Magnum's dark side

[MagnumFan]

A question:
Having rewatched "Unfinished Business", we see Magnum's darker side. Underneath that charming beach bum exterior is, let's be honest, a somewhat jaded and hardened killer. I don't mean this to imply Magnum is a bad man - but he has things in common with James Bond. This is a guy who likely participated in political assassinations in 'Nam and has no compunction with taking life, without remorse, if the need is there. Magnum in UB would've killed Buck Green and anyone he had to, to get to Quang Ki. He had no care about the consequences. He was in mission mode, and was more of a killing machine than a person in that episode. Only the chance meeting with the MIA's daughter stopped him.

That said, what are some other episodes that show us Magnum's darker side?

[KENJI]

Hi MagnumFan,

Did You See the Sunrise? would definitely fall into this category!

[308GUY]

Hi MagnumFan,

Did You See the Sunrise? would definitely fall into this category!

Yep. Being where he was supposed to have been, and doing what he was supposed to have done....changes you.

I always thought TS portrayed this very well, and these "darker" moments gave him the opportunity to display his talent and the depth of his empathy and ability to express it.

Good post MF, always kind of wondered why this hadn't been discussed before. Maybe it has....this place has an overwhelming amount of info and endless topics to explore.

Kinda like going to one of the big long established museums or historic "complexes"....you really can't see it all in one day!

I think we see this side of TM in several other episodes, which I'm sure others will think of and relay here, but Death and Taxes comes to mind, just the mind-set he adopts kind of reflects it for me....or maybe it's just the music?

[KingKC]

I have to admit that the darker shows and those showing the darker side of TM were the least favorite of mine. I know they were important for the overall Vietnam theme and the life that may have come back from Vietnam. I much preferred the standard investigations such as Lest We Forget or Try to Remember or even the light-hearted investigations of Elmo Ziller or Beauty Knows No Pain over the episodes of Did You See the Sunrise or even China Doll as it, too, ended in such violence. Even the performance of Sinatra and the episode Laura was a little unsettling for me. Not that they weren't great shows. It is just that we all see and feel things differently about MPI. Maybe that helped make it the memorable show that it was. It is topics like this one and the one about Magnum "transporting me" that keep me coming back to these forums to see what is going on!!

[Michelle_Hue]

I think in 'Paper War,' there is a side to Magnum that I don't like. Quite petty, vicious and unfeeling. I know this is kind of a lighthearted, funny episode, but I IMO Magnum goes too far with his spite toward Higgins in this episode.

[K Hale]

I think in 'Paper War,' there is a side to Magnum that I don't like. Quite petty, vicious and unfeeling. I know this is kind of a lighthearted, funny episode, but I IMO Magnum goes too far with his spite toward Higgins in this episode.

Yep. Also "Transitions."

But, everyone has that side, I think. You just don't always see it.

[Mr. Keoki]

I think in 'Paper War,' there is a side to Magnum that I don't like. Quite petty, vicious and unfeeling. I know this is kind of a lighthearted, funny episode, but I IMO Magnum goes too far with his spite toward Higgins in this episode.

This episode highlights the nuclear arms race that is pranks.... Guy buys a beer, friend drinks half of beer while friend isn't looking..... Later the guy throws dog shit in his car to get him back.... Never an even handed reciprocal prank, only excessive force. That's the reason I don't partake. Haha

Glad Higgins got the last laugh in paper war, but I'm sure he had to write a check to pay for it...

[K Hale]

I think in 'Paper War,' there is a side to Magnum that I don't like. Quite petty, vicious and unfeeling. I know this is kind of a lighthearted, funny episode, but I IMO Magnum goes too far with his spite toward Higgins in this episode.

This episode highlights the nuclear arms race that is pranks.... Guy buys a beer, friend drinks half of beer while friend isn't looking..... Later the guy throws dog shit in his car to get him back.... Never an even handed reciprocal prank, only excessive force. That's the reason I don't partake. Haha

Glad Higgins got the last laugh in paper war, but I'm sure he had to write a check to pay for it...

Is it literally Magnum's surf ski or does it belong to the estate? I recall in "Letter to a Duchess" Magnum expected Higgins to pay for the replacement paddle.

I agree with you that prank wars never wind up tit for tat.

[Mr. Keoki]

I think in 'Paper War,' there is a side to Magnum that I don't like. Quite petty, vicious and unfeeling. I know this is kind of a lighthearted, funny episode, but I IMO Magnum goes too far with his spite toward Higgins in this episode.

This episode highlights the nuclear arms race that is pranks.... Guy buys a beer, friend drinks half of beer while friend isn't looking..... Later the guy throws dog shit in his car to get him back.... Never an even handed reciprocal prank, only excessive force. That's the reason I don't partake. Haha

Glad Higgins got the last laugh in paper war, but I'm sure he had to write a check to pay for it...

