Check THIS out:
Alan Vanneman Article
Let's all send him STRONG emails about the Manetti book and this site, at least.
He makes some good points, but his negativity seems rather "sour grapes" to me -- bet he doesn't LOOK like Magnum -- OR make the money Tom Selleck does in spite of Vanneman's statement that Selleck is apparently "not proud" enough not to take any role that comes along (though I know we all beg to differ about THAT, since all his made-for-TV Westerns were excellently done and critically acclaimed -- though he did have a couple of stinker movies (3 Men and a Little Lady, e.g.) (though I'm beginning to think the same thing [not proud, doing it for the money] when it comes to "Las Vegas." Did you see Friday's episode? The most entertaining part was when Delinda fell off Danny's lap when pretending to be a stripper! and that was at the end!)
golf
Rather (!?!!?) Contemptuous Article on Magnum PI
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golfmobile
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Rather (!?!!?) Contemptuous Article on Magnum PI
"Portside, buddy."
Hey Golf,
I found this a little while back and posted it (somewhere) on here. We had a pretty strong backlash there too.
(I think it was under something "I am annoyed" or something to that nature")
Nevertheless, I seriously think Alan Vanneman has some sour grapes, as either he was a rejected writer/producer/etc, as most of his facts are completely inacccurate.
i.e. no books, "AHEM...Aloha Magnum", no sites, "AHEM, Magnum Mania", and popularity has dwindled consideably "AHEM, my brother, who was 4 years old when Magnum went off the air owns all 6 seasons and we recently watched the 7th season which he just purchased is a Magnum fan".
Plus, he calls Higgins " Prissy" and a few other names.
Sorry Al, but had you ever bother to watch and DIGEST the show, you would realize that Higgins is an extremely integral part of the cast. A "foil" to Magnum as it were (assuming Big Al KNOWS what a foil is). There are so many different writing cues out there to not make it "juvenile" and an excuse to get TS to take off his shirt.
Sorry, but I would LOVE to get this jacka$$'s email address and set him straight from his lamea$$ blog/"article" about Magnum PI, since the articles are so factually inaccurate that I could have said the same thing if I had copied it from the Encyclopedia Britannica.
Grrr.
Sorry Golf, but every time I read that article, I get really annoyed because of how ignorant it was. You don't need to like the show, get the show, or even enjoy the show, but at LEAST get the facts right!
-DI
I found this a little while back and posted it (somewhere) on here. We had a pretty strong backlash there too.
(I think it was under something "I am annoyed" or something to that nature")
Nevertheless, I seriously think Alan Vanneman has some sour grapes, as either he was a rejected writer/producer/etc, as most of his facts are completely inacccurate.
i.e. no books, "AHEM...Aloha Magnum", no sites, "AHEM, Magnum Mania", and popularity has dwindled consideably "AHEM, my brother, who was 4 years old when Magnum went off the air owns all 6 seasons and we recently watched the 7th season which he just purchased is a Magnum fan".
Plus, he calls Higgins " Prissy" and a few other names.
Sorry Al, but had you ever bother to watch and DIGEST the show, you would realize that Higgins is an extremely integral part of the cast. A "foil" to Magnum as it were (assuming Big Al KNOWS what a foil is). There are so many different writing cues out there to not make it "juvenile" and an excuse to get TS to take off his shirt.
Sorry, but I would LOVE to get this jacka$$'s email address and set him straight from his lamea$$ blog/"article" about Magnum PI, since the articles are so factually inaccurate that I could have said the same thing if I had copied it from the Encyclopedia Britannica.
Grrr.
Sorry Golf, but every time I read that article, I get really annoyed because of how ignorant it was. You don't need to like the show, get the show, or even enjoy the show, but at LEAST get the facts right!
-DI
I didn't quite make it through the entire article, but it sounds as though he completely missed the whole theme of arrested adolescence that permeated the show. It wasn't the result of viewer mail, it was something that was introduced in that very first, "hard-nosed" episode!
Magnum went from giggling like a schoolboy (while trying to glimpse two girls skinnydipping) to having to face the hard reality that his friend was dead. This one brief scene perfectly set the tone that the entire series would follow. And even if you missed the message, Magnum later spelled it out by admitting he's 33 without having been 23.
Magnum went from giggling like a schoolboy (while trying to glimpse two girls skinnydipping) to having to face the hard reality that his friend was dead. This one brief scene perfectly set the tone that the entire series would follow. And even if you missed the message, Magnum later spelled it out by admitting he's 33 without having been 23.
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golfmobile
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Doc,
Sorry if I did a duplicate post, but there are a lot of new folks recently, I was thinking, who might not have seen it. I don't remember seeing that exact one, but I was mostly surprised because it is dated May 2007, and my thoughts were that some of this may have been vaguely true several years ago when the DVDs weren't around, but brisk sales of the DVDs should just about disprove most of what this clown writes about the show's ability to draw loyal fans.
He has a "Contact Us" at the top of the page, if you want to email him at:
brightlightsfilm@yahoo.com
What an anal-retentive, jealous jerk! But I gotta agree with Shermy -- criticism can be legitimate -- no one was claiming to be producing Shakespeare here, TV is supposed to be commercial, right? -- but get the bloody facts right.
