Mac's Back (5.3)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the fifth season

Moderator: Styles Bitchley

Post Reply

How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
14
12%
9.5 (One of the Best)
18
15%
9.0 (Excellent)
49
42%
8.5 (Very Good)
17
15%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
8
7%
7.5 (Decent)
5
4%
7.0 (Average at Best)
2
2%
6.5 (Not So Good)
3
3%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
0
No votes
5.0 (Just Awful)
1
1%
 
Total votes: 117

Message
Author
User avatar
burny
Commander
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2011 10:12 pm
Location: NashVegas, TN

#41 Post by burny »

great ep! it is one of the eps that i watch over and over - it has the perfect
balance of everything.

a little flub - the second to last scene where the mag finally brings 'mac' back
to prove he isn't hallucinating to the gang. tm takes a cigar out of the hig's
desk humidor and walks back to the open study door. as he walks back to the
door, at the top of the shot you can see the blue sky outdoors is a piece of
painted scenery hanging from a metal pipe.

User avatar
MaiTaiMan
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 419
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 12:43 am
Location: Mid-West

#42 Post by MaiTaiMan »

First we're treated to a superb, 2-part, psychological thriller of a season premiere ("Echoes of the Mind")...then we're thrown this crap! :x

I never liked the fake Mac, and this was the introduction of him. :? Even though it's played by the same guy, I hated the difference in the characters. I never liked this "Mac Bonnick"--he was annoying, stupid, and nothing but trouble! :roll:

Fake Mac and Luther Gillis are probably the two recurring characters I dislike the most. :x I rated this episode "Not So Good"...because it wasn't. :? My opinion, of course. :wink:
"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"

User avatar
JT
Captain
Posts: 72
Joined: Sat May 01, 2010 11:40 am
Location: The Netherlands

#43 Post by JT »

Your absolutly right MaiTaiMan, I also did not like this episode and I think the fake Mac is the worst character in Magnum p.i..
I'm suprised so many people seem to like this episode so much.

User avatar
MaiTaiMan
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 419
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 12:43 am
Location: Mid-West

#44 Post by MaiTaiMan »

JT wrote:Your absolutly right MaiTaiMan, I also did not like this episode and I think the fake Mac is the worst character in Magnum p.i..
I'm suprised so many people seem to like this episode so much.
I know...I've never been able to figure out why some love this episode! :shock: The beginning is interesting enough...where Magnum has delved down into this deep depressive state after witnessing Diane Dupre's suicide from "Echoes of the Mind".

Then supposedly seeing this "moronic" Mac is supposedly what brings him out of it?? :o Whatever!! :roll: The rest of the episode is annoying and pathetic. :x I agree, that the fake Mac is definitely one of the worst and most annoying characters in "Magnum, p.i."!

Several disagree with me on this as well...but I also can't stand Luther Gillis, and both he and fake Mac are my two least favorite recurring characters :roll: Probably my two favorite recurring characters are Agatha Chumley and Lt. Yoshi Tanaka.
"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"

User avatar
J.J. Walters
Founding Father
Posts: 4196
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 10:54 pm
Location: Suburbia, USA
Contact:

#45 Post by J.J. Walters »

Magnum: It's not just Diane! It's Michelle and Mac, Rick's little sister, Dan Cook, the little Vietnamese kid whose name I can't remember....My Dad. All people I loved, or who counted on me, and they're gone.
Higgins: Death is part of life. I know that sounds trite, but the very nature of life means that the older we get, the more loses we can expect. And, if we go to war, or choose a profession such as yours, those loses are going to be higher.
Magnum: Look, Higgins. I know you are trying to help and I appreciate it, I really do. I know this isn't going to solve anything, I know I'm being morose, and stupid, but I just don't give a damn.
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

AmandaByNight
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 238
Joined: Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:37 pm
Contact:

#46 Post by AmandaByNight »

I tend to see Echoes of the Mind and Mac's Back as a turning point for the series. Granted, there were earlier signs of it, but I think season 5 shifted into more "mature" episodes (for lack of a better word) that reveled a little more in the esoteric as Magnum aged and began to redefine himself.

Plus, I love how it starts out so dark and then it turns to something more fun. I think when Magnum thinks he sees Mac it gives him a sense of purpose and he's able to find himself through the search/case... whatever you want to call it.

At any rate, I love this episode!

User avatar
MaiTaiMan
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 419
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 12:43 am
Location: Mid-West

#47 Post by MaiTaiMan »

J.J. Walters wrote:Magnum: It's not just Diane! It's Michelle and Mac, Rick's little sister, Dan Cook, the little Vietnamese kid whose name I can't remember....My Dad. All people I loved, or who counted on me, and they're gone.
Higgins: Death is part of life. I know that sounds trite, but the very nature of life means that the older we get, the more loses we can expect. And, if we go to war, or choose a profession such as yours, those loses are going to be higher.
Magnum: Look, Higgins. I know you are trying to help and I appreciate it, I really do. I know this isn't going to solve anything, I know I'm being morose, and stupid, but I just don't give a damn.
See...I actually really find this beginning part of the episode interesting to watch and listen to! It's after he sees the fake Mac that, in my opinion, it takes a serious nose-dive! :? I understand, that they needed a good entertaining or even somewhat funny episode after the seriousness or "darkness" of "Echoes of the Mind"...but this wasn't entertaining or even funny...just irritating and stupid! :x
AmandaByNight wrote:I tend to see Echoes of the Mind and Mac's Back as a turning point for the series. Granted, there were earlier signs of it, but I think season 5 shifted into more "mature" episodes (for lack of a better word) that reveled a little more in the esoteric as Magnum aged and began to redefine himself.

