China Doll (1.3)

[gmt16750]

[timm525]

I thought this was a really great ep. I gave it a 9.5.

First I just have to say it. "Hi Ho"

I remember him saying that the first time I watched this ep. and I died laughing. The look on his face and expression was just too much.

I thought it had a good story line that was interesting and kept your attention throughout the ep.

The sailor from the beginning was in one or two more eps. if I recall correctly.

I too thought Lee Majors was about to leap out at the end with the "bionic" sound effects. BTW, what the heck is Universal's problem with putting that show out on region 1 on DVD???????? That is one of my favorite shows too and I am totally disgusted that they have not put it out on DVD!

TM shooting him in the face at the end was pretty cool and cold at the same time. I liked how the Tong "went for it" and TM didn't hesitate.

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[No need to know!]

This one is truly great. "Still in the Jammies?"

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Onion´s extra?

[Styles Bitchley]

This could very well be my favourite episode.

Love it.

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"How fiendishly deceptive of you Magnum. I could have sworn I was hearing the emasculation of a large rodent."

- J.Q.H.

[Pahonu]

I've always loved this one too! Perhaps my favorite also. It has quite a few "artsy" camera techniques like the cut from the Chinese enforcer in the shop at the beginning to Higgins practicing his martial arts. These interesting shots seem more common in the earlier seasons.

By the way, the flub mentioned in the episode guide about the Ferrari leaving the KKC with only the driver might be wrong. Look closely, the Ferrari is driving on the left side of the (divided) road and it looks like Magnum's head sticking up a little above the roof but on the right. I think they flipped the negative so we are looking at a mirror image. The head on the left would be the girl. It's at about 27:08.

What do you think?

[J.J. Walters]

[timm525]

Wow! That is great news.

Looks like November will be a great month. {insert political joke here }

I will be very happy to see that show finally released!

Thanks for the info! It has been a very long time coming.

BTW, did you ever read Martin Caidin's original novel? Quite a bit different than the show.

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[Magnum T.]

Ok, after the pilot here we go with the first regular episode of the series.
We start with the (cool) Ian Freebairn-Smith theme.
I like the background music of these first episodes very much.
This time no Cross of Lorraine, only the video, as it will be for the rest of the series.
In this first adventure Mr. Macho Mustacho is hired by a pretty Chinese antiquarian to protect an ancient and precious vase.
What our private eye... ehm investigator doesn't know is that a deadly martial arts skilled Tong wants that vase too, at every cost.

I think this first one is a very good episode, the story has a good pace and all the cast members deliver a good performance.
Just one thing bothers me, the way the Tong screws things up at the end.
Work the guy don't look at the d... helicopter!
Anyway, we have pretty entertaining sequences like Higgins in his "pajamas" doing that sort of martial art training (or whatever he is doing),
hears the Ferrari but holds his lads up to the right moment.
It maks me laugh all the times.
Another hilarious gag is Magnum opening (or just pretending to have opened) Higgins' safe.
Like in the pilot, we have the so-called "breaking of the fourth wall" which will become one of the trademarks of the series.
Funny that another of Magnum's trademarks, baseball hats, does not appear in the pilot (as far as I remember we see T.C. wearing the Da Nang hat but no hats for TM).
Here we see Magnum with the famous "Tigers" hat for the first time.
Another "icon" of the Magnuverse, the red "Jungle Bird" shirt, is seen here too for the first time, together with his Ray-Ban Shooters.
Other differences with the pilot are the character of Rick (not the Bogart-dress-alike owner of "Rick's Cafè Americain" anymore, but the manager of the exclusive "King Kamehameha Club") and the license plate on the Ferrari (in the pilot 56E-478, from now on the less anonymous "Robin 1").

Plus: the very interesting blonde girl in orange bikini who takes a shower while Magnum waits for the Tong's phone call.
Minus:
- Rick's "hot-dog" shirt.
- in the helicopter dialogue sequences between TM and T.C. it is clear that they are not moving.
Best line:
Higgins: That combination will be changed in the morning. How did you get it?
Magnum: By watching you open the safe.
Higgins: When?
Magnum: Just now, Higgins. Just now.

Notes:
- in the pilot Magnum wears the team ring on his right hand, in this episode he has it on his left hand.
- again, there are actors which will appear in different roles in the future:
Lee de Broux in two other episodes: "The Arrow That Is Not Aimed" (3.14) and "Old Acquaintance" (6.3), Yankee Chang in three other episodes: "Memories Are Forever" (2.5/2.6), "Letter to a Duchess" (4.6) and "Straight and Narrow" (7.4) and George Cheung in two other episodes: "Holmes Is Where The Heart Is" (4.18) and "The Love-for-Sale Boat" (5.17).

Funny thing: the famous "Six Million Dollar Man" sound effect can be heard during the climax of the episode, although it seems out of sync.
The same for background music in several sequences.

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"Zeus, Apollo, get out of my Ferrari!"
"Mr. Masters' Ferrari"

[MaiTaiMan]

This is one of the best and most superb episodes, not only in first season, but of the whole series too!!

The plot, acting, action, suspense, cinematography, etc...captivates and intrigues you throughout the whole episode! But, I usually like hit-man, stalker, psycho-killer episodes of cop/crime/mystery shows.

I love the ending...where the assassin blinks, then the screen goes black right as we hear Magnum's gun. Now days they'd show the dude's head exploding and we'd see some brains and blood everywhere...but back then they didn't do that. I miss those days...even though I do like "CSI", I don't always have to see the guts-n-gore to get the point across! To me, "China Doll" was a more intelligent and "mature" way to do it.

Since this is one of my favorites, I rated it a 10.

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"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"

[N1095A]

Just noticed, TM wears the team ring on his left hand in this episode. Not sure if this is the only time, but I know in later episodes he wears it on his right.

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"But Higgins, I can explain."