Did You See the Sunrise? (1) (3.1)

[the apprentice]

that is the best episode based on his past.imo

[Jay-Firestorm]

Third season already. And it kicks off with this terrific feature-length / two-parter.

[rating=9.5]

An old war comrade that Magnum and T.C. were once captured and tortured with, arrives in Hawaii to warn T.C. that the Russian agent who captured them is after them to finish the job. Meanwhile, Mac resigns from the Navy. First half of an excellent story..

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This review contains spoilers.

Although the second season’s phenomenal ‘Memories Are Forever’ might be regarded as the best of the show’s feature-length / two-parters, ‘Did You See the Sunrise’ (sometimes billed as ‘Reunion’, the story’s working title) is also a strong contender for that position.

The opening credits are revamped, with a new font, some new shots, and a re-recorded version of the theme (that would remain, bar the fifth season’s ‘Mac’s Back’, until the end of the show). And beyond that, the series is slowly maturing. After many of the ‘carefree’ stories of the first and second season, Magnum – both as a show and a character – are gradually growing up.
The third and fourth season are often considered by many fans to be the best seasons of the show’s run, and going on the quality of this story, they may well be right.
With the third season, many details and touches were added that would stay with the series, and things just felt so polished and rounded.

Anyway, the story itself is a very good one. It has lots of flashbacks to ‘Nam, and some very good performances. Ivan is one of the show’s best and most memorable villains.

The plot also serves to kill of Mac. Part of this was actually to free up Jeff MacKay from the series to go and play the character of Corky in another Donald P. Bellisario show, ‘Tales of the Golden Monkey’ (1982-3). Whatever the reasoning, it comes as a real shock.

Lance LeGault makes his first of a number of return appearances as Buck Green after ‘Memories Are Forever’, and Paul Burke also returns – but while to the casual viewer Burke may seem to be playing the same character, it is actually a different Admiral, Hawkes (in ‘Memories Are Forever’ he played an Admiral Kitchner). Yes, it’s all very confusing!

I also like the story in that it gives T.C. a lot to do. Although I had grown to like Rick, I always really enjoyed Magnum and T.C.’s rapport, and it really shows up in this episode.

In some respects, the story – particularly this first half – is very padded. But for the most part, this doesn’t really matter; as the show was maturing, we got to see more of Magnum’s life, where things weren’t always governed by being on an adventure, but stories just slowed down a bit to study the characters more deeply.

A aforementioned ‘Nam flashbacks are very good. One scene in particular features several racist words, which was a real rarity on TV in 1982 and still is somewhat today, and are sometimes edited out on repeat showings (the original recording that I had of this episode indeed edited them out).

Review continued in Part II.

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Other notes, bloopers and misc.:

* The episode does not begin with an opening trailer. I’m not sure if it was like this originally, or if it was removed from the DVD versions (a number of ‘A-Team’ and ‘Knight Rider’ DVD episodes had opening trailers removed for no apparent reason). When Channel 5 ran the series in the UK, the opening trailers were always skipped, so I can’t compare with those recordings.

* T.C. sings for the first of several times in the series. I’m not sure if I imagined it or not, but I’m sure I heard that at one point, Roger E. Mosley was trying to launch a singing side-career.

* After T.C. drops Magnum and his surf ski out to sea and is flying back (above mentioned singing scene), the tail rotor on his helicopter flips sides several times, due to the film being reversed.

* I may be mistaken, but I think this is the first time in the series that Thomas’ middle name is confirmed on-screen as Sullivan.

* Although he had been seen on a surf-ski in several previous episodes, this is the first story to really imply that Magnum’s ongoing hobby/sport interest is surf-skiing. We also hear about a race in which he was beaten by a twelve year old girl for the first of a number of times in the series!

* Also, I only noticed this for the first time when watching the episode last night – on the back section of his surf-ski, a Cross of Lorraine is painted.

* We also see T.C.’s house for the first of a handful of times in the series. What a view!

* On the DVD version, the second commercial break is abridged.

* Several things on the episode’s main pages could do with flipping around – Higgins is seen building the model River Kwai Bridge from Part I, and the Rolling Stones ‘Satisfaction’ cover does not appear until Part II.

* When Channel 5 broadcast the episode in 2002, they took the feature-length version and edited it themselves into two parts (as opposed to ‘Memories Are Forever’, where they had the ‘official two-part version). As such, several edits were made for time:

* When T.C. drops Magnum and his surf-ski out at sea, the scene of him flying back to Island Hoppers, singing, is edited out. About 2:28 is lost.

* The scene of Magnum, Julie and Mac at the Hawaiian restaurant, is shortened. After Julie comments on the pineapple in her drink, and Mac says about getting high from it, it fades to later in the scene, when Julie is dancing. Around 2:20 is lost.

* Also, the racist language and violence in the ‘Nam flashback are edited out. Removed are the N-word, T.C. saying “honkey”, and Magnum saying “jungle bunny”. Also, the sequence ends as Ivan shoots Cookie – the shot, with blood coming out, and all moments until the end of the scene, are removed.


...And so ends my longest review / notes yet. Phew! Second half tomorrow.

[Jay-Firestorm]

All that, and I still forgot something. The recollections that Magnum has of Mac are:

* Conning him with jelly rolls, from the second season’s ‘The Sixth Position’
* Another con to use the computer, from the first season’s ‘Missing In Action’
* Meeting Mac at the ice cream vendor, from the second season’s ‘Dead Man’s Channel’
* A scene with Mac and Buck from ‘Memories Are Forever’

[robspace54]

I had forgotten most of this episode but the line by TM - "Put your finger in it!" in the camp brought some of it back.

