Compulsion (5.14)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the fifth season

Moderator: Styles Bitchley

How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
2
3%
9.5 (One of the Best)
5
7%
9.0 (Excellent)
10
14%
8.5 (Very Good)
20
29%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
10
14%
7.5 (Decent)
12
17%
7.0 (Average at Best)
7
10%
6.5 (Not So Good)
2
3%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
0
No votes
5.0 (Just Awful)
2
3%
 
Total votes: 70

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Magnums Little Voice
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#11 Post by Magnums Little Voice »

Really Enjoyed this one!! Carol played her part really well as the creeped out victim! Loved the scene where Magnum was walking the lads on the beach and they actually take notice of him, and he thinks Higgins is sending them secret signals!! Priceless!!
Also wish the Higgins story could have been more in depth, thought it had the potential to be longer!!
All in all this one was great and nice to see the lads getting more screen time!!! :P

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#12 Post by AJL »

This episode have a very horror-like feel to it at times, which I like. I also laughed out loud two times: at TS' delivery of the line "Gee carol, at least you could have told me you have a boyfriend" (or something like that), and this exchange between TC & Magnum:
"So whats make you think she's got a crush on you?"
"Not me TC! This friend of mine". :D

Its not all good though, as the story is a mixed bag. I liked the part about Carol falling in love with Thomas, but the pay-off with Steve felt a little bit flat IMO. Also the side story about Higgins and the lads from Sandhurst was not good. At the same time it was very silly and very serious. It just felt rushed.
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Same summer that I kissed her on her daddy's boat
And shot across the lake
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N1095A
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#13 Post by N1095A »

I think this is a very important episode in the context of the whole series in that it both changes and defines Higgins' relationship with TM Rick and TC.
"But Higgins, I can explain."

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Jay-Firestorm
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#14 Post by Jay-Firestorm »

I’d forgotten what a good episode this is.

[rating=9.5]

When a series of strange and eerie events befall her, Carol is certain that someone is stalking her and asks Magnum to investigate. Meanwhile, Higgins will do anything to get out of a visit from some old friends from Sandhurst. A very good episode…

-----

This review contains spoilers.

Can it be – two decent fifth season episodes in a row? ‘Professor Jonathan Higgins’ was silly but fun, and now ‘Compulsion’ offers up a decent story, and stands as one of the far better of the shaky season.

The episode is directed by David Hemmings, his second time working on the show, and he also guest stars as Higgins old Sandhurst ‘friend’ Lord Binkie Smythe-White. He will appear as another character in the seventh season episode ‘Out of Sync’.

I like the beginning of this episode, as Carol arrives home on a dark, stormy night to find what seems to be an intruder. The scene is eerily filmed, and starts the story off well.

Like ‘Professor Jonathan Higgins’, the episode has a lot of nice touches, something that has been sadly lacking for much of the season. I like the will-they-or-won’t-they possibly romance between Carol and Magnum – Kathleen Lloyd and Tom Selleck bounce off of each other really well, and it really brings the episode to life.

From the second he appears on-screen, I found Carol’s workmate Steve to be the obvious culprit behind Carol’s odd occurrences. Just the way he was introduced, it seemed so obvious that it was him. Likewise, mailman Moody was an obvious red herring.
Even so, as much as it was obvious that Steve was the culprit, the story unfolds well, and is still a good watch.

The b-plot, of Higgins trying to get out of a visit from his old Sandhurst friends, is equally as pleasing. The scene of Magnum, Rick and T.C. posing as Higgins’ servants is one of the most amusing and pleasing sequences of the season.

The climax of the story is quite exhilarating, and well shot; it is a good ending to a nice episode overall. With it’s nice touches and good performances from Selleck and Lloyd, this comes off as one of the far better episodes of the season.

-----

Other notes, bloopers and misc.:

* Magnum smokes his tenth cigar of the series in this episode. Yes, I’m still keeping count!
JAY FIRESTORM

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Styles Bitchley
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#15 Post by Styles Bitchley »

I'm not a big fan of this episode. There were some nice touches and I enjoyed watching it, but the moment I saw John Pleshette, I knew he was the creep. Maybe it's just because he often plays creeps, but there was something so obvious about the very existence of his character. If he wasn't be bad guy in the story, what was the point of his character and why was he getting so much screen time?

I liked the Sandhurst side story, especially when Higgens comes home to find Magnum the butler, Rick the chef and TC his personal helicopter pilot. :lol: Great stuff that saves this episode.
"How fiendishly deceptive of you Magnum. I could have sworn I was hearing the emasculation of a large rodent."

- J.Q.H.

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Frodoleader
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#16 Post by Frodoleader »

I liked the Sandhurst side story, especially when Higgens comes home to find Magnum the butler, Rick the chef and TC his personal helicopter pilot. :lol: Great stuff that saves this episode.

