Skin Deep (1.6)

[ENSHealy]

Also there are notably more holes than 12 or 14 in the second target presented by Higgins.

I count 27.

[ENSHealy]

Any idea what the two crossed things are? The middle one is a shower, I assume, I think we actually see Thomas use it in Adelaide, but what are the two other things?

[308GUY]

http://www.tikibrand.com/in-your-backya ... -pack.html

[ENSHealy]

Huh. In retrospect it seems like a dumb question. I think I was thrown off by the fact they're all black and there's no bamboo/wicker covering. That's what I'm going with anyway, as a cover story.

[K Hale]

Huh. In retrospect it seems like a dumb question. I think I was thrown off by the fact they're all black and there's no bamboo/wicker covering. That's what I'm going with anyway, as a cover story.

Maybe there is a covering but they have been burned and that's why they're all black.

[ENSHealy]

1.6 SKIN DEEP
Hawaiian shirts: 1 black jungle bird
Island Hopper shirts: 1 dark red, almost maroon/burgundy, white logo.
Body Count: 1 “Ginger” David’s new girlfriend/protégé,
Shirtless: 2 waking up from the flashback, beach volleyball at the end.
Little Voice: 0
I know what you’re thinking: 0
When I write HTBAWCPI: .5 Magnum references “what every private investigator manual tells you on page one” but doesn’t actually mention writing his book.
Investigator corrections: 1
Magnum injuries: 1 Thomas shot in the right leg (mid-thigh) with rifle
Higgins musings: 1
4th wall breaks: .5 I’m only giving it a half point, as it’s possible he was just looking back at Higgins after the “they’re obviously busy” remark.
Negotiations: 1 ballistic tests for good behavior
Famous guest stars: 1 Ian McShane
Magnumometer: 11

Erin's agent refers to TM and "David Norman is paying you your 500 a day." That would be a significantly higher rate than the $200 per day he so offended the "SIA" agents with in Need to Know.

I know this is probably a suspension of disbelief issue, but over the course of his night watching Erin's videos, TM comes to the conclusion that she's become a much better actress, and says as much to David Norman in the morning. But from the clips we are shown....she definitely does not get any better. The clips we are shown are almost painful to watch.

They do a great job of setting up a parallel between Erin's face and the face of the soldier they repeatedly show TM turning over in flashbacks, and of creating a "horror" shot, without actually showing either face. They put in our minds exactly what they can't show on the screen.

I was somewhat bothered by the flashback shot where TM comes out of bed shooting. He hears an explosion, leaps out of bed and starts firing wildly through a bamboo blind, having no idea who might be on the other side. After all, the explosion was most likely a mortar or grenade fired or thrown from a distance. I would venture to say it's just as likely he'd have been shooting at his own men in that scenario.



CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS

Magnum: Sometimes I get these itches. Erin Wolfe was one. Only I didn't know where to scratch. So I did what every private investigator manual tells you on page one--investigate the scene of the crime.

Magnum: I'd gone months without remembering 'Nam... until this morning. The scary part wasn't the memories that kept popping into my head. It was the idea that someday I might flash back in my mind...and never return.

Magnum: Oh, come on, Higgins! I told you over the phone.
Higgins: I want to hear it in person, Magnum, face-to-face, so there are no misunderstandings.
Magnum: I will bring no visitors, hold no parties, use none of the recreational facilities nor make my presence known...to any of Robin's guests for a period of one week.
Higgins: Two.
Magnum: Two?
Higgins: Two.

Higgins: This... is a 12-gauge double-ought shotgun shell. It contains 12 30-caliber pellets. Or buckshot, as I believe you Yanks call it. As you requested, on the first test shot, fired precisely at four feet with a full choke and bore. Now, as you can see, at this distance, the pellets enter the target as a single mass, approximately five centimeters in width. This would put a rather nasty hole in one's head...but leave some of the cranium intact. Uh, could I have a drink? Scotch and water will do nicely. And, uh, no ice, please. Test shot number two, fired from 12 feet with the same choke and bore. At this distance, the pellets are spread to over 25 centimeters in width. They no longer penetrate as a single mass but as 12 individual missiles, disintegrating all bone and tissue and destroying the cranium entirely. In other words, gentlemen, at 12 feet, double-ought blows one's bloody head off. Cheers.

[Mad Kudu Buck]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned this before, but it has always bothered me... do you notice that Erin's tapes of her early movie, acting & drama class are on VHS tape from years when VHS didn't yet exist? VHS was invented in 1976 and wasn't available in the US until at least early-mid 1977. (Beta came out the previous year)



Yes, she could have had the earlier tapes or film recordings transferred to VHS. There were earlier expensive pre-VHS tape recorders and reel-to-reel video, but they probably would have been too expensive to record in a drama class.

