The Woman on the Beach (2.3)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the second season

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How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
12
9%
9.5 (One of the Best)
18
14%
9.0 (Excellent)
34
27%
8.5 (Very Good)
24
19%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
21
17%
7.5 (Decent)
11
9%
7.0 (Average at Best)
2
2%
6.5 (Not So Good)
2
2%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
2
2%
5.0 (Just Awful)
1
1%
 
Total votes: 127

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Seaver41
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#41 Post by Seaver41 »

watched it last night.........great episode. I too like the elements of the supernatural and maybe even more so when they leave you wondering.

I understand the role of the groundskeeper now more than I originally did..........as you watch Magnum follow her, what is ti that everyone is thinking? (assuming you haven't seen it yet)......you're saying he can catch her and unveil the hoax....but the old 1-2 shovel beating thwarts him. So he was a necessary device.

Best scene for me has to be the guys in Rick's room watchijg him set up for the date that does not happen. We see Tom and TC just bust out laughing when Rick tells them he has known this girl for 2 days and she is 'the one'. You won't find Selleck's Frank Reagan or Jesse Stone with that laughter. It's also one of the rare times TC is having a belly laugh.

So if I followed correctly, Thomas was following both Lisa and the ghost at various points on the estate. So that was the ghost he caught up to and had the sarcastic conversation with, correct?

Those eyes on Judith are amazing.

one complaint......the ghost talked to Thomas on the estate.......I was expecting her to address him on the beach in some fashion.

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.45caliber
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#42 Post by .45caliber »

Seaver41, I agree that they should have had the ghost respond in someway, like a thanks or something. Great episode though, just watched it.

By the by, the girl that played the clerk at the library or hall of records, whatever it was, she was really hot. I wonder why she thought TM didn't care about pretty women? She was wrong.

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Re: The Woman on the Beach (2.3)

#43 Post by Magnum T. »

Magnum helps Rick in the search for Sara, a mysterious woman he meets one night at KKC and falls in love with.
Problem is Sara died 35 years before, apparently in a suicidal car accident.
Magnum and Rick find another woman, Lisa Page, who is writing a book about Sara and looks exactly like her.

This is a good episode, not perfect but probably one of the best in Season Two.
The most peculiar thing is the reference to the supernatural, quite unusual for the series but treated again at least in one pivotal future episode, 5.3 "Mac's back" (with wich this episode shares a very similar ending, if I remember correctly).
Judith Chapman makes her second "appearance" in the show, after 1.16 "The Black Orchid". She always looks good, no doubt about that, but I prefer her here. Maybe it's the character, maybe she acts better here, I don't know.
The scene with the glass-wearing librarian "transforming" into a sex-bomb is quite funny, though a little predictable.
Even more predictable the scene with Magnum and T.C. assaulting the dinner Rick had prepared for his... girlfriend.
I found one of Jay-Firestorm's notes interesting:
Early in the story [...] we see an unusual side to Thomas and T.C., as they try to persuade Rick to accompany them to a red light bar and ask him what’s wrong with “booze and one-night stands”. This is a side of the characters that we seldom see, as neither of them drinks heavily (in fact, T.C. is teetotal) and generally show more respect for their women-friends.
The weak side of this episode is that, though the story is well filmed and performed, the bad guy is easy to spot.
On this matter MaiTaiMan wrote:
We were supposed to know it was Sara Clifford's granddaughter that was impersonating her. We were also supposed to know that Jack was the killer...we just got to see how Magnum figured it out after 35 years.
It is an interesting point of view, almost the same narrative scheme used in "Columbo" (greatest detective tv-series ever, btw), only in "Columbo" the murder is actually shown.

Plus: this episode contains an iconic scene, TM scaring the life out of Rick and T.C. while they are digging (better, while Rick is digging).
Minus: as said, an easy-to-spot villain.
Best line:
Magnum: Why didn't you tell me that before you swung?
Josef: I would have lost the advantage of surprise.

Notes:
- team ring on the right hand
- Lisa's house, easily recognizable from the carved-wood/glass sliding door, was used in 1.6 "Skin Deep".
- Judith Chapman seems to have appeared in a number of tv shows I used to watch at the time. I remember her in an episode of "The incredible Hulk" (because I have the series on DVD).
- Kenneth Mars plays the caretaker with a heavy German accent and will be back again in 5.6 "Fragments". I remember him playing a high-ranking nazi official in the "Wonder Woman" pilot and the Chief of Police in Mel Brooks' masterpiece "Young Frankenstein".
- Jack Hogan is in 2.18 "Texas Lightning".