Is it literally Magnum's surf ski or does it belong to the estate? I recall in "Letter to a Duchess" Magnum expected Higgins to pay for the replacement paddle.

I agree with you that prank wars never wind up tit for tat.

Magnum owns nothing, so I assume the surf ski is Robin's. In "Letter to a Duchess", I remember him asking Higgins about needing a paddle, and in an attempt to rid Magnum he just says put in on the KKC account (or something to that affect). OTOH Magnum did strap the surf ski to the chopper and take off from the estate. As irritated as Higgins was that TC landed there, you figure he would have made some sort of retort about taking "ROBIN's surf ski".... I guess we'll never know. HA!

[Kevster]

Magnum was an officer in Navy for over ten years, so I'm sure he owned a few things and had a few bucks at some point. He could have owned the surf ski for a few years when it became a part of the show.


It didn't take too long after he got out to be virtually destitute.

[Mad Kudu Buck]

Is it literally Magnum's surf ski or does it belong to the estate? I recall in "Letter to a Duchess" Magnum expected Higgins to pay for the replacement paddle.

I agree with you that prank wars never wind up tit for tat.

Magnum owns nothing, so I assume the surf ski is Robin's. In "Letter to a Duchess", I remember him asking Higgins about needing a paddle, and in an attempt to rid Magnum he just says put in on the KKC account (or something to that affect). OTOH Magnum did strap the surf ski to the chopper and take off from the estate. As irritated as Higgins was that TC landed there, you figure he would have made some sort of retort about taking "ROBIN's surf ski".... I guess we'll never know. HA!

The surf ski is definitely Magnum's. Magnum has been paddling alone on the ocean since Vietnam days. Why would Robin Masters keep a surf ski - just one - for guests? If it was for guests, he would have at least two or three of them and Higgins would be in charge of them. Magnum wouldn't be allowed to keep it lying around the guest house without Higgins saying anything. The final proof is that whenever Higgins says anything about the surf ski, he says to Magnum, "your surf ski":

"A pressing date with your surf ski or are you rendezvousing with one of your divorcee clients just beyond the breakers?"
"Your surf ski, clothing, and footprints are on my beach."

In "Letter to a Duchess", he was just using the Robin Masters benefit race as an excuse to get Higgins to have the estate cover a replacement paddle so Magnum wouldn't have to pay for it. Higgins, being distracted, misunderstood what Magnum was asking and just wanted to get rid of him.

[K Hale]

In that case, I agree that Higgins should probably pay to repair the holes in the surf ski. After all, Magnum did buy all those matchsticks. Even if they were the wrong size.

[Mad Kudu Buck]

I forgot about the surf ski sinking. I always assumed that Higgins just removed some drainage plugs, but it wouldn't sink that fast. If he put holes in the surf ski, then the surf ski is basically ruined and he'd have to buy a whole new one.

That was the second time the bridge on the river Kwai was destroyed - the first time when Higgins knocked it over in the dark during the hurricane.

[K Hale]

And it would be destroyed the third time, when the bad guys dropped it on the floor in "Summer School."

From the look on Higgins' face as the surf ski sank, I'd guess it was worth the price of a new one. Hey, do we see either that surf ski or another one after "Paper War"? I learned in the surf ski thread that there was a yellow one and a pink one.

[ConchRepublican]

Is it literally Magnum's surf ski or does it belong to the estate? I recall in "Letter to a Duchess" Magnum expected Higgins to pay for the replacement paddle.

I agree with you that prank wars never wind up tit for tat.

Magnum owns nothing, so I assume the surf ski is Robin's. In "Letter to a Duchess", I remember him asking Higgins about needing a paddle, and in an attempt to rid Magnum he just says put in on the KKC account (or something to that affect). OTOH Magnum did strap the surf ski to the chopper and take off from the estate. As irritated as Higgins was that TC landed there, you figure he would have made some sort of retort about taking "ROBIN's surf ski".... I guess we'll never know. HA!

The surf ski is definitely Magnum's. Magnum has been paddling alone on the ocean since Vietnam days. Why would Robin Masters keep a surf ski - just one - for guests? If it was for guests, he would have at least two or three of them and Higgins would be in charge of them. Magnum wouldn't be allowed to keep it lying around the guest house without Higgins saying anything. The final proof is that whenever Higgins says anything about the surf ski, he says to Magnum, "your surf ski":

"A pressing date with your surf ski or are you rendezvousing with one of your divorcee clients just beyond the breakers?"
"Your surf ski, clothing, and footprints are on my beach."

In "Letter to a Duchess", he was just using the Robin Masters benefit race as an excuse to get Higgins to have the estate cover a replacement paddle so Magnum wouldn't have to pay for it. Higgins, being distracted, misunderstood what Magnum was asking and just wanted to get rid of him.

I agree, the surf ski is Thomas'. IIRC there's a Cross of Lorraine on it, no reason for Robin to have that on something he owned.