A very well crafted and enjoyable story - danger, mystery, murder, espionage, bit of romance, the first appearance of Maggie Poole, Vietnam, and retribution. The scene between Buck, the Admiral, Maggie and Magnum really showed Magnum's strength of personality and conviction.

I wonder how many VM vets choked up at the scenes in this drama? And yes I do beleive that TM would really shoot Ivan. There are some things that TM would apply 'eye for an eye.' And of course he had lost Mac Reynolds too.

And flubs - Rick and TM switched sides in the chopper between TM remembering their old call signs and the hovering next to the Loach outside the temple. And the side shot of TC "flying" the Island Hoppers chopper from the back seat is so obvious.

Rob

[J.J. Walters]

Anybody ever notice the camera/cameraman strapped to the side of the chopper as it lands on the estate? I didn't either. This is the camera that's filming Mosley/T.C. "flying" the chopper from the back seat.

[IKnowWhatYoureThinking]

Nice catch James.I can watch these episodes forever and not pick up on some of the stuff you guys can!

[No need to know!]

Anybody ever notice the camera/cameraman strapped to the side of the chopper as it lands on the estate? I didn't either. This is the camera that's filming Mosley/T.C. "flying" the chopper from the back seat.

Haha, nice catch there. I don´t know how many times i have seen this episode. Probably around 30 times, and i haven´t seen this flub.

[No need to know!]

Best episode of the entire series by the way. In fact, i really see this episode as one of my favourite "movies" ever. Stellar performances by everyone and great flashbacks to Vietnam, and just great atmosphere. And one extra plus to my fellow countryman Bo Svenson.

[All About the Stache]

What an epic episode this was, it blew me away yet again when I rewatched it earlier tonight. This is why I love Magnum; the writers weren't afraid to shake things up, whether it's killing off characters or letting Magnum do things he usually wouldn't do, which I'm sure shocked more than a few viewers back in the day.

It felt like watching a big-budget movie when watching this two-parter. The very last scene in this episode must be the most bad-ass moment in TV history, and of course, inspired my choice of avatar, as you might have guessed by now.

It's been quite a while since I saw some episodes of Magnum (Sweden only have seasons 1-5 out on DVD at the moment,) but as it stands right now, this is my favorite of them all.

And one extra plus to my fellow countryman Bo Svenson.

Ah, another Swede here on the Magnum Mania board I reckon?

[miltontheripper]

Agreed that this is definitely one of the best episodes. Too bad to see Mack go though, he was a really good addition to the show in my opinion. Loved seeing the Vietnam history and any Buck Green appearance seems to make for a very intense and entertaining episode.

[Kifaru]

An observation, during the Vietnam War, despite countless close calls, no SEAL was ever captured by the enemy. So with the information we have on the Magnumverse, this would make TM the only SEAL to have been a POW.

[MaiTaiMan]

This 2-hour season premiere was definitely memorable! I thought it really portrayed some of the "horrors" of Vietnam realistically, and everyone gave outstanding performances!

I also thought Roger E. Mosley did an awesome job--especially with his flashbacks to what Ivan had done to him and the others when they were POW's. The plot twists and the ever "evil" Col. Buck Greene (who should have been shot too somewhere along the line during the show's run ) also made this one interesting. Towards the end the storyline suddenly makes a few unexpected turns--and makes for a good "Hitchcockian" style twist of the characters.

I did not like the fact, though, that Mac was killed. I was not expecting that when I first watched this when it originally aired. But, that was part of the more seriousness to this episode. I also did not like it when they brought Mac back later in the show...but it was really this other "fake" guy who just looked like Mac. That character annoyed the heck out of me, and he was nothing like Mac. That was stupid and they should have let the character go...or they could have brought him back, and his death was actually faked and Mac was really still alive. But, the fake one was a moron!

But...the actual last few scenes of "Did You See the Sunrise?" are the most memorable and famous for this episode! I remember growing up watching this one, and for a while it was somewhat controversial! Some people didn't like the idea that Magnum shot Ivan in what is technically referred to as "cold blood". However, considering the situation and who/what Ivan was...I think it was totally justified--and should have been done long before that!

This episode many times is "darker" and more serious than many of the others...but Vietnam wasn't exactly a "laughing" matter. I thought this one was captivating and excellent!

(I put this same post for Pt. 2, as well.)

[KENJI]

I caught a few more flubs in Pt. 1. the other day.

When Higgins comes storming over to T.C. as he is landing the chopper, you can hear the engine and rotor blades turning, BUT if you look at the reflection in the windshield you can see the blades are not turning at the speed we are hearing, in fact they are turned off and gently moving from the wind off the ocean.

Another flub is when they hooking up the ski to the chopper, the ski is way past the front of the chopper and landing legs which is very dangerous, BUT when T.M. is about to unhook the ski into the ocean, the ski is basically flush with the front of the landing legs.

The last flub is when T.M. is walking on the beach and meets Higgins.
T.M.'s facial cut (more like road rash) changes from being bright red and very sore looking to almost not there. This continues into the study scene as well. I guess they had to do a few retakes.

[Doc Fred]

You found it, Rubber Chicken...

That's the house... for anyone searching, here are the coordinates to enter into Google Earth search: 21 32' 58.49"N 158 08' 31.56"W

[Doc Fred]

In it's own way, definitely the best show of the series.

I absolutely LOVED seeing Thomas terminate Ivan. It was so fitting, and justice prevailed.