Compulsion (5.14)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the fifth season

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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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J.J. Walters
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Compulsion (5.14)

#1 Post by J.J. Walters »

This is the official MM thread for Compulsion (5.14). 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: 1/24/1985
Appearances can be deceiving when Magnum tries to convince Carol that she's not seeing signs pointing to the next case as being her last, and Higgins finds himself in a rough spot when his former Sandhurst comrades believe he's the owner of Robin's estate!
Last edited by J.J. Walters on Fri Dec 28, 2007 5:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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#2 Post by J.J. Walters »

A dark, tension-filled episode with Carol front-and-center. John Pleshette is downright creepy as the obsessed stalker. We get to see the inside and outside of Carol's house. And this is the episode where Carol propositions Magnum with a seductive look and a glance to the bedroom! Thomas turns her down, saying it has something to do with not wanting to destroy their friendship, but maybe it really was because Carol, seconds before her "move", told him that he reminded her of her father! :shock:

In any event, it's a fairly good episode. Interestingly, it was much better the second time I saw it.
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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#3 Post by eegorr »

Richard McPherson is credited as Moody at the end of this episode, not Darryl Jacobs. Carol referred to him as Moody, as did Rick when he gave Magnum the info he got about the license plate on the Jeep that Magnum spotted outside of the Lazarus parole board hearing. Magnum called him Moody when he encountered him at the Lazarus ranch, as did Sunshine. Nobody ever mentioned the name Darryl Jacobs

Did I miss something? Was this part of a scene that was left out of the syndicated version? If so, why did they credit him simply as Moody?

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#4 Post by eegorr »

Here are a few more things I noticed while watching this episode:

1) When Carol is on the phone, just before the lights go out in her office, she tells someone on the phone that Chelsea is a "pekinese... golden, brown, and white", so it is not a dog at all... more like a furry football!

Just kidding... :wink: (a little more detail for your episode page, James).

2) We do not know from this episode whether Carol's father was an ADA, like Carol, or the DA, but it was a high profile case (Lazarus) so he may actually have headed the office. In fact, when Magnum gets the info from Rick about Moody, he says that the address is the "City Prosecutor's Office". The address on the second package that Carol receives, the one containing the stuffed dog, is clearly visible as:
  • Ms. Carol Baldwin
    City Prosecutors Office
    Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
That would make Carol, and, presumably, her dad as well, city prosecutors and not district attorneys at all! Is this a flub? Has anyone ever referred to Carol specifically as a district attorney?

3) In addition to learning why Higgins left Sandhurst, we also learn in this episode who was actually responsible for the accident for which Higgins was blamed. Did you leave this out because it is a spoiler, James?

4) We learn from Higgins that Lord Binkie Smythe-White's real name is Archibald, but, for some unexplained reason, he would rather be called Binkie than Archibald, or even Archie! :lol:
Last edited by eegorr on Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:05 am, edited 1 time in total.

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#5 Post by eegorr »

Richard McPherson is credited as Moody at the end of this episode, not Darryl Jacobs.
I think I just answered my own question. Darryl Jacobs is a character in A Pretty Good Dancing Chicken, which was the next episode to air on WGN after this one. I guess someone just screwed up the credits for this episode!

I submitted a correction to IMDB... James, you might want to fix it here.

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#6 Post by J.J. Walters »

Hi eegorr,

Thanks for the info!

I've corrected the Richard McPherson credit.

Regarding Carol, I'm almost positive she has been addressed as an A.D.A. before, but I can't recall where! In The Man From Marseilles, the sign on her door states she is a "Deputy Prosecuting Attorney", which matches what is seen here in Compulsion.

Hmm
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#7 Post by IslandHopper »

eegorr wrote: That would make Carol, and, presumably, her dad as well, city prosecutors and not district attorneys at all! Is this a flub? Has anyone ever referred to Carol specifically as a district attorney?
I could have sworn that Rick in one episode referred to Carol as "Deputy P.A." (as in Prosecuting attorney). If I had to guess, I would say Carol was a traditional "Prosecuting Attorney," "District Attorney," or as we have in Florida "State Attorney." However, all of these titles are interchangeable, e.g., district attorney, prosecuting attorney, state attorney. In Florida, the prosecuting attorney's are called "State Attorneys." However, everyone would know what you were referring to if you were to refer to them as Prosecuting attorney or District attorney.

Although cities in Florida have City Attorneys, I don't know of any that prosecute big time criminals like Carol does. City Attorneys in Florida deal mainly with contracts, land use law, eminent domain, and other issues involving the city directly. The only crimes they may deal with are mere ordinance violations, like peeing on the sidewalk. :shock: The crimes (misdemeanors and felonies) are reserved for the State Attorneys in that County or Judicial District. I realize that Hawaii is not Florida, however, I would say that Carol is a "Prosecuting Attorney" and not a City Attorney.
The answer is obvious, old man. Logic is irrelevant. It's simply Tropical Madness. (J.Q. Higgins)

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#8 Post by J.J. Walters »

Thanks IslandHopper

So a "Deputy Prosecuting Attorney" would be equivalent to an "A.D.A."? Does Honolulu have A.D.A's?
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#9 Post by N1095A »

Kind of an off topic note here, but David Hemmings also played Dr. Charles Henry Moffet, creator of Airwolf in the Bellisario series "Airwolf".
I've noticed that a lot of actors rotated among the Bellisario shows in the 80's. Also appearing on "Airwolf" were Kathleen Lloyd, Jeff MacKay, Lance Legault, Jean Bruce Scott, Debrah Pratt (who was married to Bellisario at the time) James Whitmore Jr. (Billy Joe Bob, Nuzzo)Anne Lockhart, Eugene Roche, Soon-Tek Oh, and pilot/areal co ordinator J. David Jones.
Last edited by N1095A on Fri Sep 14, 2007 3:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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#10 Post by N1095A »

My apologies, I seem to have quoted myself here. Sorry for the double post.
"But Higgins, I can explain."

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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.
Was vaccinated with a phonograph needle one summer break
Same summer that I kissed her on her daddy's boat
And shot across the lake
Singing all the way...
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Living Ain't a luxury
Oh I say mama
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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.
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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!
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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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