No Need to Know (1.5)

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How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
12
9%
9.5 (One of the Best)
26
19%
9.0 (Excellent)
30
22%
8.5 (Very Good)
42
31%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
14
10%
7.5 (Decent)
7
5%
7.0 (Average at Best)
2
1%
6.5 (Not So Good)
0
No votes
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
1
1%
5.0 (Just Awful)
2
1%
 
Total votes: 136

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ConchRepublican
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Re: Re:

#71 Post by ConchRepublican »

Milton Collins wrote:
Shermy wrote:
The real highlight is the after-dinner scene, as Magnum enjoys cigars, drinks, and above all, irritating Higgins. (Then again, Mandy in the bikini makes for some pretty memorable scenes as well.) I also love the punchline to the suspenseful finale, as Higgins becomes impatient while waiting for the bomb to blow.

To top it off, there's another classic ending with Magnum returning T.C.'s dinner jacket...then quickly fleeing to avoid his wrath! :lol:

The after dinner scene was hilarious! Magnum in a tux and jeans sipping brandy and smoking cigars lol. I love how Higgins purposely bumps into him because he is so irritated at him being there and enjoying himself. Mandy in the bikini was fantastic! We'll see her again before all that long in The Elmo Ziller story (and that's fine by me:)). I had never been a big fan of this episode in prior viewings but liked it more this time. A good action packed episode dealing with some real life issues and a good twist, they really sell that it's the wierdo on the kayak with the creepy apartment who's going to knock off the brigadeer. That actor is pretty unmistakable and I know he's in several other episodes (From Moscow to Maui and Compulsion at least) so I got a kick out of that as I enjoy spotting repeat bit actors. I do have one small complaint though. Did anyone else find the two CIA/FBI agents (can't remember which they were) to be poorly cast? The one guys complaining about being hungry the whole episode and the other guy was fairly ridiculous and reminded me of the actor from Perfect Strangers lol. I just thought they could have had better more serious actors/tones that would have made them more believeable governement cops/agents. Nevertheless, a good solid episode!
I remember that nudge, wasn't that so Thomas would sit up (like a grownup I always took it) without his one leg crossed?
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Re: Re:

#72 Post by Milton Collins »

ConchRepublican wrote:
Milton Collins wrote:
Shermy wrote:
The real highlight is the after-dinner scene, as Magnum enjoys cigars, drinks, and above all, irritating Higgins. (Then again, Mandy in the bikini makes for some pretty memorable scenes as well.) I also love the punchline to the suspenseful finale, as Higgins becomes impatient while waiting for the bomb to blow.

To top it off, there's another classic ending with Magnum returning T.C.'s dinner jacket...then quickly fleeing to avoid his wrath! :lol:

The after dinner scene was hilarious! Magnum in a tux and jeans sipping brandy and smoking cigars lol. I love how Higgins purposely bumps into him because he is so irritated at him being there and enjoying himself. Mandy in the bikini was fantastic! We'll see her again before all that long in The Elmo Ziller story (and that's fine by me:)). I had never been a big fan of this episode in prior viewings but liked it more this time. A good action packed episode dealing with some real life issues and a good twist, they really sell that it's the wierdo on the kayak with the creepy apartment who's going to knock off the brigadeer. That actor is pretty unmistakable and I know he's in several other episodes (From Moscow to Maui and Compulsion at least) so I got a kick out of that as I enjoy spotting repeat bit actors. I do have one small complaint though. Did anyone else find the two CIA/FBI agents (can't remember which they were) to be poorly cast? The one guys complaining about being hungry the whole episode and the other guy was fairly ridiculous and reminded me of the actor from Perfect Strangers lol. I just thought they could have had better more serious actors/tones that would have made them more believeable governement cops/agents. Nevertheless, a good solid episode!
I remember that nudge, wasn't that so Thomas would sit up (like a grownup I always took it) without his one leg crossed?

I think so, it was a pretty hilarious scene! Its funny how extremely hard Higgins was on Magnum in the first season and even the second. He sure seemed to loosen up and treat him with more respect as time passed, although they certainly were very different and still had their issues (ie Paper War, a classic!). I guess it's because they formed a friendship as time passed and Higgins gained a respect for Magnum and vice versa. To me it was great that they did see things very differently and didn't always get along, it added a fun and sometimes very funny theme to the show.

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Re:

#73 Post by ConchRepublican »

Shermy wrote:To top it off, there's another classic ending with Magnum returning T.C.'s dinner jacket...then quickly fleeing to avoid his wrath! :lol:
I was (re)watching this again the other day and noticed that at that point when TC yells after Thomas he yells "Magnum!!".

Now, I've heard many times before in previous watchings but it hit me, I think that's the only time in the show where Rick or TC call him "Magnum" instead of "Thomas".

