Missing in Action (1.9)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the first season

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How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
0
No votes
9.5 (One of the Best)
1
1%
9.0 (Excellent)
9
9%
8.5 (Very Good)
22
21%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
23
22%
7.5 (Decent)
30
29%
7.0 (Average at Best)
11
11%
6.5 (Not So Good)
4
4%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
1
1%
5.0 (Just Awful)
3
3%
 
Total votes: 104

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Frodoleader
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Re: Missing in Action (1.9)

#51 Post by Frodoleader »

Just watched this again last night. It is still a favorite episode of mine. Especially like Rebecca Holden and her singing of "Deja Vu". Also agree about the ending, its not a good one. My problem is when Eric climbs to the highest point on the derrick, not once, but twice. Doesn't it make sense to not put yourself in a place with absolutely no way to escape if you had to? I don't see a trained operative doing something so foolish.
"You are three months at Dak Wei and still you crack jokes?" - Ivan

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KingKC
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Re: Missing in Action (1.9)

#52 Post by KingKC »

This is one of many of the first season episodes that sticks in my mind and has for thirty-five years! Why, I don't know since it really isn't one of the best but I thought it was pretty good. (It was early in the series, though) I definitely like Rebecca Holden for obvious reasons even if she isn't the greatest actress. I liked the intrigue of espionage and black-ops and the role played by Lance LeGault and, for some reason, the sign in the window being a signal of sorts. How subtle! The photo-negative flashbacks are unique and really stick in my mind. Finally, I think this episode has one of the biggest flubs, if not the biggest flub of the whole series, in that Eric is shot, falls into the water from a pretty good distance and no one even looks over the edge of the pier/dock much less tries to pull him out of the water.

thechickinthemiddle
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Re: Missing in Action (1.9)

#53 Post by thechickinthemiddle »

I'm guessing a bad edit/cut from script was what caused no one checking Eric's condition. :P Magnum asks for T.C.'s van earlier, but we don't really see it. Maybe T.C. was waiting out in the wings somewhere by the water to pull Eric out. :P That, or I'm too used to Magnum having a plan for meeting bad guys at remote locations. :lol:

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Danny Lin
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#54 Post by Danny Lin »

On the level of the tide during the bathing scene:
timm525 wrote:So-so ep for me. 7.5.

One thing I just noticed was towards the beginning when TM takes her back to the estate for a swim and dinner, you see her sitting on the beach and TM coming in from a swim. He grabs a towel to dry off and the dialog starts. At this point, notice the level of the water on the beach directly behind TM. Now fast forward to the end of the scene and look at the level of the water directly behind TM. Looks to me like there is a big difference.

Now either this was a long shoot with multiple retakes or the tide was coming in rather fast at that time. Or, perhaps the tide/waves picked up in intensity as you can see the waves come up almost to TM's feet at the end vs what looks like several feet away at the beginning.

...
I don´t see that. At the beginning of the sequence the rock walls of the tidal pool are as much under water as they are at the end of the sequence. Even the shadow that is thrown on the water by the concrete wall in the background is about as long at the end of the sequence as it is at the beginning.
How far up a beach single waves make it always shifts notably from wave to wave at any beach at any time.
... Then I'm history... Walking history... I'll be just another chapter in one of those dumb books Louise Peardon makes me read: "Prince Danny Lin, assassinated July." ...

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Re:

#55 Post by Danny Lin »

On the reflection on the drivers door of the car:
MaiTaiMan wrote:
Little Garwood wrote:I did spot a flub in this episode: At around the 37 minute mark, when Newton's henchman is driving away in the car, a member of the filming crew can be seen in the reflection of the car door

Thanks to James for the credit. :)
Do you mean towards the end...when Magnum makes Newton's goon drive away by gunpoint? I went back and watched that scene and you can sort of see a reflection of some kind on the car door--but it was really hard to see exactly what it was. But, it appeared to be moving around somewhat, so you're probably right. :)
In that sequence there are reflections on the whole drivers side of the "henchman´s" car. Interesting enough the sun is in a position that lets all the shadows in the sequence fall towards the camera but anyway in the beginning of the sequence when Thomas and Newton arrive in TC´s van out of the background you see a big shadow being thrown on the drivers side of the "henchman´s" car from behind the camera, which means that there must be some kind of a light source behind the camera too. That big shadow moves over the drivers side of the car and comes to rest on the drivers door when the camera stops to move. In that big shadow covering nearly the whole drivers door the reflections are more clear than on the rest of the drivers side. In that shadow you can see a person make two or three steps from the right to the left after the "henchman" got in and closed the door and before the car starts to move.
... Then I'm history... Walking history... I'll be just another chapter in one of those dumb books Louise Peardon makes me read: "Prince Danny Lin, assassinated July." ...