Plus, I love how it starts out so dark and then it turns to something more fun. I think when Magnum thinks he sees Mac it gives him a sense of purpose and he's able to find himself through the search/case... whatever you want to call it.

At any rate, I love this episode!
I agree...by around season 5 the series was a little different, and episodes/Magnum seemed a little more mature. However, in my opinion "Mac's Back", and the introduction to the fake Mac, sort of counteracted that shift in the series. Fake Mac was like an irritating "hang-on" to the goofy slap-stick or even dysfunction of how Magnum would start out handling some of his early/first cases.

Magnum could pull off the goofiness or dysfunction and it was funny or even loveable...but Fake Mac was not funny or loveable--just irritating and annoying as heck! :x Besides, by season 5 Magnum was more "defined" and he was approaching his cases/clients more maturely and professionally. Fake Mac was like his "moron" little voice saying: "Come on...let's still be stupid and immature, just one more time!" :P
"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"

User avatar
Coops
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 515
Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 12:27 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

#48 Post by Coops »

NM
Image

User avatar
MaiTaiMan
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 419
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 12:43 am
Location: Mid-West

#49 Post by MaiTaiMan »

Coops wrote:NM
Huh? :?:
"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"

User avatar
Coops
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 515
Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 12:27 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

#50 Post by Coops »

NM = Nevermind. I had posted something but then realised it was redundant so I edited it to "NM".
Image

User avatar
MaiTaiMan
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 419
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 12:43 am
Location: Mid-West

#51 Post by MaiTaiMan »

Coops wrote:NM = Nevermind. I had posted something but then realised it was redundant so I edited it to "NM".
Gotcha! :) I only abbreviate when texting...and even then only with some things. So, I don't know all of them...I'm sort of old fashioned in some ways.
"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"

User avatar
miltontheripper
Vice Admiral
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2011 9:48 pm
Location: Michigan

#52 Post by miltontheripper »

Season five starts out with a bang in my opinion. Echos of the mind 1 and 2 is def great and then this one, especially the beginning. I'm way younger than the Vietnam era but think that it makes Magnum very human to show him dealing with all the tragedy's in his life. Of course it's far fetched to see Jeff McKay as "fake Mac" but I really don't mind his character and even later on, pretty humorous really! Even though you have to despise him as a Magnum fan any episode with Buck Green is interesting and in most all cases really good because of their rivalry. I like this one for sure!

User avatar
MaiTaiMan
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 419
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 12:43 am
Location: Mid-West

#53 Post by MaiTaiMan »

miltontheripper wrote:Season five starts out with a bang in my opinion. Echos of the mind 1 and 2 is def great and then this one, especially the beginning. I'm way younger than the Vietnam era but think that it makes Magnum very human to show him dealing with all the tragedy's in his life. Of course it's far fetched to see Jeff McKay as "fake Mac" but I really don't mind his character and even later on, pretty humorous really! Even though you have to despise him as a Magnum fan any episode with Buck Green is interesting and in most all cases really good because of their rivalry. I like this one for sure!
Totally agree about "Echoes" being great!! However, this one is not really one of my favorites of the season. Don't really care for the "Fake" Mac...however, the beginning is awesome and I agree that although you despise Buck Green--the episodes featuring him usually are interesting, especially with the rivalry between Magnum and him...and how Magnum will handle it in whichever episode it is.
"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"

Croix de Lorraine
Admiral
Posts: 195
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2011 6:49 pm

#54 Post by Croix de Lorraine »

I'm split about this one. I think the bit about Magnum fighting his demons is quite poignant, but on the other hand, the whole fake Mac malarky is just farcical. You can see they were desperately trying to shoehorn Jeff McKay back into the show. Not even the actors seem convinced about their lines.

MaximRecoil
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 303
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 1:10 pm
Location: Maine, USA

#55 Post by MaximRecoil »

Has any TV show or movie ever done the "letting himself go" beard correctly? This device has been used countless times in movies and TV shows to suggest that a character has been so depressed or preoccupied with something that he hasn't bothered to shave, and for other reasons such as prisoner of war, stranded on an island, been in a coma, or whatever.

It seems that every time this device is used, the guy's neck is clean-shaven however:

Image

A clean-shaven neck defeats the purpose of a "down and out beard" device, i.e., they have to have shaved that morning in order to have a clean-shaven neck; the rest of the beard notwithstanding.

Post Reply