40th Anniversary Watch Party

[SeamanWolfe]

Really enjoyed this episode. Did some digging and it appears the writer only did one other Magnum, but was a writer on both sopranos and northern exposure (including the episode Cicely - which I have not seen in a long time, but recall it being really good.

Thought Rick was better in this episode (more competent less silly).

Looking forward to next week - season 2 started slow, but this episode was very good.

[Styles Bitchley]

Really enjoyed this episode. Did some digging and it appears the writer only did one other Magnum, but was a writer on both sopranos and northern exposure (including the episode Cicely - which I have not seen in a long time, but recall it being really good.

Thought Rick was better in this episode (more competent less silly).

Looking forward to next week - season 2 started slow, but this episode was very good.

Interesting stuff. I was a big fan of Northern Exposure too. Looking forward to watching this tomorrow.

[T.Q.]

This seriously always makes me smile (especially with the music) at the end.

[Styles Bitchley]

This seriously always makes me smile (especially with the music) at the end.

Yeah. Manetti seems to actually be giggling. I wonder if they shot it with Selleck actually taking the plunge. He clearly did a lot of his own "stunts" in this episode. He put on his own diving gear and jumped off the boat - all without cuts, so it was clearly him doing it. Underwater scenes too.

Knowing this episode well, I was drawn to some of the things that don't really make sense on this viewing, but I don't want to dwell on those. The most obvious oddity is why they open with Hammond's abandoned sailboat that the Coast Guard brings back to land and then settle on featuring a big cruiser as his boat that is moored in the harbour? Are we supposed to think this is the same vessel? If he just has two boats, why would he take a sailboat out to go scuba diving and not his cruiser - a much more appropriate boat for diving? By the way, does anyone know what kind of sailboat it is in the opening scene? (I'm looking at you, Pahonu).

I know that if I look too hard at all of these bits and pieces I'll find things like this, so I'm going to try to avoid that in my responses this season. All in all a very enjoyable viewing this week.

[SeamanWolfe]

I did not make the connection to raiders of the lost ark here (but I can't unsee it now). The female lead looks a lot like the actress from raiders (I noticed it last night before this message board filled in the obvious fact that the characters are both named Marion).

Based on timing - Raiders would have still been in theaters when this aired (movies had much longer theater life back then) - people would see movies multiple times in the theater - video rentals/vcrs were still a few years from the mainstream - once it was gone from the theater it was anyone's guess when it would be on tv.

[Pahonu]

This seriously always makes me smile (especially with the music) at the end.

Yeah. Manetti seems to actually be giggling. I wonder if they shot it with Selleck actually taking the plunge. He clearly did a lot of his own "stunts" in this episode. He put on his own diving gear and jumped off the boat - all without cuts, so it was clearly him doing it. Underwater scenes too.

Knowing this episode well, I was drawn to some of the things that don't really make sense on this viewing, but I don't want to dwell on those. The most obvious oddity is why they open with Hammond's abandoned sailboat that the Coast Guard brings back to land and then settle on featuring a big cruiser as his boat that is moored in the harbour? Are we supposed to think this is the same vessel? If he just has two boats, why would he take a sailboat out to go scuba diving and not his cruiser - a much more appropriate boat for diving? By the way, does anyone know what kind of sailboat it is in the opening scene? (I'm looking at you, Pahonu).

I know that if I look too hard at all of these bits and pieces I'll find things like this, so I'm going to try to avoid that in my responses this season. All in all a very enjoyable viewing this week.

The sailboat in the opening is a Cal 20. They were and are still popular one-design sailboats for local fleet racing. About 200 were built in the 60’s and 70’s from a design by Bill Lapworth. They’re lots of fun to sail and I had a chance to crew on a friend’s boat at the Cal 20 Class Championships that were here in Long Beach in 2015.

As far as the other boat that Marion is staying on, it appears to be a type of “character boat”. They’re designed to look like a historic vessel type, in this case an old tug, but they aren’t always the most practical to take out. Many are used as live-aboards, which is the case here. I’ve seen some that look like paddle-wheelers and even an old square rigger with pirate features.

My take is that Dr. Hammond lived aboard the more roomy “tug” boat, and used the Cal 20 for both recreation and work. That’s two slips to rent, not three. A Whaler would be the simplest to dive from, but he also enjoyed sailing. The Cal 20 has a well for an outboard and can be motored around easily sails down. It also has a very large cockpit for its size which would be handy for diving. Then, when work is done he could enjoy an afternoon day sail. I wouldn’t turn that life down!