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Re: Re:

#56 Post by Danny Lin »

On Lauras age:
Little Garwood wrote:
N1095A wrote:Not sure why he would want her for himself. If you ask me, she was kind of weird, and not in a good way. She kind of gave me the creeps through the whole ep. The extreme gross-up, uh I mean close-ups of the strings of spittle hanging from her lips didn't help much either.
...

Storywise, I don't buy her character being engaged to a Vietnam vet circa 1972. Holden was born in 1958, making her 14 in 1972. This episode aired in February 1981. The casting and script let us down in those respects.
But the real age of the actress is of no importance. Important is only if the age the actress has in her role complies with what she looks and acts like. If Laura got engaged in 72 she probably was at least eighteen years old which means that she was 26/27 in 1980/81, when the ep was shot. Is that possible from what she looks and acts like? Yes. It totally is.
... Then I'm history... Walking history... I'll be just another chapter in one of those dumb books Louise Peardon makes me read: "Prince Danny Lin, assassinated July." ...

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Danny Lin
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Re:

#57 Post by Danny Lin »

N1095A wrote:Not sure why he would want her for himself. If you ask me, she was kind of weird, and not in a good way. She kind of gave me the creeps through the whole ep. The extreme gross-up, uh I mean close-ups of the strings of spittle hanging from her lips didn't help much either.
Unfortunately I have to agree here! Different from what most other members wrote about Laura´s "gorgeousness" I see her like just another one of those little helpless "girls" in desperate need of the help of the strong and protective male main character. An extremely boring and overused stereotype! Besides that she´s just another one of those typical doll faces too which actually are just average beauties.
... Then I'm history... Walking history... I'll be just another chapter in one of those dumb books Louise Peardon makes me read: "Prince Danny Lin, assassinated July." ...

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Milton Collins
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Re:

#58 Post by Milton Collins »

IslandHopper wrote:You've got to admit, she looks pretty good in that bathing suit walking into the tidal pool at Robin's Nest. You maybe able to overlook a little face-twitching for that. :wink:
Ha ha boy do I agree! I thought she was quite a babe, don't think she made my top 5 Magnum girl list on that threat/post though. I thought this was a fun episode, 8.0:)

-I loved seeing Colonol Buck Greene as "Newton" the corrupt Delta 1 team lead.

-I liked the supernatural aspect of her physcic visions.

-Eric was a great character and played well by that actor. He was very believable as a Marine special agent from Nam. I think most of the best episodes are Nam themed.

-Why did they stop using that bar and deck setting for the club? I LOVE IT in season one! I guess it was easier to use the smaller beach bar one that was used in later seasons but I loved the early seasons with the more extensive set. Not sure when they changed that, maybe season 2 or 3?

-The hypnotism scene with Higgins was priceless! I loved it and one of my favorite of my Magnum PI trading card set (which I bought off of ebay, very cheap and cool!) is a closeup of Higgy's face swinging the pendulum!

-I was upset at the ending. WHY did Eric have to die! I realize that Magnum usually did a nice job of being realistic by not always having happy endings but sheesh, poor Laura, she had waited all that time only to see Eric gunned down by Newton? Ugh!

-Why didn't they go check and see if he was alive? There was no definitive clue that he was assuredly dead or where Newton had shot him. Yes he fell from very high up and it was to be assumed but I still would think TM and Laura would have ran over and checked? Just seemed weird to me!

I like this episode and just love season 1, so classic!

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Re: Missing in Action (1.9)

#59 Post by Guesthouse resident »

IMHO - One of the, if not THE hottest chicks of the entire series. Bathing suit is about as good as it gets. Definitely makes Viagra obsolete.

