Murder, She Wrote - Magnum on Ice

Rate, review & discuss the Simon & Simon and Murder, She Wrote crossover episodes

Moderator: Styles Bitchley

How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
1
2%
9.5 (One of the Best)
3
7%
9.0 (Excellent)
3
7%
8.5 (Very Good)
7
16%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
9
20%
7.5 (Decent)
2
5%
7.0 (Average at Best)
4
9%
6.5 (Not So Good)
6
14%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
4
9%
5.0 (Just Awful)
5
11%
 
Total votes: 44

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Kate Sullivan
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Re: Murder, She Wrote - Magnum on Ice

#41 Post by Kate Sullivan »

KingKC wrote:This isn't about the crossover episode but last night I saw a 1991 episode of Murder She Wrote with Jameson Parker as a guest star but not as A.J. Simon. Does anyone know if Gerald McRaney ever guest starred on Murder She Wrote???
According to imdb, he was in a 1995 episode called A Quaking in Aspen. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0574468/?ref_=nv_sr_1

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Re: Murder, She Wrote - Magnum on Ice

#42 Post by thechickinthemiddle »

So from what I remember from this episode, I like how Magnum got the killer in Jessica's book wrong, even if he's pretty sidelined and clearly written by MSW writers and not Magnum writers, but at least it was in character for him. For those wondering, the syndicated version is on the MSW season three DVD set, not the original, which certainly makes this episode make less sense :P

Also, the inclusion of Captain Browning was of course done because Jessica wouldn't have an obstacle in dealing with Tanaka. Of course, after this, we never see Browning again :P

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Re: Murder, She Wrote - Magnum on Ice

#43 Post by thechickinthemiddle »

Random Internet Pics/Screencaps:

Image

Image

This really shows how tall Ange really is. (She's 5'8".) It's not all that noticeable on MSW since she's often with male co-stars. An exception is in "Old Habits Die Hard" when Eileen Brennan first calls her and she stops and turns around.

This amusing gif:

Image

And of course that creepy-ass smile she gives Captain Browning. :shock:

BTW that last photo's from an episode review you can read here. :)

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Little Garwood
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Re: Murder, She Wrote - Magnum on Ice

#44 Post by Little Garwood »

Jessica really "owns" Browning, doesn't she? Anytime Lansbury even remotely channels her Manchurian Candidate persona is worth mentioning.

Your blog is a fun one! I'm adding it to my reading list.

As I've mentioned before in this thread, in the Magnum half of this crossover, there are expositionary efforts made to clue in the Murder, She Wrote audience with things like who Rick and T.C. are, as well as Jessica and Higgins having just as much screen time as she and Magnum.

I thought I read somewhere that this crossover was an attempt to boost MPI's ratings. That's kind of sad since it was five seasons before when MPI did the same thing for Simon & Simon. I know that during the resurgence of sitcoms led by The Cosby Show I was displeased that the detective adventure shows that I enjoyed so much in my childhood were being kicked to the curb by sitcoms was something I definitely did not appreciate at the time.

Murder, She Wrote belongs more in the world of Matlock and Diagnosis, Murder more than it does with MPI and Simon & Simon. It's not a criticism, but rather a matter of similarities among programs. I really like Diagnosis, Murder, and MSW is enjoyable.
"Popularity is the pocket change of history."

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Re: Murder, She Wrote - Magnum on Ice

#45 Post by thechickinthemiddle »

LOL the review/recap blog isn't mine, it's run by a fine gal from Australia. It's a real gem to read though, what with all the guest stars shared between MSW and MPI. MSW and DM were definitely in a similar league, with all the TV and film legends guest-starring. Magnum had that too, but with the main cast skewing a bit younger, you weren't gonna see on that show an episode-long homage to cop shows or sci-fi or Mission: Impossible.

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Re: Murder, She Wrote - Magnum on Ice

#46 Post by Little Garwood »

thechickinthemiddle wrote:LOL the review/recap blog isn't mine, it's run by a fine gal from Australia. It's a real gem to read though, what with all the guest stars shared between MSW and MPI. MSW and DM were definitely in a similar league, with all the TV and film legends guest-starring. Magnum had that too, but with the main cast skewing a bit younger, you weren't gonna see on that show an episode-long homage to cop shows or sci-fi or Mission: Impossible.
It's not your website? :oops: Then just credit yourself for promoting it with such enthusiasm! :wink:

It was the Mannix crossover episode that really got me to take note of DM, though I haven't seen all that many episodes. You're right about it--and MSW--being a great way to catch up with so many familiar faces (or unfamiliar faces, depending on who their plastic surgeon was).
"Popularity is the pocket change of history."

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Re: Murder, She Wrote - Magnum on Ice

#47 Post by Mrs. Higgins »

Just watched it again....

