris? I know it's TV, and expected, but I didn't think it fit the characters. To me having TM and Higgins come from behind everyone and ask what's going on, after the demolition, when everyone thinks they were trapped inside would have worked better. TM and Higgins worked together to escape the elevator, Higgins knew a basement exit route due to something or another associated with one of his many social functions or even better, understanding of the construction of building codes which would lead to another story as they walk away grinning at each other.

Those are the little things that irk me more.
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Re: The Absolute Worst Episodes

#7 Post by Doc Ibold »

Hey Conch!

That was in NO way in directed at you. It was more of a "The forum is great because we all agree to disagree on some things, but do it constructively" global statement.

You summed it up better than me when you said:

"I have my fave episodes and seasons, as well as ones I care for less that others."

That's pretty much what I was trying to get across, and saying everyone has a different way of looking at things.

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Re: The Absolute Worst Episodes

#8 Post by Sisophous »

Doc Ibold wrote:I'll be posting my Top 10 of least favorite episodes. I think each episode has something that redeems it, which kept Magnum from jumping the shark - but some are just better than others.

I think it's a boon to this forum that we can come out and say, I didn't like this one because... And not get hated on, as we respect each others individual tastes.

Doc, I look forward to seeing how I rated each of the episodes you posted in your top 10. I see them now, but by name alone I can't make anything of it, likely because the titles are seldom mentioned. I will post back my thoughts in a day or two, just out of time for now.

Thanks for the feedback, I look forward to seeing my ratings of the ones you posted.

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Re: The Absolute Worst Episodes

#9 Post by Higgins (aka Bondtoys) »

I agree,

"truly horrid" episodes - there is no such thing with Mpi.

Though I find Rembrand's girl relatively boring, too

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Re: The Absolute Worst Episodes

#10 Post by J.J. Walters »

Sisophous wrote:I have rated every episode in this 8 Season series on the scale of 1-5, for my own reference. I only give a 1 star rating to an episode if it is truly horrid. In no particular order of lousiness, I put together a list of the worst of the worst episodes, all I rated as 1 star. They are all bad. I found no dud episodes from Season 1. Any thoughts? It is no surprise to me that Seasons 5 and 6 have the most duds.


The Woman on the Beach: Season 2

Legacy From a Friend: Season 3

Limited Engagement: Season 4
The Case of the Red Faced Thespian: Season 4
Rembrandt's Girl: Season 4

Tran Quoc Jones: Season 5
Kiss of the Sabre: Season 5
Let me Hear the Music: Season 5
The Man From Marseilles: Season 5
Torah, Torah, Torah: Season 5

The Kona Winds: Season 6
The Hotel Dick: Season 6
Paniolo: Season 6
Who is Don Luis Higgins, and Why is He Doing These Terrible Things to Me?: Season 6

Murder by Night: Season 7

Forever in Time: Season 8
Legend of the Lost Art: Season 8
To quote Jonathan Quayle Higgins, "This is outrageous! OUT-RAGEOUS!!"

While I agree that most of these are indeed the weaker episodes, they are by no means "truly horrid" or "1 star fodder". All of these episodes feature Magnum and Higgins doing something together at some point in the episode (which means it can't be "truly horrid"). All of these episodes feature the Estate, Robin's Nest (so it can't be "truly horrid"). Rick. T.C.. And they all feature some memorable scenes. I mean, that's one of the things I love about MPI, even the weaker episodes are worth watching. That's what we say around here: "weaker episodes". We don't say "truly horrid episodes". No, no. :)
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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Re: The Absolute Worst Episodes

#11 Post by ConchRepublican »

J.J. Walters wrote:To quote Jonathan Quayle Higgins, "This is outrageous! OUT-RAGEOUS!!"

While I agree that most of these are indeed the weaker episodes, they are by no means "truly horrid" or "1 star fodder". All of these episodes feature Magnum and Higgins doing something together at some point in the episode (which means it can't be "truly horrid"). All of these episodes feature the Estate, Robin's Nest (so it can't be "truly horrid"). Rick. T.C.. And they all feature some memorable scenes. I mean, that's one of the things I love about MPI, even the weaker episodes are worth watching. That's what we say around here: "weaker episodes". We don't say "truly horrid episodes". No, no. :)
^ What he said. ^
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Re: The Absolute Worst Episodes

#12 Post by .45caliber »

I second that! Only weaker episodes.

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Re: The Absolute Worst Episodes

#13 Post by Sisophous »

[quote="Doc Ibold"]Here goes!

I decided on least favorite and honorable mention 2nd least for each season:

S1:
All Roads Lead To Floyd
Hon Mention: Adelaide

S2:
The Taking Of Dick McWilliams
Hon Mention: The Last Page.

S3:
I Do?
Hon Mention: Heal Thyself

S4:
Smaller Than Life
Hon Mention: None

S5:
A Pretty Good Dancing Chicken
Hon Mention: The Man From Marseilles

S6:
Find Me A Rainbow
Hon Mention: Blood and Honor

S7:
Novel Connection
Hon Mention: Out Of Sync

S8:
Transitions:
Hon Mention: The Great Hawaiian Adventure Company

Well, we agree that each of the episodes you listed are not good. Most I rated as 2 stars and I agree that the Season 5 Episode, The Man From Marseilles is deplorable, I gave it 1 star. I also question why guest stars keep reappearing in these episodes. Kathleen Lloyd (21 episodes) is annoying in nearly all of them. Lance LeGault as Colonel Buck (10 episodes) with his surly demeanor is tiresome. And, Carol Burnett destroyed two episodes, they don't come more abrasive than her, all she does is overact. Angela Lansbury is truly terrible in Novel Connection. How they gave her an entire show, Murder She Wrote, is bewildering. And how anyone watched it I will never know. I think the scripts of some of these episodes are just poorly written and no matter who was used to fill the roles, they would stink up the estate.

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Re: The Absolute Worst Episodes

#14 Post by Mozambique_patt »

One of my favorite parts about The series is the episodes that aren't quiet as good or thought out as the more popular episodes are still very good. Great photography, great music, no cell phones, award winning actors and actresses, sweet!

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Re: The Absolute Worst Episodes

#15 Post by Higgins (aka Bondtoys) »

Sisophous wrote:
Well, we agree that each of the episodes you listed are not good. Most I rated as 2 stars and I agree that the Season 5 Episode, The Man From Marseilles is deplorable, I gave it 1 star. I also question why guest stars keep reappearing in these episodes. Kathleen Lloyd (21 episodes) is annoying in nearly all of them. Lance LeGault as Colonel Buck (10 episodes) with his surly demeanor is tiresome. And, Carol Burnett destroyed two episodes, they don't come more abrasive than her, all she does is overact. Angela Lansbury is truly terrible in Novel Connection. How they gave her an entire show, Murder She Wrote, is bewildering. And how anyone watched it I will never know. I think the scripts of some of these episodes are just poorly written and no matter who was used to fill the roles, they would stink up the estate.
man, this is a relaxed Mpi forum. We come here to enjoy and not to spread hate about certain actors or episodes.

As for Kathleen LLoyd - yes she's sometimes a bit strange but so are most of Magnum's friends.
She did not ruin anything to me, she's welcomingly different to all other figures on the show.

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