Thirty freakin' yrs later and she's still just as hot. Rare!
Image

As my opinion of the entire series, along w/ Miami Vice, the Simpsons, etc., the first two seasons are the best before the writers either leave or run out of original, fresh ideas.

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Re:

#60 Post by ENSHealy »

N1095A wrote:Not sure why he would want her for himself. If you ask me, she was kind of weird, and not in a good way. She kind of gave me the creeps through the whole ep. The extreme gross-up, uh I mean close-ups of the strings of spittle hanging from her lips didn't help much either.
I'm right there with you...I find this picture seriously disturbing. How about a retake, for heaven's sake?
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KingKC
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Re: Missing in Action (1.9)

#61 Post by KingKC »

Guesthouse resident wrote:IMHO - One of the, if not THE hottest chicks of the entire series. Bathing suit is about as good as it gets. Definitely makes Viagra obsolete.

Thirty freakin' yrs later and she's still just as hot. Rare!
Image

As my opinion of the entire series, along w/ Miami Vice, the Simpsons, etc., the first two seasons are the best before the writers either leave or run out of original, fresh ideas.

Maybe she was good looking but she could not replace Patricia McPherson in that one season of Knight Rider. McPherson was a much better actor and still pretty good looking.

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ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)
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Re: Missing in Action (1.9)

#62 Post by ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) »

KingKC wrote:
Guesthouse resident wrote:IMHO - One of the, if not THE hottest chicks of the entire series. Bathing suit is about as good as it gets. Definitely makes Viagra obsolete.

Thirty freakin' yrs later and she's still just as hot. Rare!
Image

As my opinion of the entire series, along w/ Miami Vice, the Simpsons, etc., the first two seasons are the best before the writers either leave or run out of original, fresh ideas.

Maybe she was good looking but she could not replace Patricia McPherson in that one season of Knight Rider. McPherson was a much better actor and still pretty good looking.
McPherson may have been slightly better than Holden in the acting department (neither was a thespian of note) but Holden ran circles around McPherson in the looks department. I had a mad crush on her as a kid. Mad, I tell ya! :D McPherson was just "plain Jane".

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Re: Missing in Action (1.9)

#63 Post by Chris109 »

She's the chick that was in an episode of Barney Miller, Paternity, where Wojo had an 'impotence/sterility' problem. She was fourth runner-up in the Miss New York State Thruway competition cause she dropped her baton.

Wojo: Maybe I should get a job with a harem.
Dietrich: Plenty of openings.

Wojo: Why don't we go get something to eat and try to figure out how to get you home tomorrow.
Girl: But, I don't have any place to stay tonight.
Wojo: Uh, well, we'll figure something out.
Girl: It's awfully nice of you to go out of your way for me. I mean, considering everything you must have on your mind.
Wojo: Well, not much I can do about it.
Girl: Well...maybe we can figure that out, too.
Wojo: Oh. Okay.

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Re: Missing in Action (1.9)

#64 Post by KingKC »

IvanTheTerrible wrote:
KingKC wrote:
Guesthouse resident wrote:IMHO - One of the, if not THE hottest chicks of the entire series. Bathing suit is about as good as it gets. Definitely makes Viagra obsolete.

Thirty freakin' yrs later and she's still just as hot. Rare!
Image

As my opinion of the entire series, along w/ Miami Vice, the Simpsons, etc., the first two seasons are the best before the writers either leave or run out of original, fresh ideas.

Maybe she was good looking but she could not replace Patricia McPherson in that one season of Knight Rider. McPherson was a much better actor and still pretty good looking.
McPherson may have been slightly better than Holden in the acting department (neither was a thespian of note) but Holden ran circles around McPherson in the looks department. I had a mad crush on her as a kid. Mad, I tell ya! :D McPherson was just "plain Jane".
Actually I think everything is relative and beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Comparatively speaking, even if neither is a great thespian, Patricia McPherson clearly out performs Rebecca Holden as an actress. Rebecca Holden may have had the flashy looks but Patricia McPherson had a simple beauty. To each his own in this world. Viva La difference!!!!!

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Re: Missing in Action (1.9)

#65 Post by ENSHealy »

Guesthouse resident wrote:Thirty freakin' yrs later and she's still just as hot. Rare!
Image
Gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you there...the first thought I had when I saw that picture of her was...
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