Resolutions (2) (8.13)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the eighth season

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How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
19
20%
9.5 (One of the Best)
14
14%
9.0 (Excellent)
23
24%
8.5 (Very Good)
15
15%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
12
12%
7.5 (Decent)
7
7%
7.0 (Average at Best)
3
3%
6.5 (Not So Good)
2
2%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
1
1%
5.0 (Just Awful)
1
1%
 
Total votes: 97

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InfinityandJellyDoughnuts
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#111 Post by InfinityandJellyDoughnuts »

Shermy wrote:I think this is the superior half of the finale, mainly because the Lily subplot is the most satisfying one they resolve. When he is finally reunited with her, it's a very moving scene. It's the type of emotional connection that the Tidewater scenes are missing, since the audience has such little invested in that part of Magnum's life. You just can't generate a lot of enthusiasm for characters you've basically only met in one previous episode.
maggiepoole wrote:I would have liked to have seen Higgins, Rick, and TC's reaction to Lily and some interaction.
It does seem a little strange that Magnum fails to introduce Lily to Higgins, Rick, and TC. Not only has he just learned that she's still alive, but that he's actually her dad as well. It's even stranger considering that they are all gathered at the estate when he returns.

I have mixed feelings on the resolutions here. On one hand, Magnum's return to the Navy is a perfect way to resolve the show. Suddenly, the entire series takes on a new meaning, in that it's been Magnum's way of working through the issues he brought home from the war. It's basically his second childhood that he finally has to grow out of.

But at the same time, it's a little disappointing to realize that the entire dynamic of the show is over. Unlike many finales, we're not left feeling that the characters will continue to evolve and grow old together. By removing Magnum (and his investigations), the characters lose the essential link that had kept them so close for so many years.

Higgins fares the worst here, and it's the one aspect that somehow just doesn't seem right. We know Higgins would be more of a grandfather to Lily than her great-grandfather ever could've been. (Or that her step-grandfather will be.) We also know that Magnum's absence will affect him deeply, as we saw in One More Summer. Overall, I'd prefer to think that Magnum resumed his naval career, but continued to reside at the estate.

As for Rick, I actually thought he got the best of all the "friend" subplots. Cleo obviously wasn't right for him, but that's perfectly in keeping with the tone of the show (and character). The final joke was exactly how that subplot should've ended. Even if Rick went through with it, there's no way it could've possibly lasted.

Finally, the subplot for poor TC felt almost like an afterthought. There's really no reason to think that he and his ex-wife will finally work through their differences, but at least he's finally got his son back. Bryant's inclusion in these final episodes bolsters The Great Hawaiian Adventure Company, and makes it a lot more essential than it is on its own merits.
I totally agree! I was watching this on Netflix when I was alone, and when the episode ended, I jumped up and said "What the heck?! That's it? Then I realized I was talking to an empty room :P

Not to mention there were sooo many unaswered questions:

Since when are Rick and Cleo serious about getting married? Last time we heard from Cleo, she told Rick that he was like a brother to her. That's not exactly romance.

Where are Magnum and Lily going to live? He resigned from the estate- It's not like Higgins is going to let him keep living in the guest house!

And is Higgins Robin Masters?!
Magnum: I laid awake all night for weeks, on guard against my own fear, until my Dad told me to call the monsters out, and see if they came. They never did. Unfortunately, my Dad never had a solution for the real monsters, the ones that reach out and grab you in broad daylight, and neither did I.

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#112 Post by ronjambo »

I understand them wanting to marry Rick off, but Cleo doesn't seem to love him or be the best match.
Do you remember when Rick won a millions dollars and then got hustled by that woman? He brought her back to Hawaii and gave all his money to the grifters she was working with? Then she leaves him but not before he gives her all the jewelry that he bought as a going away present. Rick has issues man.

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#113 Post by MaximRecoil »

I watched this the night it originally aired, after anticipating "the final episode" for quite some time with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I wanted to know if Higgins was really Robin Masters or not, but on the other hand I hated that the series was coming to an end.

