L.A. (2) (7.2)

[sophia]

I tried to find pictures of Holly Dorff, but could not.
She does voice work and producing now.
I thought Kimberly McArthur looked a lot like the girl in the car, freckles and only 5'3" from the picture.
anyway, do you know who the biker girl is?
Do you think she might be Kimberly McArthur?

[sophia]

James,
No that's not her.
Here's something interesting.
She claims to have been in Magnum PI episodes.
http://santabarbara-online.com/article2KMcArthur2.htm

[IKnowWhatYoureThinking]

I saw this again the other night. I'll put this and 7.1 in the same umbrella. I thought it was pretty good. The only things I didn't like were Magnum getting involved with the client Mr. Masters sent him to serve. It just doesn't seem like a very Magnum move at all, and neither does his proposing to Cynthia at the end of the episode. Again, something else TM is more level headed about.

[golfmobile]

I too watched these episodes again this weekend. I didn't think they were that bad, but maybe that is because I really like Dana Delaney. And I didn't think the "lack of chemistry" between her and TS was THAT bad. He really didn't have chemistry with any of the women he would grab and kiss in the show (Andrea Marcovicci in either of her guest roles, Cynthia Sykes in "The Kona Winds," Sharon Stone as the twins, etc.) except with Marta Dubois as Michelle (and none of us like that anyway . . . .). Because I found Dana's character to be more likeable than the other females recited above, I could better understand TM's attraction, and I thought the hesitation of their kissing was more touching and convincing that his "snatch and grab" kissing with the other women.

I agree that the proposal was WAY off base. I realize that there is frequently a very strong bond when a male and female go through a dangerous situation together (see "Speed" with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock). But this wasn't that intense a situation, i.e., it didn't take place within 12 hours. I think an invitation to spend some time with him in Hawaii would have been much more believable. The marriage idea seemed to be the writers' pushing too much for an ending for the show -- that's as close as MPI came to jumping the shark, in my opinion.

As for getting involved with someone plagiarizing Robin Masters, he had sort of finished his Robin chore when he served her with the papers. What happened thereafter wasn't really his choice. The murder of the comedienne he met on the airplane had nothing to do with his errand for Robin, and that's what got TM and this Cynthia involved together. It seemed that everything just threw them together when that issue came up, and I can't see his just abandoning her at that point, once she had, admittedly, involved herself in his situation. And actually she was helping him, risking her life to help him solve that murder.

Also contributing to the unreality of the marriage proposal and the "dump" at the airport -- if they were going back to Hawaii together, wouldn't he have stayed with her and wouldn't they have gone to the airport together? His being there waiting for her didn't make sense to me. Once a couple is a "couple" and "together," they don't go to the airport separately. Wouldn't he have, basically, changed location to be staying with her? Wouldn't they have spent the night together before leaving for Hawaii the next day? And consequently leaving for the airport together from her place? Again, the proposal and the jilting was a "deus ex machina" (Google that if you don't know what it means) plot twist that was illogical for the episode, the show, the series, the Magnum character. Instead of miraculously solving a problem, it unnecessarily created one that then suddenly had to make an about face. Since that wasn't the crux of the plot, I won't call it a jumping the shark for the two-part episodes, but it was darned close.

Now the final episode of "Resolutions" was the true "deus ex machina."

JMO

golf

[IKnowWhatYoureThinking]

All excellent points Golf, and I totally agree with the marriage proposal coming close to Jumping The Shark. I also agree with the producers seeing season seven as the finale and maybe trying to contrive things in the story line that shouldn't have been there.

[Carmen]

The end credits list Kimberly McArthur as "Lady in Hot Tub". I've looked and there doesn't appear to be a scene with a lady in a hot tub at any point in this two-hour episode. The IMDB lists Ms. McArthur as a former Playboy "Playmate of the Month" (Jan. 1982). Can anyone find her in this episode? If not, why is she listed in the end credits??

James, K. McArthur was indeed the Lady in the hot tub. In part 1 when Magnum went to that police Lt. (forgot his name) house, the car was fired up, he ran away, through a hedge to the neighboor estate, she sat in a hot tub, listening to music over ear-phones , takes them off and asks "Sushiman?" He: No - She: No? (smiles)... There is nothing like a hot Jacuzzi in a spring rain. It kinda makes your body tingle all over. You know what I mean? ...(looks around, searching - he is gone) Sushiman??


In P. 2 Magnum and Cynthia watching the news, she is on and tells how frightened she was by that horrible man bursting through the hedge.

That`s how it is on the DVD, I am not sure, but I think as I last saw it on TV she was seen screaming for help after asking "Sushiman" at the end...
How many cut versions are out there I wonder??

[J.J. Walters]

Wow, what a strange a coincidence, Carmen. Someone just sent me an email about this note a couple of days ago, although his recollection was from the original broadcast, not in syndication. It's very interesting that you say you saw this scene in syndication. Why in the world would they remove this scene from the DVD only!? And just who made the crazy decision to remove a scene involving a Playboy "Playmate of the Month" in a hot tub??

Anyway, I'm glad this mystery is now solved. The missing scene in the DVD occurs at 32:52 in Part 1. Magnum goes to the "safehouse" address given to him by Det. McKee (who is setting him up).



Forgetting his pick, Magnum turns around to go back to his car when two goons exit the house with uzi's and start unloading on him. His rental car blows up and we Magnum running down the street. On the DVD version, at 32:52, the music stops abruptly and we switch scenes to Cynthia's house. Magnum is at the door. It's raining and he's soaking wet.



