Little Garwood wrote:I'm truly surprised at how everyone here loves China Doll. I saw it again last week as I go through my annual series rewatch and while it has its moments, I just don't share my fellow Magnum-Mania pals' high opinion of this one.
Then again, this is coming from someone who rates The Kona Winds among his top ten. In fact, I think it's safe to say that no one in general shares my top ten to any extent, either.
I always felt that China Doll as the first real episode after the pilot movie helped set the tone for the series.KingKC wrote:I am not sure if China Doll was the best episode but I am sure it was one of the, if not the, most significant episodes. I clearly remember it from 1980 because of the shocking ending. It also had suspense and violence which sells. Those things got viewer's attention and kept them coming back even with some light-hearted episodes to follow. It did me! Remarkably it did not have a lot of investigating since TM was hired to protect a vase. Personally, though, it is not in my top ten.
KIngKC
The humor: Thomas - Hi Ho! (groan)
Mai Ling - surely you didn't think ...
Higgins - Of course he did
The bond between the guys from Rick carrying the vase to TC getting busted ribs and sharing "he blinks before he strikes"
The danger and violence potential that Magnum represents taking on the Tong, who killed a man with one strike of his hand, and blowing his head off.
All those to me meant we know who's who and what's what. No slow introductions to be unwrapped, we know who these guys are, what they mean to each other and what they can do. Only Higgins is left to grow into their circle but his character is clear, providing the yin to Magnum's yang.
Altogether a great, and possibly the most important, episode of the series.