Don't apologize for my benefit by getting angry and annoyed about the article. I was also appalled at the viciousness without any basis for what he opined.
golf
Sorry if I did a duplicate post, but there are a lot of new folks recently, I was thinking, who might not have seen it. I don't remember seeing that exact one, but I was mostly surprised because it is dated May 2007, and my thoughts were that some of this may have been vaguely true several years ago when the DVDs weren't around, but brisk sales of the DVDs should just about disprove most of what this clown writes about the show's ability to draw loyal fans.
He has a "Contact Us" at the top of the page, if you want to email him at:
brightlightsfilm@yahoo.com
What an anal-retentive, jealous jerk! But I gotta agree with Shermy -- criticism can be legitimate -- no one was claiming to be producing Shakespeare here, TV is supposed to be commercial, right? -- but get the bloody facts right.
Don't apologize for my benefit by getting angry and annoyed about the article. I was also appalled at the viciousness without any basis for what he opined.
golf
"Portside, buddy."
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Sparkle & Fizz
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SelleckLover
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I never saw this article before, so thanks for posting the link, Golf. I agree with you all, what a jerk with some obvious issues. I find it amazing that he has the gall the critque the show and the actors by bareley watching season one and two. Everything he doesn't like about the Magnum character I loved, he didn't always get the girl, he did struggle through life and finacial obligations like most of us, but had the fantasy of doing this while being his own boss, living in Paradise on mystery Millionaire's Estate, driving my deam car, a red Ferrari and being able to take off his shirt in public without being ashamed. I also find Tom Selleck to have been an amazing actor in the series, he could drum up so much emotion from a scene just by a look in his eyes and perhaps a slight wince or slightly raised eyebrow. Also, any of you around my age (53) remember the Viet Nam era, the extreme unpopularity of the War and the shamefull taking it out on the returning Veterans. Even with the Movies he mentioned, Magnum, P.I. was the first time I saw the Viet Nam Veterans shown in a a more personnel, positive light. I credit the show for being one of the catylists of the movement to get the Memorial Wall erected and the proper credit due to those American heroes.......
Steve
Chicago
Steve
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I certainly disagree with his assessment of the show, but, factual errors aside, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, especially in subjective matters such as TV show critiques. Traditionally, for whatever reason, "TV critics" havn't been too kind on our beloved show, sans a few exceptions. You won't see it on many Top 100 Shows (all-time) lists that's for sure. 
Picture the time you tried to explain to your neighbor* the merits of Magnum P.I.. It's like that.
* or wife
But that's ok, though. Some get it. Some don't. But, the show was a smashing success on many levels and iconically captured a time (the 80s) and place (Hawaii). With Tom Selleck and its legendary ensemble cast, its place in TV history is cemented.
Picture the time you tried to explain to your neighbor* the merits of Magnum P.I.. It's like that.
* or wife
But that's ok, though. Some get it. Some don't. But, the show was a smashing success on many levels and iconically captured a time (the 80s) and place (Hawaii). With Tom Selleck and its legendary ensemble cast, its place in TV history is cemented.
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!
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golfmobile
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James,
I think you are very gracious in your response, and I agree each person is certainly entitled to his own opinion.
The thing I thought was the most ironic (and most revealing of his arrogance, IN MY OPINION) was that he thought he was insulting the show by saying it was "too English major." I don't consider that an insult. I was actually a Latin major with a French minor, but my English grammar and literature education was even more extensive, and to be accused of being too knowledgeable about such is hardly an insult, to my way of thinking. SelleckLover, I think you're on the same page here, aren't you?
Again, just my opinion.
golf
I think you are very gracious in your response, and I agree each person is certainly entitled to his own opinion.
The thing I thought was the most ironic (and most revealing of his arrogance, IN MY OPINION) was that he thought he was insulting the show by saying it was "too English major." I don't consider that an insult. I was actually a Latin major with a French minor, but my English grammar and literature education was even more extensive, and to be accused of being too knowledgeable about such is hardly an insult, to my way of thinking. SelleckLover, I think you're on the same page here, aren't you?
Again, just my opinion.
golf
"Portside, buddy."
I agree with golf, James was gracious in the way he put it. Whatever Larson and Bellisario thought at the time seemed appropriate given what was popular at the time, however, the show did develop away from the Vietnam flavor if you will at times. This is how I feel the producers "humanized" TM's life. Aside from all the other mumbo jumbo that was written in that article, its simply entertainment. I bet he secretly watches MPI, lol.
Hana Hou!
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SelleckLover
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Yes, golf, I totally agree with you. I really don't "get" the show "Desperate Housewives" or the now defunct "Sex in the City", but they are/were wildly successful. Go figure. If I reviewed either of those programs, I'd have a hard time coming up with something positive to say about either one. So maybe that's what Mr. Vanneman was faced with when he reviewed our beloved show. He is definitely entitled to his opinion but I'll have to respectfully and adamantly disagree with him!!
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I think it's interesting (but not surprising) that while he proceeds to trash MPI (or at least the few episodes he saw) he doesn't offer any programs that he *likes*! If you're going to trash something, give the reader an idea of what you think is good, so we know where you're coming from. Otherwise, it just looks like contrarian, psychopathic ranting, which the article came across like, especially the "Yeah, it worked for America, all right, but it didn't work for me" babble. He sounds enraged at something, but it ain't MPI.