Tran Quoc Jones (5.9)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the fifth season

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How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
0
No votes
9.5 (One of the Best)
1
1%
9.0 (Excellent)
2
3%
8.5 (Very Good)
20
26%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
22
28%
7.5 (Decent)
13
17%
7.0 (Average at Best)
9
12%
6.5 (Not So Good)
4
5%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
3
4%
5.0 (Just Awful)
4
5%
 
Total votes: 78

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MaximRecoil
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#31 Post by MaximRecoil »

In Did You See the Sun Rise? Magnum says that TC doesn't chew gum:

Magnum: "Nuzo was always giving TC gum; TC doesn't chew gum!"

In this Tran Quoc Jones episode, not only does TC chew gum, but he has his own pack.

In any event, I've never liked this episode. I find Tran Quoc Jones to be the most annoying character ever on MPI, edging out basketball Willie and that Jororo prince kid for the "honor". Kid actors annoy me in general, even when I was a kid, though there have been some exceptions. I'm glad a kid never became a permanent cast member on MPI (like happened on many other shows, i.e., "there's a new kid in town"). That would have ruined the show.

And I know that the actress that played Willie was technically an adult, but she looked, sounded, and acted like a kid.

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Stelth
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Re: Tran Quoc Jones (5.9)

#32 Post by Stelth »

This episode had too many threads but it was OK...better than most of what I see on TV now. I especially like the ending where the politician was reading his hollow speech while Tran was going back to his life on the street: it was an interesting contrast.

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Doc Fred
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#33 Post by Doc Fred »

rubber chicken wrote: You should definitely see that ("Hard Times") if you're interested, it's pretty darn good. Even has an IMDB rating of 7.2 which is way up there.
"Hard Times" is one of my favorite flicks... to me, it's the all-time greatest macho movie. Unfortunately, some of the editing was faulty, with left and right reversed several times during fight scenes.

I must have watched the DVD 50 times, and I never tire of it. Bronson and Coburn were a great combination..
Woof, woof... thirty years uglier!... woof, woof...

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Doc Fred
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#34 Post by Doc Fred »

ConchRepublican wrote: I really liked the convictions TM and TC showed regarding their time served in Vietnam and the gangs concern for TQ.
Yes, they were both terrific in how they played the roles; they convinced me they weren't acting.
Woof, woof... thirty years uglier!... woof, woof...

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Doc Fred
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Re: Tran Quoc Jones (5.9)

#35 Post by Doc Fred »

I can see I'm very definitely in the minority on this one. I haven't seen anyone say they really liked the episode, but I sure did. I was happy to see Thomas and T.C. really rip the guy who, in his own way, gave aid and support to the enemy when we were in 'Nam... I thought Hasley looked a lot like John Kerry, and I am wondering if this was intentional. Portraying Hasley's main assistant as a slimy politician was excellent, and very well done.

The only thing that bothered me was letting TQ just walk off at the end. After the way T.C., particularly, reached out to him and told him he'd always be there for the boy, it seemed strange that there wasn't some time used at the end of the show to change the ending. I can't see T.C. just letting him go and forgetting about him.... Magnum either.
Woof, woof... thirty years uglier!... woof, woof...

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Doc Ibold
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Re: Tran Quoc Jones (5.9)

#36 Post by Doc Ibold »

That's a primary flub in the flubs section!

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Re: Tran Quoc Jones (5.9)

#37 Post by Seaver41 »

this is a good episode that gains a lot of points in the end. That's a tough ending to sell these days. How many of you were thinking WTF, why didn't somebody go flying out the door after the kid? Different times now. Still a powerful ending. Kind of a cliche' episode........sleazy politician, homeless kid with a scam, everyone rallies to help kid.....but the difference being no warm and fuzzy finish.

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Re: Tran Quoc Jones (5.9)

#38 Post by marlboro »

I cannot believe that they brought the Fake Mac back as a recurring character. One of the worst casting mistakes I've ever seen. Absolutely ridiculous.

Not a great episode even though I didn't find the kid as annoying as most of you did. One thing I was wondering about was the semi sympathetic view of the politician at the end. I realize that he was being blackmailed, but didn't he knowingly go along with trying to trick the kid into going away with his fake father? He was willing to turn the kid over to the gangsters who had just killed his prostitute girlfriend, right?

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Re: Tran Quoc Jones (5.9)

#39 Post by charybdis1966 »

This episode seems to be quite emotive in that so many find it too sickly sweet/sentimental and even while watching it I was groaning at a few points where it got too saccharine sweet yet you do have to have stories with contrasting tones.

The child actor was no doubt talented and did his best with the script though I think the socially aware episodes are not MPI's forte which is not to say they don't work ever.

