Death and Taxes (7.6)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the seventh season

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How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
53
35%
9.5 (One of the Best)
58
39%
9.0 (Excellent)
23
15%
8.5 (Very Good)
7
5%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
4
3%
7.5 (Decent)
3
2%
7.0 (Average at Best)
0
No votes
6.5 (Not So Good)
0
No votes
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
1
1%
5.0 (Just Awful)
1
1%
 
Total votes: 150

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marlboro
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Re: Death and Taxes (7.6)

#76 Post by marlboro »

Maybe the most memorable episode of the series. A classic.

I wonder if the Ripper didn't find his wife modeling for an artist quite as innocent as Magnum did?

Did anyone else think that the actor playing Spangler (Gary Frank) was seriously channeling Brad Dourif? He looks a bit like him, uses some of the same mannerisms, and even has a southern accent.

Nice to see Joe Santos in action. Even though I'm a fan of Tanaka, I think Santos fit the story better.

Maggie was a fox.

marlboro
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Re: Death and Taxes (7.6)

#77 Post by marlboro »

Here are a couple of animated gifs and a slightly altered screenshot of Milton:


Image

Image

Image
Last edited by marlboro on Wed Apr 23, 2014 6:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Death and Taxes (7.6)

#78 Post by J.J. Walters »

"A wise old owl lived in an oak. The more he saw the less he spoke. The less he spoke the more he heard. Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?" [croak]
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

marlboro
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Re: Death and Taxes (7.6)

#79 Post by marlboro »

It would have been hilarious if he went on a 45 minute JQH style story explaining all of his motivations: everything from his Vietnam experiences, how he was deeply involved in several of Magnum's cases, his love/hate relationship with Hawaiian shirts, and his anger over the premature cancellation of "Manimal."

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ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)
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Re: Death and Taxes (7.6)

#80 Post by ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) »

What else can I say that hasn't already been said about this episode? Fantastic from beginning to end!!

I only saw it recently for the very first time (I'm watching most of these MPI episodes for the first time) and it's tied for me with "Laura" as the best episode from season 7. Granted I've only seen a few from season 7 (include the horrible one with Magnum talking to the fly... uggh!) but I can't imagine there being a better episode from this season than "Death and Taxes" and "Laura". Though I've heard some fine things about "Limbo". Will need to check that one out!

"Death and Taxes" just has it all - a gritty and creepy mood, the synth music by Post & Carpenter, the Genesis song, the demented riddles and rhymes, and no doubt the creepiest and most deranged killer in the whole series - THE RIPPER! Plus a fantastic conclusion where we really do not get the answers we were hoping to get. Gotta give them kudos for that!! It doesn't end like your typical SCOOBY-DOO episode where the culprit is revealed "Oh golly, look! It's really Mr. Johnson!!" Here the killer is revealed but we really have no clue who he is or why he did it. Neither does Magnum. Just a man who for unexplained reasons went insane. Sometimes it just happens. Just random - like being struck by lightning. No explanation. You just have to accept it. Kudos to Kenneth Tigar for a fine performance as the cackling maniac!! And no I wasn't bothered by his voice. It was effectively creepy.

Someone mentioned the HAWAII FIVE-0 episode from season 5 of that show called "The Listener" where a psycho bugs a doctor's office and crank calls him with disturbing messages. Greg Mullavey played the psycho in that episode. Brilliant episode as well! I'm a huge FIVE-0 fan! The POV of the maniac caller in both episodes is identical - just showing the mouth of the caller as he speaks into the phone. Of course there's no Genesis song in that episode. :D That was 1973!

"Did You See the Sun Rise?" is still my favorite MPI episode and the only one I have rated a 10-Perfect. I think "Laura" and "Death and Taxes" and "Memories are Forever" are tied for 2nd place for me. I rated those three 9.5-One of the Very Best. The pilot episode probably rounds out my top 5. As you can see I prefer the more gritty episodes. Hence why I'm a big FIVE-0 fan!

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#81 Post by ConchRepublican »

Carol the Dabbler wrote:
lutherhgillis wrote:I still think that Milton Collins had to have known Magnum from Vietnam. He had a 'team ring', he knew about Felipe being Le Boule, and he knew that Magnum had worked the case that ended with La Boule being killed. How could he have known this and how did he get the ring?
I kept thinking the killer had to be someone from Magnum's "team" in Vietnam, because that handful of men were the only ones with The Ring. But the more I thought about it afterward, the more I figured that was just another manifestation of the killer's obsession with Magnum -- witness his driving a similar (maybe identical) car, dressing like Magnum, etc. We know that he had seen Magnum in person at least twice, and had an extensive collection of photos of Magnum -- so he could very easily have had a "team ring" made for himself.

As for knowing about Philipe, maybe he had been able, with his service connections, to talk with some members of the team, just swapping old war stories. They might not have had a clue that they were feeding the obsessions of a psychotic. And Philipe's death was probably in the newspaper.
I agree Carol. To me what makes the point is the little differences. Take the team ring - all of Magnum's team had the same style Cross of Lorraine ring. The Ripper's was different. Just like the shirt, and the shoes, and even the laugh, they were all copies, and not good ones, of what our guy Thomas Magnum is known for.
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Re: Death and Taxes (7.6)

#82 Post by 308GUY »

Watched this one again the other day. Wow. They got it right here. Everything fit just the way it is supposed to. Some of the "mystery" never was solved, just like in life. The mounty (TM) got his man, the mood fit the story, as did the cast and cinematography and overall production. The music has already been mentioned enough, but I'll just say it worked for me too. Don't know that this is my all time favorite episode, but it is right up there near the top. We get to see Magnum being an investigator and get to kind of watch his mind work behind the scenes to figure out where to be next, what to look for and expect, and what to be prepared for. Not "perfect" by any means, but very good television, especially considering it aired over 27 years ago. Very suspensful and holds your (at least my) attention start to finish. A solid 9 for sure.

