Discovering Magnum

Message

Operation Chessboard · Fri Nov 28, 2008 11:09 pm

I'm new to this forum and am glad I found it. I first discovered Magnum, P.I. in early 1990 while I was a freshman in high school. They were airing reruns on the cable channel 9 WWOR out of New Jersey and were in the beginning of the second season when I first started watching. I enjoyed the first two episodes (Billy Jo Bob and Dead Man's Channel) so much that I started recording them every afternoon on the family VCR. In the next few years, I would have just about every episode recorded on VHS.

I really became fixated on finding a Team Ring, however, at the time there was no internet and no way of finding a master jewler online who could craft something so specific. Fast forward ten years and I discovered the Lighter Side web page and contacted John to have a ring made. It was slightly less expensive to have one made in 2000 than now and mine turned out perfect. John did an excellent job and it is indeed a beautiful work of art.

I recently purchased the first three seasons on DVD and am enjoying rediscovering the show, even though the video quality is subpar. The episodes on Sleuth look much better by comparison, but I'm still very grateful to have them preserved on disc since all of my VHS copies are long gone.

And I would like to thank the forum member 'Rubber Chicken' for all of his work on finding locations used in the show. I find that kind of stuff fascinating! I belong to another forum devoted to another 80s show called 'The Greatest American Hero' and we have found just about every single location used in every episode. It took several years to accomplish, but thanks to Google Earth and maps.live.com, we got it done.

Glad to see more Magnum fans on the net. This is a great site and I'm thankful I came across it. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas everyone.

#2 Post by **J.J. Walters** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 1:24 am

Welcome Operation Chessboard! Glad to have you aboard!

#3 Post by **ConchRepublican** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 6:49 am

Welcome Operation Chessboard!

I remember my geeky excitedness about finding this board . . . . I compare it to that No Rain video, where the bumblebee finds others like her! OK . . . maybe that's a bit too strange . . . hopefully you know what I mean!

Just remember my sig line . . .

rubber chicken · #4 Post by **rubber chicken** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 8:05 am

Welcome Operation Chessboard, and thanks for the appreciation!

For me, the locations project is an enjoyable hobby combining a number of my interests, and I enjoy hearing from people who have fun with the results. Do you have a link to the locations of The Greatest American Hero?

By the by, I already have about ten more new locations, and I think I'll plan to make the next update a Christmas present, spreading cheer to Magnum fans everywhere!

SelleckLover · #5 Post by **SelleckLover** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 4:27 pm

rubber chicken wrote:

By the by, I already have about ten more new locations, and I think I'll plan to make the next update a Christmas present, spreading cheer to Magnum fans everywhere! Laughing

Woooohooooo!

Operation Chessboard · Sat Nov 29, 2008 5:48 pm

Here's the link for the Greatest American Hero forum:

http://tgah.proboards43.com/index.cgi

You have to be a registered member in order to view filming locations, though.

I think I found the office building used in the episode 'Computer Date' when TM drives up to the front entrance and talks with the security guard. I tried to use the bird's eye view on maps.live to get a good look at the front, but it's nearly impossible. It's the only office building located next to the Aloha Tower with balconies.

#7 Post by **Doc Ibold** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 10:46 pm

ConchRepublican wrote:Welcome Operation Chessboard!

I remember my geeky excitedness about finding this board . . . . I compare it to that No Rain video, where the bumblebee finds others like her! OK . . . maybe that's a bit too strange . . . hopefully you know what I mean!

Just remember my sig line . . .

Conch,

I really don't think you could have put it any better!

Welcome O.C.!

IKnowWhatYoureThinking · Mon Dec 01, 2008 4:19 pm

Welcome Aboard Operation Chessboard! You will love this site. James has done an awesome job with it.

Seaver41 · #9 Post by **Seaver41** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 5:33 pm

I'm new as well and have to throw in my compliments too...........it's amazing to see the devotion to that show still alive. I'm 41 years young and watched it from the start.............it was a great weekly show to look forward to as a teenager...........loved it dearly. Once it was gone and time passed I always looked and hoped for a reunion as it became the fad in the 90's..........but nothing happened.

