Birdman of Budapest (3.16)

[Donuts ensucrats]

One Question about this episode...

Why the parrot arrives some days after Elizabeth?

[Carmen]

quarantine

[Donuts ensucrats]

Thanks Carmen.

The third Season is The Quarantine Season (Black on white, Birdman)

[MACattack]

Why does everybody hate this episode so much? Granted I've only watched it once, and usually skip over it when watching Season 3. I just don't have a solid opinion on it.

[Agatha]

If it makes you feel any better, MACattack, "Birdman" is one of my favorite episodes. I'm going to visit that valley when I go to Hawaii.

[MACattack]

The fact that you're going to Hawai'i is very positive. I just found out that my sister is on a plane to Jamaica!

[J.J. Walters]

Why does everybody hate this episode so much?

Hokey plot (KGB-trained "Attack Macaws"?), annoying guest star character (although having Sylvia Sidney in it is great), little action, bad pacing, laughable ending (Macaws who are so scared of Peregrine Falcon calls that they kill themselves by flying into a chopper's rotor blades?).

The ending does grow on you, however... in a "campy" sort of way.

[Doc Ibold]

Why does everybody hate this episode so much?

Hokey plot (KGB-trained "Attack Macaws"?), annoying guest star character (although having Sylvia Sidney in it is great), little action, bad pacing, laughable ending (Macaws who are so scared of Peregrine Falcon calls that they kill themselves by flying into a chopper's rotor blades?).

The ending does grow on you, however... in a "campy" sort of way.

That'll do James. that'll do.

[Agatha]

Thanks, Doc!!

Pout! Pout!

[Doc Ibold]

Thanks, Doc!!

Pout! Pout!

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!
-

[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.