Transitions (8.11)

[J.J. Walters]

This is the official MM thread for Transitions (8.11). 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: 2/17/1988
Magnum helps Higgins try to locate Robin Masters' stolen manuscript and receives some unwanted assistance from St. Louis-based private eye Luther Gillis.

[Shermy]

Season 8 really pushed the "Higgins is Robin" theory, and having it backfire on everyone is an interesting twist. I'm not really sure why Luther Gillis was included, though. He seems even more out of place than usual, especially since it's the show's last 'regular' episode.

I wonder if he was simply available, or perhaps Selleck just really wanted to include the character one last time?

[Doc Ibold]

Season 8 really pushed the "Higgins is Robin" theory, and having it backfire on everyone is an interesting twist. I'm not really sure why Luther Gillis was included, though. He seems even more out of place than usual, especially since it's the show's last 'regular' episode.

I wonder if he was simply available, or perhaps Selleck just really wanted to include the character one last time?

I think that's the case. It really wouldn't have made much sense if Luther Gillis was in "Resolutions". That being said, I wonder what it was about Linda Lee Ellison that made the writers want to make her the focal point of "resolutions"? Even Cynthia from "L.A." would have made more sense....

[Shermy]

I wonder what it was about Linda Lee Ellison that made the writers want to make her the focal point of "resolutions"? Even Cynthia from "L.A." would have made more sense....

Yeah, it was a little strange to see her return, especially since that subplot didn't really go anywhere. But I guess they felt that his relationship with Cynthia had already been resolved by her return in Out of Sync.

[J.J. Walters]

This is a really good, fun episode with a cool mystery/twist. The climax was kind of hokey, but overall the episode is a nice lead-in to the series finale.

It's good to see Luther, the lovable 'ol gumshoe from St. Louie, again. I've always been a big fan of this character. And hey, he knows how to throw a party, huh. His guesthouse party was really swingin'!

Love the opening scene with Magnum going through all of his "stuff". He appears to have another handheld computer game, maybe a Coleco sports game of some kind...



... and notice the "Cat Lover" award. In "Photo Play" he received a "Cat Lover of the Month Award". Here he has a "Cat Lover of the Year award!

I really, really like the "change/transitions" narrations from Magnum. Grandfather Sullivan sure was a cool guy. I want to go hunting for wild asparagus sometime.

Is it just me, or did anyone else think "Supermac" when hearing about "Malcolm MacDonald"?

If you want a good chuckle, at the 25:24 mark, when Luther is walking with Suzi and Cleo on the estate lawn, take a look at Suzi when Luther says, "Wham!". It's a you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it, involuntary, ... uh, upper body ... "flinch".

[eeyore]

Coleco Games! LOL Wow, are they even still in business? I bought my DH one of their football games for Xmas in 1980 I think and I must have paid $70.00!!

[Italian Ice]

When Luther is having the party and TM takes the rubber chicken and gorilla mask away from that dancing couple and puts in in a box, you can see the bug mask he wore to scare Rick...

Love the Zeus and Apollo name bowls

[IKnowWhatYoureThinking]

Moved. I had the wrong episode.

[MyGod!]

Disappointed in this, especially since, as someone else noted, this was the last "regular" episode. Very little Rick and TC, Rick acting stupid. I was fine with the return of Luther, but would have been better earlier in the season. Boy season 8 is making me mad. At least I have the early seasons and season 7 to watch to recapture the glory.

[IKnowWhatYoureThinking]

I've always thought they could've done a much better job with the ending of the show. I guess they were like, "It's over guys. Let's just phone it in and wrap it up."

[artie]

Not sure if you count this as a flub, maybe more of a set malfunction…. But at the end where the chick jumps over the wall and off the cliff for the manuscript if you watch the wall she jumps over it almost gets knocked over when she jumps over it. I never noticed this while seeing it on TV but on the DVD it is much more apparent that the whole thing is made out of foam and cardboard...

[N1095A]

TM phones Higgins from TC's chopper!
I do believe this is the one and only time we see TM use a cell phone in the entire series.

The exterior scenes of Higgins driving the out of control Audi are almost shot for shot the same ones as in "Limbo" when Michele is driving.

[J.J. Walters]

TM phones Higgins from TC's chopper!
I do believe this is the one and only time we see TM use a cell phone in the entire series.

I do believe you are right Mike! I can't recall him ever using another one. Odd to see him on anything other than a pay phone or a desk phone!



We sure have come a long way from these first-generation analog behemoths!

[lutherhgillis]

The handheld mobile telephone was a Motorolla 'brick' DynaTAC 8000X portable cellular phone, 1983. The world's first commercial handheld cellular phone became available to consumers in 1984. The battery permitted about 30 minutes of talk time.

There was another episode where Rick and TC used a similar mobile telephone and one episode where TM used the mobile telephone installed inside the Audi. I cannot recall the episode names...

[IKnowWhatYoureThinking]

Those things make a great door stop or paper weight!