The Eighth Part of the Village (3.4)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the third season

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How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
0
No votes
9.5 (One of the Best)
5
5%
9.0 (Excellent)
16
16%
8.5 (Very Good)
32
32%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
26
26%
7.5 (Decent)
14
14%
7.0 (Average at Best)
3
3%
6.5 (Not So Good)
2
2%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
0
No votes
5.0 (Just Awful)
1
1%
 
Total votes: 99

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J.J. Walters
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The Eighth Part of the Village (3.4)

#1 Post by J.J. Walters »

This is the official MM thread for The Eighth Part of the Village (3.4). All discussions and reviews for this episode should go here. If you wish to rate the episode, please do so with the poll. The avg. score will be the official 'community rating', which will be used on the episode page (updated monthly).

This thread is also linked in the episode page of the Episode Guide.


Original Air Date: 10/14/1982
A Pandora's box is opened when Magnum realizes that the crate of books he picked up at the docks actually contains a Japanese stowaway.
Last edited by J.J. Walters on Fri Dec 28, 2007 4:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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IslandHopper
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#2 Post by IslandHopper »

This was always one of my favorite episodes from season 3. This episode has a clever plot involving the evil sister (Mioshi) impersonating the good sister (Asani) in order to lure her father to the estate so the evil sister can assassinate him in a power grab. TC and Rick are also integrated well into this episode.

This episode also includes a scene which takes place on the balcony of the estate’s main house, which offers a rare look at the grounds below. I may be mistaken, but I don’t recall any other scenes shot from this balcony. This balcony offers a beautiful vantage point, I’m surprised it wasn’t used more. The scene on the balcony takes place right after Magnum and TC search Roy Chambers’ apartment and get interrupted by the apartment manager.

This episode also has a time-line flub involving Higgins. In the scene right after Magnum falls into the water at the dock, the camera cuts to a shot of the estate at night and then Higgins and Mioshi (posing as Asani) having dinner. Higgins is telling her how he and her father met during WWII. Higgins says “It was 1942, Summer, I’d been transferred from the North African campaign to New Guinea and attached to the Australian 7th Division…” He goes on to say that after 6 months his unit stumbled upon Sato and his men. I believe Higgins was supposedly in North Africa in August 1942. In October 1942, Higgins was taking supplies to Chinese Guerillas in the Himalayas (J. Digger Doyle). If Higgins was transferred to New Guinea in the Summer (August) of 1942, and was there with the 7th Division for 6 months before meeting Sato and his men, then he could not have been in the Himalayas in October 1942.

Not a flub, but interesting nonetheless. The preview at the beginning of the episode includes a deleted scene from the episode. The scene that is in the preview but not the episode shows Magnum standing between two large metal rectangular containers (while at the warehouse) and the forklift coming right at him and he says “I’m standing here. Hello”, then the preview cuts to the next scene. The scene that we see in the episode is of Magnum walking into the warehouse turning right, then left, and then we see him hanging from the forklift. I don’t usually pay too much attention to the previews of the episodes, but I don’t recall seeing a scene in the previews that wasn’t in the actual episode.
The answer is obvious, old man. Logic is irrelevant. It's simply Tropical Madness. (J.Q. Higgins)

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#3 Post by Olivier »

I don’t recall seeing a scene in the previews that wasn’t in the actual episode.
Two times I saw a short scene in the "preview at the end" (I don't know the english name of this) that wasn' t in the episode.

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#4 Post by IslandHopper »

Olivier wrote:
I don’t recall seeing a scene in the previews that wasn’t in the actual episode.
Two times I saw a short scene in the "preview at the end" (I don't know the english name of this) that wasn' t in the episode.
That's interesting Olivier. I'll have to pay more attention. I usually just skip over the previews.

P.S. Your english is very good. No need to apologize.
The answer is obvious, old man. Logic is irrelevant. It's simply Tropical Madness. (J.Q. Higgins)

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#5 Post by J.J. Walters »

IslandHopper wrote:Not a flub, but interesting nonetheless. The preview at the beginning of the episode includes a deleted scene from the episode. The scene that is in the preview but not the episode shows Magnum standing between two large metal rectangular containers (while at the warehouse) and the forklift coming right at him and he says “I’m standing here. Hello”, then the preview cuts to the next scene. The scene that we see in the episode is of Magnum walking into the warehouse turning right, then left, and then we see him hanging from the forklift. I don’t usually pay too much attention to the previews of the episodes, but I don’t recall seeing a scene in the previews that wasn’t in the actual episode.
Great find IH! This is a first for me, too. Great clip. Not sure why they didn't use it.

"I'm standing right here. Hello."

Image

:lol:

Oliver, "Kapu" added a brief shot to the end credits showing Magnum and Mano in a canoe. And then, of course, there was the bloopers and outtakes in the end credits of "The Ugliest Dog in Hawaii".
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Shermy
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#6 Post by Shermy »

"Thicker Than Blood" also includes a scene that isn't in the episode, where Magnum explains that he and Rick, "Just want to talk to our buddy." Technically, this would probably be considered more of an extended scene than a deleted one.