Watching Magnum, P.I. with my older brother and father had become a tradition in my house starting in 1984 when I was 9 years old. During the 6th or 7th season it went into syndication, so from that point on I got to watch it 6 times a week, i.e., Monday through Friday at 7:00 PM. Thursdays were my favorite of course, because after the old rerun at 7:00 came a new episode at 8:00. This allowed me to catch up on the back episodes, particularly Memories Are Forever from season 2, which was important for understanding the Michelle and Lily storyline in the later seasons.

So I'd been watching Magnum, P.I. for 4 years when this episode aired, which is a significant percentage of a 13-year-old's lifetime.

With that said, I was very disappointed with this episode. Magnum going back into the Navy? What a depressing thought. Highly-structured, early to bed, early to rise, drab offices, discipline, orders, no Ferrari, no Robin's Nest, no Higgins, no T.C., no Rick, no "tawdry divorce cases" which lead to something unexpected ... in other words, the "perfect storm" subsides when you put Magnum in the Navy.

Who wants to see good things end? Higgins certainly didn't like the idea of Magnum resigning, and I don't blame him.

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Re: Resolutions (2) (8.13)

#114 Post by Seaver41 »

well........got nostalgic and had to skip out of rotation and watch this on Netflix (DAMN YOU NETFLIX FOR THE TEMPTATION!). It brought back some good memories of the original airing I watched at college (Old Dominion)in Hampton Roads amongst friends. My memory held up pretty well on this one. Two single best moments were Magnum seeing Lily and the final screenshot on the beach..................and then it hit me.........Lily was the vehicle needed to bring the viewers to the church (cheap LOST reference...lol). What symbolizes being a responsible adult more than being a parent?
Magnum P.I. was all about a man searching for his own identity who seemingly feared growing up......yet his loyalties to friends, country, and loved ones constantly provided him clues about who he was as a man. Magnum left the Navy to be young/free again, but over the course of those 8 seasons we saw a man that never really strayed from his core values/strengths. His loyalty to his friends kept him grounded as it did in combat, and Higgins symbolized the military he thought he hated that gave him structure. In the end, he combined them all and accepted his place in life as an adult with real responsibilities. We all learned a bit about love, friends, family, loyalty, tragedy, fun, etc........but ultimately the show was a great metaphor for life's trials and tribulations and why passing those tests are worth it.

Upon completion of the episode........I felt compelled to go to Itunes and purchased Joe Cocker's...... "I'm so glad I'm standing here today"..........and NOW I get why it fits......Thomas passed his tests with the reward being self realization of who he is and where he needs to be........

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Re: Resolutions (2) (8.13)

#115 Post by Doc Ibold »

Seaver41 wrote:well........got nostalgic and had to skip out of rotation and watch this on Netflix (DAMN YOU NETFLIX FOR THE TEMPTATION!). It brought back some good memories of the original airing I watched at college (Old Dominion)in Hampton Roads amongst friends. My memory held up pretty well on this one. Two single best moments were Magnum seeing Lily and the final screenshot on the beach..................and then it hit me.........Lily was the vehicle needed to bring the viewers to the church (cheap LOST reference...lol). What symbolizes being a responsible adult more than being a parent?
Magnum P.I. was all about a man searching for his own identity who seemingly feared growing up......yet his loyalties to friends, country, and loved ones constantly provided him clues about who he was as a man. Magnum left the Navy to be young/free again, but over the course of those 8 seasons we saw a man that never really strayed from his core values/strengths. His loyalty to his friends kept him grounded as it did in combat, and Higgins symbolized the military he thought he hated that gave him structure. In the end, he combined them all and accepted his place in life as an adult with real responsibilities. We all learned a bit about love, friends, family, loyalty, tragedy, fun, etc........but ultimately the show was a great metaphor for life's trials and tribulations and why passing those tests are worth it.

Upon completion of the episode........I felt compelled to go to Itunes and purchased Joe Cocker's...... "I'm so glad I'm standing here today"..........and NOW I get why it fits......Thomas passed his tests with the reward being self realization of who he is and where he needs to be........
Excellent synopsis!

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#116 Post by ConchRepublican »

N1095A wrote:Buck the person was truly despicable, but as a character he was brilliant.
That's funny, I don't think I ever despised Buck. I thought of him and Thomas as almost different sides of the same coin. Unlike Capt. Cooley, who was a petty, jealous, selfish ass. Now he, IMHO, would have been a despicable antagonist.