Between these two scenes, Magnum encouters the "Lady in the Hot tub". Also, the person who emailed me mentioned that he recalled Magnum running through several backyards to escape the uzi-toting henchmen. So, there is a whole foot chase scene that is missing! Ugh!

[Carmen]

James. I sent you an e-mail too, with a picture of that "Playmate of the month".*BG* Maybe you wanna show it to the rest of the gang here?!

[J.J. Walters]

Oh wow, thanks Carmen!

Here she is, the missing "Lady in the Hot Tub", Miss Kimberly McArthur!



Why-o-why did they delete this scene!?

[Carmen]

You`re welcome, James. And to avoid further questions from all guys here: She did NOT stand up, otherwise I`d send that one
... a woman has to know what men want to see...

[IKnowWhatYoureThinking]

I agree James. One of the poorest editing choices ever!

[A P Leyland]

I too am going out on a limb here and saying I reckon this is one of the best episodes of the series!

Now, I know what you're thinking - and you're right! It's atypical, it's not set in Hawaii, it's a bit contrived - all these things are true and, as a rule I don't like the non-hawaiian based eisodes.

But...

Thomas being out of his environment makes for an interesting show this time in that he had none of his usual back ups in place and really has to work the whole thing out himself. The expanded running time lets us get to know the comedienne BEFORE she is killed (although my 6 year old daughter predicted that she was dead when she screamed. She's watched too much Magnum!) and so it had more of an impact than usual. Also I thought Magnum's relationship with Dana Delany's character was sweet. It was a little nieve but they both have a lot in common - more so that the women Magnum usually falls for. I disagree that they had no chemistry - I thought they worked well together. Eye of the beholder and all that. Some nice call backs to the pilot as well. Also nice to see that breaking the fourth wall is still alive and well. In season 6 I'm sure he only did it once (Mad Dogs and Englishmen I think).

Also, having TC, Rick and Higgins stay in Hawaii meant they weren't shoehorned into the plot (like in Deja Vu) and had a nice little subplot all to themselves showing them to be competent indivdually without needing Thomas to save the day.

All in all one of the better 2 hour episodes.

Other stuff: The 'Hot Tub' scene is in the region 2 DVD's but so is the little teaser trailer before the credits.

When Thomas is running up the stairs near the mid point of episode one he slips on the bottom step!

The kid TC spends the episode looking for is Carlton from Fresh Prince of Bell Air!

Andy

[Jay-Firestorm]

Part two of this mixed story; not much more to say than with Part I.

[rating=7.5]

As T.C., Higgins and Rick search for the missing Kenny, back in Los Angeles, Magnum and Cynthia grow closer as they investigate the string of murders. The conclusion to this, the weakest of the show's feature-length stories...

-----

This review contains spoilers.

As I said on my review for Part I of this story, I consider this to be by far the weakest of the show’s feature-length / two-parters. That said, re-watching it to review, it does have a couple of things going for it, not least Dana Delany’s interaction with Tom Selleck. The pair work well together, and I bought their budding relationship much more than some of Magnum’s other ‘romances of the week’. In fact, it is Delany who pretty much saves this story from bombing any more than it already does.

The story also has a more polished feel than some of the other episodes this end of the show’s run.

But it’s not all good – I find the b-plot about a member of T.C.’s youth baseball team being pursued by thugs to be tedious and uninteresting. It really feels as if the writers / producers stuck it in simply to give the other three stars something to do in the episode.

And this may well be my shortest MPI review – I haven’t really got much more to say about this story.

Magnum’s wedding proposal to Cynthia towards the end is an unexpected twist. Of course, it doesn’t work out, but Delany will return later in the season in ‘Out of Sync’.
(Alfonso Ribeiro also reprises his role of Kenny in ‘Missing Melody’ later this season.

All-in-all… the weakest of the two-hour stories, with a couple of elements saving it from falling totally flat.

-----

Other notes, bloopers and misc.:

* thing comments that she woke up one day and found that she was 28 and had never been 18. In the Pilot, Magnum commented that he woke up one day and found he was 23 and had never been 23, and in the third season’s ‘Legacy From a Friend’, he comments that he woke up one day and realised he was 32 and had never had a chance to be 22.

* Magnum is mistaken for Burt Reynolds – not the first time in the series that he has been compared to Reynolds.

* Rick only appears in one sequence in this half of the story.

* When Five broadcast this episode in 2003, they added a ‘home made’ recap of Part I, lasting 1:46, before continuing where Part I left off. Although I’ve only skimmed through, they did not seem to remove anything for timing reasons as was the case with most other feature-length stories.

* Dana Delany reminds me a lot of British TV presenter Suzi Perry. Here’s a picture to compare…



Okay, maybe not TOO alike, but she looks similar on-screen.

[firefly]

Oh wow, thanks Carmen!

Here she is, the missing "Lady in the Hot Tub", Miss Kimberly McArthur!



Why-o-why did they delete this scene!?

as the comic book guy on the simpsons would say, worst.....editing.....ever


also, i totally had forgotten how beautiful dana delaney is until watching this episode again.

[AmandaByNight]

I really love LA. It's a lot of fun and moving in parts. I love Dana Delany and I always thought she seemed right for Magnum. I loved the one when she comes to visit him. I always feel bad that their timing was off.

As a whole, this is probably one of my favorite episodes of the series (in the top 20). It's just fresh and brisk.