Magnum P.I. – The Complete Seventh Season

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1. Craig MACKINNON

   November 2, 2010 at 12:47 pm

   Review by Craig MACKINNON for Magnum P.I. – The Complete Seventh Season
   Rating:
   Magnum P.I. was cancelled in this, its seventh season. Tom Sellick was all set to take up the role of Indiana Jones, the character of Magnum was killed in a warehouse shootout (that’s not really giving away a plot point since it happens in the first 5 minutes of the season finale). I think because of the impending end of the series, the producers “took off the gloves” and the result is a poignant and edgy season. That’s not to say that Higgins (and Luthor Gillis) doesn’t provide ample comic relief, but the “serious” shows are more serious and darker, much to the better for the viewer. Even when a show is basically a remake of an earlier episode (as is the case with “Solo FLight,” a remake of “Home From the Sea” from Season 4).

   So the really good episodes far outnumber the weak episodes, and even the weakest episodes (e.g. those early-season episodes that bring back “beloved favourite characters” from previous shows) have some great parts in them. The most important aspect of the season, however, is the formalisation of the Michelle plotline – in a few episodes we see the relationship between Magnum and his (ex?)wife and daughter play out. I normally don’t like the introduction of small children into an action show or movie, but Michelle’s daughter is exceptionally well played and brings the show to a new level of maturity.

   Another obvious improvement in the shows of this season is the increased production value, or the impression of it. The shows feel cinematic in scope, using music to bridge acts, mixing up the visual styles, etc. Everything about the show is taken more seriously in this season than in previous seasons.

   Anyways, the best shows of the season include:
   
   Death and Taxes – sometimes known as the “Mama” episode (after the Genesis song that plays throughout). The first really “epic” show of the season. Magnum is taunted by a serial killer.

   Little Girl Who – the aforementioned introduction of Michelle’s daughter in an ongoing storyline.

   Paper War – a comedy episode where Higgins and Magnum battle each other through practical jokes. Victims include the Bridge on the River Kwai model, and Magnum’s rubber chicken. Not quite my favourite Higgins/Magnum battle (that would be the Season 8 episode “Pleasure Principle”), but probably it’s second-best.

   Novel Connection / Magnum on Ice – the crossover episodes with Murder, She Wrote (the M,SW episode is on the DVD, fortunately). As different as these two shows are (maybe because they were different), these episodes are very good. I think the tone is more Murder, She Wrote than Magnum (Higgins is oddly off-character in places, and there are the typical plethora of false leads in a M,SE episode). Works MUCH better than the Simon and Simon crossover from Season 3.

   Murder By Night – an alternate reality, B&W episode with Magnum as Bogart.

   Solo Flight – even the second time around, this story works. The writers wisely make it an homage, even having Magnum refer to events in “Home From the Sea” and using clips therefrom.

   Laura – sometimes called the “Frank Sinatra Episode” – he plays a NYPD officer on the track of some bailjumpers. But there’s something personal in his crusade….. I always thought of this as the “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight” episode, as it is the second episode featuring a Genesis song this season.

   Limbo – Magnum is “killed,” but his spirit stays in Limbo in order to “say goodbye” to his friends (and, presumably, viewers of the show). Fortunately, there is enough wiggle room to allow him to return for Season 8, which has another series finale which isn’t quite as poignant, but still very good.

   What more is there to say? There are few extras (other than the Murder, She Wrote crossover episode), but the discs are good quality, and it’s always nice to see these shows free of advertisements and syndication cuts. Well worth the cost for the quality of these episodes.

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2. J. N. lyons

   November 2, 2010 at 11:12 am

   Review by J. N. lyons for Magnum P.I. – The Complete Seventh Season
   Rating:
   Definitely one of the best seasons if not THE BEST for the simple fact that it contains the episode “Paper War”. This is the episode where Higgins and Magnum have an all out prank war, truly a fun episode. Also it contains the episode “Laura” with Sinatra himself!

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3. M. Hill

   November 2, 2010 at 10:57 am

   Review by M. Hill for Magnum P.I. – The Complete Seventh Season
   Rating:
   On a personal note, and agreeing with the other reviewers this is the one I’ve been waiting for, Magnum Pi’s seventh season is I would say the best.

   Most magnum pi fans would agree that seasons one, two and three were great, the show lost its way a little with seasons four, five and six, but then picked up again brilliantly with seasons seven and eight.

