Magnum Mania!

Who do you think Magnum was closer to - T.C. or Rick?

Indeed, he was close to both of them and trusted them both with his life, but if I had to pick one, I'd say T.C.
Magnum just seemed to have more rapport with T.C., and quite often they'd be off out in the chopper investigating, while Rick was stuck back at the Club. And T.M. just seemed to discuss things with T.C. more.

What do you think?

Great topic! I think I would have to give TC a slight edge was well. It seems like he does spend a little more time with him but, either way, I think it is a really difficult call.

I say T.C> They both have the common bond of Viet Nam AND SPORTS!!!!

I have to give it to TC. Not quite sure why. He and TM just seemed to trust each other more. Rick was close to Icepick, while TM and TC seemed to rely on each other. JMHO

I have to go with TC too - I agree with MPS - Rick seemed closer to Icepick and I think that connection, although Magnum took advantage of it when he wanted to, also made Magnum pull away from Rick just a little bit.

I vote neither....

He was equally close to the both of them... but the relationships manifested themselves in two different ways.

Would cite some sources, but am running late for an appointment...

Steve, excellent point about sports! I can't believe I missed that!

I think TC, too.

I somehow get the feeling that Rick started out to be TC's friend...he was his gunner, in Viet Nam. They were both Marines and Thomas was in the Navy. So I think Rick's friendship with Thomas came "through" TC.

Well, let's see. Now that I think about it...that feeling is because Thomas knew TC before he knew Rick...before TC knew Rick, too. Thomas and TC were prisoners of war at Duc Huey (sp) together before either of them met Rick. Rick was the gunner who replaced "Cookie" who died in the prisoner of war camp.

Am I remembering that correctly?

So even though Thomas and Rick are VERY good friends...I think Thomas and TC are actually closer.

I agree with TC as well. Interestingly though Rick chose TC to be his best man, so Rick most likely feels closer to TC than to TM as well.

TM feels closer to TC and Rick also aligns more with TC. That being said, both TM and TC owe their lives to Rick (as stated in at least one episode) and vice versa. I suppose that surviving a war together creates an incredible bond.

Rick was like the tag along little brother........and someone that both TC and Thoams felt they had to look out for.........whereas TC and Thomas were comparable in size and that breeds a certain kinship.

I always thought that was one of the better parts of the show, the TC/TM relationship.

Just as they did the Vietnam angle, I thought they handled the black/white thing well. They really didn't acknowledge it. TC and TM were friends, good, best friends. Race, color meant nothing. I thought this was also a high point for the series.

All good ideas but I think the answer is clearly seen in S2.5, Memories are Forever. At an outdoor cafe, Magnum is greatly agitated in asking Rick & TC to look at a photo he took of a woman in a passing yacht who he thinks is his lost wife from the Vietnam War. Both Rick & TC discount the idea, for Magnum's photo pathetically shows only the back of her head and her temple. With Magnum's disbelief in their opinion, TC says, "I gotta take a walk" while standing up to leave. With that he takes Magnum (by the arm?) for a walk on the beach for a man-to-man. If all three were on equal terms emotionally, all three would go to the beach. No, TC is going to say some things, or thinks so, that only a friend can tell another. Such can be ego deflating. It's something that has to be private (between friends).

He never even looked at Rick or said anything to him about his and Magnum's exit because the bond is so much stronger between TC & Magnum that it is well understood. What I am saying is supported shortly after when Magnum is in "Little Saigon" (?) in a mob of people inquiring strangers if anyone has seen his lost wife by sight of a good photo of her. Suddenly TC appears but is no coincidence for TC tells him he's there to help him. Rick is soon too but takes care of pick pocket who had been targeting Magnum. It is reasonable to think that it was Rick to do this task not TC because TC being the better friend had a stronger obligation to Magnum than that for Rick. Unquestionably then Magnum is closer to TC than to Rick.

Tom was closer to TC for sure. He knew him longer did 2 tours with him in Vietnam and was a POW with him. They endured torture at the hands of Ivan together. Thomas' bond to him was "Thicker Than Blood". But ironically I think T.C. was closer to Rick, they had a much more mature relationship with each other where as Tom's childish mooch like behavior irritated TC. Rick was always more dependable for the everyday stuff and Magnum was there for the big stuff.

Good points about their shared background. But that can only stay in the background--not the foreground. The chance is just as likely that they could end up as enemies after the war, the torture, etc. It is not necessarily they became good buds. The most important evidence is what we see in the here-and-now. How they behave together at the time we see them. The S2.5 program shows convincingly that TC & TM are tighter buds than the relation between TM & Rick. The background info is important explanatory info but not demonstrative as how they actually behave together in our presence.