Birdman of Budapest (3.16)

[J.J. Walters]

I have several roles here on the forum, but I must defend the episode!!!!! The episode isn't one of the greats... I will give it that. The plot has holes...many. It has more cheese than Wisconsin, pasteurized or not.

It does have several CLASSIC Higgins moments, though, where he is about to lose his (you can fill in the blanks).

- Running/shambling after the tow truck yelling "Halt!".
- The loss of the study, and the effect it has on him
- The crazed look in his eyes when his bush/shrub/foliage is destroyed
- One of the few times there was the role reversal and Higgins depended on Magnum.
- The falcon call initially.. how can you not like that?!!! It was so terrible, it was great!
- "Whoops", after the effective falcon call
- John Hillerman being a sport when he had to jog, when it's freely documented he disliked exercise.
- Higgins being called "Jonny" for the first and only time in the series... although as I write this, "Faith and Begorrah" may include that monicker as well.

My defense of this episode is that it isn't meant to take itself seriously. It's meant to be somewhat of a satire. And in my opinion, part of the reason the show was great.

Plus, as a nice tidbit of knowledge that I just learned today, Tom Selleck does all of his work for the National Fatherhood Initiative PRO BONO. He will not accept a dime for the voiceover work he does for them, as he believes in the cause so much, as well as the creative and the message it conveys . He even came in last year to re-record a single line because the tag line changed, years after his original record... still PRO BONO and forever will be.

At the last minute of the record via remote, (keep in mind.. one single tagline), my co-worker asked him on behalf of a client who was too star-struck to ask him herself, if they could get an autographed picture to give to her.

Of course, he did. Promptly.

My co-worker, who is still a little too young to remember Magnum (She knows him from "Three Men and a Baby"), remarked how easy he was to work with, how down to earth he was, and just seemed to be a regular guy.

And... in case you didn't know, he's still talking/rooting for dem Tigers... even when they were losing.

You can take the man out of Detroit, but you can't take Detroit out of the man! (I had to tell her that the Tigers hat was a staple of the show).

C.L.A.S.S.

(I have since asked to be on the next shoot/record in May, but I'd probably react the way Magnum did when he met Duke Davis in "The Big Blow")

So... my defense of this episode did elicit a nugget of knowledge (although... my mind seems to think this may have been brought up somewhere before on the forums)

Cheers!

Oh, I was just elaborating on why other people dislike this episode. Me? I love it. It's a classic!..... Ok, I'm lying. But I do like it more than I originally did, mainly because of you Doc (and your infectious enthusiasm for it)!

Hey, that's very cool about T.S.! I hope you get to meet him!

[sophia]

In Rembrandt's Girl, Sherry played by Jillie Mack, also calls Higgins Johnny.

[Doc Ibold]

To quote Goldie Morris... its a crusade!

(Probably won't actually meet him, or even get on the shoot, but lets try!)

[robspace54]

Just saw this one... What a hoot. Poor Higgins having to be to NICE to Magnum while being driving batty by Robin's guest!

Reading the comments here I now know that the nasty secretary was TS ex (or ex-to be). Nothing like a little real anger on the set. I am glad though that I "picked up" Fritz Feld before he popped his mouth (a talent that I developed by watching Mr. Feld).

This story puts Higgins into a number of awkward moments to the point of goofing. A bit too much perhaps but Magnum was never afraid to make fun of themselves.

I gave this show an 8. And it cracks me up that the evil rich-lady on Futurama is modeled after Sylvia Sydney - maybe channeling her inner KGB agent?

Rob

[Doc Ibold]

Just saw this one... What a hoot. Poor Higgins having to be to NICE to Magnum while being driving batty by Robin's guest!

Reading the comments here I now know that the nasty secretary was TS ex (or ex-to be). Nothing like a little real anger on the set. I am glad though that I "picked up" Fritz Feld before he popped his mouth (a talent that I developed by watching Mr. Feld).

This story puts Higgins into a number of awkward moments to the point of goofing. A bit too much perhaps but Magnum was never afraid to make fun of themselves.

I gave this show an 8. And it cracks me up that the evil rich-lady on Futurama is modeled after Sylvia Sydney - maybe channeling her inner KGB agent?