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Danno
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#17 Post by Danno »

I agree with you guys. It's pretty obvious who the bad guy is from the start.

That being the case I greatly enjoy this episode from a character driven point of view. To me, it's more a series of vignettes than a complete episode as, honestly I didn't find the 'Carol has a stalker' idea very interesting. The characters keep it engaging and so much so, I'd give it a 9.
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Shermy
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#18 Post by Shermy »

I've been revisiting season five and found this one to be better than I remembered. Tonally, it kind've reminds me of a companion episode to 'Fragments'.

It also includes a good example of something TS mentioned in a recent Parade Magazine interview: The fact that Magnum often tried to avoid fights.

Consider the finale, in which Magnum discovers Steve has Carol tied up in a small cabin. Steve then goes outside to retrieve water from a pump, essentially providing Magnum with a perfect opportunity to ambush him and end the whole charade. (Seriously, is there any reason to think that Tom Selleck would not have been able to knock out John Pleshette with considerable ease? :? )

Instead, what does Magnum do? He first attempts to run away with Carol, then ends up trying to carry her through the woods, before ultimately deciding to use her as bait (opera-singing bait, no less!) so he can jump out of a tree and land on Steve. :lol:

I know what you're thinking, and you're right. A lesser show would have simply let the hero KO the bad guy and be done with it. But this is Magnum, p.i., in which the hero will soon find himself fending off Yakuza henchmen by using a large bowl full of lemons... :D

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#19 Post by AmandaByNight »

I feel bad saying it, because I'm sure actor is a really nice guy, but John Pleshette ALWAYS creeped me out. No matter what role he was in, there's something so sleazy about him! So he was perfect for the part!

I like this episode. Can't say I love it, but it's quite good!

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Styles Bitchley
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#20 Post by Styles Bitchley »

AmandaByNight wrote:I feel bad saying it, because I'm sure actor is a really nice guy, but John Pleshette ALWAYS creeped me out. No matter what role he was in, there's something so sleazy about him! So he was perfect for the part!
I don't think you should feel bad. As an actor, he's doing his job well! He really is a good creep!

Image

Sometimes actors can do too good a job at playing a creepy character. I can never see Glenn Close as anything other than a psycho after Fatal Attraction...just a bit too convincing!
"How fiendishly deceptive of you Magnum. I could have sworn I was hearing the emasculation of a large rodent."

- J.Q.H.

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J.J. Walters
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#21 Post by J.J. Walters »

Shermy wrote:I know what you're thinking, and you're right. A lesser show would have simply let the hero KO the bad guy and be done with it. But this is Magnum, p.i., in which the hero will soon find himself fending off Yakuza henchmen by using a large bowl full of lemons... :D
LOL!! :D

Note: As I was typing my post, the Maybelline mascera commercial that uses the Magnum P.I. theme song began playing in the background! Bizarre!
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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MaiTaiMan
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#22 Post by MaiTaiMan »

As I've mentioned a couple times before...I love episodes that are spooky, bizarre, suspenseful, psychological, etc...

"Compulsion" has all of that...and it's all about Carol! Double awesome!! I really like her in this episode and how she handles being stalked/terrorized. Pretty freaky! :shock: One of my favorites of season 5! :)

This is my favorite Magnum/Carol episode...and I even liked the subtle hints that maybe they could end up having a "thing". :wink: But, they are wise and decide against it. If Kathleen Lloyd had gotten rid of her 80's frizzy perm-job (which was in style back then) and straightened it somewhat, she would have been even better looking. :lol:

I think this episode should have been the season finale...instead of "Dancing Chicken"...my least favorite Magnum/Carol episode. :?
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#23 Post by Coops »

Wow, I can't believe I didn't post this when I first joined the forum but the actress that plays "Sunshine", Susan Swift, was a friend of one of my brothers when they were in high school. I met her quite a few times and then she went off to do The Chisholms tv show. I'm going to see if my brother is still in contact with her and see if I can do an informal interview with her regarding her time on the show.
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Coops
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#24 Post by Coops »

Wow, no sooner do I ask him if he is still in contact with her he sends her an email asking if I can ask her some questions about M.P.I.

Awesome.
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miltontheripper
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#25 Post by miltontheripper »

[quote="MaiTaiMan"]As I've mentioned a couple times before...I love episodes that are spooky, bizarre, suspenseful, psychological, etc...

"Compulsion" has all of that...and it's all about Carol! Double awesome!! I really like her in this episode and how she handles being stalked/terrorized. Pretty freaky! :shock: One of my favorites of season 5! :)


I agree! This episode is very good and probably the best Carol episode. Not to mention that the Higgins/Sandhurst subplot was also very good. Pretty funny seing TM, Rick, and TC as "servants" of Higgins when his friends arrived.

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