They both were strong, loyal men doing what they felt was the best thing in each instance, they just were coming at them from totally different directions. Buck I kind of grew to respect, if not always agree with . . . Cooley? He would have been the recurring antagonist to hate . . . were it not for that whole self inflicted wound thing.
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#117 Post by Doc Ibold »

ConchRepublican wrote:
N1095A wrote:Buck the person was truly despicable, but as a character he was brilliant.
That's funny, I don't think I ever despised Buck. I thought of him and Thomas as almost different sides of the same coin. Unlike Capt. Cooley, who was a petty, jealous, selfish ass. Now he, IMHO, would have been a despicable antagonist.

They both were strong, loyal men doing what they felt was the best thing in each instance, they just were coming at them from totally different directions. Buck I kind of grew to respect, if not always agree with . . . Cooley? He would have been the recurring antagonist to hate . . . were it not for that whole self inflicted wound thing.
Didn't Le Bull kill Cooley? To this day, I still don't know how they got the drugs into Lt. Cooks stomach without him knowing.

One would think that if he was drugged or something and they forced it into him while he was unconscious he'd notice the missing time and think. "Man, I don't remember much after eating that Pad Thai that tasted weird. However did I get home?"

Or: "Gee, this is peculiar.. Why am I waking up in this random alley?"

Or if someone forced him down and shoved drugs down this throat, I doubt he would be all jolly walking through the airport.

It just seemed like a convoluted plan. Why didn't the assassins just knife him and leave him for dead? Or in keeping with the drug theme, Inject him with an overdose of some heroin (LeBull had ready access) while he was in the car?

It's like in Austin Powers when Dr. Evil is at dinner with Scott and mentions his plan of an overly elaborate trap to kill Austin Powers and Scott asks why they don't just shoot him.

Out of all the stuff pulled on Magnum, this was the plot that didn't make sense to me.

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#118 Post by ConchRepublican »

Doc Ibold wrote:
ConchRepublican wrote:
N1095A wrote:Buck the person was truly despicable, but as a character he was brilliant.
That's funny, I don't think I ever despised Buck. I thought of him and Thomas as almost different sides of the same coin. Unlike Capt. Cooley, who was a petty, jealous, selfish ass. Now he, IMHO, would have been a despicable antagonist.

They both were strong, loyal men doing what they felt was the best thing in each instance, they just were coming at them from totally different directions. Buck I kind of grew to respect, if not always agree with . . . Cooley? He would have been the recurring antagonist to hate . . . were it not for that whole self inflicted wound thing.
Didn't Le Bull kill Cooley? To this day, I still don't know how they got the drugs into Lt. Cooks stomach without him knowing.

One would think that if he was drugged or something and they forced it into him while he was unconscious he'd notice the missing time and think. "Man, I don't remember much after eating that Pad Thai that tasted weird. However did I get home?"

Or: "Gee, this is peculiar.. Why am I waking up in this random alley?"

Or if someone forced him down and shoved drugs down this throat, I doubt he would be all jolly walking through the airport.

It just seemed like a convoluted plan. Why didn't the assassins just knife him and leave him for dead? Or in keeping with the drug theme, Inject him with an overdose of some heroin (LeBull had ready access) while he was in the car?

It's like in Austin Powers when Dr. Evil is at dinner with Scott and mentions his plan of an overly elaborate trap to kill Austin Powers and Scott asks why they don't just shoot him.

Out of all the stuff pulled on Magnum, this was the plot that didn't make sense to me.
You know, I always took it as Cooley off'd himself for some reason. Sometimes you see something so many times you miss the obvious. I guess I need to rewatch.

I agree, the pilot, though awesome, was flawed in a bit of the story telling. They could have handled getting the drugs into Cooks body better. I guess they could have beat him, then forced him to swallow packets that weren't made to withstand the digestive track - this way they'd burst upon entering the stomach causing the fatal OD and the bruises would already be there from the pre-beating leading the to ME's conclusion - but you're correct. Convoluted is the best term.
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Re: Resolutions (2) (8.13)

#119 Post by marlboro »

Random bits I liked:


"Oh, forget it. That's a stupid story."

Rick checking out his bride's bountiful, heaving...bouquet:

Image

The punchline to the great barroom brawl - the fact that the tough guy was talking about exotic dancer named Cleo on stage and not Rick's girlfriend.

