Pleasure Principle (8.2)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the eighth season

Moderator: Styles Bitchley

How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
1
1%
9.5 (One of the Best)
11
15%
9.0 (Excellent)
15
20%
8.5 (Very Good)
21
28%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
14
19%
7.5 (Decent)
7
9%
7.0 (Average at Best)
2
3%
6.5 (Not So Good)
2
3%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
0
No votes
5.0 (Just Awful)
1
1%
 
Total votes: 74

Message
Author
User avatar
gmt16750
Captain
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2009 1:36 am
Location: France cote d azur/ Italy

#21 Post by gmt16750 »

Magnum to the shrink, i never saw that or i forgot it!
what a great scene and also Higgins dancing, hawaian shirt fits to him too!
best scene: when Magnum nearly hits Higgins and seems so confused and explain he can't see with his left eye :lol:
Agatha: Why does he always do that, Jonathan?
Higgins: I don't know, Agatha. I think sometimes our creator is testing me. Indeed it could be for no other reason. If i thought otherwise i believe i truly would go irrevocably irretrievably mad!

User avatar
Jay-Firestorm
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 387
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:01 am
Location: Berkshire, United Kingdom
Contact:

#22 Post by Jay-Firestorm »

I remember this one as a perfect 10; while maybe not quite that, I still personally really enjoy this one!

[rating=9.5]

It’s a case of role reversal, as Magnum begins dressing smartly and acting reserved, while Higgins starts wearing loud Hawaiian shirts and staying out late. But Magnum is convinced the woman Higgins is secretly seeing is up to no good. I really like this one…

-----

This review contains spoilers.

After Magnum was brought back to life in ‘Infinity and Jelly Doughnuts’, this episode serves to start putting things back to normal. Well, by the end at least – it takes a wayward route to get there.
After the seriousness of ‘Infinity…’ and much of ‘Limbo’ before it, ‘Pleasure Principal’ calms things down by being a gentle comedy, and personally I think it works.

I am surprised that this episode isn’t held in higher regard – although not unpopular, it often seems overlooked, but I personally think it is really good.

Magnum and Higgins effectively swapping places is a novel – and overdue – plot device, and I think it works well. Yes it could be argued that more could have been done with the premise, but even so I think it is pulled off quite well, and works for its subtlety.
It is amusing to see Magnum dressed smartly and acting reserved, while Higgins effectively becomes all of the things he dislikes about Magnum.

There is a ‘main plot’ in there, about the woman that Higgins is secretly meeting at dance clubs supposedly being up to no good and planning to rip him off, but for much of the episode, that main thread is very much incidental, as we instead get a number of scenes showcasing Magnum and Higgins’ role reversal.

I particularly like the afternoon tea scene between Magnum and Agatha – a near replica of many Higgins / Agatha scenes from previous episodes, just with Magnum in Higgins’ place. Magnum even has Higgins-like dialogue and speaks with a faint British accent – it is explained at the end of the episode that after such a trauma as Magnum’s (near) death, people involved sometimes subconsciously start imitating those close to them; but beyond that, I think the director was just having fun and not taking it too seriously.

Only in the final ten minutes or so do the ‘main’ plot, regarding Higgins’ mysterious woman friend, kick in, and it turns out to be a series of explainable incidents and misunderstandings. Although I love a good action-adventure ep of MPI, at the same time I like that not every episode has to end in an explosive shootout, and like this episode all the more for not going that route.

I remembered this episode – which, like most season eight episodes, I haven’t seen for quite a while until coming to review them – as being a solid 10. I’ll admit, it isn’t quite that, and it does have its sillier moments (I wasn’t sure about the exploding Mac!). But personally I like this one enough to give it a very decent 9.5.

-----

Other notes, bloopers and misc.:

* My old bugbear – the DVD version having abridged act breaks. But at least they didn’t do it until the final act break, with a classic (off-camera) “Oh my God!” from Higgins.

* At first, I thought Magnum’s opening hurricane narration was identical to another episode (possibly season six’s ‘The Kona Winds’), but as the episode progressed, with more follow-up narrations, I decided I was mistaken. (But I think it is quite similar)

* Magnum smokes his fifteenth cigar of the series in these episode (I have no idea why I started counting these!!)

* Just a random comment, but I thought that officer Diana (in the first of several small appearances) felt like a stand in for Maggie. The scene, with Magnum asking Maggie if he was “different”, and kissing her at the end, would have worked much better with the familiar Maggie, in my opinion.
JAY FIRESTORM

Facebook: Jay Gathergood / Twitter: Jay_Firestorm NEW BLOG: http://thea-teamcaptured.blogspot.com/

My A-Team site - http://thea-team.org aiming to be the most detailed A-Team site on the Net - if I ever get around to updating it!!