Jessica Fletcher? What the hell was Higgins thinking? He should have called the Equalizer.

I liked this episode when it aired, and I still kinda do. There's just something about MSW....I don't know if it was the crappy, thrown-together scripts, or the endings where Jessica had to explain who was the culprit and why. Still, it's Magnum and Higgins and that's all that matters.
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Re:

#48 Post by K Hale »

Shermy wrote:This one makes a pretty seamless transition from the "Magnum portion" of the story, and I really like the way Jessica's theme music reflects the Hawaiian setting. But I'm a little surprised that Magnum and Jessica didn't really team up that much over the course of these episodes. I guess I was expecting them to draw on Magnum's admiration of Miss Marple, and somehow work that into the plot.
I found this episode to be an obvious attempt to let J.B. Fletcher show Magnum up. You can certainly tell it was written by MSW writers.
It's interesting that Higgins can do nothing about Magnum's $100,000 bail. The experience obviously taught him not to rely too heavily on Mr. Masters' approval, as he has no qualms about personally borrowing $300,000 just two episodes later.
Plot hole caused by writers lacking familiarity with the show. After all, it's his money, so he should be able to do what he wants with it. :wink:
Magnum also tells Jessica if she agrees not to turn pro, he won't go out and buy a typewriter. Of course, Magnum reneges on this deal just five episodes later in Murder By Night.
They didn't try to be consistent at all between this episode and everything else. :roll:
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KingKC
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Re: Murder, She Wrote - Magnum on Ice

#49 Post by KingKC »

This crossover was an attempt to lift the sagging ratings of MPI and I think it was just hastily put together. In some ways I think they took a planned episode of MPI and poorly rewrote it to bring Jessica Fletcher into the plot. In any event it was a thorough disappointment.

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Re: Murder, She Wrote - Magnum on Ice

#50 Post by Turkey »

Yeah, I didn't enjoy this one a whole lot - have only seen it once, so far
Make it two weeks.

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Re: Murder, She Wrote - Magnum on Ice

#51 Post by Little Garwood »

K Hale wrote: I found this episode to be an obvious attempt to let J.B. Fletcher show Magnum up. You can certainly tell it was written by MSW writers.
This has always irked me. As I mentioned in a previous post, a guest star should be made even cooler than they are on their own series, so that new viewers are actually interested in that character. Jessica was her usual perfect self, but Magnum--who was most likely referred to as "Magim" or "Mangum" by cranky, disinterested MSW viewers--does not benefit from this, even though he later saves Jessica's miserable life. :lol:
K Hale wrote: Plot hole caused by writers lacking familiarity with the show.
The "Weeeoooawaaa" stereotypical Hawaiian music score in this episode is another dead giveaway that this was put together by the MSW producers.

Philip DeGuere and writer Bob Shayne did a much better job portraying the MPI crew alongside the Simon brothers in Magnum's earlier crossover, "Ki'i's Don't Lie."
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K Hale
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Re: Murder, She Wrote - Magnum on Ice

#52 Post by K Hale »

I agree that the Simon & Simon ep was a lot better, though IMO Higgins was a little out of character in both of them. Not bad but a bit of a fanfic feel.
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Little Garwood
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Re: Murder, She Wrote - Magnum on Ice

#53 Post by Little Garwood »

K Hale wrote:I agree that the Simon & Simon ep was a lot better, though IMO Higgins was a little out of character in both of them. Not bad but a bit of a fanfic feel.
I'd chalk that up to Hillerman's cold rather than any deficiencies in the script; Gerald McRaney also sounded like he was down with a bug (of the non-"Will Kill Pest Control" variety). :wink:

Despite the many "issues" with Magnum on Ice, I still find it to be highly enjoyable (and I'm by no means a MSW fan); I completely understand that most others don't.
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K Hale
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Re: Murder, She Wrote - Magnum on Ice

#54 Post by K Hale »

Little Garwood wrote:
K Hale wrote:I agree that the Simon & Simon ep was a lot better, though IMO Higgins was a little out of character in both of them. Not bad but a bit of a fanfic feel.
I'd chalk that up to Hillerman's cold rather than any deficiencies in the script; Gerald McRaney also sounded like he was down with a bug (of the non-"Will Kill Pest Control" variety). :wink:
It's not that he was hoarse, it's something about the lines he was given. They were a little too stereotyped, just not quite right in some way. As if written by someone who knew the character, but didn't know him well and hadn't written for him before.
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Re: Murder, She Wrote - Magnum on Ice

#55 Post by Little Garwood »

K Hale wrote:It's not that he was hoarse, it's something about the lines he was given. They were a little too stereotyped, just not quite right in some way. As if written by someone who knew the character, but didn't know him well and hadn't written for him before.
Not to put you on the spot, but the next time you watch it--if that time should ever come--I'd be interested in knowing which lines those would be.
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