Another one of those Season One finding the footing things . . .
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Re: No Need to Know (1.5)

#74 Post by Primbud »

I'm apparently in the not-so-vast minority here but this is one of my least fave episodes of the first season. The main reason I watch movies is for entertainment and I've come to enjoy MPI for a variety of reasons including that of entertainment but this episode irritated me more than entertained (and correspondingly, the entertaining portions seemed throwaways) - just like Magnum's irritation at the 'No Need to Know' that kept being bandied about. I could feel his frustration, which, I suppose, can be viewed as a success for this one. Am not a fan of government - the dishonest power hungry, controlling politicians who send out 'our boys' to kill or be killed. The ending of the story mad sense to me and I could feel what she was feeling so maybe the episode hit too close to my personal feelings for me to enjoy it. For instance, while the Brigadier accosted our protagonist in the evening outside, I kept thinking of all the atrocities he likely committed in his field of work and position rather than any medals he'd have been decorated with during the course of his duty. On a positive note, maybe it'd grow on me greatly if I watched it repeatedly.

Overall, I felt this began a set of nearly 25% of the campaign which I didn't give high marks to. This got just a 5 out of 10 from moi.

In conclusion, I think it's an episode best not for me.

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Re: No Need to Know (1.5)

#75 Post by Rocket »

Not really a flub but when Magnum pulls into the driveway at around the 17:20 mark, you can see a large rock in the driveway by the front tire of the Ferrari. I think that is his mark for the Ferrari. Seems too big when compared to other rocks in the drive. I noted another rock in another episode and Magnum stops the Ferrari with the driver side front tire, right next to it as well. May be nothing, but seems like a mark to me.

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Re: No Need to Know (1.5)

#76 Post by Turkey »

Rocket wrote:Not really a flub but when Magnum pulls into the driveway at around the 17:20 mark, you can see a large rock in the driveway by the front tire of the Ferrari. I think that is his mark for the Ferrari. Seems too big when compared to other rocks in the drive. I noted another rock in another episode and Magnum stops the Ferrari with the driver side front tire, right next to it as well. May be nothing, but seems like a mark to me.
Cool! I love trying to catch that sort of production aspect. Certainly missed that one :)



Mandy was pretty memorable and so was Higgins' frustration during the cigar/serving scene. And poor TC!
Make it two weeks.

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Re: No Need to Know (1.5)

#77 Post by Frodoleader »

Hi guys, its been a helluva long time since I posted here. I am also a bit ashamed to admit that I have not watched an MPI episode for quite some time. I did not even watch Operation Silent Night last Christmas.
So anyway, I decided to get out my Season 1 DVD and popped in disc one. This episode was the first one so we watched it. I have to be honest, after not watching MPI for so long, I found the writing for this episode to be really bad! Maybe I have spent so much time watching contemporary action/drama TV, that this throwback to the 1980's was a bit of a shock. Or it could be that this being Season 1, the series was still finding it's feet. Just saying.
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Re: No Need to Know (1.5)

#78 Post by thechickinthemiddle »

Hmm, well drawing from the best of my memory, this was a good episode early in the show's run, with a good twist, natch. As much as I will stand up for Carol Burnett, I get where some of the other posters were coming from in that Magnum's always with stunningly beautiful or "80s permed" women (who aren't always the best actors or who may be incredibly annoying), rather than more down-to-earth "normal" but still beautiful women like Robin Dearden. And Sela Ward :D I can totally see her being a good match for TM in the later seasons :) And secrecy in bureaucracy on the basis of "no need to know" seems to have only gotten worse given how "cops vs. FBI" plots are standard fare nowadays. In some ways I think Magnum was ahead of his time :P

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Re: No Need to Know (1.5)

#79 Post by KingKC »

This one had a lot of characteristics of MPI. International considerations, intrigue, suspense, plot twists, babes, comedy, Higgins vs. Magnum, Magnum borrowing from TC and just a generally good, good show.

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Re:

#80 Post by Danny Lin »

On the "bag over the wall flub":
IslandHopper wrote:
...

1. When Magnum tosses his blue duffle bag over the wall of the estate, the duffle bag hits the trunk of a palm tree on its way down and drops straight down. However, when Magnum climbs over the wall and drops in on the estate, the duffle bag is laying at the base of the wall, not the palm tree. The palm tree is nowhere in sight. The duffle bag obviously did not land at the base of the wall.

...
Yes! Indeed there is a palm tree in sight on the estate when Magnum jumps over the Wall! You see it at the right end of the screen. In fact the palm tree stands close to the wall. Also when it is shown how the bag flies over the wall the camera is filming at a steep upward angle. It is not shown which way the bag takes until it finally comes to rest on the lawn. A position close to the wall is totally possible. So I don´t see a flub here.
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#81 Post by Danny Lin »

On the landlord flub:
IslandHopper wrote:
...

