Unfinished Business (8.8)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the eighth season

Moderator: Styles Bitchley

Post Reply

How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
37
29%
9.5 (One of the Best)
59
47%
9.0 (Excellent)
9
7%
8.5 (Very Good)
11
9%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
5
4%
7.5 (Decent)
2
2%
7.0 (Average at Best)
0
No votes
6.5 (Not So Good)
0
No votes
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
0
No votes
5.0 (Just Awful)
3
2%
 
Total votes: 126

Message
Author
User avatar
Shermy
Resident Clutterbuck
Posts: 322
Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:03 am

#21 Post by Shermy »

Doc Ibold wrote:I really should go to the END of threads before I respond, as you pretty much said what I was thinking eeyore!
LOL...I took so long to hit "submit", two posters actually replied before me! How the hell did eeyore beat everyone to the punch? :lol:

User avatar
J.J. Walters
Founding Father
Posts: 4196
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 10:54 pm
Location: Suburbia, USA
Contact:

#22 Post by J.J. Walters »

Wow, what an episode! It's even better than I remembered it.

You guys pretty much covered all the great things about this powerful episode - the "letters to Lily" narration, the transformation, the great buildup to the climax, and the somewhat surprising "change of heart" finale. Boy, Selleck sure does put on a great performance here. The master of facial expressions, is he.

There is, of course, one other great, great scene - the superb montage sequence set to Genesis' "The Brazilian". I still can't believe they picked this somewhat obscure song. It's awesome!
Shermy wrote:Anyway, of all the "serious" episodes, this is arguably one of the best. We get a glimpse of just how dangerous Magnum can be, and the kamikaze mission showdown is tense and exciting. But just when you think they've written themselves into a corner, Magnum's final narration to Lily is an ingenious moment of redemption. It also reveals the changes that have occurred since the events of Did You See The Sunrise.
Indeed!

:)
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

eeyore
Admiral
Posts: 188
Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:26 pm

#23 Post by eeyore »

One other thing, when Buck Green returns to his office and finds his desk broken into, he knows Magnum was responsible. He orders the area searched and gives the command to find Magnum and kill him. I don't remember the order to kill in the syndicated version. I was so shocked when I heard that!

User avatar
IslandHopper
Master Flub Spotter
Posts: 729
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 5:08 am

#24 Post by IslandHopper »

I was shocked by that too eeyore. :shock: I didn't remember that either. Despite the animosity between Buck Greene and Magnum, I always got the sense that Buck really respected Magnum, and for him to give the order to shoot Magnum illustrates the importance and magnitude of the exchange that is to take place. Again, powerful stuff.
The answer is obvious, old man. Logic is irrelevant. It's simply Tropical Madness. (J.Q. Higgins)

User avatar
Doc Ibold
Maniac Emeritus
Posts: 1741
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2007 8:16 pm
Location: Detroit

#25 Post by Doc Ibold »

IslandHopper wrote:I was shocked by that too eeyore. :shock: I didn't remember that either. Despite the animosity between Buck Greene and Magnum, I always got the sense that Buck really respected Magnum, and for him to give the order to shoot Magnum illustrates the importance and magnitude of the exchange that is to take place. Again, powerful stuff.
Hey guys,

I think he knew Magnum was running amok, and was particularly freaked out that Magnum would totally mess this up. Magnum was NOT a man to be reasoned with on that day.

(Although reason finally won out in the end)

eeyore
Admiral
Posts: 188
Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:26 pm

#26 Post by eeyore »

I just love this episode, probably my favorite, it is so intense. We get a chance to see in "real" time what Magnum must have been like in Nam when he was focused on a mission. Does anyone think there is another episode where we ever see this deep into Magnum?

User avatar
IslandHopper
Master Flub Spotter
Posts: 729
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 5:08 am

#27 Post by IslandHopper »

eeyore wrote:Does anyone think there is another episode where we ever see this deep into Magnum?
I'd have to say "Memories Are Forever" would come closest. Magnum was also pretty intense when he confronted Captain Cooley in the pilot episode about Dan's death, but I don't think anything compares to "UB."
The answer is obvious, old man. Logic is irrelevant. It's simply Tropical Madness. (J.Q. Higgins)

User avatar
Doc Ibold
Maniac Emeritus
Posts: 1741
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2007 8:16 pm
Location: Detroit

#28 Post by Doc Ibold »

eeyore wrote:I just love this episode, probably my favorite, it is so intense. We get a chance to see in "real" time what Magnum must have been like in Nam when he was focused on a mission. Does anyone think there is another episode where we ever see this deep into Magnum?
"Deja Vu" was relatively intense in the chase scenes. I don't think that was ALL Geoff St. Clair

User avatar
VM02
Rear Admiral
Posts: 88
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 5:53 pm

#29 Post by VM02 »

Does anyone think that Magnums sparing Quang Ki in this episode ever comes back to haunt him, sometime in his life after season 8?