Also notice that her shelf has both Beta and VHS tapes - but she doesn't seem to have a Beta player. The tapes are on the shelf vertically, not horizontal in the closeup. (but the closeup could be from another shelf - not seen here)

[Nikita70]

Good call. Not quite relevant to your post but I have noticed different VCRs on MPI. When Higgins records the snooker match I think it’s a Betamax. Magnum watches a movie on Beta and then in another season on VHS. IIRC.

[K Hale]

Good call. Not quite relevant to your post but I have noticed different VCRs on MPI. When Higgins records the snooker match I think it’s a Betamax.

Correct.

[Mad Kudu Buck]

Yes, and the tape Magnum gets in Unfinished Business - is also Beta. How did Quang Ki know that Magnum had a Beta player and could play that tape? By 1988, Beta was basically dead. (even Sony was making VHS machines)

I know I've seen an episode where Magnum has a VHS machine, but I can't remember what episode.

[Pahonu]

1. "Back then," the show probably had to PAY a royalty fee to use a name brand product in shots, as opposed to today when the name brands PAY a movie or TV show to use its products to promote them.

Actually, production companies and distributors didn't pay royalty fees then, but they were very careful about giving free product placement airtime. This was largely because they didn't want any potential advertising revenue compromised because a competitor's product appeared in the program. For example, it certainly would have been easier for the MPI production company to use a Coors beer bottle in an episode, but Anheuser-Busch wouldn't want to buy commercial time from the network for their Budweiser product during an episode where their competitor is highlighted. This would be true for any well known products that compete, like Coke/Pepsi, etc... I worked briefly in TV production in the early 90's and it was the rule then. It generally is today as well, according to a few friends of mine still in the business. Unless there is a particular deal in place to use a product, production is still directed to minimize product placement so advertising options remain open.

The most blatant example of product placement I can recall was an episode of The Middle that my wife recorded several years ago. I wasn't really a fan and didn't watch too closely, but the episode revolved around the family's neighbors being out of town and them spending the episode driving around in the neighbor's new Volkswagen, without permission, if I recall correctly. I actually commented to my wife at the time about the placement deal, and guess which company's ads were featured in the episode? None of the American "Big Three" that's for sure. Wow, did they say Volkswagen a lot in that episode and every single break had a VW ad. That particular example was recorded during the primetime network run, but later syndication is also a huge source of ad revenue, so there are tradeoffs. The network probably got a nice check for that episode, but when it's rerun in the future, other car companies will certainly hesitate to buy ad space in that slot.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Can anyone explain exactly where the location of Erin's home is? On IMDB it says Lanihau and Haumalu, Diamond Head. What are those? Are those streets (because they don't show up anywhere) or are those the names of homes? This is also supposed to be the home of Judith Chapman's Lisa Page character in "The Woman on the Beach". Is this somewhere off Diamond Head Rd.?

Edit: Actually IMDB (for Woman on the Beach) says "Alexander Estate, Lanihau and Haumalu, Diamond Head, Oahu". This seems incorrect because:
a) the Alexander Estate is in Nu'uanu along the Pali Hwy which is nowhere near Diamond Head
b) the Alexander Estate was featured in The Curse of the King Kamehameha Club and is NOT the same house as Erin Wolfe's or Lisa Page's

Can anyone shed any light on the location of Erin's and Lisa's house?

[Sam]

Hi Ivan... the address is 3065 Diamond Head Road.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Hi Ivan... the address is 3065 Diamond Head Road.

Thanks Sam! I actually just got back from O'ahu and it turns out I drove past this property a few times (even walked close to it) without even knowing it Had I known I certainly would have taken a peek over the gate to see what the premises looks like. Looking at this pic online https://photos.zillowstatic.com/p_h/ISe ... 000000.jpg (above the outlined in red property) it looks like a pretty large place with quite a few of these similar looking brown pitched roof houses on the grounds. It looks like all these houses are on the same estate grounds.

[Sam]

Hi Ivan... the address is 3065 Diamond Head Road.

Thanks Sam! I actually just got back from O'ahu and it turns out I drove past this property a few times (even walked close to it) without even knowing it Had I known I certainly would have taken a peek over the gate to see what the premises looks like. Looking at this pic online https://photos.zillowstatic.com/p_h/ISe ... 000000.jpg (above the outlined in red property) it looks like a pretty large place with quite a few of these similar looking brown pitched roof houses on the grounds. It looks like all these houses are on the same estate grounds.

Hi Ivan... the house you have outlined is not the house..It is the brown pitched roof house and the house next door with the solar panels was also used in an episode.

This is the address of the other house..

Lanihau Estate (3101 Diamond Head Rd.) - "Icepick's home (2nd one)*" (ID'd by rubber chicken)

http://magnum-mania.com/Episodes/Season ... right.html