Rob

I think they were divorced for around 3-4 years by this point. Plus.. I'd think they'd have to be on pretty good terms for TS to give her a role on his show, which was beyond successful at this point.

Plus, she was credited as "Jacqueline Ray" in "J. Digger Doyle" and "Jacqueline Selleck" in this one.... which is odd, to say the least, but I'm sure there's some story behind that.

[All About the Stache]

Another hilarious episode. Is this the season where the show hit its stride in hilarity? The episodes of season three seems to have more humor in them than seasons 1 & 2 did.

[miltontheripper]

Great episode and also one of the funnier ones. Higgins bird call and the last scene where the bird attacks is absolutely hilarious!!

[MaiTaiMan]

Love this episode, and it's one of my favorites of season 3! The plot is awesome...an old teacher of Robin Masters comes to Robin's Nest to try and supposedly find a recluse orinthologist...all the while she's really an old KGB assassin that's come to kill the guy!

I liked her, as she was total spit-fire and had no trouble "giving" it to Higgins! Higgins' goof-ball bird call was hilarious too, and I roll with laughter everytime I watch this episode.

Superb plot, and plenty of action and humor! Excellent!

[jimhalinda]

Like Higgins (and Hillerman), I am quite averse to exercise, and I have never really been into sports, especially not competitive sports.

So I really like when she says "last one back is a rotten egg!" and Higgins says "so be it". That made me laugh as it has always been my attitude to competitive sports!

[Styles Bitchley]

Like Higgins (and Hillerman), I am quite averse to exercise, and I have never really been into sports, especially not competitive sports.

So I really like when she says "last one back is a rotten egg!" and Higgins says "so be it". That made me laugh as it has always been my attitude to competitive sports!

Maybe you'd fancy a little fencing, Jim!

[MaiTaiMan]

Like Higgins (and Hillerman), I am quite averse to exercise, and I have never really been into sports, especially not competitive sports.

So I really like when she says "last one back is a rotten egg!" and Higgins says "so be it". That made me laugh as it has always been my attitude to competitive sports!

I've never really gotten into competitive sports either...most people take it WAY too seriously! It is just a game. Most can't just play for fun...therefore it takes the fun out of it.

I have issues with professional sports players...who demand millions of dollars a year when we have hard working people trying to support their families, and are starving. I'm like...get a real job, and grow up!

Anyway, I do enjoy exercise though...especially cardio! I LOVE to run, and have jogged and been a runner since I was 12 years old! It feels so good and it's a major stress relief to me...I sleep better the night after I've exercised or ran.

[J.J. Walters]

Anybody else recognize this guy?



I did too, but couldn't recall his name... Fritz Feld! He's been in tons of movies, going back to the silent days. He always has a pencil-thin mustache, and has a trademark move where he "pops" his mouth by slapping it with the palm of his hand, usually to indicate an annoyance. Well, sure enough, he does it in this episode! Right after he tosses the monkeys at the zoo some food, he "pops" his mouth with his hand, presumably because he's annoyed at them for something.

Ah, so many interesting actors have made their way through Magnum.

[rubber chicken]

I'm disappointed in myself. I can't remember him, even though I've seen many of the movies he's been in, at least back into the 1930s. My only excuse is that I haven't seen any of them recently. In the show I think it's immediately apparent that he's been in the business a long time though. The scene is all about his unique character.

I can picture the character living in the same world as Magnum, maybe he has a small house close to the zoo in Kaimuki. Perhaps next door to Aiko Tamura from Almost Home, or Rodney Radcliff from Old Acquaintance.

[Doc Fred]

Seems to me that since Magnum relieved Higgy Baby of the KBG chick, and how much Higgy detested her, that Higgy would have been much more tolerant of Magnum in the future episodes.... He seems to forget Magnum's good deed. But, that would have taken much away from future episodes...

[Doc Fred]

I also don't know why he didn't look at her picture in Robins High School yearbook. Of course, and also mentioned, this would also prove that Higgins isn't Robin.

Looking in the yearbook wouldn't necessarily prove Higgins isn't Robin... it could just as easily have proven that he was. Of course, after all those years from hs graduation till Higgy's present age, people don't necessarily look the same.. And, let's not forget that the woman who went to the estate was NOT the teacher, so she wouldn't know what Robin Masters looked like, just like everyone else.