Rate: 8.5
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Re: The Woman on the Beach (2.3)

#44 Post by Neil Peel »

This is my first post, so "Hi Guys!"

As some of you know, the ITV4 channel here in the UK has recently begun showing Magnum P.I., some 32 years after it was originally aired. It's been great to watch all the episodes in sequence and to have this website, with its guides and fans' thoughts to refer to as well, is fantastic - thank you. Plus, to watch the pilot at long last brought a wide smile to my face for 90 minutes as I had missed its original broadcast all those years ago. Although I did read the novel, I long wondered what the pilot movie was like, and now I know! (Why didn't I think to look for the pilot on Youtube?!) I believe I watched every subsequent episode that was broadcast on the UK's HTV channel back in the eighties but I don't remember seeing the finale, so perhaps this was never shown? (Would Jay Firestorm be able to confirm?)

From my current run of viewings, "The Woman On The Beach" is the first episode that I can remember from first time around - the digging scene stuck in my mind because it was in the opening credits. Anyway, I think I've spotted a flub that hasn't previously been mentioned:- when Rick drives his Datsun on to Robin's estate, just as Magnum is leaving in the Ferrari (after Higgins has asked him to be a "supernumerary" in Romeo & Juliet) they stop their cars alongside each other to talk, with their engines switched off. At first Thomas is looking forward and to the left, over his wing-mirror, as he speaks to Rick. The scene then cuts to Thomas speaking over his shoulder, as if Rick has driven slightly past the Ferrari's driver's door, and then they are shown speaking directly opposite each other!

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Re: The Woman on the Beach (2.3)

#45 Post by Doc Ibold »

Neil Peel wrote:This is my first post, so "Hi Guys!"

As some of you know, the ITV4 channel here in the UK has recently begun showing Magnum P.I., some 32 years after it was originally aired. It's been great to watch all the episodes in sequence and to have this website, with its guides and fans' thoughts to refer to as well, is fantastic - thank you. Plus, to watch the pilot at long last brought a wide smile to my face for 90 minutes as I had missed its original broadcast all those years ago. Although I did read the novel, I long wondered what the pilot movie was like, and now I know! (Why didn't I think to look for the pilot on Youtube?!) I believe I watched every subsequent episode that was broadcast on the UK's HTV channel back in the eighties but I don't remember seeing the finale, so perhaps this was never shown? (Would Jay Firestorm be able to confirm?)

From my current run of viewings, "The Woman On The Beach" is the first episode that I can remember from first time around - the digging scene stuck in my mind because it was in the opening credits. Anyway, I think I've spotted a flub that hasn't previously been mentioned:- when Rick drives his Datsun on to Robin's estate, just as Magnum is leaving in the Ferrari (after Higgins has asked him to be a "supernumerary" in Romeo & Juliet) they stop their cars alongside each other to talk, with their engines switched off. At first Thomas is looking forward and to the left, over his wing-mirror, as he speaks to Rick. The scene then cuts to Thomas speaking over his shoulder, as if Rick has driven slightly past the Ferrari's driver's door, and then they are shown speaking directly opposite each other!
Welcome aboard! You have found the Hope Diamond of all things Magnum PI, and quite possibly the Internet. Anything you need, just ask!

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Re: The Woman on the Beach (2.3)

#46 Post by 308GUY »

Welcome aboard Neil!

Always nice to see more folks from around the globe appreciating the same things as oneself, in this case MPI....one of my favorites, almost an obsession!

There's little that you can't find here, and it's shared by some of the best people on the net, anywhere.

Welcome! :magnum:
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Re: The Woman on the Beach (2.3)

#47 Post by Nifty911 »

What is the opening song (from the 1940s) that is playing?

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Re: The Woman on the Beach (2.3)

#48 Post by Sam »

It's Glenn Millers Moonlight Serenade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZQQ0vUBceM&feature=kp

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Re: The Woman on the Beach (2.3)

#49 Post by ConchRepublican »

Nifty911 wrote:What is the opening song (from the 1940s) that is playing?
Sam wrote:It's Glenn Millers Moonlight Serenade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZQQ0vUBceM&feature=kp
And one of the great songs of all time (in my humble opinion). Few songs can frame a whole time period, but I have always felt this song does just that. It's a great aural anchor, if that's such a thing.