I watched those shows so much on first run, rerun, and syndication that it never prompted me to buy a collection. Now that it isn't as readily available.........I'm thinking about it..........is the quality not good?

Frodoleader · #10 Post by **Frodoleader** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 8:20 pm

Welcome to our little bit of paradise Seaver41! Say, wasn't Tom Seaver, the Hall of Fame pitcher for the Mets #41 too?
Anyway, I have all eight seasons on DVD and the quality is just fine.

IKnowWhatYoureThinking · Mon Dec 01, 2008 9:07 pm

Frodoleader wrote:Welcome to our little bit of paradise Seaver41! Say, wasn't Tom Seaver, the Hall of Fame pitcher for the Mets #41 too?
Anyway, I have all eight seasons on DVD and the quality is just fine.

I refered to Seaver41 as Tom Terrific in another post thinking that was what his handle meant. I hope I didn't jump the gun on that one.

Seaver41 · #12 Post by **Seaver41** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 11:38 pm

IKnowWhatYoureThinking wrote:
Frodoleader wrote:Welcome to our little bit of paradise Seaver41! Say, wasn't Tom Seaver, the Hall of Fame pitcher for the Mets #41 too?
Anyway, I have all eight seasons on DVD and the quality is just fine.
I refered to Seaver41 as Tom Terrific in another post thinking that was what his handle meant. I hope I didn't jump the gun on that one.

Tom Terrific it is indeed.

#13 Post by **J.J. Walters** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 2:07 am

Welcome Seaver41!

Operation Chessboard · Tue Dec 02, 2008 3:27 am

[quote="Seaver41"]I'm new as well and have to throw in my compliments too...........it's amazing to see the devotion to that show still alive. I'm 41 years young and watched it from the start.............it was a great weekly show to look forward to as a teenager...........loved it dearly. Once it was gone and time passed I always looked and hoped for a reunion as it became the fad in the 90's..........but nothing happened.

I watched those shows so much on first run, rerun, and syndication that it never prompted me to buy a collection. Now that it isn't as readily available.........I'm thinking about it..........is the quality not good?[/quote]

I would say the quality is subpar compared to other older television shows that have been released on the DVD format. Universal basically dug the prints out of the vault and slapped the first four seasons on dual sided DVDs without remastering them. I only own the first three seasons, but from what I've seen, the show looks just like it did when I watched it in syndication nearly twenty years ago. Unless you're selective about audio/visual issues, it won't detract from your enjoyment of the show. However, some people have had issues with the dual sided DVDs freezing and skipping; this should be a non issue if you own a newer, reputable DVD player.

The cool thing about the DVDs is this: they keep all of the original episode teasers and the original theme used during the beginning of the first season. As a purist, I greatly appreciate Universal leaving the original opening credits and themes the way they aired.

Private Investigator! · Tue Dec 02, 2008 7:10 pm

I agree about the quality of the first two seasons, which are the only ones I currently own. The lighting seems a little dark at times so I wonder how that compares to the original broadcast. However, the original music score is a hoot (it just sounds wierd if you never heard it or forgot about it) and the pre-show teasers are cool.

I too appreciate this venue and site for what it is. I found Marco's now defunct site a couple of years ago. My wife and I went to Oahu and got married there in February of 2007. Using information from Marco's site I found Robin's Nest fairly easily, though I drove past it the first time (being hard to see from the road unless driving very slow.

An interesting tidbit (to me anyway); we got married at Waialae beach park on February 2nd. Though I didn't realize it at the time, we stood and waited for the photographer and preacher to arrive in this funny little pavilion with picnic tables. There were maybe 3 people within 500 yards of the whole park. We went left (east) down the beach a couple hundred yards to a where a couple of photogenic trees were for the actual ceremony.

Not until I returned home and was looking on-line did I realize that our little area was the site of the beach bar!

Anyway, I hope I can contribute to this site. I appreciate what you've all done to make this happen.

Aloha