Limbo (7.22)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the seventh season

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How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
45
41%
9.5 (One of the Best)
39
35%
9.0 (Excellent)
13
12%
8.5 (Very Good)
8
7%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
0
No votes
7.5 (Decent)
1
1%
7.0 (Average at Best)
1
1%
6.5 (Not So Good)
2
2%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
1
1%
5.0 (Just Awful)
1
1%
 
Total votes: 111

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J.J. Walters
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Limbo (7.22)

#1 Post by J.J. Walters »

This is the official MM thread for Limbo (7.22). All discussions and reviews for this episode should go here. If you wish to rate the episode, please do so with the poll. The avg. score will be the official 'community rating', which will be used on the episode page (updated monthly).

This thread is also linked in the episode page of the Episode Guide.


Original Air Date: 4/15/1987
When Magnum is trapped in a state between life and death, he struggles to save his ex-wife Michelle and break through to his friends before it's too late.
Last edited by J.J. Walters on Fri Dec 28, 2007 3:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Doc Ibold
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#2 Post by Doc Ibold »

OK James, and fellow forumites....

On Season 7, Limbo is (from what I can tell) the ORIGINAL broadcast version.

(Sorry to spoil anything, but I had to log on and post)

Truly, truly, truly a great episode!

And honestly, had they ended the series on this fashion, it would have gone off well. Nice job of wrapping things up (Won't go into spoilers for anyone who hasn't seen it), and I especially liked the Higgins resolution. I thought Rick and TC could have had more time, but...

There's always Season 8....

Now, I assume Season 8 might open with the syndicated version to wrap up the continuity issues before Infinity and Jelly Donuts. THAT would be cool.

But we can only hope..

Damn, now I'm looking forward to Season 8 only 3 days after season 7 comes out.....

:?

Who's got Universal's phone number?

:lol:

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J.J. Walters
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#3 Post by J.J. Walters »

Doc Ibold wrote:Limbo is (from what I can tell) the ORIGINAL broadcast version.
Awesome! Thanks Doc! :)

Let's hope they include the syndicated version in the Season Eight DVD. That would be kind of weird to just include the original version (where Magnum is supposed to have died). :?
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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Shermy
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#4 Post by Shermy »

The great thing about this episode is that very few series could have pulled off such a stunt. But Magnum got away with it, because the show had always been willing to embrace topics like the supernatural, dreams, the "little voice", etc. "Mac's ghost" was even a returning character!

It's surprising to note how little screentime Magnum actually has with Rick, TC, and Higgins. But since the characters already have such a long history together, those brief moments pack a major wallop. My favorite part is Carol and Rick's realization that they're not going to see their friend again, seguing into Magnum's last helicopter ride with TC ("for a while at least"). And leave it to Higgins to not only get the last word in, but to state his demands right in the face of death! :lol:

What an incredibly depressing way to end the character's story...and yet, somehow it's oddly life affirming. Even in death, Magnum is casually strolling off to see what's in store for him. (I wonder if his beachwalk in the beginning was inspired by Warren Beatty's similar "I don't know I'm dead" strut in Heaven Can Wait?)

This one made a big impression on me as a kid, and it's an interesting one to revisit after 20 years. I still wonder if deceased loved ones get to say goodbye while listening to John Denver. I also still think Magnum's farewell to Michelle is one of the greatest breakup lines ever. :wink:

I'm not even sure I've ever seen the footage they added for syndication. To be honest, I never really had a problem believing that Magnum could've somehow been jolted back into his body. After all, he never did fade from view...perhaps all it really took was for someone like Lily to be able to break through to him?

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Doc Ibold
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#5 Post by Doc Ibold »

I thought that was REALLY cool in that only Lily and the lads could actually "see" him, kind of like the popular notion that only children and animals can see ghosts.

And of course, Higgins taking care of Lily in the guesthouse was cool too, kind of like a godfather or something.....

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#6 Post by J.J. Walters »

Shermy, what wonderfully written episode review! Thank you!
Shermy wrote:What an incredibly depressing way to end the character's story...and yet, somehow it's oddly life affirming. Even in death, Magnum is casually strolling off to see what's in store for him.
You're my new hero! ;)

[still patiently waiting for DVD to arrive]
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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Shermy
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#7 Post by Shermy »

James J. Walters wrote:
You're my new hero! ;)

[still patiently waiting for DVD to arrive]
LOL...but I'm afraid this newfound status may soon be transferred to the delivery guy!

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lutherhgillis
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#8 Post by lutherhgillis »

This one was a little strange for me. It was well written and well done but I hated the thought that the show was coming to an end so badly that it sort of tainted this episode for me.

I'm glad they made the decision to do another season. Magnum getting killed just wasn't a proper ending...

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#9 Post by Kahunagirl »

Finally got up the nerve to watch this episode and I sure was glad I did so when my husband and son weren't around to see the tears streaming down my face for the entire time!

