The Case of the Red Faced Thespian (4.12)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the fourth season

Moderator: Styles Bitchley

How Would You Rate This Episode?

10 (Perfect!)
2
2%
9.5 (One of the Best)
19
17%
9.0 (Excellent)
25
23%
8.5 (Very Good)
27
25%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
24
22%
7.5 (Decent)
5
5%
7.0 (Average at Best)
2
2%
6.5 (Not So Good)
2
2%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
2
2%
5.0 (Just Awful)
2
2%
 
Total votes: 110

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IKnowWhatYoureThinking
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#16 Post by IKnowWhatYoureThinking »

I love old cars! The detail that used to go into making a car was amazing! Too bad we have lost that.

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Estate resident
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#17 Post by Estate resident »

Lucky Rick - smokin hot brit chick on the beach. Her waist can't be over 20in.!

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Jay-Firestorm
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#18 Post by Jay-Firestorm »

My second review of my now traditional double-review Friday!

[rating=8.0]

Higgins suffers a concussion just before a lavish costume ball on the Estate, and Magnum soon has a mystery to solve when Rick is accused of theft and Higgins, believing himself to be a Shakespearean actor, is suspected of murder. Fun but not a favourite…

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This episode (working title: 'All The World's a Stage') is one of those 'dress up' stories that MPI liked to do every so often, with everyone in costume. And for that, it is quite fun, although it is not one of my favourites of the season. I know there are some who will probably count this as a classic, but I'm more take-it-or-leave it with this one.

The episode contains several notable stars, including Ronald Lacey and Colleen Camp. All of the characters seem to have a motive for the crimes that take place, and there are a number of red herrings along the way. However, I do agree with the thoughts of some other fans that the story takes too long to get to the actual mystery section; in this sense, the episode is a bit uneven.

And as fun as it is to see Higgins believing himself to be (fictional) Shakespearean actor Sir Fearing Pangborn, I didn’t really buy into it. It’s strange, I can believe John Hillerman when he is playing one of Higgins’ eccentric half-brothers, but here in this episode, I couldn’t really accept his concussed state that kept turning him into Pangborn.

It is a nice touch that Magnum is an Agatha Christie fan, something that he shares with Lieutenant Tanaka. The 1920s theme, leading to the inevitable climatic scene with all of the suspects gathered together in one room, is enjoyable, and the whole episode has a novel feel to it.

When Five ran the series here in the U.K. in 2002-3, I had not seen this particular episode before. I recorded all of the episodes, and, getting home late that day, ended up watching this one at about 2 a.m.! There were so many little moments that kept rewinding to watch, that it took me about two hours to get through the whole episode!

Kudos to the series for once again trying something a bit different, but for me this ends up as one of those episodes that is just okay to watch occasionally – it doesn’t really stand out as anything special in my book.

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Other notes, bloopers and misc.:

* In the scene where Higgins is by the tree, and a dagger zips by him and embeds itself in the tree, look closely at the tree – I may be wrong, but there seems to be a notch in the tree from a previous practice shot of the dagger being thrown. I’ve noticed such examples in several other series (it’s a bit like skid marks on the grounds from cars from previous takes), and am pretty sure that this is one such example.
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J.J. Walters
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#19 Post by J.J. Walters »

Jay-Firestorm wrote:In the scene where Higgins is by the tree, and a dagger zips by him and embeds itself in the tree, look closely at the tree – I may be wrong, but there seems to be a notch in the tree from a previous practice shot of the dagger being thrown. I’ve noticed such examples in several other series (it’s a bit like skid marks on the grounds from cars from previous takes), and am pretty sure that this is one such example.
The notch is where the knife/dagger springs out from the target, to make it appear that it was actually thrown. While many knife throwers are real (and indeed throw real knives), I can't imagine they were used on TV show sets, especially when important cast members are involved!
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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Rutledal
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#20 Post by Rutledal »

I finally got back from my holiday to good ol' Magnum PI and this was the next episode on the DVD. Good episode, another fun "whodunnit" episode.

I also think I noticed a flub. In the scene where Higgins comes with the diamonds he found in his "double-v c" Rick calls Cynthia for Cindy. It might just be that me hearing is bad, but I think it was the case.
So I made a Topic Page about Magnum, P.I. Check it out here.

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Tom_Magnum
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#21 Post by Tom_Magnum »

This episode is probably one of the best out of all of Season 4. I also noticed that Valerie and Marge both played characters on The Dukes of Hazzard. Marge (The Fugitive), and Valerie (Trouble at Cooter's). Strangely, these episodes are from Season 4 of DOH, and they both starred in the same epi of Magnum PI in Season 4!!!!

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wilko
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#22 Post by wilko »

Another flub.

