Murder 101 (5.8)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the fifth season

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How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
4
5%
9.5 (One of the Best)
5
7%
9.0 (Excellent)
6
8%
8.5 (Very Good)
15
20%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
24
32%
7.5 (Decent)
16
21%
7.0 (Average at Best)
1
1%
6.5 (Not So Good)
1
1%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
2
3%
5.0 (Just Awful)
2
3%
 
Total votes: 76

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N1095A
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#21 Post by N1095A »

Carmen wrote:Hey I found a flub (my first one)
While looking thru`the garbage Magnum is wearing a white shirt and a light blue jeans. Next scene he is sitting on his sofa, dirty dark blue jeans and some different dirty shirt and Higgins is telling him to take a shower and put on new clothes. 8)
TM isn't dirty from the garbage when he's sitting on the couch. This scene takes place some time later, after his class had been canceled. TM is dirty in this scene because he's just spread the ton of manure that Higgins "negotiated" with him earlier. He talks about this in his voice-over at the beginning of the scene.
"But Higgins, I can explain."

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lutherhgillis
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#22 Post by lutherhgillis »

N1095A is correct. Remember that TM agrees to spread the recycled vegetation for Higgns in order to borrow the recording deck for his lesson plan or 'idea vocabulary'. The gardener was called away for some reason that I cannot remember. TM comes home from the cancelled class and spreads manure is the implication.

I always liked this episode. It reminds me a little of the movie Summer School (1987) starring Mark Harmon as a beachbum PE coach who tries to teach a summer class. That's about where the similarities end, however.
Who's Dot Matrix, and what has she got to do with this?

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N1095A
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#23 Post by N1095A »

That reminds me of the other time he dealt with "recycled vegetation". Although I don't remember the episode, I do remember him asking Higgins 'Recycled how?"
to which Higgins replied "Through a cow". At the end TM leads Higgins to think he's going to do it, but instead goes swimming because Higgins didn't come through with his part of the deal. I'm not positive, but I think this was "Billy Joe Bob", and higgins' part of the deal was keeping Billy Joe in the guest house "all day if necessary". Of course, Billy Joe escaped.
"But Higgins, I can explain."

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Doc Ibold
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#24 Post by Doc Ibold »

N1095A wrote:That reminds me of the other time he dealt with "recycled vegetation". Although I don't remember the episode, I do remember him asking Higgins 'Recycled how?"
to which Higgins replied "Through a cow". At the end TM leads Higgins to think he's going to do it, but instead goes swimming because Higgins didn't come through with his part of the deal. I'm not positive, but I think this was "Billy Joe Bob", and higgins' part of the deal was keeping Billy Joe in the guest house "all day if necessary". Of course, Billy Joe escaped.
Kee-rect. It was Billy Joe Bob. Also, I think the reason Kenji was called away in M101 was a death in the family or something like that.

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N1095A
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#25 Post by N1095A »

Yes, I remember now, TM in his voice-over said there was something in the air, and it wasn't jasmine. Classic!
"But Higgins, I can explain."

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lutherhgillis
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#26 Post by lutherhgillis »

I like this campy episode even though it is gnarly in places. It was good to see TC and Rick actually get paid by Magnum for a change. Did that ever happen again in a episode? It seems like I remember TC helping himself to Magnum's paycheck in another episode to recoup some of the gas money and glass damage owed him. Anyone know if that is a correct memory?
Who's Dot Matrix, and what has she got to do with this?

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J.J. Walters
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#27 Post by J.J. Walters »

At the 3:31 mark, a Boeing 747-121 commercial airliner is briefly seen leaving a gate at Honolulu International Airport. It's hard to identify, but the airliner is the Clipper Maid of the Seas (you can just barely make out the lettering on the front of the plane), which was tragically destroyed in the "Lockerbie Bombing" of Pan Am Flight 103 in southern Scotland on December 21st, 1988. :shock:

From the episode:

Image

Non-episode picture of the plane:

Image
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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miltontheripper
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#28 Post by miltontheripper »

I think this is an underrated episode. A bit ridiculous for sure, but definitely still entertaining!

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nha trang
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#29 Post by nha trang »

I thought this was an average episode, to be generous. I think this is another episode where the plot had potential to be good (Magnum teaches a class on private investigating) but as JJ notes, with the canned actor students and the overall weakly written scenes, it nosedives.

I hope this doesn't become a habit after Bellisario stopped writing...

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J.J. Walters
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#30 Post by J.J. Walters »

Season Five is probably the weakest season IMHO, but you do have several good episodes coming up (Luther Gillis: File #001, All For One). I'm guessing you're probably not going to like the Tran Quoc, Cassie Yates, and Ms. Jones episodes. Just a guess. If you don't like Willie and Waldo, how can you like Tran Quoc? ;)
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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nha trang
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#31 Post by nha trang »

lol JJ, Tran Quoc was MUCH better than willie the basketball prodigy...

I think mainly due to TC's part in the storyline. I've been on a Magnum-viewing rampage over the long weekend...haha

I am a bit fickle in what draws me to a particular episode. Sometimes I just like the camera work, the shots of the tidal pool and rabbit island can be incredible...or I'll key in on the character development, or many other different factors, so something about the Tran Quoc episdoe worked much better for me than "basketball willie" and also waldo the CIA agent (which wasn't as bad as willie lol...

MPI is such a good series, that when the writing for an episode is REALLY bad it hurts to watch...lol

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Honolulu Lulu
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#32 Post by Honolulu Lulu »

I think of this as a fantasy episode. I mean which one of us Magnum Maniacs wouldn't love to take a class taught by Thomas? And to end up going out on a "field trip" to solve a "real live" case?! That's a MPI fan's dream come true! I enjoy being "part of the class" every time I watch this one.
Rack em up!

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MaiTaiMan
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#33 Post by MaiTaiMan »

This episode is somewhat funny, and has a few action-packed scenes...but most of it is pretty ridiculous and silly! :wink: I also find a lot of it boring too, and I find myself saying: "Okay...let's get on with it!"

I think this was just meant to be a somewhat humorous "filler" during the season.
"It was more ironic than a Robin Masters novel--she thought he was dead, he thought she was dead...and only the chauffeur knew the truth! He should have been the butler!" "Lest We Forget"

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miltontheripper
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#34 Post by miltontheripper »

[quote="Tuan Vu"]I'm surprised that this episode received such low ratings. I really enjoyed it because it was really funny and lighthearted, which was a nice relief after a heavy "Blind Justice" episode.


I agree Tuan Vu. I really enjoyed this episode for its light, funny, and offbeat plot. I've always enjoyed watching this one a lot.

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Sisophous
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Re:

#35 Post by Sisophous »

J.J. Walters wrote:At the 3:31 mark, a Boeing 747-121 commercial airliner is briefly seen leaving a gate at Honolulu International Airport. It's hard to identify, but the airliner is the Clipper Maid of the Seas (you can just barely make out the lettering on the front of the plane), which was tragically destroyed in the "Lockerbie Bombing" of Pan Am Flight 103 in southern Scotland on December 21st, 1988. :shock:

From the episode:

Image

Non-episode picture of the plane:

Image
Interesting and bizarre, I checked the Wikipedia writeup on the bombing, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Am_Flight_103 and see that the plane was actually given that name, not sure if all aircraft are given a unique name. It was the fifteenth 747 built and delivered in 1970.

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