Tran Quoc Jones (5.9)

[J.J. Walters]

This is the official MM thread for Tran Quoc Jones (5.9). 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: 11/29/1984
Magnum finds himself surprisingly attached to his young client, a small Vietnamese boy who lost his mother and whose only hope in the world is to find his missing G.I. father.

[N1095A]

In the opening scenes there is a man wearing a cap that says "VT-21". VT-21 is a US Navy training squadron nicknamed the Red Hawks based at NAS Kingsville, Texas. V stands for fixed wing, T stands for training.

On Magnum's hat rack is the Detroit Tigers away cap worn only once during the entire run of the series in "Squeeze Play" 4.7 along with the red University of Southern California cap, also worn only once in "Squeeze Play"

The hat that "Mac" is wearing at the pinapple stand appears to be the one Higgins made during their stay on Frenchman's Island in "Operation Silent Night" 4.10

After TQ and Hasley are attacked on the beach, TC is seen looking for him on a remote beach. If TC had run in either direction from the estate, the beach would have been lined with houses and other buildings as the Anderson Estate has neighboring properties for miles in both directions.

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" It's also very dark between here and Kahoolawe."

[J.J. Walters]

Hey, great episode notes N1095A! Much appreciated!

[Magnums Little Voice]

Not a bad episode but I found TQJ a bit annoying (perhaps it was just me!), also the Mac gag of conning Magnum is getting a bit lame too.

[J.J. Walters]

As Doc Ibold once said....

[rubber chicken]

I've just happened to see two movies in the last month in which Robert Tessier appeared. (Pictured below.)


He had an interesting life, born in New England in 1934, he was of "Algonquin Indian descent." He served as a paratrooper in the Korean War, earning a Silver Star and Purple Heart, worked in the circus as a motorcycle dare devil, and was an "accomplished furniture maker" who made pieces to give to his co-stars.

He appeared in a large number of films and television shows, some of which include The Longest Yard, Breakheart Pass, Hard Times, The Cannonball Run, Little House on the Prairie, Kung Fu, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Starsky and Hutch, The Fall Guy, The A-Team, The Dukes of Hazzard, The Incredible Hulk, CHiPs, Amazing Stories, and was Mr. Clean in television commercials. youtube has two Midas Muffler commercials with him from 1983, and 1985.

The first movie I caught him in was Hard Times where he plays a very intimidating bare knuckle fighter who goes up against Charles Bronson. I didn't know at the time that Tessier had been on Magnum P.I. so I didn't get any screen shots, but he can be seen for quick flashes in the trailer for Hard Times (he's the bald guy).

And in The Deep he's "family" to the treasure hunter character of Robert Shaw (Quint from Jaws). The movie also stars Nick Nolte, Jacqueline Bisset, and Louis Gossett Jr. Magnum P.I.'s Bob Minor also appears in the movie, which I mentioned in this post.

Here he is at right, the man in the background is Earl Maynard, and the two get into a life or death fight involving an outboard engine!

[J.J. Walters]

Yeah, Tessier was one of the best tough guys ever! A real character. I still havn't seen the infamous Bronson film Hard Times, so I'll always remember him for his roles in The Longest Yard and The Deep. He apparently was also MR. CLEAN for a while! LOL!

I see that sadly he passed away in 1990 at the age of 54.

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

[rubber chicken]

Yes, it was cancer. I decided to leave that out of the post, I'd like to imagine he's still being a badass someplace, somewhere.

And he really was awesome, which I didn't stress enough in my post. There was something that stood out about him. Once I read about his Algonquin ancestry I said to myself "oh, that's why his looks are so unique." Surprising that they can show through so plainly - really gives him an aura of being from another time and place. And his role in Hard Times is pretty cool, he had a unique fighting style in which he used the top of his head to take blows without hurting himself, while also injuring the hand of his opponent. You should definitely see that if you're interested, it's pretty darn good. Even has an IMDB rating of 7.2 which is way up there.

I've seen The Longest Yard, but it was awhile ago now and I don't remember his part. Maybe I'll have to get it again.

[J.J. Walters]

A weird looking editing flub occurs during the "Little Round Top" scene. Just after T.C. snatches the papers from Tessier (the henchman), Magnum gives chase and does a flying leap-tackle. His VM0-2 hat flys off and lands several feet away on the hill....



A quick closeup cutaway shot comes next, where we see the hat is now a mere inches away....



The quickness of the cutaway makes it appear that the hat has moved UP the hill! It's really strange looking.

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

[ConchRepublican]

I watched this episode last night as fun watching before the debate and really enjoyed it. It was semi-light, yet real, with a meaningful storyline. I really liked the convictions TM and TC showed regarding their time served in Vietnam and the gangs concern for TQ.

As a Raider fan, I was disappointed to see TC wear both 49er and Raider caps in the episode. That's just not right . . .

This episode also shows, at least from what I could see, that the steps to the beach always had that problem with sand washing up. When TM and TC run to the beach after Hasley and TQ are attacked, it looks like the sand extends right up to the lawn, no steps in sight.

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Time has little to do with Infinity . . . and jelly donuts.