Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (4.17)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the fourth season

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How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
3
3%
9.5 (One of the Best)
9
10%
9.0 (Excellent)
15
17%
8.5 (Very Good)
25
29%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
26
30%
7.5 (Decent)
3
3%
7.0 (Average at Best)
3
3%
6.5 (Not So Good)
0
No votes
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
2
2%
5.0 (Just Awful)
1
1%
 
Total votes: 87

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Milton Collins
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Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (4.17)

#41 Post by Milton Collins »

I LOVE this episode, 9.5!

- Good overall mystery (although a little confusing at times:)) that kept me guessing.

- KAY LENZ WOW!

- Even though it was odd as to why the cult members at the docks made TM jump in the water (rather than just scaring him into driving away and leaving them alone), it was still very funny. And his sharing the story of the childhood bullies was great as always, added a lot of personal touch to the story that made it more realistic.

- The whole 3 little maids act with Higgins as the tyrannical director was good, but it reached a whole new level and became great when Rick and TC got involved. Rick actually joining in and playing one of the maids was hilarious!

- Great fight scene between Magnum and Eric, always like to see TM duke it out with a worthy rival.

I just think this is completely what Magnum is about, mystery, action, awesome estate, pretty girls, and some humor! I completely enjoy this episode every time I watch it.

thechickinthemiddle
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#42 Post by thechickinthemiddle »

Rutledal wrote:Sir Cedric was involved in talks surrounding the, at the time, future exchange of Hong Kong between England and China. Eric and Sally was part of a group who preferably saw that Hong Kong remained under the British crown.
I always thought that was a little weird. Not that pro-government or pro-colonialist groups don't exist, but most groups in the news in the 80s were those against the ruling government. Perhaps Eric and Sally had connections and special privileges there that would be taken away once the handover was completed.

That shot near the end with the fan being shot was possibly a hasty reshoot for whatever reason.

Also, I can't think of "Three Little Maids" without the Simpsons driving through cactus country with Sideshow Bob under their car. :lol:
Last edited by thechickinthemiddle on Thu Oct 13, 2016 12:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (4.17)

#43 Post by thechickinthemiddle »

To add, for those who don't know, Olga Marr (Sylvia) also played Lady Ashley in season two's "Computer Date".

EDIT: Magnum says earlier that the terrorist group "[wants] Britain out [of Hong Kong]", even though the handover talks were going to make that happen anyway. Maybe Britain wasn't leaving fast enough for them. :P Of course Magnum could have meant they wanted Britain out of the talks themselves, but it's not made entirely clear.

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KingKC
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Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (4.17)

#44 Post by KingKC »

This episode befuddles my memory. I can clearly remember Kay Lenz helping Higgins with his production and clearly remember the Three Little Maids routine with Rick involved but the investigative plot of this episode still totally escapes me for some reason. I guess I will just have to wait until another rerun comes on. There are several episodes like this where I get "flashes" of but cannot remember the whole plot. MPI may be the only show where a lot of it is still in my memory some 30+ years later and other shows just don't stick with me. Maybe that is the attraction of MPI.

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K Hale
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Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (4.17)

#45 Post by K Hale »

SignGuyHPW wrote:I didn't especially like Higgins being on the verge of being outright cruel to the ladies in the production. It seemed out of character for him.
He told Agatha he was nervous about getting the play exactly right to impress Sir Cedric. JQH is always at his worst whenever he's nervous about something. Everything has to be JUST SO, nothing can be out of place or unexpected, it all has to be perfectly under his control and the worst side of him comes out! Bernice and Agatha were awesome, and Agatha was doubly awesome for coming to his rescue after he made a sincere apology.
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thechickinthemiddle
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Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (4.17)

#46 Post by thechickinthemiddle »

K Hale wrote:
SignGuyHPW wrote:I didn't especially like Higgins being on the verge of being outright cruel to the ladies in the production. It seemed out of character for him.
He told Agatha he was nervous about getting the play exactly right to impress Sir Cedric. JQH is always at his worst whenever he's nervous about something. Everything has to be JUST SO, nothing can be out of place or unexpected, it all has to be perfectly under his control and the worst side of him comes out! Bernice and Agatha were awesome, and Agatha was doubly awesome for coming to his rescue after he made a sincere apology.
You know Higgins is serious when he takes over the production. Any less important duties he relegates to Magnum. (see the "security" dialogue in "Innocence... A Broad" :lol:)

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Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (4.17)

#47 Post by K Hale »

thechickinthemiddle wrote:
K Hale wrote:
SignGuyHPW wrote:I didn't especially like Higgins being on the verge of being outright cruel to the ladies in the production. It seemed out of character for him.
He told Agatha he was nervous about getting the play exactly right to impress Sir Cedric. JQH is always at his worst whenever he's nervous about something. Everything has to be JUST SO, nothing can be out of place or unexpected, it all has to be perfectly under his control and the worst side of him comes out! Bernice and Agatha were awesome, and Agatha was doubly awesome for coming to his rescue after he made a sincere apology.
You know Higgins is serious when he takes over the production. Any less important duties he relegates to Magnum. (see the "security" dialogue in "Innocence... A Broad" :lol:)
Doesn't he pretty much take over the production of everything he's into? I seem to recall every society he's a part of, he is either the head of it, on the board of directors, or the chairman of a committee. Obviously a believer in "This will not be done right unless I do it myself."
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Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (4.17)

