This is the official MM thread for China Doll (1.3). 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: 12/18/1980
Magnum is hired by a beautiful Chinese antiques dealer to protect an ancient vase known as 'The Soul of Soong' until its buyer arrives in Hawaii to collect it. What he doesn't know is that the vase is also wanted by a Tong gang and a deadly martial arts assasin who will stop at nothing to get it for them.

A nice follow-up to the pilot. This first official episode further introduces us to the main characters and features some great on-location Hawaiian settings, including Waikiki and Kapiolani Park. Asian characters feature prominently here, including a great villian, Chinese enforcer Choi! And the episode features a great climax with Magnum getting his hand impaled by a throwing star! Ouch!

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

This is one of the my favorite episodes from season 1. Did you notice the flub? The flub occurred when Magnum entered the Treasures of the Dove at the beginning of the episode. When he entered, the narration by Magnum/Selleck referred to Mai Lin's "Uncle" Ho, when in fact it was her "Cousin" Ho.

Magnum said, "Hi Ho!"

I watched this episode this morning and was just about to post that!

It could be either way, actually: Ho could be her cousin or her uncle. I don't think there was any other mention of him, and it is more likely that Selleck screwed up memorized dialog (when he referred to Ho as her cousin) than narration, unless there was a problem with the script.

eegorr,

I haven't watched the "China Doll" episode in a while, but I believe that there was a reference to "Ho" as Mai Lin's "Cousin." I think it was after TC gets attacked by the Tong-Warrior and Magnum and Mai Lin are driving to her Grandfather's house, and Mai Lin was explaining her family's legacy of protecting the "Soul of Sung" to Magnum, and how all or most of her relatives before her have died protecting the "Soul of Sung" and then Magnum refers to "Cousin Ho." The last time I watched this episode was on DVD. The television version may have edited that scene out for time.

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The answer is obvious, old man. Logic is irrelevant. It's simply Tropical Madness. (J.Q. Higgins)

You certainly have a good memory!

That scene was in the show as presented on WGN this morning. It is what I referred to as memorized dialog. The narration near the beginning of the show, when Magnum referred to Ho as Mai Lin's Uncle, was probably read from a script without having to be memorized, so it is more likely to be correct, IMHO.

Unless there was a error in the script, of course!

I see what you mean eegorr. I always thought the reference by Magnum to Ho as "Counsin Ho" was how it was meant to be, and that there was either a mistake in the script that referred to Ho as "Uncle Ho," or TS just made a mistake in the narration, because Ho looks about the same age as Mai Lin, if not younger. However, I understand it is possible for a niece to be older than her uncle.

I just find it interesting how many flubs and continuity errors make it past the film editors. Of course, this is a TV series and I'm sure they have demanding time limits to deal with and probably let some flubs slide rather than taking the time to correct the error.

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The answer is obvious, old man. Logic is irrelevant. It's simply Tropical Madness. (J.Q. Higgins)

Okay, same topic, new subject.

The scene in which Magnum is wearing his trademark red/blue parrot shirt, half turns to look at the camera (Higgins), wiggles his eyebrows, and grins appears near the end of this episode, when Magnum wins his bet (a free dinner) with Higgins that he can get into the safe. I believe this scene (or one like it) is used later in the lead-in to the show.

I hadn't noticed before, but this scene actually appears twice within a few minutes, except the scene is mirrored (right-to-left) the second time.

I was wondering if someone who had this episode on DVD could post pictures from the two scenes or at least compare them to see if they were just reverse prints of each other or the scene was actually shot twice. It looks to me like they are different, but it is hard to tell without looking at them side-by-side.

Also, which of the scenes is used later in the lead-in? I think it is the one where he looks over his right shoulder, or one shot with the same orientation.

I know, this clearly falls into the category of stupid trivia!

Oh, and one more thing, how many of you have bought one of these shirts? It doesn't look exactly the same to me, but it is pretty close. I am tempted, but I wanted to know what others here thought about it first. Maybe I'll just put it on my Christmas list!

I always thought that these two shots of Magnum were the same shot with the negative reversed.

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The answer is obvious, old man. Logic is irrelevant. It's simply Tropical Madness. (J.Q. Higgins)