User avatar
Little Garwood
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 1261
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:53 pm
Location: The Magnumverse

#23 Post by Little Garwood »

Like much of season eight, this is one I'd never seen. I rated it an 8, but it does suffer from the silliness and liberties taken with the show around this time. Still, I enjoyed it more than I thought i would. And as others have mentioned, I, too approve of the way it fits in with the larger "Limbo" "Infinity and Jelly Doughnuts" storyline.
IslandHopper wrote:What happened to HPD? Diana (Amy Yasbeck), Magnum’s police officer girlfriend is apparently with the “State Police” and not the Honolulu Police Department according to the shoulder patch on her uniform. This is the first time I recall seeing someone from the “State Police” on the show.
Then wouldn't that make her an officer for Five-O? The size of Hawaii Five-O was never really mentioned on that series (at least through season seven) and often they would "coordinate with HPD" for whatever manpower McGarrett needed (I'm sure HPD just loved having to allocate resources to a "big shot" like Steve McGarrett!)
"Popularity is the pocket change of history."

~Tom Selleck

User avatar
Carol the Dabbler
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 293
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:09 pm
Location: Indiana, USA

#24 Post by Carol the Dabbler »

[From Episode Note 9] Tanaka is seen walking on crutches, but there is no mention as to why he needs them.
In the commentary, Jay Huguely mentions that in real life, Kwan Hi Lim had been injured (he thought in a car crash). It seemed odd to me that Magnum would see his old friend on crutches and not express concern by asking what had happened -- I guess we can assume that they'd had another conversion a while earlier in which that question was asked and answered. But it's unusual for the series that no explanation was offered to us.

Doc Ibold wrote:Whats cool is that "Limbo", "Infinity and Jelly Doughnuts" and "Pleasure Principle are all like one 3 hour movie. I like how they had the coma scenario play across all three, and they didn't treat it like some one off incident ...
I agree. So many series deal with traumatic events in one episode, and by the next week, everything's all rosy again.
Doc Ibold wrote:I also liked how when Magnum finally banished the hallucination of Mac, Mac told him that was all he wanted.
I'm still trying to decide whether Mac's appearances in these three episodes were supposed to be hallucinations (which is how Huguely consistently refers to them in the commentary), visions (i.e., Mac's spirit is actually trying to help Magnum), or Magnum's subconscious mind taking on Mac's appearance (i.e., telling him what he already darn well knows, but is trying to ignore). So far, option #1 is losing. (Yes, I realize that Huguely WROTE the episode, so maybe he'd know what was supposed to be going on -- but there's also the interpretations of the director and the actors to consider.)
Doc Ibold wrote:Apparently "Conga" was the only Latin song in 1988 since they played it like 4 times throughout the episode.
I had pretty much lost interest in current music by the late 80's, so I didn't know the name of that piece -- thanks! It sort of reminded me of The Macarena (same basic beat, I suppose).

IslandHopper wrote:In response to Carol’s question “Have you ever considered that maybe, just maybe, she likes Jonathon?“ Magnum implies that Higgins is a U.S. citizen when he says “Yes, I’ve also considered that she (Rosita) may be trying to get her ‘Green-Card’ the easy way (by marriage).” I’m sure Higgins would never give up his UK citizenship, so he would be a dual citizen (UK & U.S.A.).
Hmm, I don't think he could be (though Magnum may assume that Rosita doesn't realize that). As far as I'm aware, the only way someone born in the U.K. can be a dual citizen is if one of their parents was a U.S. citizen. Higgins could not have become a naturalized citizen without renouncing his U.K. citizenship.

rubber chicken wrote:Anybody else notice what looks like crampon holes in the coconut trees? This must have been visible in other episodes but for some reason I took notice of it here. I'm guessing this is evidence of Mrs. Anderson's coconut tree trimming. I wonder if she sold/sells the coconuts to local markets.
Unfortunately, I've heard that a lot of coconut trees in Hawaii (including any planted along streets) are purposely divested of their coconuts long before they mature, in order to avoid any chance of lawsuits from people who might be hit on the head by falling coconuts (not a laughing matter). Just think of all the potential macaroons going into the landfill!
Carol

Tuan Vu
Captain
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:06 am

#25 Post by Tuan Vu »

I really enjoyed watching this episode because it was atypical, and for the last few years of Magnum, p.i., that was...typical. I mean, that was one of the things that made this series great: the fact that not all the episodes followed the same formula, but could venture out into comedy, fantasy, time-travel, and even returning from the dead...and yet pull them all off well. I can't think of a more diverse show that could do that. I suppose the only genre the show did not explore in its stories is science fiction.

