Novel Connection (7.9)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the seventh season

Moderator: Styles Bitchley

How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
1
1%
9.5 (One of the Best)
6
8%
9.0 (Excellent)
2
3%
8.5 (Very Good)
11
15%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
16
23%
7.5 (Decent)
13
18%
7.0 (Average at Best)
9
13%
6.5 (Not So Good)
7
10%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
3
4%
5.0 (Just Awful)
3
4%
 
Total votes: 71

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snp389
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#51 Post by snp389 »

I reckon the best part of this episode, is the reality of TM taking the terminal shot against Mayfield the hitman.
Military training.

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Higgette
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Re:

#52 Post by Higgette »

Croix de Lorraine wrote:
Jodykmg365 wrote:The amazing thing to me about John Hillerman is that he is from Texas. He doesn't have the faintest Texas accent in that show. I was thoroughly convinced that he was really English.
He does slip the odd soft T or rolling R every now and then but yes, he is suberb.

He sounds to me like a British person who's been in the States for a long time - which is perfect for Higgins!

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Doc Fred
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Re:

#53 Post by Doc Fred »

jimhalinda wrote: Higgins is becoming my favorite character. I can see why Mr. Hillerman won an Emmy for the role.
This passage through the entire series is finding me also looking at Higgins in a really positive way. While Magnum remains my favorite character (all four could really be called "the favorite"), there's great respect for Higgins as a man of honor and integrity. Yes, he's boorish and "British" (not a real knock) at times, but he more than makes up for it with the quality of his character. Yes, a really good man to have as a friend, a friend you could count on.
Woof, woof... thirty years uglier!... woof, woof...

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Doc Fred
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Re: Novel Connection (7.9)

#54 Post by Doc Fred »

Yes, yes, yes... I so agree with so many of you about that witch Pamela... I wanted to rip her throat out several times during the two episodes. Actually, she looks like she could be the twin of one of the women in the community in which I live... I don't like that woman, either. Maybe the look alike coincidence made me dislike Pamela from the beginning, but she was one horrible woman.

Were it not for Goldie, Pamela would be my least favorite non-criminal in the entire series. For anyone to rival Goldie, that person had to be a real loser.
Woof, woof... thirty years uglier!... woof, woof...

ScrapStitching
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Re: Novel Connection (7.9)

#55 Post by ScrapStitching »

I caught this episode on Encore tonight. I enjoyed the Murder She Wrote crossover. Jessica Walter was great as her usual bitchy self. It still amazes me how many people get shot on this show. I didn't watch when it as new, but now I'm hooked.

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Stelth
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Re: Novel Connection (7.9)

#56 Post by Stelth »

The screeching harpy that played Pamela Bates is not only the most annoying character ever, she is also one of the ugliest. Her face looked like it was melting. She had these big jowls and wore more makeup than a corpse at a wake. What a horrible looking, horrible sounding woman. Magnum should have Ivaned her.
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A truly ghastly hag
Last edited by Stelth on Sat Jun 07, 2014 6:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.

ScrapStitching
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Re: Novel Connection (7.9)

#57 Post by ScrapStitching »

Stelth wrote:The screeching harpy that played Pamela Bates is not only the most annoying character ever, she is also one of the ugliest. Her face looked like it was melting. She had these big jowls and wore more makeup than a corpse at a wake. What a horrible looking, horrible sounding woman. Magnum should have Ivaned her.
She's an old time stage actress who did some stuff on TV. I saw a lot of over acting on her part. It would be interesting to see the Murder She Wrote episode that is part two of the story. Tony winners don't make the best television viewing.

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Stelth
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Re: Novel Connection (7.9)

#58 Post by Stelth »

I was glad that the Magnum episode didn't tell the rest of the story. I couldn't have cared less about Pamela's fate.

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EZiller
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Re: Novel Connection (7.9)

#59 Post by EZiller »

Never watched "Murder, She Wrote" I must admit Angela Lansbury is rather good in the role. I don't recall this episode, it's pretty good. Higgins is entertaining, as is TSM, with his "I don't really want to be on this case but my feelings will be hurt if you don't ask me" routine. I guess we've all had moments like that. Thought Jessica Walters was great as Joan, the recently widowed nympho secretary. Top ten MPI babe, Cougar division. She looked hot in the swimsuit. 8.5

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Re: Novel Connection (7.9)

#60 Post by SignGuyHPW »

I don't think the episode lived up to its potential. Murder She Wrote and Magnum PI were pretty different show, but had similar elements to them. I think Jessica Fletcher would've had much more in common with Higgins than with Robin Masters or Thomas Magnum. I think the writers tried to turn the Fletcher character into something that she wasn't in order to make it fit their needs.