Lads in Tuxes!

Image




A few serious problems I had with the finale:

05. Rick marrying Cleo -
Doc Ibold wrote: Lets have Rick marry some peripheral character that nobody really has embraced due to her lack of time on the show. Hmmm. Who to pick. Oh wait, who was the prostitute in those two episodes? No, not the one who starred in them! the OTHER one. Yeah! that's the ticket, lets have Rick shack up with her!"
My two cents: They missed a great opportunity by not having Father Paddy officiate the wedding.

04. Quang Ki/Michelle - I don't think Magnum would have rested until he had avenged Michell's murder.

03. Linda Lee Ellison's stalker plot - Just seemed like filler. It wasn't really very interesting and didn't have anything to do with the series as a whole.

02. Magnum reupping:

"What I guess I hadn't considered was that feeling of claustrophobia. Not the kind you get in elevators and airplanes, and small places, but the kind I felt in high school, the IRS office, and sometimes with Higgins. Those situations where other people were making my rules, where I had absolutely no control."

- Magnum in A Pretty Good Dancing Chicken.


I just do not see Magnum ever reenlisting. I know that the last two seasons were about him maturing, but repeating the mistakes of youth isn't a sign of maturity - it's a sign of foolishness. Would Magnum ever put himself in a situation again where he would have to take orders from a man like Buck Green?


01. Not enough camaraderie. The friendship between Magnum, Higgins, TC and Rick is the heart and soul of this series. We've been watching these characters for 8 seasons and it is a shame that so much time was wasted on secondary plots. If the four main characters just sat around a table and discussed their lives over the last 8 years i think it would have been compelling television. Think of all the things they could talk about: Lilly, Michelle, TC's family problems, Rick's sister, Rick's wedding, Mac, Tanaka, Vietnam, and maybe even a story or two about Corky Bostwick. There should have been one last great Higgins/Magnum moment. These are two of the best characters in tv history - they deserved one last classic scene that showed what their relationship was all about.

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Re: Resolutions (2) (8.13)

#120 Post by Chancellor Higgins »

I bought the complete series on DVD about a month ago and started watching right away. In this months time I hardly watched anything else (a few new episodes of Justified and the NCAA tourney). I just finished last night, and although I had already seen all the episodes multiple times over the years, it was great to watch them all again for the first time in about 9 years. That being said, I was kind of disappointed with Resolutions 1, but Resolutions 2 was adequate I guess. Like many posts above, I think too much time was spent on Tidewater and not enough on Rick, Higgins and especially TC. I also would've rather seen Dana Delany's character in this episode than Linda Lee Ellison. I did really enjoy the final scene though, with Magnum's surprise and Higgins' recanting of him being Robin. This will always be my favorite TV show of all time and nothing will ever overcome it!
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Re: Resolutions (2) (8.13)

#121 Post by No need to know! »

marlboro wrote:Random bits I liked:


"Oh, forget it. That's a stupid story."

Rick checking out his bride's bountiful, heaving...bouquet:

Image

The punchline to the great barroom brawl - the fact that the tough guy was talking about exotic dancer named Cleo on stage and not Rick's girlfriend.

Lads in Tuxes!

Image




A few serious problems I had with the finale:

05. Rick marrying Cleo -
Doc Ibold wrote: Lets have Rick marry some peripheral character that nobody really has embraced due to her lack of time on the show. Hmmm. Who to pick. Oh wait, who was the prostitute in those two episodes? No, not the one who starred in them! the OTHER one. Yeah! that's the ticket, lets have Rick shack up with her!"
My two cents: They missed a great opportunity by not having Father Paddy officiate the wedding.

04. Quang Ki/Michelle - I don't think Magnum would have rested until he had avenged Michell's murder.

03. Linda Lee Ellison's stalker plot - Just seemed like filler. It wasn't really very interesting and didn't have anything to do with the series as a whole.

02. Magnum reupping:

"What I guess I hadn't considered was that feeling of claustrophobia. Not the kind you get in elevators and airplanes, and small places, but the kind I felt in high school, the IRS office, and sometimes with Higgins. Those situations where other people were making my rules, where I had absolutely no control."

- Magnum in A Pretty Good Dancing Chicken.