I also love the scene with TM going in the drink!

[Styles Bitchley]

The sailboat in the opening is a Cal 20. They were and are still popular one-design sailboats for local fleet racing. About 200 were built in the 60’s and 70’s from a design by Bill Lapworth. They’re lots of fun to sail and I had a chance to crew on a friend’s boat at the Cal 20 Class Championships that were here in Long Beach in 2015.

As far as the other boat that Marion is staying on, it appears to be a type of “character boat”. They’re designed to look like a historic vessel type, in this case an old tug, but they aren’t always the most practical to take out. Many are used as live-aboards, which is the case here. I’ve seen some that look like paddle-wheelers and even an old square rigger with pirate features.

My take is that Dr. Hammond lived aboard the more roomy “tug” boat, and used the Cal 20 for both recreation and work. That’s two slips to rent, not three. A Whaler would be the simplest to dive from, but he also enjoyed sailing. The Cal 20 has a well for an outboard and can be motored around easily sails down. It also has a very large cockpit for its size which would be handy for diving. Then, when work is done he could enjoy an afternoon day sail. I wouldn’t turn that life down!

I also love the scene with TM going in the drink!

Okay. I'll buy that explanation. I knew we'd get to learn something from you on this!

[Pahonu]

This episode and Italian Ice are my two favorites of the season. It has just about everything I enjoy: scenes on and under the water, local island flavor, a unique storyline, and my favorite comedic subplot of the series with Horace the goat/Kudu buck. There are multiple amusing scenes based around the goat, starting with him simply driving up in the Ferrari’s passenger seat. Then he eats Higgins’ flowers forcing TM to rather awkwardly carry him away, while Marion questions him about actually being a PI. The scene with Higgins describing a Kudu and TM describing a goat is well done. The line about knowing the animals name so one can’t shoot it is great and TM even tries to bargain away an estate privilege he doesn’t have! Of course the best of all is when TM pretends not to hear the goat and Higgins passes on a second whisky as he questions his judgement.

It even has a second subplot that turns comedic at the end with Rick piloting the King Kam for the hoods’ poker game. The only missing piece in this one is no TC. It’s one of a few episodes he doesn’t appear in and I’ve always wondered why. Was he simply not written into the episodes or was there a conflict of some sort?

[Styles Bitchley]

Yeah. I can imagine TC being worked in somehow, but the episode stands on its own without him.

[Pahonu]

Yeah. I can imagine TC being worked in somehow, but the episode stands on its own without him.

Agreed, but I still wonder about the reasons a primary cast member wasn’t included.

[Chris109]

I don't mind the episode, but that chick seemed to whine through the whole episode. And when she discovered her father kept letters, she does a bad job of crying. Maybe it was just that hoarse voice.

[Chris109]

Yeah. I can imagine TC being worked in somehow, but the episode stands on its own without him.

Agreed, but I still wonder about the reasons a primary cast member wasn’t included.

Maybe he was thinking 40 years ahead about a knife being named after his character.

https://www.bladehq.com/item--Quarterma ... vin--76115

[Styles Bitchley]

Yeah. I can imagine TC being worked in somehow, but the episode stands on its own without him.

Agreed, but I still wonder about the reasons a primary cast member wasn’t included.

Maybe he was thinking 40 years ahead about a knife being named after his character.

https://www.bladehq.com/item--Quarterma ... vin--76115

A bit of an odd digression, but interesting to see that!

[ConchRepublican]

Yeah. I can imagine TC being worked in somehow, but the episode stands on its own without him.

Agreed, but I still wonder about the reasons a primary cast member wasn’t included.

Maybe he was thinking 40 years ahead about a knife being named after his character.

https://www.bladehq.com/item--Quarterma ... vin--76115

A bit of an odd digression, but interesting to see that!

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

This is one of my all time favourites.

Good but not as good as the season opener "William Joseph Robert".

That, my friend, is a true dad joke. And I strongly disagree.

And I am a dad!

I also disagree, both with dad jokes and the quality of Billy Joe Bob. The cowboy justice was way over the top, almost to the point of absurdity. He rigs a noose from a tree and has him stand on chair while pointing his six shooter from out of his cowboy holster. Seems a bit silly to me.

Yeah, but that's kinda the point. MPI was mostly light-hearted entertainment, not to be taken too seriously. Five-O it wasn't. Billy Joe Bob was never meant to be Buford Pusser from WALKING TALL. It's a comedic version of cowboy justice.