#48 Post by thechickinthemiddle »

K Hale wrote:Doesn't he pretty much take over the production of everything he's into? I seem to recall every society he's a part of, he is either the head of it, on the board of directors, or the chairman of a committee. Obviously a believer in "This will not be done right unless I do it myself."
Definitely, especially with the Anglo-Hawaiian Preservation Society. :P

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Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (4.17)

#49 Post by K Hale »

thechickinthemiddle wrote:
K Hale wrote:Doesn't he pretty much take over the production of everything he's into? I seem to recall every society he's a part of, he is either the head of it, on the board of directors, or the chairman of a committee. Obviously a believer in "This will not be done right unless I do it myself."
Definitely, especially with the Anglo-Hawaiian Preservation Society. :P
Isn't that the one where he sewed his own ribbon sash? Mad skills.
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Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (4.17)

#50 Post by brianw »

So I just watched this ep again the other night. I like it a lot, good action and funny. I love the ending with Rick singing. But, I have a question....

If Sally wanted Magnum out of the way, and Eric was her accomplice, why in the world would she hire him to find Eric in the first place??? Wouldn't she send him on a wild goose chase, somewhere far away, that had nothing to do with their actual plot to kill Sir Cedric? I mean, she led Magnum straight to the real assassin, and then obviously to herself. She was a killer and Magnum trusted her. She could have just killed TM before the performance and then assassinated Sir Cedric.

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Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (4.17)

#51 Post by K Hale »

brianw wrote:So I just watched this ep again the other night. I like it a lot, good action and funny. I love the ending with Rick singing. But, I have a question....

If Sally wanted Magnum out of the way, and Eric was her accomplice, why in the world would she hire him to find Eric in the first place??? Wouldn't she send him on a wild goose chase, somewhere far away, that had nothing to do with their actual plot to kill Sir Cedric? I mean, she led Magnum straight to the real assassin, and then obviously to herself. She was a killer and Magnum trusted her. She could have just killed TM before the performance and then assassinated Sir Cedric.
Wasn't her plan to do just that, send Magnum on a wild goose chase to some remote location Eric "gave her" over the phone when he "called the estate," but then Magnum followed Eric instead and thus wound up fighting him at the spot where he had gone to assassinate Sir Cedric?
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Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (4.17)

#52 Post by brianw »

K Hale wrote:
brianw wrote:So I just watched this ep again the other night. I like it a lot, good action and funny. I love the ending with Rick singing. But, I have a question....

If Sally wanted Magnum out of the way, and Eric was her accomplice, why in the world would she hire him to find Eric in the first place??? Wouldn't she send him on a wild goose chase, somewhere far away, that had nothing to do with their actual plot to kill Sir Cedric? I mean, she led Magnum straight to the real assassin, and then obviously to herself. She was a killer and Magnum trusted her. She could have just killed TM before the performance and then assassinated Sir Cedric.
Wasn't her plan to do just that, send Magnum on a wild goose chase to some remote location Eric "gave her" over the phone when he "called the estate," but then Magnum followed Eric instead and thus wound up fighting him at the spot where he had gone to assassinate Sir Cedric?

Well there you have it. I forgot that part, you are correct.
Last edited by brianw on Mon Nov 19, 2018 4:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (4.17)

#53 Post by KingKC »

Although Kay Lenz is adorable I now remember why this episode was not very memorable. If it had not been for Rick and TC and the Three little maids scenes there would be nothing for me to remember this episode by. Even my wife seems to agree that is was not a good episode. I really never understood the plot anyway.

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Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (4.17)

#54 Post by Lord Ickenham »

When Sally plays the piano first time, her upper body doesn't move, instead of the character of the music.

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Re: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (4.17)

#55 Post by ENSHealy »

K Hale wrote:
brianw wrote:So I just watched this ep again the other night. I like it a lot, good action and funny. I love the ending with Rick singing. But, I have a question....

If Sally wanted Magnum out of the way, and Eric was her accomplice, why in the world would she hire him to find Eric in the first place??? Wouldn't she send him on a wild goose chase, somewhere far away, that had nothing to do with their actual plot to kill Sir Cedric? I mean, she led Magnum straight to the real assassin, and then obviously to herself. She was a killer and Magnum trusted her. She could have just killed TM before the performance and then assassinated Sir Cedric.
Wasn't her plan to do just that, send Magnum on a wild goose chase to some remote location Eric "gave her" over the phone when he "called the estate," but then Magnum followed Eric instead and thus wound up fighting him at the spot where he had gone to assassinate Sir Cedric?
I see your point, that she did send him "away" with the phantom meeting with Eric in the wilderness, but why set him on Eric to start with? The plan, as it exists, allows for what actually happened, Magnum gets suspicious and follows Eric rather than meets him. If she'd found some other "dummy" case for him to pursue (perhaps a missing ex-boyfriend from Seattle, or a younger sister just out of Catholic school in Chicago, or maybe a runaway from St. Louis?) he never would have gotten within a country mile of Eric in the first place.
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