Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the second season

Moderator: Styles Bitchley

How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
2
2%
9.5 (One of the Best)
12
11%
9.0 (Excellent)
19
17%
8.5 (Very Good)
23
20%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
29
25%
7.5 (Decent)
11
10%
7.0 (Average at Best)
8
7%
6.5 (Not So Good)
7
6%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
2
2%
5.0 (Just Awful)
1
1%
 
Total votes: 114

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Magnum T.
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#51 Post by Magnum T. »

@Sisophous
Everyone has his own opinion.
Mine is Wendy Girard is one of the best guest-stars so far.
Besides, at first you criticize the character (i.e. the screenplay and/or the director) then you say you don't like the actors/actresses.
Maybe you are mixing two different things.
I don't see any snobbery in Marion (opposed to J. "Digger" Doyle, for example).
As CdL already pointed out, everybody would be a little surprised by a p.i. with a goat.
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steveadl
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#52 Post by steveadl »

My trivia contributiom for this episode :)

The diving scene at the 28:00 mark is filmed off the coast of the estate just along side Rabbit Island. At 28:35 we get to see a close up of the islands eastern shore I don't think we do in the series again (or any other Hawaii based show I've seen so far).

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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#53 Post by SignGuyHPW »

I really liked this one. It had a lot of the classic elements such as drama, mystery, comedy. It combined them brilliantly I thought.

The only thing I didn't like was that it never explained what Rick was doing on the boat with those guys (one of whom was openly carrying a gun). It's like they meant to have it carry over to future episodes, but decided against it.

The rest of it was great. Magnum's client and the professor had a clear dislike for each other from the start over ideology. That was a great story element since it later was revealed that the professor had killed the father. The natives and Magnum disagreeing about the channel was a great nod to how natives may have not liked the American military intruding in certain places. Magnum still promising parts of the treasure knowing that there was no treasure just because he still needed help was classic Magnum. I, personally, felt that the student assistant attacked Magnum because he was angry over Magnum having that blade. He expressed as such and then watched Magnum just casually tossing it into the car. Plus, he dressed in some kind of native costume which was probably symbolism as to why he was taking the blade. The sub plot with the goat was absolute classic Magnum comedy. From Magnum being overly anxious about running into Higgins to the point he was turning off his client from using him to Higgins thinking he may have had a whiskey too much that day was all great. The look on Magnum's face when he's told he doesn't "have" the tennis courts was fabulous. I can imagine him trying to remember which negotiation with Higgins cost him the courts and how long he "hadn't had them."

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steveadl
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#54 Post by steveadl »

I thought the epsilon did explain Rick and the boat?

He was using the boat as a venue for illegal gambling for some shady characters.

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Little Garwood
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#55 Post by Little Garwood »

I voted Dead Man's Channel a 7.5 (Decent)

While enjoyable (despite the absence of T.C.), there's something "off" about this episode, as if it were filmed in the first season and held back for the second though I doubt that since Wendy Girard's Marion Hammond character is dressed far too much like the early 1980s for it to have been filmed in early 1980--plus there's the aforementioned nod in this thread to Raiders of the Lost Ark's Marion Ravenwood and her missing father. Wendy Girard may be among the most underrated 'Peaches" in all of Magnum, P.I..

The best part of Dead Man's Channel is the abundance of Thomas-Rick interaction, with Rick getting the best of TM in the classic freeze-frame ending, which didn't often happen in later episodes when Thomas stuck his buddies with a tab or something. I also like the "at-sea" scenes, which would make Dead Man's Channel the most "seafaring" adventure up to this point in MPI's run.

The most memorable aspect of the episode is of course the brief underwater tussle between Thomas and Professor Martinez (Ina Balin), which would appear in MPI's opening credits and capture the adventuring imagination of young me. :D
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SignGuyHPW
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#56 Post by SignGuyHPW »

steveadl wrote:I thought the epsilon did explain Rick and the boat?

He was using the boat as a venue for illegal gambling for some shady characters.
I meant more along the lines of they didn't explain why Rick was doing that. They alluded to his betting on sports and having connections that could tell him about all of the shady characters that popped up in Hawaii, but they never made him the type that would be actively involving himself with shady characters to run such an illegal scheme. They just didn't give a reasoning behind what he was doing which made me wonder what was really happening. Then they just didn't go back to that aspect of the story.

