In a similar manner to Flashback (S3, E6) Magnum, PI dives into the realms of fantasy in Kiss of the Sabre (S5, E10) in which events unfold through the perspective of a pulp detective story, being written by a guest of Robin Masters. Luther Gillis is a little like Marmite, you either love him or hate him and he makes his almost routine seasonal appearance in Luther Gillis: File #001 (S5, E9). Add to which the air date of this episode is November 1984 and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was released in May of 1984…plus we know that Magnum, PI and the Indiana Jones movies have links. The kid looks identical, is about the same age, of similar American/Asian decent and he’s grown up on the streets pulling scams to survive. What’s interesting about this episode is that it’s more or less the back story of Short Round from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The subsequent episode Tran Quoc Jones (S5, E8) follows Magnum’s efforts to find a young American/Asian boy’s long lost father. Magnum basically proves he should stick to being a private investigator and forget trying to be a educator. Combined with some witty and well-written dialogue, this makes for a compelling episode, which is more than can be said about the next one, Murder 101 (S5, E7). Along the way, Magnum finds evidence that the suspect isn’t guilty of this murder…but is guilty of a previous murder that he was cleared of a few years ago, presenting our plucky private eye with a considerable ethical quandary. Magnum goes dark, albeit for a short while in Mac’s Back (S5, E2)Īnother interesting and unexpected episode is Blind Justice (S5, E6) where Magnum is hired by Carol to help find evidence to convict a wife-beating husband of murder. Sadly though, what could’ve been a fascinating journey through the darkest corners of Magnum’s subconscious instead turns into a slapstick comedy caper. He’s off the rails a bit and sports the scraggy hair and beard as the losses of many of those he’s cared about begin to mount up, adding a whole new dimension to his character. Consequently, without giving too much away, we get to see Magnum probably at his lowest ever. What’s great is that the very next episode, Mac’s Back (S5, E2) follows directly on after the events of the Echoes of the Mind two-parter. The Higgins-focussed sub-plot is a bit weak, but this two-parter sees the relationship between Higgins and Magnum grow even stronger and gives us some entertaining Fight Club-esque themes – even a similar ending of sorts – 15 years before Tyler Durden appeared on cinema screens. Along with a more audacious plot, this episode is just one of the indications that the ante has evidently been upped. From the outset it feels a little different as a Porsche 911 turbo races along rain-soaked roads at night to the tune of the Blade Runner end title music by Vangelis, just moments before it gets driven off a cliff. Sharon Stone guest stars as the bonkers blonde bombshell behind the wheel at a point where her career was just beginning to gather momentum. This is an interesting episode for a number of reasons and it’s immediately evident that the production budgets have been increased. Season four opts for a light-hearted ending with a tongue-in-cheek variation of Akira Kurosawa’s classic 1950 film Rashomon, based around conflicting witness accounts and season five straight away launches with a strong opener Echoes of the Mind (S5, E1, parts 1 & 2).
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