I didn't really like the main plot of Magnum doing a full on investigation after hiring himself to the case. Granted, the women were guests of Robin and he was capable, but a true professional wouldn't go to the lengths he did when told his services were not wanted or needed by someone he didn't even know. It was also a bit confusing keeping the women straight and what their ties to the story were. There was too much happening. It also really baffled me that Magnum didn't know JB Fletcher was a woman, but was in the middle of a book that had her picture on the back cover.

I liked the idea of crossing the two shows even though I very rarely watched Murder She Wrote. The subplot where Rick and TC needed Magnum to invest on their real estate deal was a bit weak, but kind of funny in parts. I also thought the guy in room #3 screwing things up for Magnum when he came back and discovered guys in his room was hysterical. Jessica not knowing the true nature of why she was asked to fly to Hawaii, but helping things along anyways was a good way to use her, but I think the writing of it was lacking. It just seemed a bit off. Also, does anyone know if Robin was originally planned to appear in this one? They kept building to it and then dismissed it in a throw away line. It made me wonder if they had replaced Orson Wells as the voice and changed their minds or were going to just show the body like normal, but couldn't make it work right.

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Styles Bitchley
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Re: Novel Connection (7.9)

#61 Post by Styles Bitchley »

SignGuyHPW wrote:It also really baffled me that Magnum didn't know JB Fletcher was a woman, but was in the middle of a book that had her picture on the back cover.
Oops! I never noticed that.
"How fiendishly deceptive of you Magnum. I could have sworn I was hearing the emasculation of a large rodent."

- J.Q.H.

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MHTR
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Re: Novel Connection (7.9)

#62 Post by MHTR »

SignGuyHPW wrote:
It also really baffled me that Magnum didn't know JB Fletcher was a woman, but was in the middle of a book that had her picture on the back cover.
I guess Magnum was the type not to judge a book by its [back] cover! :lol:

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Re: Novel Connection (7.9)

#63 Post by marlboro »

I watched "Laura" the other day and it made me think of the classic Sinatra movie "The Manchurian Candidate." Angela Lansbury was fantastic in that. Instead of a Murder She Wrote crossover, I would have loved to have seen her appear on Magnum in one of the later season dramatic episodes.

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Milton Collins
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Re: Novel Connection (7.9)

#64 Post by Milton Collins »

I'm clearly in the minority but I've always really liked this episode and gave it a 9.5. Just recently I have started watching Murder She Wrote pretty much out of the blue but I found this two parter to be fun well before being into the adventures of Jessica Fleture.

- I just thought this was a very fun story. Pamela Bates (man did I hate that woman!) and her crew being stalked by a killer? And Higgy trying to cast the blame on his own self and his "colorful" past. Classic borderline arrogant Higgins (as TM points out in Paper War) thinking more of his past experiences than he should. Not that I think they were all lies but just embelleshed.

- Jessica Walters (Joan) and Stephanie Faracy (Amy) played good roles and made for fun characters that kept me guessing. Joan being the criminal murderous mastermind totally threw me for a loop and Amy being this jewel hiding woman who was running from her nutcase husband was also an interesting story line.

- Jason Bryan's pad was unbelievable!! What a fantastic venue!!

- Coule there be three more unlikable characters that Pamela Bates, Victor Salyer, or Captain Browning? If so I think it would be a tall task to find them lol. Interesting to me how Captain Browning appeared and they still threw Tanaka in for a minor role. In other episodes where they had LT. Page (Death and Taxes for instance) as the featured cop you didn't see Tanaka whatsoever. This is one of the hundreds of small touches that made Magnum a more realistic show, as Tanaka didn't just instantly bail him out as usual and he had to deal with Captain Browning.

- The "karate chop of doom" (as I've seen it called in other posts on here lol) was awesome! I had to add this to the Favorite Higgins Moments thread as it's downright hilarious. And so obviously not John Hillerman as the fight continues on the ground lol. When Higgy grabs the cain and gets in position and the Salyer creep says something to the effect of "Oh not this old turkey" and then gets his but kicked lol. Since I started watching Magnum, I've not only loved Higgins military history and his stories but the fact that they gave him a physical toughness. It literally cracks me up every time he gets into a fist fight, or in usual Higgins fashion, some form of martial arts attack. Love it!

- Even though I felt bad for TM, I couldn't help but laugh at how much no one wanted his help with the investigation. And making him sit at the kids table for lunch, now that was just too much!


Anyway, just a fun two part episode that I really enjoy!

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Re: Novel Connection (7.9)

#65 Post by SignGuyHPW »

Styles Bitchley wrote:
SignGuyHPW wrote:It also really baffled me that Magnum didn't know JB Fletcher was a woman, but was in the middle of a book that had her picture on the back cover.
Oops! I never noticed that.
I wonder if JJ will qualify it as a flub?

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