Whilst Barrymore and Fairbanks are duelling we hear the piano being played by Archer Hayes. As Magnum stands next to the piano talking to Archer he continues playing but the board is raised and we can see inside the piano to the keys which are not moving!

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burny
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#23 Post by burny »

Rutledal wrote:I finally got back from my holiday to good ol' Magnum PI and this was the next episode on the DVD. Good episode, another fun "whodunnit" episode.

I also think I noticed a flub. In the scene where Higgins comes with the diamonds he found in his "double-v c" Rick calls Cynthia for Cindy. It might just be that me hearing is bad, but I think it was the case.
higgy, aka fearing, says "and the WC" not "double-v c".
WC being the euro term for bathroom (Water Closet)

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MaiTaiMan
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#24 Post by MaiTaiMan »

Sometimes really silly or goofy episodes are not my thing...but this one I really enjoy!

I love the group of guest-stars for this one...most I've seen in so many other things, and they're all superb character actors! The plot was interesting...Robin Masters hosting an anual 20's party on the estate where everyone dresses up in period costumes--then someone supposedly kills a girl and tries to kill Higgins the rest of the time! The dagger almost slicing Higgins but going into the tree was awesome!

Higgins going in and out of Sir Fearing Pangborn was hilarious...man if they'd of had Youtube back then, Magnum would've had blackmail material on Higgins forever! :lol:

I liked the Agatha Christie tie-ins too...I found it interesting that Magnum liked Christie and the older style of good who-dun-its! I like Agatha Christie stories, Sherlock Holmes, and other classics...so that someone like Magnum would enjoy staying up all night watching Christie was kind of cool! That's something I might do. I also like the idea that Lt. Tanaka also is into Agatha Christie but missed one...so Magnum is able to con him into proving Higgins innocent by letting him borrow his tape of the one he missed. :lol:

This is just one of those more slap-stick style episodes that does it just right--it doesn't go too far overboard with the silly aspect, and it's enjoyable and entertaining! :)
"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"

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Styles Bitchley
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#25 Post by Styles Bitchley »

MaiTaiMan wrote:...man if they'd of had Youtube back then, Magnum would've had blackmail material on Higgins forever! :lol:
Nice!
"How fiendishly deceptive of you Magnum. I could have sworn I was hearing the emasculation of a large rodent."

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MaiTaiMan
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#26 Post by MaiTaiMan »

Styles Bitchley wrote:
MaiTaiMan wrote:...man if they'd of had Youtube back then, Magnum would've had blackmail material on Higgins forever! :lol:
Nice!
LOL! :lol: :wink:
"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"

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miltontheripper
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#27 Post by miltontheripper »

I love this episode, one of my few 10 ratings so far as I watch in order. Best Higgins episode there is in my opinion, he's hilairous with all of his acting! I too enjoy the plot that its somewhat of a murder mystery costume party held on the estate. Agree that several of the "party guests" that we're recurring on the show were fantastic character actors and made this episode very fun.

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#28 Post by mandolabar »

I had a lot of fun with this. And I was impressed in the opening sequence, when Higgins is hit by the croquet ball--he sways a bit, then falls backwards, and Magnum catches him and eases him to the ground. It sure looks like John Hillerman really did fall backward, and Tom Selleck really did catch him...I watched it a couple of times, and it looks to me like Hillerman is too far committed to falling backward before Sellect shows up. And it's one take, so there's no handy pillow waiting beneath.

So you film-trick savvy guys--was there some stunt protection I am unaware of, or did John Hillerman really trust Tom Selleck to catch him..?

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#29 Post by Croix de Lorraine »

Rutledal wrote:I also think I noticed a flub. In the scene where Higgins comes with the diamonds he found in his "double-v c" Rick calls Cynthia for Cindy. It might just be that me hearing is bad, but I think it was the case.
Rutledal, Cindy is short for Cynthia.

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#30 Post by Seaver41 »

mandolabar wrote:I had a lot of fun with this. And I was impressed in the opening sequence, when Higgins is hit by the croquet ball--he sways a bit, then falls backwards, and Magnum catches him and eases him to the ground. It sure looks like John Hillerman really did fall backward, and Tom Selleck really did catch him...I watched it a couple of times, and it looks to me like Hillerman is too far committed to falling backward before Sellect shows up. And it's one take, so there's no handy pillow waiting beneath.

So you film-trick savvy guys--was there some stunt protection I am unaware of, or did John Hillerman really trust Tom Selleck to catch him..?
if not mistaken.......you can't see the ground when the shot of Higgins passing out happens...they switch camera angles for that so there was probably a foam pad to fall into if Tom missed.

Didn't get into this one that much.

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