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Re: Tran Quoc Jones (5.9)

#40 Post by Milton Collins »

Hadn't seen this one in awhile, I rated it as pretty good/8.0. It really shows the resentment of TM, TC, and Rick as they react to a Vietnam obstainer. I loved when TM let him have it in Higgins study. A couple questions 1) When Tran Quac first comes to the club and meets TM, rick serves three chocolate milks to Tran Quac, himself, and Magnum, but not TC. I find that strange and quite frankly pretty rude lol. 2) As many others have mentioned, your telling me they wouldn't have tracked down Tran Quac? I mean they were practically ready to adopt the little guy and then they don't use any of their resources to find him and help him? Oh well, regardless I felt bad for the kid to have to go back to the streets. Mac/Jim Bonnick working that pineapple stand and wearing that ridiculous hat was quite funnny. I loved his character.

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#41 Post by Milton Collins »

MaximRecoil wrote:In Did You See the Sun Rise? Magnum says that TC doesn't chew gum:

Magnum: "Nuzo was always giving TC gum; TC doesn't chew gum!"

In this Tran Quoc Jones episode, not only does TC chew gum, but he has his own pack.

In any event, I've never liked this episode. I find Tran Quoc Jones to be the most annoying character ever on MPI, edging out basketball Willie and that Jororo prince kid for the "honor". Kid actors annoy me in general, even when I was a kid, though there have been some exceptions. I'm glad a kid never became a permanent cast member on MPI (like happened on many other shows, i.e., "there's a new kid in town"). That would have ruined the show.

And I know that the actress that played Willie was technically an adult, but she looked, sounded, and acted like a kid.
Good post! I forgot to mention in my first post that Tran Quac was a bit on the annoying side. And it did feel forced how sappy and emotional the guys got over him, especially at the end when they didn't even look for him at the end. Oh well, not perfect but was not a bad episode even still.

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Re: Tran Quoc Jones (5.9)

#42 Post by Hawaii Winds »

Its so sad to hear that Roland Harrah III who played Tran Quoc Jones passed away at such a you g age. May he rest in peace....

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Re: Tran Quoc Jones (5.9)

#43 Post by SignGuyHPW »

I actually rather enjoyed this one. There was a lot going on in the episode, but they made it tie together fairly well by the end of it. I didn't really have an issue with the Tran Quoc Jones character being annoying. I thought he did a fairly solid job with it.

I'm not sure if this counts as a flub or not, but Tanaka showed up to bust the guys running the protection racket. It was never mentioned that they'd killed anyone so why was a homicide detective on this case? TC having a pack of gum in his pocket also bugged me since they'd established that he doesn't chew gum in a previous episode. I was REALLY thrown by their casting for the supposed father. If he was an American named "Jones" then why did they hire a rather Asian looking actor for the part? It also wasn't explained why the guy that murdered Honey wasn't worried about Tran Quoc being able to identify him. I kept expecting that they'd figure out the shot could have been for the boy instead of the politician and they never really explored that.

Overall, I think they made a lot of different plots mesh together well. There were some holes in it, but nothing that made me unable to enjoy the episode. Jim Bonnick coming through with the info that they needed out of NIA despite conning Magnum on the other deal was great. It gave reason for them to have a little bit of trust in him in future episodes rather than getting sucked into an easy con knowing he wasn't trustworthy at all. I know a lot of you hated the ending and questioned why they'd not go after him, but I was ok with that part. The reason being I can see them accepting that Tran Quoc had become accostumed to that type of lifestyle and wanted to go back to it. Without knowing for sure if there were any other relatives or how they'd react to him there would've been a strong chance deportation would be an issue. Knowing the father was dead changed things in that they weren't helping a boy reunite with his lost father and would've been illegally assuming custody of an illegal minor. They'd have been in hot water for that. Another strong point for me was how they explored what Magnum and TC felt about draft dodgers. They'd not really talked much about that before and they had clear feelings on the matter.

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Re: Tran Quoc Jones (5.9)

#44 Post by magnum1911 »

My wife is a huge horror movie buff and goes to the conventions. I tagged along one time and was able to meet Terry Kiser. He plays Dennis Redfield the assistant to Hasley in the episode. His most notable role is the ever lifeless Bernie in the film series Weekend at Bernie's. Everybody there was to meet him for some horror movie role he had made. I walked up to him and said the words Tran Quoc Jones. He grinned and told me I was the only person he ever remembered wanting to see him due to that role. He told me all about how they put him up in some fancy hotel in Hawaii and about all the cast and crew. I got the feeling that he actually enjoyed the conversation. Anyways heres a pic with me and Terry. So now I make my wife try to find out any of her horror movie actors that had Magnum appearances no matter how tiny the role.

Image

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Doc Ibold
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Re: Tran Quoc Jones (5.9)

#45 Post by Doc Ibold »

That's awesome!

I'm glad he recalled the role with such gusto. Plus.. I'm sure it set you apart from the others who recoginized him as "Bernie"

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