Magnum Mania!

I know there is already a thread on the single worst episode, but after starting the '10 Best' thread, I felt like compiling a 'Bottom 10'.
Again, 10, not more, no llong ists . Seasons in brackets

(1 is worst, BTW)

1. 'THIS ISLAND ISN'T BIG ENOUGH...' (6) - The single worst episode of MPI in my opinion; a truly embarrassing guest character makes this one toe-curlingly bad.

2. 'NOVEL CONNECTION' (7) - An awkward and needless crossover with 'Murder, She Wrote'.

3. 'A GIRL NAMED SUE' (8 ) - This one was supposed to be a comedy, but I find it about as funny as toothache.

4. 'MIXED DOUBLES' (3) - An unusually poor episode from the overall great third season, this one has a very weak plot that I just don't care about.

5. 'A LITTLE BIT OF LUCK... A LITTLE BIT OF GRIEF' (6) - This one again just feels very weak and uninspired. Although the show would continue for two more seasons, this ep really feels like they'd exhausted all storylines. Thankfully, there would be a turnaround in season 7.

6. 'LET ME HEAR THE MUSIC' (5) - This one should be good, with a great guest star in Dennis Weaver, but I just find this story very uninteresting and un-MPI like.

7. 'THE MAN FROM MARSEILLES' (5) - Just feels like an uninspired filler episode.

8. 'NO MORE MR. NICE GUY' (4) - I normally like Carol-based stories, but this one just didn't work for me.

9. 'PARADISE BLUES' (4) - T.C. stories are often good, and I know a lot of fans like this one, but personally this is another one that I found dull and uninspiring.

10. 'DEATH OF THE FLOWERS' (7) - Like 'Paradise Blues', it has its fans, but this ones not for me.

I'd like to see other folks' Bottom 10s to compare.

Not an easy one, as I like all the episodes, even the ones I think are a bit rubbish.
Magnum and co are like a big family... you'll watch it for them, no matter the quality of the story!

But if there's a list of the ones I'd watch last if at all, it would probably be so:


1. Paniolo
2. Kiss of the Sabre
3. Mixed Doubles
4. This Island Isn't Big Enough
5. Paradise Blues
6. I Never Wanted To Go To France, Anyway
7. The Man From Marseilles
8. Summer School
9. The Legacy of Garwood Huddle
10. A Pretty Good Dancing Chicken

It's difficult to give reasons, really...
Sometimes it's the setting which is a turn-off (carnivals and cattle-rustling don't do it for me, for example).
Sometimes it's the guest star (I'm not keen on Betty Windom or Detective Gordon Katsumoto or any of the bratty characters - though that's probably not the fault of the actors playing them).
Sometimes I just found the above eps a bit dry and slow, or just a bit too silly.

But then again, I'd watch any of the episodes again for Mr Thomas Magnum or (especially) Higgins, so it's tricky.

If you were to ask me again in a week I'd probably have a list with six or seven changes.

Commandress and Jay, where is "Two birds.." on your list?! I know, I know it´s so bad,you simply forgot about it

I'm not sure I could fill out a list of Ten Worst Episodes. That seems wrong on so many levels.

Carmen wrote:Commandress and Jay, where is "Two birds.." on your list?! I know, I know it´s so bad,you simply forgot about it

'Two Birds...' isn't so great, but surprisingly, I found my 10 even worse.

IKnowWhatYoureThinking wrote:I'm not sure I could fill out a list of Ten Worst Episodes. That seems wrong on so many levels.

I get when you're coming from - the series on the whole was of a high quality. But if nothing else, two words: "season five"!

Commandress - good list, I agree with just about all of them except for 'Summer School'; although not one of my all-time faves, I actually quite like that one.

I have to admit Season 5 was nothing to write home about, but I would still take it over a lot of what there is to offer right now.

IKnowWhatYoureThinking wrote:I'm not sure I could fill out a list of Ten Worst Episodes. That seems wrong on so many levels.

I have to agree. Yeah, there are a few MPI episodes I won't bother re-watching, but overall, I cannot say that there are ten that really stink that bad. Also, I must be an oddball here, cause I always liked Paradise Blues.