Anyway, the last part of this episode was so funny, with Higgins taking out the priest and Magnum running around lighting candles while Rosita explained the convoluted way she and Miguel fell in love. It's almost as if the writers figured they had nothing to lose and just threw caution to the wind with the silliness. But it came across well, I thought. I bet the all the actors had fun with that. They looked like they did.

User avatar
nha trang
Vice Admiral
Posts: 147
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2010 4:07 am

#26 Post by nha trang »

I really like this episode...the worst part is the dated portrayal of hispanics and latin music...Higgin's shrink is hardly what would be considered a "sexy latina" woman by today's standards...

Yes Hillerman dancing is quite iconic...

Magnum running around lighting candles like igor...loved it. This episode definitely seemed to play on the whole notion of the series. Magnum with the gun lighter...well something about the episode worked for me.

I like how they addressed the psychological aspect of Magnum's shooting and coma and how it affected the crew. I really enjoyed the twist also, that Higgin's "lover" wasn't quite what she seemed...

I also think they added a bit more oomph to the music in the episode, some orchestral accompaniment with Mag and Higgy running around the abandoned restaurant, and then the way that little Magnum medley runs at the end...it let's us know, Magnum is back!

I wouldn't say that these last 3 episodes (starting with Limbo) are perfect, but they are MUCH better than they could have been, so much so that I can hardly complain....you know my theory, my favorite Magnum episode is the one you dream yourself...

User avatar
Carol the Dabbler
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 293
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:09 pm
Location: Indiana, USA

#27 Post by Carol the Dabbler »

nha trang wrote:....you know my theory, [your] favorite Magnum episode is the one you dream yourself...
Ditto your favorite Magnum movie!
Carol

Buck
Captain
Posts: 74
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 7:15 pm

#28 Post by Buck »

I finally got to see this episode on MeTV last night and loved the start, but did not like the last 10 minutes.

I voted 9.5.

I loved TC looking after Magnum, much the way a mother/brother looks after a family member. People care about Magnum.

I like Higgins taking the Ferrari for a drive. I like Magnum trying to buy Carols car. It shows evolution.

This is a different reaction than 20+ years ago when I did not like the later seasons. Magnum isn't as much "fun" as seasons 1 and 2 where it was all adventure and no growing up. Magnum is smarter and older and more caring. He has grown as a human into an adult.

I also like Higgins cutting loose and not being so high brow. It was a nice change. I like Higgins does not change who he fundamentally is, but he shows that once in 10 years, he sleeps in.

Oh, how I wish shows in the 1980's did not have to be wrapped up in 1 episode. This episode should have been a half season arc. They should not have tried to wrap this up in the last 10 minutes.

This is a very good episode, and the first half makes it a clasic.

MaximRecoil
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 303
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 1:10 pm
Location: Maine, USA

#29 Post by MaximRecoil »

IslandHopper wrote:
In response to Carol’s question “Have you ever considered that maybe, just maybe, she likes Jonathon?“ Magnum implies that Higgins is a U.S. citizen when he says “Yes, I’ve also considered that she (Rosita) may be trying to get her ‘Green-Card’ the easy way (by marriage).” I’m sure Higgins would never give up his UK citizenship, so he would be a dual citizen (UK & U.S.A.).
Magnum's suspicion that Rosita may be trying to get her green card the easy way by marrying Higgins is a continuity error, because it is established in "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" that Higgins is in the US on a visa:
Thomas Magnum: I checked with the British Home Office, I mean, Higgins' visa was canceled when he lost his job; he was ordered back to England, except he never got there.
J.J. Walters wrote:
Did anyone else notice anything different about "The Lads"? Zeus (or is it Apollo?) appears to have shrunken in size! Either that, or Apollo (or is it Zeus?) appears to have gotten bigger! ;)

Image
That's nothing new at that point in the series. I first noticed it in season 6, but I wasn't really paying attention before that. Going by how they are identified in "All Thieves on Deck" where Apollo is shot, the big dog is Apollo, and the small dog is Zeus. The dog portraying Zeus is blatantly a female. The male dog portraying Apollo appears to be about 20 pounds heavier, has a significantly larger head and neck, and a thicker, more square muzzle (plus a pair of large triangular tan markings above his front legs). The head and muzzle on the female looks like a Dachshund's in comparison to the male's. Here are some screenshots from season 6:

Image

Image

Image

User avatar
Doc Fred
Admiral
Posts: 164
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2011 12:00 am
Location: Pinehurst, NC

Re: Pleasure Principle (8.2)

#30 Post by Doc Fred »

Flubs...

