Things you DON'T Like About the Show

[J.J. Walters]

Touche!

Of course you know that is an obligation; it's something required in an episode guide. All the good TV show websites include them. You'll also notice that the vast majority of the flubs were noted by people other than myself.

[Doc Ibold]

I wasn't being serious or anything. I was being facetious. But it is a little too much.

If we really wanted to go over the top, we could point out the mistakes in every single episode! We could call them "Flubs." Oh wait...

Please don't.....lol!

My backlog is crazy enough as is!!!!

[SignGuyHPW]

Some of the things I didn't particularly enjoy (keeping in mind I very much enjoy the show and these are my own personal preferences):
~The psychic connections Often times one of the guys would just "know" that Thomas was in trouble. It just seemed unnatural and lazy way out of writing an ending that worked for an episode. The episode with the actual psychic that thought she saw her own murder before realising she saw Magnum's murder didn't bother me too much, but the regular cast doing this did bother me.
~Higgins possibly being Robin MastersThis bothered me greatly. The first 5 years of the show has tons of examples of how this makes no sense at all. Robin And Higgins have dialouge that disprove it, they're seen in the same scenes, etc. Plus the entire premise of the series was that Magnum was given room and board in exchange for security work by Robin Masters despite the wishes of his mayordomo to the contrary. If Higgins was Robin then why would he have Magnum on the property only to try to get him thrown off of it?
Magnum drinking heavily I have no issues with Magnum having beers or glasses of wine during the show, but in a few episodes they had him drinking rather heavily. I didn't enjoy those at all as it didn't seem to portray Magnum in a very good light when he was the "hero" of the show.
PIs being above the law What I never understood is how Magnum could blow away multiple people, break into places and steal things, or assault people without consequence. He'd kill a bunch of villians and he'd walk away with the cops laughing. They never pulled his gun to investigate or arrest him for questioning or anything. He'd break into places and never have any problems. He'd steal police evidence and it was treated like a game. I just never understood it.
Magnum's profession not taken seriously The series was about a private investigator. This is a legitamate profession that requires a lot of training and licenses in order to practice. Higgins, in particular, and a few others over the course of the series acted like it was the equivalant to being a newspaper delievery boy. Magnum made $200 per day plus exspenses which wasn't bad for the 80s yet he was always rediculed for his chosen profession. It always bothered me when this happened.

[marlboro]

Magnum's profession not taken seriously The series was about a private investigator. This is a legitimate profession that requires a lot of training and licenses in order to practice. Higgins, in particular, and a few others over the course of the series acted like it was the equivalent to being a newspaper delivery boy. Magnum made $200 per day plus expenses which wasn't bad for the 80s yet he was always ridiculed for his chosen profession. It always bothered me when this happened.

Sort of an extension of that point - I never understood why Magnum had a problem with being called a "detective" like it was some sort of pejorative. I don't think I've ever seen (or read) any other fictional detective having a problem with it. I know they touched on it in "Dream a Little Dream" but I never really got it.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

I never understood why Magnum had a problem with being called a "detective" like it was some sort of pejorative. I don't think I've ever seen (or read) any other fictional detective having a problem with it. I know they touched on it in "Dream a Little Dream" but I never really got it.

When Magnum first aired I pondered about this too and came up with some thoughts on the subject after talking with my mother who lived in 1930's/40's Chicago and knew Al Capone's by then 'legit' brother, who ran a saloon next to her nursing school/hospital.
Back in the 1930's private detectives were loathed by the working classes because they were hired to break up strikes by busting heads(like the Pinkertons) and worse. Also, a large number of them tended to be ex-cops who were fired from the force, because they were corrupt, drunkards, screw ups or too brutal.
The perception was that when these guys weren't beating up people they were peeking through keyholes in seedy divorce cases.
So the regular police looked down on them as pariahs who sullied the good cops reputation.
You'll see this attitude reflected in many 1940's noir mysteries such as The Big Sleep and The Maltese Falcon and even to a degree in Rockford Files.
I imagine most of the Magnum writers were born in 1940 or earlier and thought this way too, as growing up they were subject to their parents views/culture as well as absorbing all the period movies that were rerun on tv then.
"Magnum" himself thus made a point of being called a Private Investigator, it implies a skilled professional with many talents, which he was, what with his Navy Intelligence background.
And Thomas could still kick butt if need be, even ultra violence if required.

