... By Its Cover (3.21)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the third season

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How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
4
4%
9.5 (One of the Best)
6
7%
9.0 (Excellent)
7
8%
8.5 (Very Good)
29
32%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
25
28%
7.5 (Decent)
7
8%
7.0 (Average at Best)
8
9%
6.5 (Not So Good)
2
2%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
0
No votes
5.0 (Just Awful)
2
2%
 
Total votes: 90

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Coops
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#91 Post by Coops »

MACattack wrote:The "marijuana" depicted on the episode looks kinda fake, like they crammed some daisy petals and oregano together in baggies. But it doesn't matter because it's a very entertaining episode, with lots of hijinks. Although, Margolin's accent sometimes sounds Texan and is slightly annoying. I'd rather hear Hillerman's real accent. I could listen to him for hours.
Ironic thing here is...J.H.'s "texan" accent isn't all that authentic. His British accent is far, far more convincing.
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Coops
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#92 Post by Coops »

Let me clear what I mean: I think J.H.'s "texan" accent in the rodeo episode was over the top on purpose. He had to act like a British person trying to do a Texan accent, and that's why it sounds overdone. J.H.'s Texas drawal is there, just not in every word he says. I listen to his voice now and I hear a combination of a Texas accent that's been influenced by speech training.
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MACattack
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#93 Post by MACattack »

I wasn't referring to Hillerman's accents on the show. Whatever role the man has done is gold, and he has a wide acting range, much more than just accents. What I meant was, Stuart Margolin ("Hot Rod")'s accent is repellant, nasal and annoying.

Oh yeah, I'm sorry J. Walters, I get it.

p.s. you're bumming me out man
I just don't give a damn!

MACattack
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#94 Post by MACattack »

I feel like a little child that has been scolded and sent to his room. Like the time Higgins took away the Ferrari from Magnum.

Oh well, the adult in me understands I was out of line
I just don't give a damn!

MACattack
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#95 Post by MACattack »

Oh Happy Day
I just don't give a damn!

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Coops
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#96 Post by Coops »

Rod could have been an Acandemy grad, no problem. Not everyone that graduates the Academy is a stellar person both in the military and/or in civilian life. I've known quite a few people that came from institutions of higher learning that surprized me when they told me what school they were from. A lot of veterans are the same way, you see the way the live and you'd think they never served a day in uniform.

I really like this episode a lot due to the realism as stated above. We all know someone who likes to work an angle regardless of the consequences (sound familiar to any poster in this thread? Hmmm?)

Anyway, it was a different episode and was a little gritty, if not a little funny (the T.M. look-alike parolee was hilarious!).
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All About the Stache
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#97 Post by All About the Stache »

I did not like this episode that much. The thing at the end, when we find out he doesn't have a son, wasn't funny IMO. It meant he lied about that to, probably to sweeten the story of how he got busted, which would make Magnum lose all faith in him.
Magnum: Ivan...
Ivan: Yes?
Magnum: Did you see the sunrise this morning?
Ivan: Yes... Why?
*BANG*

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miltontheripper
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#98 Post by miltontheripper »

Honestly not a big fan of this episode. The Rod Chrysler character sure didn't seem like he would have been at the academy with Magnum for starters, and the whole crooked parole officer just seemed a bit far fetched to me.

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MaiTaiMan
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#99 Post by MaiTaiMan »

This is not really one of my favorites...it's okay, but nothing special. It's sort of silly or ridiculous in some parts, and I don't know? Just not one that is that memorable. It's not terrible or bad...just not awesome or superb. :?
"It was more ironic than a Robin Masters novel--she thought he was dead, he thought she was dead...and only the chauffeur knew the truth! He should have been the butler!" "Lest We Forget"

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#100 Post by MaximRecoil »

golfmobile wrote:But, gawd, this is driving me crazy! EveryONE is entitled to HIS/HER own opinion, not THEIR. "Everyone" is singular, "their" is plural. Birds can sing their song, but a bird sings his/her/its (without the apostrophe -- with the apostrophe the meaning is "it is" -- if you can't subtitute "it is" in the sentence when you're writing "its," there is no apostrophe) own song.

Sorry, just had to vent and get that out of my system . . . . .

golf
It is known as the "singular they", and it has been used by notable writers since at least the 1300s (Shakespeare for example).

The acceptability of the "singular they" is a matter of debate. Even the Chicago Manual of Style has flip-flopped on the issue, at one point in the early '90s recommending the usage of the "singular they" rather than "he" or "he or she" or "he/she" or "s/he" or whatever.

I use the "singular they" because it is less cumbersome than "he or she" (and variants); and using "he" to refer to no one in particular (i.e., sex unknown) just sounds weird. Also, the "singular they" is extremely common, not only in respected literature but in everyday language as well.