Between the 9 and 10-minute marks, when they show again the shooting in the warehouse, when Thomas goes down, his body is mostly in the shadows caused by the outdoor light entering through the door. But, when they switch to the closer shot of him lying on the floor, he's completely out of the shadows.

At just before the 23-minute mark, when TC is talking on the phone and the camera's at a 45-degree angle to him, his shirt is a grayish white. Yet, immediately after that, when the camera is directly in front of him, the shirt has mysteriously turned a very definite blue.
Woof, woof... thirty years uglier!... woof, woof...

No need to know!
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 232
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 6:47 am

Re: Pleasure Principle (8.2)

#31 Post by No need to know! »

Just watched a re run of this episode on television. Oh man i just love it even more than i remembered!
Many episodes in the last two seasons are more serious, and by all means very good aswell. So this episode seems so fresh and funny, and reminds me more of some great light hearted episodes from season two or three.
The plot with Higgins "being Magnum" and just having fun and being childish is great, and almost makes me cry with delight.

There are some beautiful shots of the estate with surroundings here aswell.

This is more of what i would have liked to have seen in the final episode of the series. A real joy :!:
Onion´s extra?

SignGuyHPW
Admiral
Posts: 191
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2014 5:58 pm

Re: Pleasure Principle (8.2)

#32 Post by SignGuyHPW »

It was a good comedy episode to lighten the mood after the previous two were more serious. The whole misunderstanding of Rosita towards the end was pretty convoluted. If she had an appointment with Higgins then why would a reputable psychologist blow it off without telling anyone? Magnum guessing the club where they were correctly was a bit of a stretch too. TC secretly following Magnum around and then being treated rudely at the estate was a little odd to me also, but I guess they were blaming the coma for causing abnormal behavior from everyone.

J. Rickley Schneider
Lieutenant
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun Dec 14, 2014 6:02 pm

Re: Pleasure Principle (8.2)

#33 Post by J. Rickley Schneider »

I cracked up when Magnum walked in on Higgins in the psychiatrist's office.

The only visual is of the office door and you hear Higgins say "Oh. My. GOD!"

Boy, that was funny. At first I thought he had walked in on Higgins in the middle of an actual session.

thechickinthemiddle
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 215
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2016 3:38 am

Re: Pleasure Principle (8.2)

#34 Post by thechickinthemiddle »

Okay so this has been on my mind for like forever, but in the series Choujuu Sentai Liveman (1988-1989), there is a morphing sequence music cue that sounds like the Magnum theme and "Conga" put together. Considering the show aired after this episode, I can seriously imagine a Sentai producer or composer seeing this episode somewhere and coming up with it. :lol:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rs0tYsu-wM

User avatar
Milton Collins
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 262
Joined: Mon May 19, 2014 8:16 pm

Re: SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!

#35 Post by Milton Collins »

Doc Ibold wrote:
Some key takeaways for me (over the 3 episodes....

1) From "I.A.J.D.", my take of Frank Peterson as a "jackhole" still rings true.

2) Apparently "Conga" was the only Latin song in 1988 since they played it like 4 times throughout the episode.

3) Higgins can bust a move, and has added another weapon to his arsenal - "The Dropkick of Devastation".

4) Higgins was so happy when Magnum came out of the coma. I thought he would start skipping or something! (But clearly that shows JH's range as an actor)
OMG AMAZING post Doc Ibold ha ha ha! I've literally been laughing out loud since I just saw this!

Frank Peterson - Arguably as HATEABLE as any other character in the entire series, especially considering he's not even a villain!

Conga playing throughout has always mystified me, come on now, there had to be a couple other songs they could have put in there!

The aptly named "Dropkick of Devastation" has always cracked me up! This episode was in the first 5 or so that I ever saw and I remember after seeing this scene that Higgins was some sort of fighting expert and laughing about it! Not that he doesn't have tons of combat experience and some self proclaimed "karate skills" like we see in many episodes, but not knowing better I thought he was the shows badass!

Higgins dancing was amazing, the finger snapping and such, not to mention his hilarious outfit!

Post Reply