1. Smaller Than Life (sorry Cork!)
2. This Island Isn't Big Enough...
3. A Little Bit of Luck... A Little Bit of Grief
4. The Great Hawaiian Adventure Company
5. Novel Connection
6. Mixed Doubles
7. Two Birds of a Feather (a great opening and final scene saves this from being higher)
8. One More Summer (should have been a lot better)
9. Heal Thyself
10. A Girl Named Sue

- "Dead Man's Channel" used to be on this list, but I've since changed my opinion of it.
- I would have put "Birdman of Budapest" on here, but Doc Ibold would have killed me! ........ Just kidding old pal!.

James J. Walters wrote:1. Smaller Than Life (sorry Cork!)
2. This Island Isn't Big Enough...
3. A Little Bit of Luck... A Little Bit of Grief
4. The Great Hawaiian Adventure Company
5. Novel Connection
6. Mixed Doubles
7. Two Birds of a Feather (a great opening and final scene saves this from being higher)
8. One More Summer (should have been a lot better)
9. Heal Thyself
10. A Girl Named Sue

- "Dead Man's Channel" used to be on this list, but I've since changed my opinion of it.
- I would have put "Birdman of Budapest" on here, but Doc Ibold would have killed me! ........ Just kidding old pal!.

No worries, bud!

Hmmm... I gotta come up with mine!

James J. Walters wrote:1. Smaller Than Life (sorry Cork!)
2. This Island Isn't Big Enough...
3. A Little Bit of Luck... A Little Bit of Grief
4. The Great Hawaiian Adventure Company
5. Novel Connection
6. Mixed Doubles
7. Two Birds of a Feather (a great opening and final scene saves this from being higher)
8. One More Summer (should have been a lot better)
9. Heal Thyself
10. A Girl Named Sue

- "Dead Man's Channel" used to be on this list, but I've since changed my opinion of it.
- I would have put "Birdman of Budapest" on here, but Doc Ibold would have killed me! ........ Just kidding old pal!.

I think that my choices pretty much mirror James, except 'Mixed Doubles' Not sure why everyone gives this ep such a hard time. The early exchanges in this ep between TM, TC, Rick and Higgy are classic. "That is undoubtably the most wretched serve I have ever seen on this court". The Aussie guy is incredibly annoying with his grating accent, "Er, she is waiting mate". Ugh, makes me want wack him with Kim Richards racket. Speaking of Kim Richards, did anyone else think that she was so reminiscent of Demi Moore?

In my list of 10, Two Birds Of A Feather would be No1. A truly wasted episode.

The huge saving grace from "One More Summer" is the fact that it has Dick Freaking Butkus!

These list illustrate the difference in personalities. Jay, although "No More Mr. Nice Guy" isn't a favorite I really like it. It deals with football, the Naval Academy, etc... Those things are right up my alley! It also lets Thomas get some of what her gives. As I said I think it is great we all have such differing opinions on the episodes.

the Christmas Eve episode on an uninhabited island used for war game blasting was a bit weak.

There were the ones I had picked, and it wasn't that hard to do so.


"Missing in Action" - awful ending...
"Adelaide" - boring......
"Mixed Doubles" - enough said from what everyone else mentioned
"Smaller than Life" - made no sense, and are you kidding me?
"Murder 101" - could have been better if they perhaps used KKC staff or locals that were from previous episodes.
"Pretty Good Dancing Chicken" - this stuff just couldn't happen
"Photo Play" - Cassie Yates
"Past Tense" - Didn't understand it...
"Let Me Hear The Music" - didn't really see the point of this one
"Novel Connection" - Definitely not well done

There are a few others, but it was mainly these ones.

Seaver41, you're talking about Operation Silent Knight. That was is actually one of the most highly rated, but everyone has their own lists

Seaver41 wrote:the Christmas Eve episode on an uninhabited island used for war game blasting was a bit weak.

Seaver I liked Operation Silent Night. As I said I thin kit's great we all have our favorite episodes!