[Doc Ibold]

I never understood why Magnum had a problem with being called a "detective" like it was some sort of pejorative. I don't think I've ever seen (or read) any other fictional detective having a problem with it. I know they touched on it in "Dream a Little Dream" but I never really got it.

When Magnum first aired I pondered about this too and came up with some thoughts on the subject after talking with my mother who lived in 1930's/40's Chicago and knew Al Capone's by then 'legit' brother, who ran a saloon next to her nursing school/hospital.
Back in the 1930's private detectives were loathed by the working classes because they were hired to break up strikes by busting heads(like the Pinkertons) and worse. Also, a large number of them tended to be ex-cops who were fired from the force, because they were corrupt, drunkards, screw ups or too brutal.
The perception was that when these guys weren't beating up people they were peeking through keyholes in seedy divorce cases.
So the regular police looked down on them as pariahs who sullied the good cops reputation.
You'll see this attitude reflected in many 1940's noir mysteries such as The Big Sleep and The Maltese Falcon and even to a degree in Rockford Files.
I imagine most of the Magnum writers were born in 1940 or earlier and thought this way too, as growing up they were subject to their parents views/culture as well as absorbing all the period movies that were rerun on tv then.
"Magnum" himself thus made a point of being called a Private Investigator, it implies a skilled professional with many talents, which he was, what with his Navy Intelligence background.
And Thomas cold still kick butt if need be, even ultra violence if required.

That's REALLY good insight, LND.. and makes perfect sense

[Turkey]

I never understood why Magnum had a problem with being called a "detective" like it was some sort of pejorative. I don't think I've ever seen (or read) any other fictional detective having a problem with it. I know they touched on it in "Dream a Little Dream" but I never really got it.

When Magnum first aired I pondered about this too and came up with some thoughts on the subject after talking with my mother who lived in 1930's/40's Chicago and knew Al Capone's by then 'legit' brother, who ran a saloon next to her nursing school/hospital.
Back in the 1930's private detectives were loathed by the working classes because they were hired to break up strikes by busting heads(like the Pinkertons) and worse. Also, a large number of them tended to be ex-cops who were fired from the force, because they were corrupt, drunkards, screw ups or too brutal.
The perception was that when these guys weren't beating up people they were peeking through keyholes in seedy divorce cases.
So the regular police looked down on them as pariahs who sullied the good cops reputation.
You'll see this attitude reflected in many 1940's noir mysteries such as The Big Sleep and The Maltese Falcon and even to a degree in Rockford Files.
I imagine most of the Magnum writers were born in 1940 or earlier and thought this way too, as growing up they were subject to their parents views/culture as well as absorbing all the period movies that were rerun on tv then.
"Magnum" himself thus made a point of being called a Private Investigator, it implies a skilled professional with many talents, which he was, what with his Navy Intelligence background.
And Thomas cold still kick butt if need be, even ultra violence if required.

That's REALLY good insight, LND.. and makes perfect sense

Agree, thanks! Clears up something I'd long been curious about too

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

That's REALLY good insight, LND.. and makes perfect sense[/quote]
Agree, thanks! Clears up something I'd long been curious about too [/quote]

Hi Doc and Turkey,
Thank you for the compliments.
Dobie

"Even though I realized it was risky coming down to Hotel Street and looking for Artie Keanu alone I realized the alternative, coming down here with Luther was worse.
So I left him with Doc Ibold and a fervent request that he be heavily sedated.
Preferably for the next six or seven years".

[KingKC]

I know it has been a couple of years since anyone posted on this thread but since I am a newbie of sorts I will use "re-activate" this thread with my comments about what bothered me with the series.

1. The trading/negotiations for estate amenities by Higgins and Magnum. It made for a little laugh every once in a while but I thought it was just plain childish especially by Higgins who was supposed to be such a prim and proper Englishman.

2. Higgins appearance as Father Paddy and Don Luis Higgins. One look-alike half brother was enough. The Elmo Ziller Story was definitely amusing but three look-alike half brothers seem rather unlikely and ridiculous.

