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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A P Leyland
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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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mathewj
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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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Jay-Firestorm
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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

Facebook: Jay Gathergood / Twitter: Jay_Firestorm NEW BLOG: http://thea-teamcaptured.blogspot.com/

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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J.J. Walters
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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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Rutledal
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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.

MaximRecoil
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#16 Post by MaximRecoil »

Higgins: For some reason you're being intentionally obtuse!
Magnum: Obtuse?!
Higgins: Vague!
Magnum: I know what it means Higgins!

"Obtuse" doesn't mean "vague". In this context it means "stupid". It is very much out of character for Higgins to make an English language error like that.

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jno
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#17 Post by jno »

"obtuse" / "vague" - I just wonder sometimes if Higgins has to "water down" things for Magnum to understand.

Having watched this today I spotted that the red Jaguar only has one rear brake light working at the end of the episode as it leaves the estate.

A great Magnum episode, lots of action throughout - top stuff again!

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J.J. Walters
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#18 Post by J.J. Walters »

Andy Dufresne: How can you be so obtuse?
Warden Samuel Norton: What? What did you call me?
Andy Dufresne: Obtuse. Is it deliberate?
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

marcoj
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#19 Post by marcoj »

I do agree with Jay very much. Just watched this ep. again.
Lots of funny scenes in here and many unsual shots of the estate.

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steveadl
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#20 Post by steveadl »

IslandHopper wrote:
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.
Yes I watched this episode again the other day and was quite excited when I saw them shooting from on the balcony itself. Usually we only see it from the grounds with Higgins or a guest talking from it. This time we get to see the balcony, the furniture set up close (you can often see the wicker chairs on the balcony during shots of the main house), and even the extension of the balcony that goes behind the wall and not visible from the ground shots (when TM goes to walk away) - from memory just some chairs and a table. Screenshot anyone? :D

Sam
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#21 Post by Sam »

Steveadl
This cap is from the episode guide.

http://magnum-mania.com/images/3_4_c_full.jpg

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steveadl
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#22 Post by steveadl »

Thanks for that Sam!

Such a beautiful view, can just imagine the lifestyle sitting out there having dinner and drinks etc. Shame they didn't use the balcony for more episodes.

Sam
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#23 Post by Sam »

Steveadl

It was also used in season 2.
http://magnum-mania.com/Pics/Screen_Cap ... html#Two.4

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steveadl
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#24 Post by steveadl »

Nice one Sam, didn't even remember that one.

Sam
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#25 Post by Sam »

steveadl

I can only remember 3 other times that the balcony was used.

Once with Higgins in the pilot.

Once with Mad Buck.
http://magnum-mania.com/images/2_9_i_full.jpg

and the time with TM shooting from the helicopter at the guy on the balcony...Was that eighth part of the village?

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