BTW - welcome Nifty911!!! Looks like you slipped onto the grounds without setting off the sensors. :lol:
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Stelth
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Re: The Woman on the Beach (2.3)

#50 Post by Stelth »


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Re: The Woman on the Beach (2.3)

#51 Post by EZiller »

Hadn't seen this in ages, good mystery episode. Excellent scenes with TM and Higgins. I thought TM and TC may have been a tad brutal to Rick about his romantic failures. Great job by Judith Chapman. They certainly get some nice women dropping by the KKC.

9

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#52 Post by Little Garwood »

Little Garwood wrote:Can't remember what I voted for this one, but it's worth an 8.0 (Pretty Good) .
I watched The Woman on the Beach again last night--I'm viewing the entire series in order--and I'm sticking with the above rating, if that's in fact what I selected initially.

I couldn't help but be (negatively) distracted after seeing Judith Chapman so soon after The Black Orchid just five episodes ago and in sort of a similar role, with her once again affecting the mannered "retrocentric" character she plays in both episodes. Still, she's a delight to watch as always and I wouldn't have minded her appearing a third time much later on in MPI's run.

Two "Thomas-Rick"-oriented episodes in a row makes me wonder if the producers and writers were tinkering with the chemistry as to who, if anyone, would be TM's best friend; at least that's how I see it. Higgins is once again relegated to sub-plot laughing boy and that makes me think they didn't know what to do with him. JH continues his mocking laughter routine that would thankfully go away once he "found" the Higgins character.

Found a DVD Flub: The episode description states that Kenneth Mars plays Henry Ellison. Of course, the Great Mars played Joseph the Caretaker, not murderer Henry Ellison. Speaking of Kenneth Mars, he uses his "Joseph accent" in the role of a traveling magician in the 1992 Woody Allen film, Shadows and Fog.

The King Kamehameha Club is seen at night and for some reason it adds a strange ambiance to the episode. How often do we see the club at night?

Watching these early episodes begs the question: in what order were these episodes filmed? Does anyone here know?
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Re: The Woman on the Beach (2.3)

#53 Post by Milton Collins »

I hadn't seen this one in some time and loved it, 9.0 for me. First of all I like all the spooky, creepy, supernatural episodes but this also had some great humor as well!

- The beginning where poor poor Orville has his heart broken is hilarious. There are a couple great quotes here from Rick "Thomas, I want more from life than cheap thrills and Booze" and then when he finds out his new "love" has headed off to get married a dejected Rick says "Yeah, that's the nuts". I laugh at these two lines every time and the ensuing scene where TM and TC rush to dig into the fancy dinner he had prepared. Priceless!

- The ensuing scene where Rick heads out to the beach bar and says "Kimo give me a scotch, and make it a double! And give me a cigerette too!"

- Love the scene with Higgins practicing his Shakespeare and pointing the sword at TM, hilarious! And then TM pushes it away and gets criticized by Higgins as if he wouldn't know Shakespeare. And not long after when Magnum is sitting on Higgins desk trying to grab a cigar and some info, Higgins comes around and pushes him off and takes the cigar. It's comical how much contempt (mostly undeserved in my opinion!) Higgins had for Magnum especially in the early episodes. This scene just cracks me up as that's something you'd do to a kid, not a grown man lol.

- Love that awesome house that they use yet again! What a cool place.

- Sad, depressed Rick literally "crying in his beer" while Thomas peels hard boiled eggs is pretty hilarious. Love hearing him go on and on about how he never get's anything out of love. I always have found it interesting that other than Rick marrying Cleo in the end none of them have a significant lasting relationship (Michelle doesn't count cause she and Thomas never end up together).

- The scenes at the old estate are fantastic, very well done and gave off a creepy aura. Especially at night when Rick is digging.

- The "vulgarian visigoth" quote is literally hilarious! That whole closing scene at the beach bar at night with TM seeing the ghost at the end is just great as a whole.


This is a totally fun episode and helps cement season 2 as one of the very best!

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Re: The Woman on the Beach (2.3)

#54 Post by KingKC »

I liked this Rick-Centric episode. It really set Rick's character as flighty when it came to women. I liked the mystery and supernatural aspect as well as seeing Tom and TC help a buddy.

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Re: The Woman on the Beach (2.3)

#55 Post by marlboro »

I'm not positive, but I think Judith Chapman may have co starred in Orson Welles' infamous Paul Masson wine commercial.

You can watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFevH5vP32s

So is that the ghost of Sara enjoying a bottle of California sparkling wine with the voice of Robin Masters?

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