I just do not see Magnum ever reenlisting. I know that the last two seasons were about him maturing, but repeating the mistakes of youth isn't a sign of maturity - it's a sign of foolishness. Would Magnum ever put himself in a situation again where he would have to take orders from a man like Buck Green?


01. Not enough camaraderie. The friendship between Magnum, Higgins, TC and Rick is the heart and soul of this series. We've been watching these characters for 8 seasons and it is a shame that so much time was wasted on secondary plots. If the four main characters just sat around a table and discussed their lives over the last 8 years i think it would have been compelling television. Think of all the things they could talk about: Lilly, Michelle, TC's family problems, Rick's sister, Rick's wedding, Mac, Tanaka, Vietnam, and maybe even a story or two about Corky Bostwick. There should have been one last great Higgins/Magnum moment. These are two of the best characters in tv history - they deserved one last classic scene that showed what their relationship was all about.
Well here comes a late answer. I simply agree on every single point just about.

To me the best scene of this episode was the fight in the nudiebar, really fun, and i would have been happy if they just had gone back to the estate and just sat around in the guesthouse and talked about memories. And as a great ending Maggie could have showed up with Lily. THE END :!: :!:

Why would Rick get married, and TC go back to his family, and Magnum go back to the Navy :?: It´s just to much change for me :!: They all seemed happy with their lifes as it were, and i think most of us viewers loved how they lived, yeah really lived fun actionpacked lifes, and then in the end they took that all away and made them boring by settling down. Not pleased with that.
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Re: Resolutions (2) (8.13)

#122 Post by SignGuyHPW »

As much as I wanted to really like this one it just wasn't too good in my opinion. There was too much happening for any one thing to really get a lot of focus on which hurt the impact of it. I'd not say that it was outright "bad" as much as it was lackluster for the finale. I hadn't thought of the Magnum was actually killed in the funhouse theory before, but it actually makes TOTAL sense. The guests hadn't arrived when Magnum left and he wasn't going to be gone long so for them to start the ceremony without a member of the wedding party seemed odd. Lilly wasn't there untill right before Magnum left so how would she have a dress and a part in the wedding. Magnum showing up in his Navy dress uniform and a military haircut during "Here Comes The Bride" to totally upstage the bride on her wedding day? I don't see Magnum making the whole thing about his re-enlisting instead of Rick and Cleo's wedding. Plus, if he was just in a knife fight and still had to get to the wedding would he really stop off at the barber? The white light which signified Magnum's "death" previously. The clues are there to indicate the last few minutes were a dream due to blood loss or something like that.

Magnum made a big deal of saying he'd not re-enlist in the Navy in the first part so for him to do a 180% turn and show up to the wedding in dress uniform was bizzare. The whole Higgins is Robin Masters scenario was not something I ever enjoyed, but for Higgins to admit it and then Magnum to seemingly not believe it was very annoying. Magnum had the whole theory worked out so why would he not know "why" he did it? The fight in the fun house seemed way too out of place. Why would he go into a random alley and then into an unknown funhouse just because someone had whispered his name. Wouldn't he have learned better than to go into places like that after what happened in Limbo? The security gaurd being one of two stalkers (three if you count what Magnum did the previous season) for this TV reporter was kind of surprising, but it came out of nowhere as did his disdain for Magnum. Why wouldn't he hate the guy that had all of the creepy pictures of her instead? They never explained how Magnum would've put Lily in danger if he "investigated." She was brought to him the next day. Why would she not be in danger with him full time as opposed to her trying to locate her a few hours previous? I was also not a huge fan of the bar fight scene as it seemed out of place in this particular episode. It was too much comedy for the sake of comedy in the middle of a dramatic episode.

I did love the subtleness of the guys sitting in front of a poster featuring a "Cleo" performing at the strip club indicating the whole thing was a giant misunderstanding that nobody was aware of having occured. I could buy Magnum's coldness towards The Captain after having just been told Lily was dead and how he was treated by him in VA so I was alright with that. The Captain wanting to make amends, but not wanting to really stick around seemed to fit. I thought it was nice to wrap the show by having Magnum finally leave the estate in some way, but I think it could've been done differently maybe (Magnum gets hired by another billionaire on the mainland, Magnum feels the need to be closer to his family, etc).