3. There was one scene I seem to constantly remember (in a negative way) that I think was in Infinity and Jelly Doughnuts where Magnum berates a therapist about not serving in the military or Vietnam. I think Selleck/Magnum came off as too defensive and somewhat sanctimonious. There were a lot of young men who, including me, did not serve in the military or Vietnam. It was not because we looked down on the military or blamed the soldiers for what happened or protested in any way. I received a 2-S deferment to go to college in 1969 and promptly enrolled in ROTC fully expecting to serve my country. A couple of years later I received a draft number in the lottery process of 314. I did drop out of ROTC and was never called to serve. I did speak with the Air Force recruiters when I graduated law school a few years later and almost went into JAG but opted not to at the last minute as other situations presented themselves. Part of the very, very good theme of MPI was depicting Vietnam Vets as normal people without the bitterness, drug addiction etc. This scene showed deep rooted bitterness IMO. I don't remember what prompted TM to say the things he did. I wish someone who has a DVD for this episode would post a transcript of that scene to see if I misinterpreted something but that has always stuck in my craw.

4. Watching the series in its original run I can tell you that after a while the theme of TM saving the "damsel in distress" got a little old. Now that I can review a synopsis of all episodes I went back and looked at all synopses and I considered 82, or a little more than half, following that theme. Most of the time it was truly a babe looking for help. Sometimes it was girls (Thank Heaven for Little Girls....) and sometimes it was an elderly woman (Mercedes McCambridge in Don't Say Goodbye). Sometimes it was the boyfriend or brother trying to find the fiance or sister but there was always a damsel in distress involved (dead or alive). (Actually I particularly liked the episode where Morgan Fairchild's character turned out to be the "bad guy." She always did play a great vixen!!!)

Thanks for humoring me.

KingKC

[MagnumFan]

3. There was one scene I seem to constantly remember (in a negative way) that I think was in Infinity and Jelly Doughnuts where Magnum berates a therapist about not serving in the military or Vietnam. I think Selleck/Magnum came off as too defensive and somewhat sanctimonious. There were a lot of young men who, including me, did not serve in the military or Vietnam. It was not because we looked down on the military or blamed the soldiers for what happened or protested in any way. I received a 2-S deferment to go to college in 1969 and promptly enrolled in ROTC fully expecting to serve my country. A couple of years later I received a draft number in the lottery process of 314. I did drop out of ROTC and was never called to serve. I did speak with the Air Force recruiters when I graduated law school a few years later and almost went into JAG but opted not to at the last minute as other situations presented themselves. Part of the very, very good theme of MPI was depicting Vietnam Vets as normal people without the bitterness, drug addiction etc. This scene showed deep rooted bitterness IMO. I don't remember what prompted TM to say the things he did. I wish someone who has a DVD for this episode would post a transcript of that scene to see if I misinterpreted something but that has always stuck in my craw.
KingKC

That bugged me too. Magnum's a fictional hero of mine...I always wanted to be able to serve. Now, thanks to some psychos who shot up places, I am automatically disqualified from serving my country due to a past history of anxiety. Even though it was never severe, and never warranted any psychiatric treatment outside of anti-anxiety medication (I was never hospitalized or under a therapist) and even though it is in my past, I can never, ever join the military even though I would probably make a better soldier than most. And my anxiety stemmed from having to deal with a dying mother and a drug abusing father as well as graduating from high school without any idea of what I wanted to do with my life. My father served, and he was an alcoholic and in and out of jail before his service, both of my grandfathers served, and a grandfather served. It always makes me feel insecure that because of new regulations brought about by legit nutjobs, I can never serve and continue the legacy. I can never be like Magnum. The fact that a fictional hero might look down on me for not serving kind of sucks.