Oh and
Carol the Dabbler wrote: But the more I thought about it afterward, the more I figured that was just another manifestation of the killer's obsession with Magnum -- witness his driving a similar (maybe identical) car, dressing like Magnum, etc.
It was a Pontiac Fiero! :magnum:
"C'mon TC...nothing can go wrong!"

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Re: Death and Taxes (7.6)

#83 Post by SignGuyHPW »

I thought this one was really excellent. It did remind me of Miami Vice also, but when Magnum was dramatic the shows were very similiar. It made sense to not have a lot of the regular cast in this one so Magnum had to rely strictly on his own investigative skills instead of the regulars helping him with the grunt work or jumping in to help with the final confrontation. Despite never having the answers to a lot of the questions (why would he do these crimes, why did he become so fixated with Magnum, how did he know Fellipe was LaBoule, etc) it seemed appropriate to not have them answered. It also left the door open for them to be answered in a future episode if they chose. My own personal theory was that The Ripper was related to Fellipe and thus would be aware of the entire story behind Fellipe and Magnum. It could also explain his getting a Team Ring if it was actually the one belonging to Fellipe. The favor he felt he owed Magnum may have been due to Magnum taking the life of a relative that had caused him some kind of torment. All in all, this was one of my favorite episodes.

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Re: Death and Taxes (7.6)

#84 Post by Milton Collins »

I LOVE this episode (hence my screen name!!!). I think the Milton Collins character was fantasticly creepy yet creative and rather funny at the same time. I've always had so many questions regarding Milton's knowledge of Magnum's past and as I read many of the posts on here it gives some good insight into how he knew about certain things. Certainly he could have read about Laboules death and even his past military exploits as it all would have most likely come out when Magnum shot him. But how did he know that Philipe had served with Magnum? I have to think the ring, the car, and all the other Magnum likenesses were simply done from character study as he was clearly obsessed with Magnum and idolized him. Any thoughts anyone?

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Re: Death and Taxes (7.6)

#85 Post by Steve »

Milton Collins wrote:I LOVE this episode (hence my screen name!!!). I think the Milton Collins character was fantasticly creepy yet creative and rather funny at the same time. I've always had so many questions regarding Milton's knowledge of Magnum's past and as I read many of the posts on here it gives some good insight into how he knew about certain things. Certainly he could have read about Laboules death and even his past military exploits as it all would have most likely come out when Magnum shot him. But how did he know that Philipe had served with Magnum? I have to think the ring, the car, and all the other Magnum likenesses were simply done from character study as he was clearly obsessed with Magnum and idolized him. Any thoughts anyone?

To me it's the greatest mystery of the entire series, much more so than is Higgins Robin Masters....(One of my top three episodes as well)

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Re: Death and Taxes (7.6)

#86 Post by Milton Collins »

I agree, what a frustrating but great way to leave things unexplained!! I would have like to have seen this story revisited somehow and some answers given, maybe Milton wasn't working alone and his partner returns to plague Magnum? Or something to that effect. Oh well, I guess Milton was just your not so average nutball who was privy to some information and had a real "case" on Magnum.

"A wise old owl, lived in an oak, the more he saw, the less he spoke, the less he spoke, the more he heard, why can't we all be like that wise old bird?"

Brrrr, what a creepy dude to say that as he's dying, perfect ending to the perfect episode!

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Re: Death and Taxes (7.6)

#87 Post by .45caliber »

"I'm press! I'm press!", I couldn't stand that little weasel! I loved this episode, top five no doubt. Great characters, Spangler, the Ripper and Lt. Page. The Rippers voice was so creepy, "I because they're whores! Liars, cheaters, theives!". Great touch with the riddles and the Genesis song.
I liked the part when Spangler says he hasn't worried about the police since he read the first ammendment and Magnum says "don't wrap yourself in the bill of rights". I also like how they left so many unanswered questions although I would have liked to know how Milton knew about Lebuelle and his connection, I think it was brilliant because in real life we seldom get all the answers.
Finally, great shot TM took with the .45, killing the Ripper. Then in weasel fashion Spangler lies about keeping Magnums name out of the paper. That POS deserved to die for being stupid enough to try and meet the Ripper at the war memorial for an interview. This episode is a 10!

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Re: Death and Taxes (7.6)

#88 Post by Dave Anderson »

Best Magnum episode of all time. I have nothing more to say about it. Amazing episode.

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Re: Death and Taxes (7.6)

#89 Post by Milton Collins »

Dave Anderson wrote:Best Magnum episode of all time. I have nothing more to say about it. Amazing episode.

Agree completely!!!

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Re: Death and Taxes (7.6)

#90 Post by Turkey »

Amazing episode - I've used this to discuss camera & editing before, that scene with the dumpster->the hotel room, amazing
Make it two weeks.

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