One thing I'm having trouble understanding is people on the boards as well as the characters in the show equating Magnum's being a private investigator to not growing up. Private Investigators are a legitamate profession and he had to undergo hundreds of hours of study in order to get licensed. It was also a dangerous profession as he was often in need of being armed and was shot multiple times while performing his job. It's not like he ran a lemonade stand or was a toy store manager. I don't see how his profession was equated to not being a grown up.

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Re: Resolutions (2) (8.13)

#123 Post by Doc Ibold »

SignGuyHPW wrote:As much as I wanted to really like this one it just wasn't too good in my opinion. There was too much happening for any one thing to really get a lot of focus on which hurt the impact of it. I'd not say that it was outright "bad" as much as it was lackluster for the finale. I hadn't thought of the Magnum was actually killed in the funhouse theory before, but it actually makes TOTAL sense. The guests hadn't arrived when Magnum left and he wasn't going to be gone long so for them to start the ceremony without a member of the wedding party seemed odd. Lilly wasn't there untill right before Magnum left so how would she have a dress and a part in the wedding. Magnum showing up in his Navy dress uniform and a military haircut during "Here Comes The Bride" to totally upstage the bride on her wedding day? I don't see Magnum making the whole thing about his re-enlisting instead of Rick and Cleo's wedding. Plus, if he was just in a knife fight and still had to get to the wedding would he really stop off at the barber? The white light which signified Magnum's "death" previously. The clues are there to indicate the last few minutes were a dream due to blood loss or something like that.

Magnum made a big deal of saying he'd not re-enlist in the Navy in the first part so for him to do a 180% turn and show up to the wedding in dress uniform was bizzare. The whole Higgins is Robin Masters scenario was not something I ever enjoyed, but for Higgins to admit it and then Magnum to seemingly not believe it was very annoying. Magnum had the whole theory worked out so why would he not know "why" he did it? The fight in the fun house seemed way too out of place. Why would he go into a random alley and then into an unknown funhouse just because someone had whispered his name. Wouldn't he have learned better than to go into places like that after what happened in Limbo? The security gaurd being one of two stalkers (three if you count what Magnum did the previous season) for this TV reporter was kind of surprising, but it came out of nowhere as did his disdain for Magnum. Why wouldn't he hate the guy that had all of the creepy pictures of her instead? They never explained how Magnum would've put Lily in danger if he "investigated." She was brought to him the next day. Why would she not be in danger with him full time as opposed to her trying to locate her a few hours previous? I was also not a huge fan of the bar fight scene as it seemed out of place in this particular episode. It was too much comedy for the sake of comedy in the middle of a dramatic episode.

I did love the subtleness of the guys sitting in front of a poster featuring a "Cleo" performing at the strip club indicating the whole thing was a giant misunderstanding that nobody was aware of having occured. I could buy Magnum's coldness towards The Captain after having just been told Lily was dead and how he was treated by him in VA so I was alright with that. The Captain wanting to make amends, but not wanting to really stick around seemed to fit. I thought it was nice to wrap the show by having Magnum finally leave the estate in some way, but I think it could've been done differently maybe (Magnum gets hired by another billionaire on the mainland, Magnum feels the need to be closer to his family, etc).

One thing I'm having trouble understanding is people on the boards as well as the characters in the show equating Magnum's being a private investigator to not growing up. Private Investigators are a legitamate profession and he had to undergo hundreds of hours of study in order to get licensed. It was also a dangerous profession as he was often in need of being armed and was shot multiple times while performing his job. It's not like he ran a lemonade stand or was a toy store manager. I don't see how his profession was equated to not being a grown up.
Hi SignGuy,

It can be taken from a few different places throughout the show, mainly Magnum's recurring comment of "waking up at 33 and realizing that I had never been 23"

(give or take a year depending on the episode quoted)

:lol:

At least from my perspective, and I think some forum members would agree with me. I don't think its the fact that he's a private investigator that leads to the "not being a grown up" theory, but rather the fact that much of Magnums life has dealt with some serious issues, like the loss of his father, following in the family profession of the Naval Academy, to the horrors of Vietnam and losing more friends, to the seeming loss of his only love.