I can't see QK giving up his desire for revenge, in spite of Col Greene's warning. We've seen that his reach is long enough to have people killed from jail.

User avatar
Shermy
Resident Clutterbuck
Posts: 322
Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:03 am

#30 Post by Shermy »

VM02 wrote:Does anyone think that Magnums sparing Quang Ki in this episode ever comes back to haunt him, sometime in his life after season 8?
I don't think so, because he got Lily back. This probably wouldn't have happened if he had shot QK, since too many influential people would've wanted him punished. You could almost view the whole thing as some kind of karmic lesson, which is probably how Magnum does. :)

And since QK thought he had already punished Magnum (by killing Lily and Michelle), and defeated him (by winning the trial and escaping), I don't think he would return anymore.

User avatar
lutherhgillis
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 528
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 5:54 pm

#31 Post by lutherhgillis »

This was a very intense episode. MAgnum ultimately decides to let revenge go in favor of there being more POW/MIAs returned home. The implication was that if something went wrong with this exchange, the possibility of there being more homecomings would be in doubt.

This episode touched on a very serious subject. Some of our soldiers never returned from Vietnam even though they were alive at the end of the war. This is a tragic truth and one of the reasons why 'war is hell'.

Again, great treatment of the Vietnam Veterans' struggle to return to normal life...MPI as a series was very respectful to our military.

User avatar
J.J. Walters
Founding Father
Posts: 4196
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 10:54 pm
Location: Suburbia, USA
Contact:

#32 Post by J.J. Walters »

Well said luther.

Magnum's tossing of his MIA bracelet really hightlighted the magnitude of the situation - kill the man who murdered your ex-wife and daughter (which will surely jeopardize any chance of future POW exchanges), or let the murderer go (and maybe other POWs will be released). How could he jeopardize the possible return of POW/MIAs while wearing an MIA bracelet? What a horrible situation to be in! :shock:

Buck's command to shoot Magnum also highlights the magnitude and importance of the POW exchange. An MIA returning home some 15-20 years after the war is HUGE! Buck couldn't let Magnum, no matter how much respect he has for him, mess up the exchange. Having said that, he also probably knew none his guys would be able to really stop Thomas Magnum. He was worried, very worried. I'm sure Buck's respect for Magnum went through the roof when he found out Magnum was never found. He would make the connection that Magnum decided not to shoot on his own.
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

User avatar
VM02
Rear Admiral
Posts: 88
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 5:53 pm

#33 Post by VM02 »

James J. Walters wrote: I'm sure Buck's respect for Magnum went through the roof when he found out Magnum was never found. He would make the connection that Magnum decided not to shoot on his own.
Perhaps this is why Buck was invited to Ricks Wedding in Resolutions? Perhaps he and TM reached an understanding off camera? I hate to think he was Maggie's date. (eew). And then then they wound up sitting next to Jim Bonnick. He was probably missing his watch or wallet after the ceremony.

I can hear it now:

Buck: "Magnum, what are you doing in that uniform?"
TM: "Hey Buck, isn't that your wallet that Mac has?"

User avatar
J.J. Walters
Founding Father
Posts: 4196
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 10:54 pm
Location: Suburbia, USA
Contact:

#34 Post by J.J. Walters »

Useless trivia of the day....

A young Richard Narita (Quang Ki) had a small role in Murder by Death, one of my favorite movies. He played Willie Wang, Sidney Wang's (Peter Sellers) adopted son! For some reason, I never made the connection before.

Now, every time I see Quang Ki I'm going to think, "I don't get it pop, was there a murder or wasn't there?"
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

User avatar
Frodoleader
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 441
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 4:47 pm
Location: Central Ohio

#35 Post by Frodoleader »

I don't think I have seen this episode since it aired originally in 1988. And since it is rated as probably the best MPI episodes by our friends on here, I decided to give it another look yesterday.
A couple of comments/insights, but no flubs:
1. I noticed in the POW camp scene where they are breaking down camp in the middle of the night to move, that the other POW with Rockwell has a nicely trimmed mustache. Very nice for someone in captivity for 15-20 years (ok, maybe that is a flub).
2. Jean Bruce Scott! My gosh that lady is gorgeous!! I recall the crush I had on her during her MPI and Airwolf days.
3. The videotape that was sent to TM: is that a Beta format?
4. Magnum's rifle. Does any one know tha make? It does clearly have a "Made in Austria" stamp on it. You can see it during TM's target practice scene.
5. Also, the silencer used by TM. During the target practice scene, it looks like a plastic water bottle. For the scene with the prisoner exchange, when TM did not shoot Quang Ki, it looked like he had wrapped towels or rags over the end of the barrel.

One of the best episodes, truly!

Post Reply