[KingKC]

3. There was one scene I seem to constantly remember (in a negative way) that I think was in Infinity and Jelly Doughnuts where Magnum berates a therapist about not serving in the military or Vietnam. I think Selleck/Magnum came off as too defensive and somewhat sanctimonious. There were a lot of young men who, including me, did not serve in the military or Vietnam. It was not because we looked down on the military or blamed the soldiers for what happened or protested in any way. I received a 2-S deferment to go to college in 1969 and promptly enrolled in ROTC fully expecting to serve my country. A couple of years later I received a draft number in the lottery process of 314. I did drop out of ROTC and was never called to serve. I did speak with the Air Force recruiters when I graduated law school a few years later and almost went into JAG but opted not to at the last minute as other situations presented themselves. Part of the very, very good theme of MPI was depicting Vietnam Vets as normal people without the bitterness, drug addiction etc. This scene showed deep rooted bitterness IMO. I don't remember what prompted TM to say the things he did. I wish someone who has a DVD for this episode would post a transcript of that scene to see if I misinterpreted something but that has always stuck in my craw.
KingKC

That bugged me too. Magnum's a fictional hero of mine...I always wanted to be able to serve. Now, thanks to some psychos who shot up places, I am automatically disqualified from serving my country due to a past history of anxiety. Even though it was never severe, and never warranted any psychiatric treatment outside of anti-anxiety medication (I was never hospitalized or under a therapist) and even though it is in my past, I can never, ever join the military even though I would probably make a better soldier than most. And my anxiety stemmed from having to deal with a dying mother and a drug abusing father as well as graduating from high school without any idea of what I wanted to do with my life. My father served, and he was an alcoholic and in and out of jail before his service, both of my grandfathers served, and a grandfather served. It always makes me feel insecure that because of new regulations brought about by legit nutjobs, I can never serve and continue the legacy. I can never be like Magnum. The fact that a fictional hero might look down on me for not serving kind of sucks.

Sometimes I felt caught in the middle. Being in ROTC in 1969-1971 was a little risky because there was a lot of protests going on and wearing a ROTC uniform made you a target sometimes. Then after the war ended I met and knew many Vietnam vets who really didn't want to be reminded of the war and some of them sure didn't like those who didn't have to go to Vietnam. Many were bitter especially because of the way they were viewed and treated. So basically I kept my mouth shut even though I strongly supported the men....but not always the issue. It is not until the nineties that most of America began doing that.

KingKC

[Frodoleader]

First of all, full disclosure: I did not fully read each and every comment on this thread (too lazy!). So I have to say that considering MPI is a product of 1980's TV, it is still a very good product, even today. It is not a perfect show and I never thought it was one. That being said, there is not a lot I "don't like" about MPI.
There is one thing and maybe it is not a dislike of the show, but even back during the shows initial run, I always felt that if I lived in the world of MPI, I probably could not be a friend to TM. Why is that? Well it seemed to me that he had tendency to use his friends and acquaintances and did not seem very appreciative of their help. A little favor here, a big favor there. Cutting out in the middle of a conversation and so on. Personally I don't think I would have put up with it. Is TM a good friend to the other characters on the show? Of course he is. It is probably just a personal thing for me, but if I had a friend that tended to use me for favors a lot, I'd probably not be friend to them for long. Just my two cents.

[steveadl]

Things I didn't like about the show..... Carol. For the most part, her character bugged me.

[marlboro]

First of all, full disclosure: I did not fully read each and every comment on this thread (too lazy!). So I have to say that considering MPI is a product of 1980's TV, it is still a very good product, even today. It is not a perfect show and I never thought it was one. That being said, there is not a lot I "don't like" about MPI.
There is one thing and maybe it is not a dislike of the show, but even back during the shows initial run, I always felt that if I lived in the world of MPI, I probably could not be a friend to TM. Why is that? Well it seemed to me that he had tendency to use his friends and acquaintances and did not seem very appreciative of their help. A little favor here, a big favor there. Cutting out in the middle of a conversation and so on. Personally I don't think I would have put up with it. Is TM a good friend to the other characters on the show? Of course he is. It is probably just a personal thing for me, but if I had a friend that tended to use me for favors a lot, I'd probably not be friend to them for long. Just my two cents.

On the other hand, TM is a guy who showed repeatedly that he would risk life and limb for his friends. So it's a tradeoff: you occasionally have to waste some fuel flying a delayed adolescent around the islands, but if you ever need somebody to shoot a Russian in the face he's only a phone call away.

[No need to know!]

1: Magnums grandpa shorts he wore in the later seasons.

2: Jim"Mac"Bonnick.

3: That they didn´t have the good iconic theme song from the beginning.

4: The whole idea that Higgins was Robin. Always hated it.