It's funny, I have this remarkable "ability" to watch a show, totally enjoy it and then a few days later forget almost all the details, so it's almost like new when I watch it again. I guess I do the same with a lot of books I read. I'm totally in them for the moment, but then I purge the memory cells to make room for the other stuff that I'm forced to remember (mostly, government regulations!). While I didn't remember all the details of this episode (seeing as how I'd only watched it once, 20 years ago, since we don't get Sleuth or WGN), I did remember the overwhelming sense of sadness it left me with -- even after the show came back for the 8th season. I had a similar experience with the Echoes of the Mind episodes -- I refused to watch them on the Season 1 DVD and saved them til last when I got Season 5. I've since been able to watch those episodes a few more times. But I've only been able to watch the Ivan episodes once.

Memories are Forever and Little Girl Who were slightly different, because I actually did remember the basic storylines, along with the emotions they stirred up, but at least they did have somewhat happy endings.

Seems to me that the ability to stir up such emotions is the mark of good writing, acting and direction, so I've got to admit that I was surprised to see that of those episodes I mentioned, only Memories are Forever and Did You See the Sunrise were nominated for awards.

Kahunagirl

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#10 Post by J.J. Walters »

What a brilliant episode! It still seems fresh and new twenty years later. Best opening and most shocking ending I've ever seen! I still can't believe they tried to end the series with Magnum strolling off to heaven, however! I can still vividly picture my girlfriend and I chucking pillows at the TV when this originally aired!

I really wish Magnum had spent more time "saying goodbye" to Higgins. It just seemed way too brief for their level of friendship.

Also, "Mac" said you get to "reach" one person, but Magnum clearly "reached" several people - Edward Durant, Lily, Buck and Michelle. I guess "Mac" was wrong. ;)
Shermy wrote:I still wonder if deceased loved ones get to say goodbye while listening to John Denver.
Heh! Ever since I saw this episode, ANY John Denver song, "Rocky Mountain High", "Sunshine on My Shoulders", pick one, reminds me of Magnum in "Limbo"! ;)
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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Shermy
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#11 Post by Shermy »

James J. Walters wrote:I really wish Magnum had spent more time "saying goodbye" to Higgins. It just seemed way too brief for their level of friendship.
It is a bit surprising. But when you think about it, nothing about this episode should really work. Magnum only gets a tiny amount of screentime with the main characters. Rick's entire two-parter storyline is resolved in a few lines of dialogue. Magnum loses the girl...again. A series that was primarily known as an upbeat adventure show (almost) ends on a seriously depressing note. And to top it all off, the episode ends with Magnum walking off into the clouds! On paper, this should probably be one of the worst episodes of the entire series.

And yet...it just completely works.

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#12 Post by Danno »

I hate getting emotional infront of the television... but I did... how embarrassing... and I don't even like John Denver.

This show has crept up on both my girlfriend and I...

We bought the first season on DVD as a bit of a laugh and slowly got sucked into the world of Magnum and his buddies... both of us were too young to watch Magnum P.I. when it aired back in the 80s- so every episode we've seen for the first time.

Watching this episode, we're both struck at how we've become involved with the characters. Damn, we even really like Higgins.

Parts of the episode feel a little corny, but they still work I think mostly because of the empathy we have with these characters we've known for so long.

The only criticism I'd have is that it's too short- considering that at this point the series has run seven seasons, it would seem more fitting to at least have a double episode to finish off... but of course, Season 8 is on it's way.

I love the line about time, infinity and jelly doughnuts though. It feels like Douglas Adams or something...
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#13 Post by grundle »

Dan wrote: We bought the first season on DVD as a bit of a laugh and slowly got sucked into the world of Magnum and his buddies... both of us were too young to watch Magnum P.I. when it aired back in the 80s- so every episode we've seen for the first time.

That's really great.

What had you heard about the show before you bought the first season?

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#14 Post by Danno »

grundle wrote: That's really great.

What had you heard about the show before you bought the first season?
Hey Grundle, we didn't know much about the show before we bought the first season. I vaguely remembered it from the late 80s- but all I knew was that Magnum was famous for his car, wearing a baseball cap and his dream lifestyle in Hawaii. I thought Higgins was the butler and the estate belonged to Magnum before I got into it.

I loved Knight Rider and the A-Team as a kid, so figured this may be similar... we saw it playing in our local DVD store and thought it was pretty funny so decided to go retro 80s- it was a great decision.

We were in San Francisco over Christmas and picked up Season 7 which has not been released in Australia yet, so we're up to speed with you guys. 8)
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#15 Post by Steve »

I'm just curious as to what folks are seeing different in the syndicated version and the original episode. I don't have season 7's DVD's yet however I do have the original episode as it aired on CBS that I had recorded at the time and it seems the same as the syndicated version to me. Magnum walks away into the clouds with the John Denver song playing in both, and you hear Higgins voice proclaiming "Magnum, I demand that you come back immediately". I would guess that Higgins voice was added after Tom Selleck announced he would do an eighth season, but he announced before Limbo originally aired. Whether that is true or not, it was a brilliant touch so the story could continue seamlessly into Infinity and Jelly Donuts............

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