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#7 Post by Tuan Vu »

In the episode with Sharon Stone, I noticed in the preview showing Magnum and Sharon Stone in the shower, that if you look very closely you see Tom Selleck is wearing shorts. :D

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Carol the Dabbler
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#8 Post by Carol the Dabbler »

In one of the voice-overs near the beginning of this episode, Magnum refers to himself as "Thomas Sullivan Magnum." I said, "Hey, that's the first time the show has mentioned his middle name," and Hubby said, "No, I think T.C. called him 'Thomas Sullivan Magnum' a couple of episodes ago."

Can anyone verify either theory, and/or prove us both wrong?

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#9 Post by IslandHopper »

Carol the Dabbler wrote:In one of the voice-overs near the beginning of this episode, Magnum refers to himself as "Thomas Sullivan Magnum." I said, "Hey, that's the first time the show has mentioned his middle name," and Hubby said, "No, I think T.C. called him 'Thomas Sullivan Magnum' a couple of episodes ago."

Can anyone verify either theory, and/or prove us both wrong?
In "Memories Are Forever" (Season 2) we see Magnum's middle name on his drivers license, or at least an abbreviated version (Sull).
The answer is obvious, old man. Logic is irrelevant. It's simply Tropical Madness. (J.Q. Higgins)

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#10 Post by Carol the Dabbler »

Oh, you're right, Hopper. Maybe my reaction that "Eighth Part of the Village" was the first time was because it was the first (?) time that his middle name was spoken. But "Memories Are Forever" obviously established that his middle name is Sullivan (or selected portions thereof) -- unless it was snuck in somewhere even earlier.

I'm thinking that "they" probably gave Magnum three names right from the beginning, so they wouldn't accidentally say his middle name was "Oliver" in one episode (initials T.O.M. :D ) and "Jasper" in another.

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#11 Post by A P Leyland »

Carol the Dabbler wrote:
Can anyone verify either theory, and/or prove us both wrong?
Your husband is correct. In "Did You See The Sunrise?", when TC is telling Nuzzo that Magnum is a PI he calls him Thomas Sullivan Magnum. AFAIK this is the first time dialogue on the show confirms TSM's middle name.

Andy

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The Balcony scene.

#12 Post by mathewj »

The scene with Higgins, Mioshi and later Magnum eating on the balcony I think 'encapulates' (for want of a better word) a great deal of the appeal of Magnum P.I for me.
Its about the lifestyle: relaxing, enjoying fine cuisine, eating in the balmy summer evening and generally enjoying life! - I want it!

As 'Island Hopper' mentioned at the top of this post - the scene offers a great view of the beautiful estate grounds and a rare and breif look at the upstairs layout of the main house.

I love that the dogs are up on the balcony with them - its all just so perfect. What great direction, casting, lighting, everything.
No wonder the show has so many fans, and this forum/site has so many members. Great job all!

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#13 Post by Jay-Firestorm »

Friday’s first review. I’ve always liked this episode since the first time I saw it. Echoed some other posters thoughts in this review, it seems lots of people like the same thing.

[rating=9.5]

A fortune cookie motto has convinced Magnum to start paying back some debts to his friends. But when he goes to collect a crate of books for Higgins, he finds it contains a Japanese stowaway supposedly fleeing from her power-mad father. A great episode…

-----

‘The Eighth Part of the Village’ is a great episode of ‘Magnum, p.i.’, that for me sums up the high quality and well roundedness of the third season. Like all good MPI entries, it has the perfect mix of comedy, drama and action.

…And comedy is one of the key ingredients that makes this story so likable. From the first moment we see Magnum, dressed as a Chinaman, trying to mow the Estate lawn, we are in for a number of great moments. Maybe more could have been made of his debt repayment to T.C., of being his chauffer for a day, but the story was so packed that it didn’t really need this.

The story is well shot, with some lovely locations (the zoo, for example, and the rare shot on the Estate on the balcony). One of the things I like about the series is the sheer feel of it – the relaxed, easy-going feel, with some great scenery, but still a good story to hold things together.

We are given more about Higgins’ past, and I really liked the depth given to his wartime encounter with Sato Osawa, played by Danny Kamekona, who has such presence. The whole thing is pulled of with such feel and dignity, and is the sort of thing that raised the series above the average detective / adventure offerings of the era.

Without giving anything away, the climatic revelation comes as a real twist, and I was really surprised the first time I watched this episode. Again, it is pulled off so well.

All-in-all, this is a terrific episode. Very close to a perfect 10 for me.

-----

Other notes, bloopers and misc.:

* Although he has used similar, variant phrases before, this is the first time Higgins mentions one of Magnum’s “Tawdry divorce cases”. This would become a recurring detail (sometimes being “sordid” instead of “tawdry”).

* Magnum’s narration for this episode sounds very ‘boxy’, and almost has an echo, harking back to the Pilot.

* The DVD version has all of the commercial breaks in this episode abridged.
JAY FIRESTORM

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My A-Team site - http://thea-team.org aiming to be the most detailed A-Team site on the Net - if I ever get around to updating it!!

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#14 Post by J.J. Walters »

Wonderful review Jay! I couldn't agree more.
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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#15 Post by Rutledal »

Just noticed that Danny Kamekona also plays a character named "Sato" in the Karate Kid II. :D
So I made a Topic Page about Magnum, P.I. Check it out here.

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