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KingKC
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#57 Post by KingKC »

The most memorable part of this episode for me was simply the GOAT! The cursed channel and native's objections did add a little more Hawaii to the series. Remember that this was the second show of the second season. It was also the second one with curses in it. Every episode was watched with great anticipation back in the fall of 1981 (or at least they were by me!). Even if it wasn't great it was still good because we didn't have a lot to compare to yet! The show was still establishing its "motif" if you will. This was a little more serious than Billy Joe Bob but not quite as much fun. It was just good investigation with a little twist.

KingKC

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Big Kahuna
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2) - HUGE mistake

#58 Post by Big Kahuna »

As a keen diver, I couldn't believe I saw this! When Magnum and Rick first reach the site of the wreck and Thomas gets wet, Rick throws him a two-finger sign, which I assume is meant to mean "20 minutes" and then Magnum gives him a "thumbs up"! Someone with as much diving experience as Magnum given he was a SEAL would never make that mistake. It would be an "OK" sign. The thumbs up always means "surface" and he even uses it correctly later in the episode.

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Turkey
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#59 Post by Turkey »

SignGuyHPW wrote:
steveadl wrote:I thought the epsilon did explain Rick and the boat?

He was using the boat as a venue for illegal gambling for some shady characters.
I meant more along the lines of they didn't explain why Rick was doing that. They alluded to his betting on sports and having connections that could tell him about all of the shady characters that popped up in Hawaii, but they never made him the type that would be actively involving himself with shady characters to run such an illegal scheme. They just didn't give a reasoning behind what he was doing which made me wonder what was really happening. Then they just didn't go back to that aspect of the story.
I wondered about this too. Maybe it was just being used it to establish Rick's background?

Or he was doing it as a favour (against his better judgement?) to whatever rich/shady figures he knew through the club? (maybe not the club, I'd have to re-watch the episode to see the players again)
Make it two weeks.

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Milton Collins
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#60 Post by Milton Collins »

Decent episode but nothing more. The best part for me is:

Tm and Higgins "kudu buck/Horace interactions" highlighted "Would you join me in a brandy and soda?" Higgins "No I had a whiskey earlier perhaps I will retire." ha ha ha
I laugh at this every time I watch this episode:)

TM and Rick's Kamehameha 1 interactions including him being dumped in the drink at the end of the episode, love the sometimes childish relationship between TM and his buddies.

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Pahonu
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#61 Post by Pahonu »

Milton Collins wrote:Decent episode but nothing more. The best part for me is:

Tm and Higgins "kudu buck/Horace interactions" highlighted "Would you join me in a brandy and soda?" Higgins "No I had a whiskey earlier perhaps I will retire." ha ha ha
I laugh at this every time I watch this episode:)
I always loved that scene too. Higgins has a humorous pause between saying, "I had a whisky after lunch...perhaps that should suffice." as he seemingly contemplates his sanity after hearing the goat repeatedly. Nice, subtle work by John Hillerman!

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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#62 Post by jdequeir »

Hi Friends,

Enjoyable but pretty simple plot. However, the beautiful actress and her sexy voice add some glamour to this episode. I think TM has not dated her because of her dead father. TM is a very respectful guy - he doesn't want scholarship money nor takes advantages of a broken heart.

José

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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#63 Post by Pahonu »

Just watched this one with my son and he noticed that Magnum told Marion to grab the "rope" when they were pulling up to Dr. Martinez' Whaler in the King Kam I. He realized any sailor and surely a former naval officer like Magnum should have called it a "line". Technically it was the anchor "rode", but I was impressed he noticed it. We've sailed quite a bit together over the years, including on a Cal 20 like the one shown at the very beginning of the episode.

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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#64 Post by Mad Kudu Buck »

I never used to know a damn thing about sailing. The biggest "boat" I ever had was a $39 inflatable dinghy. Then a few years ago I got a small sailboat and taught myself to sail. Now when I watch the old TV shows and movies, I notice flaws all over the place.

"What the hell? He can't tack through the wind with his sails rigged like that!"

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Pahonu
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Re: Dead Man's Channel (2.2)

#65 Post by Pahonu »

Mad Kudu Buck wrote:I never used to know a damn thing about sailing. The biggest "boat" I ever had was a $39 inflatable dinghy. Then a few years ago I got a small sailboat and taught myself to sail. Now when I watch the old TV shows and movies, I notice flaws all over the place.

"What the hell? He can't tack through the wind with his sails rigged like that!"
Nice to have a fellow sailor onboard, pun intended. :lol: And you're totally right about all the mistakes made on shows.

What kind of boat do you have? I have 1968 Columbia 28 sloop I bought in 2003. Lots of work done to her over the years. I've been sailing for close to 20 years now.

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