Keep in mind that there is no official governing body for the English language (as opposed to e.g. French); the "rules" are determined by perceived consensus. In most cases there is a clear consensus, and something can be said to "correct" or "incorrect" for all intents and purposes. The "singular they" is not one of those cases.

Now, about the episode, I did notice something interesting that I never noticed before. Magnum may be using an actual .45 ACP Colt Government Model as a prop gun at the end of the episode. Since it wasn't fired in the scene, there wouldn't have been any problems with using a .45 as a prop (the main prop was a 9mm Colt Government Model for reliable functioning with readily available blanks).

Previously, I'd never noticed any evidence that a .45 ACP Government Model was ever used as Magnum's actual prop on the show, but I've seen plenty of scenes where is was identifiable as a 9mm. However:

Image

As you can see from the image above, a 9mm Colt Government Model has a noticeably "belled" barrel (i.e., the outer diameter of the barrel increases significantly near the muzzle), while a .45 ACP barrel remains the same diameter for the entire length of it. This can only be seen when the slide is pulled back of course. Magnum's pistol in that scene appears to have a .45 ACP barrel, though I wish I had a higher quality screenshot to look at.

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#101 Post by Seaver41 »

while a slight improvement over the past 4-5 episodes, this doesn't reverse the downward trend the season has taken on. Even so, there really isn't a flat out terrible episode because the banter between characters usually bails it out........and you knew all along the little rodney thing was bogus.......come on......it's Angel speaking those words. Truly one of the iconic supporting characters from 70's tv on Rockford Files.

btw...how good was THAT theme song?

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#102 Post by Sisophous »

Too many second chances given by Magnum to his former friend who continually back stabs Magnum. Magnum delivers hidden drugs, gets shot at, nearly killed and the former friend leaves him for dead while running off.

Sometimes the script writers inject some idiotic reasoning and ruin episodes that potentially could have been great.

Who would turn the other cheek and give it a pass again and again after getting lied to repeatedly??? only Magnum I guess, not real.

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Re:

#103 Post by marlboro »

Sisophous wrote:Who would turn the other cheek and give it a pass again and again after getting lied to repeatedly???

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I liked this episode. I am a fan of the Rockford Files and Stuart Margolin was absolutely brilliant as Angel Martin.


"...By Its Cover" would have been a golden opportunity for a Magnum/Rockford crossover. I would have loved to have seen the Rod Crysler/Nam buddy character rewritten as Angel Martin visiting Hawaii with a cameo of Jim Rockford popping up at the end to deliver the "Rod/Angel doesn't have a son" line.


p.s. I assume most Magnum fans are fans of the Rockford Files, but if anyone out there hasn't checked it out, be sure to do so. And if anyone is a big fan of "...By Its Cover" be sure to check out the RF episodes Chicken Little is a Little Chicken, Backlash of the Hunter, and Counter Gambit - they all feature Stuart Margolin at his best.

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Re: ... By Its Cover (3.21)

#104 Post by marlboro »

Flub?

At the end of this episode Magnum gets into an elevator and the bill of his hat gets smooshed between the doors. Maybe it was intentional.

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Re: ... By Its Cover (3.21)

#105 Post by Tuan Vu »

Hi, guys!

It's been a couple of years since I posted but thought I would comment after seeing this episode again after so many years.

One of the things I liked about this episode is that it has a lot to do with friendship, as is a common theme in Magnum P.I. In the beginning, TM tries to do a favor for his friend, Rod, and even when he gets into trouble for doing so, at least initially gives Rod the benefit of the doubt (even though the little voice in his head tells him otherwise). Likewise, TC and Rick help Magnum (through a bit of guilt-trip and manipulation Magnum puts on TC to get him to help deliver the box). TC helps Magnum and Magnum helps Rod, even though their friends are not perfect (and get them into trouble). And even though Magnum tells Rod he never wants to see him again, in the end he softens and says, "Give little Hot Rod a hug for me," suggesting that Magnum doesn't bear a grudge. At the end of the day, don't we all wish we had friends like TM and TC?

Another thing I liked about "By Its Cover" was the humor throughout and that it was not so serious. I like how Magnum breaks the fourth wall again when Tom Selleck's stunt double appears as "Mr. Peters". (I wonder whatever happened to Selleck's stunt double). I also like the fight scene where Ms./Miss/Officer Gordon has difficulty picking up a gun because everyone is fighting and kicking the guns on the ground. And when she finally picks it up and yells "All right, freeze," nobody listens to her! :P

Anyway, I would rate this a 9.0. Somehow, I just really enjoyed this episode. It had so many elements of what I watch Magnum P.I. for.

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