So due to that, at some point, he said "blank this" and went about recreating the years that he lost in his 20s that he lost in the war. His habits are kind of adolescent in the way he keeps his house, he pretty much mooches off of Robins good graces and lives rather hand to mouth in that he doesn't have much of savings and cons his friends.... All traits of someone who is recapturing his youth.

Which is not to say he doesn't have a code of honor, doesn't take his job seriously, or not have moments of painful introspection as numerous episodes have proven that otherwise. But I think that the way he lived for the greater part of the show (up until around season 5) was to get back that lost youth.

And what better way for a formal NIA officer to put his training to good use than to be a private investigator?

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Re: Resolutions (2) (8.13)

#124 Post by Rembrandt's Girl »

Doc Ibold wrote:
SignGuyHPW wrote: One thing I'm having trouble understanding is people on the boards as well as the characters in the show equating Magnum's being a private investigator to not growing up. Private Investigators are a legitamate profession and he had to undergo hundreds of hours of study in order to get licensed. It was also a dangerous profession as he was often in need of being armed and was shot multiple times while performing his job. It's not like he ran a lemonade stand or was a toy store manager. I don't see how his profession was equated to not being a grown up.
Hi SignGuy,

It can be taken from a few different places throughout the show, mainly Magnum's recurring comment of "waking up at 33 and realizing that I had never been 23"

(give or take a year depending on the episode quoted)

:lol:

At least from my perspective, and I think some forum members would agree with me. I don't think its the fact that he's a private investigator that leads to the "not being a grown up" theory, but rather the fact that much of Magnums life has dealt with some serious issues, like the loss of his father, following in the family profession of the Naval Academy, to the horrors of Vietnam and losing more friends, to the seeming loss of his only love.

So due to that, at some point, he said "blank this" and went about recreating the years that he lost in his 20s that he lost in the war. His habits are kind of adolescent in the way he keeps his house, he pretty much mooches off of Robins good graces and lives rather hand to mouth in that he doesn't have much of savings and cons his friends.... All traits of someone who is recapturing his youth.

Which is not to say he doesn't have a code of honor, doesn't take his job seriously, or not have moments of painful introspection as numerous episodes have proven that otherwise. But I think that the way he lived for the greater part of the show (up until around season 5) was to get back that lost youth.

And what better way for a formal NIA officer to put his training to good use than to be a private investigator?
Bravo, Doc! That was the best synopsis of TM's emotional/psychological state (for the first half of the series) that I've ever read. :D

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Re: Resolutions (2) (8.13)

#125 Post by EZiller »

I gave it an 8. It's a mixed bag. What I didn't like:

The stalker story line. Just seemed like something they threw together so we could have a final Magnum fight seen that wasn't even done very well. And having the climax taking place in…an abandoned fun house??? Sounds like something from frigging “Scooby-Doo”

Rick marrying a hooker??? An at her wedding she looked totally like a slut dressed as a bride for one of her clients fantasies. There was no shortage of attractive women coming into the KKC that Rick could have hooked up with. Rick’s the type of guy who would be only happy with a virginal type as his bride. Oahu’s not that big of an island and as they run into Cleo’s past johns fireworks will happen, as it did at the strip club.

TM reuniting with Lilly, then reenlisting in the USN. Now that he is a father it does make sense that he gets out of the rather dangerous PI business, but reenlisting in the USN…would he not have long hours, plus the possibility of being transferred anywhere around the world? This poor girl has had some incredibly traumatic experiences in her young life. She witnessed her mother getting blown away in a car bombing. The man she really knew as her father is also gone. She’s in a strange land, she has to learn a new language and most of all her and TM have to learn to live together as a father and daughter, they barely know each other. TM really needs to find her a mother. My choice would be Maggie.

What I did like:

Higgins finally coming clean about being RM. And then confounding TM [and us] again, by recanting. I liked what he told TM that the key to subterfuge was constantly maintaining the persona.

The strip club visit, the last time we get the 4 of them together. Funny fight scene, plus some rather hot women in the background.

The lads in their tuxes. Excellent.

Touching final scene in the credits, TM and Lily hand in hand on the beach.

TM turning off the tv at the end of the credits, then clicking good-by to the viewers. Thank you Magnum, for a truly great show that could be incorporate action, suspense, comedy, romance, patriotism, camaraderie and clever plot twists, occasionally doing all this in a single episode.

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