   Season seven has no doubt the most memorable episodes of the entire series, ask any fan and just to name a few they would immediatly shout out episodes such as ‘death and taxes’, ‘paper war’, ‘little girl who’ and the outstanding season finale ‘Limbo’.

   Any person who is on the fence with this one should just purchase as its fantastic entertainment!

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4. grundle2600

   November 2, 2010 at 10:29 am

   Review by grundle2600 for Magnum P.I. – The Complete Seventh Season
   Rating:
   Magnum P.I. is my favorite TV show of all time. It ran for 8 seasons. Season 7 contains some of the very best episodes of the series. Here are the episodes:

   L.A. – While in Los Angeles to do some work for Robin Masters, Magnum meets Dana Delany. While some fans of the series love this episode, it’s never been high on my list. I don’t hate it either, but I don’t see much special about it. This episode is two hours long.

   One Picture is Worth – Magnum protects a woman who was a witness to a bank robbery/murder. There’s a cliché scene where Magnum and the woman are hiding in a remote shack, and the bad guys are outside shooting at them, and the shack gets set on fire.

   Straight and Narrow – A woman whom Magnum had met in the season 6 episode “The Hotel Dick” now hires Magnum to find her missing sister.

   A.A.P.I. – Magnum tries to solve the murder of a famous French detective, who was poisoned at a convention of private investigators. There are also some dream sequences along the lines of 1940s film noir.

   Death and Taxes – Magnum keeps getting phone calls which are either from a prankster, or from a crazy serial killer. This is one of the better episodes of this season.

   Little Girl Who – This episode is one of the reasons why season 7 is a must own for fans of the series. This is a continuation of the wonderful “Memories Are Forever” from season 2. Just like that episode, this one is emotional, powerful, well written, well acted, and a real tear jerker.

   Paper War – This is another one of the gems from this season. In one of the funniest episodes of the series, Magnum and Higgins repeatedly up the ante in an ever escalating series of practical jokes against each other. Magnum’s mentioning of having an uncle named Otis who worked as an elevator operator is a joke that not everyone will get, but the point of the joke is that there is a real life elevator company named Otis. This is one of the best episodes of the series.

   Novel Connection – This is the first episode of a two part crossover with “Murder She Wrote.” I really enjoy the scenes with Angela Lansbury, whose acting performances are always a joy to watch. But the other guest actors are nowhere nearly as interesting.

   Kapu – After being shot, Magnum wakes up on a small island and is taken care of by the natives.

   Missing Melody – After 7 seasons, the writers of the show decided that T.C. was divorced and has two children. T.C.’s daughter gets kidnapped. I think the writers must have been pretty desperate for ideas when they wrote this one.

   Death of the Flowers – Magnum tries to help his friend Carol to find out if a judge is taking bribes.

   Autumn Warrior – Higgins takes a bunch of teenage juvenile delinquent brats on a survivalist trip into the wilderness.

   Murder by Night – This is a nice homage to 1940s film noir.

   On the Fly – This time it’s T.C.’s turn to get shot.

   Solo Flight – While mountain climbing alone, Magnum gets bitten by a centipede, and ends up trapped under the wreckage of an old World War II fighter plane. Magnum has lots of flashbacks, and we see many clips from previous episodes. The guy who played Mr. Roper on “Three’s Company” also appears.

   Forty – Magnum celebrates his 40th birthday, and falls in love with a reporter.

   Laura – Frank Sinatra gives an absolutely wonderful performance – not as a singer, but as a retired police officer. I won’t spoil the plot for you. This is a very good episode

   Out of Sync – Dana Delaney comes to Hawaii to play the same character that she had played earlier this season.

   The Aunt Who Came to Dinner – Magnum’s aunt comes to visit. Apparently she has Alzheimer’s disease. This is about as interesting as those ABC Afterschool Specials.

   The People vs. Orville Wright – Rick confesses to having committed murder. This is a pretty good episode. But the most important thing is that the ending sets up the beginning of the next episode.

   Limbo – When it originally aired, this was to be the last episode of the series. This is an extremely moving, emotional episode. I won’t spoil the plot for you. I will say that this episode is absolutely essential viewing for fans of the series – if you only watch one episode form season 7, I recommend that it be this one. The song playing throughout much of the episode is “Looking For Space” by John Denver from his 1975 album “Windsong.” After this episode aired, they decided to do one more season.

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