4. When Magnum is meeting with Agent Hooker and Agent Dobey at the KKC, Magnum tells Hooker that he gets $200 a day. Hooker responds by saying "$200 a day, what are you trying to do, rip off your government?" Magnum replies, "I don't do that, but good will doesn't keep the finance companies and 'landlords' off my back." LANDLORDS? What landlords? Magnum lives on Robin Masters' dime. The two agents should have known this as they checked into Magnum's background before asking him to assist in protecting the Brigadier.

...
That good will doesn´t keep ... the landlord off ones back certainly is just a phrase that one uses in such negotiations. That is like bartering on a flea market and whether or not the negotiating person in fact has to pay a landlord is of no relevance. It wouldn´t either be if the agents in fact knew that Magnum didn´t pay a rent. So this is no flub.
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#82 Post by Danny Lin »

On the "wandering bottle" flub:
IslandHopper wrote:
...

5. While still at the KKC, Agent Hooker agrees to pay Magnum the $200 a day he is requesting. Magnum raises his bottle of beer, says "cheers" and takes a sip, then puts the bottle down on the bar to his right. Agent Hooker says he'll give Magnum a number he can be reached at 24 hours-a-day, and Magnum tells Hooker about the catamaran he saw earlier that day. Magnum's bottle of beer is now suddenly on his left. The agents leave and now the bottle of beer is back on Magnum's right again.

...
Call me pedantic but: In fact the bottle wanders over the bar, but starting from Magnums left towards his right, then back to his left and then back to his right. Since between the sequences in which you can see the bottle there are always several other sequences shown of the persons speaking, there is enough time passing by for Magnum to manoeuvre the bottle. Sipping from it or just "playing" with it. So this shouldn´t be called a flub either. A flub is something that at least is VERY unlikely, almost impossible to happen.
... 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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#83 Post by Danny Lin »

On the Sergeant Major flub:
IslandHopper wrote:
...

8. After the dinner party, Magnum asks Higgins how well he knows the Brigadier. Higgins replies that he served as his Sergeant Major in '51 in Hong Kong. This is 30 years earlier. Certainly the Brigadier wasn't a Brigadier 30 years earlier. More likely a Lieutenant. Typically a Sergeant Major is not under the command of a Lieutenant, although a Lieutenant is an officer and does out rank a Sergeant Major.

...
In the British Armed Forces there are Sergeant Majors even on the company, battery or squadron level, so that is very well possible that Higgins served as the Brigadiers Sergeant Major 30 years earlier. Again: No flub.
... 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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#84 Post by Danny Lin »

On the "shifting sequence" and the "key pad to the alarm" flubs:
IslandHopper wrote:
...

9. When Magnum takes off in the Ferrari to catch Higgins and the Brigadier before the bomb goes off in the Audi, Magnum is wearing a navy blue golf shirt and khaki pants, and is wearing his team ring on his left hand. The camera cuts to a close up of the interior of the Ferrari as Magnum (or his stunt double) shifts. Suddenly, Magnum is wearing blue jeans and the team ring is on his right hand, and the emblem is upside down too. Also, the Ferrari's alarm key pad is no longer in the car. Remember the alarm installed by Higgins in the first episode. While Magnum is trying to catch Higgins, the camera cuts to the interior close up three times.

...
Funny enough I have just shortly posted about that "shifting sequence" and the ring worn upside down in it on the thread about the first and second episodes. I also made a new thread about the team ring worn upside down on the "Magnum P.I. Talk" board since I couldn´t find anything written on this topic when using the search. As I wrote in one of my posts that "shifting scene" indeed seems to have been shot with a stunt double instead of Tom Selleck. Obviously that footage is stock footage which has been used several times. I´m still curious if and how many sequences other than this stock footage will show the team ring be worn upside down.

Just the fact that the key pad to the alarm is no longer in the car can not be considered a flub. Higgins installed it and certainly it can have been removed as well. Only if the alarm would show in further episodes again, which as far as I remember isn´t the case, this could be called a flub.
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Re:

#85 Post by Danny Lin »

On Higgins performing a body search on Suzie:
gmt16750 wrote:
...

and Higgins who performed a body search on the hostess :o

...
In fact it (luckily) never was confirmed that Higgins himself performed a body search on Suzie. It can have been done by the Brigadier´s security personnel too. Suzie´s reproachful view at Higgins can have meant that she blames him anyway because he is in charge of the estates security. Unfortunately it is clear that no women are present at the estate who could have performed the search.
Higgins fumbling a woman up and down??!! Unthinkable!!
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