I'm slowly going through "Magnum P.I." and I just started watching the third season tonight. Most episodes have had light humor to accompany the semi-serious tone of Magnum's investigations. At times, lurking in the background, is Magnum's Vietnam past and it's been fairly well established that his happy-go-lucky attitude indeed has a dark side.
This third season opener is probably the best episode so far. An old Nam nemesis (Bo Svenson) seems to be after Magnum, T.C. and an old friend to tie up some loose ends.
Usually an episode has a twist; sometimes they're fairly obvious but at times they're quite good as this is overall a well written TV show. The one here is really good and it displays well the trauma that followed the vets home (before it became overused in films and television) and how it can be triggered for menacing purposes.
Selleck is always good as Magnum and Hillerman as Higgins. They're relationship is often times the high point of an episode but they can also do serious very well. The biggest surprise here is probably Mosley as T.C.. He's not a great actor but he fits well in the show with his limited screen time but he steps up here as this episode requires a little more from him. And Bo Svenson plays the baddie quite well.
Major spoiler.
The ending here is a shocker. Magnum guns down an unarmed bad guy because justice can not touch him. Magnum indeed has a dark side and can play hard when his friends are threatened or killed. This one act displays an utterly menacing side to Magnum and he's all the more fascinating for it. I just might have to watch the remaining five seasons.
End of Spoiler.
An overall solid detective series just got a lot more interesting.
This third season opener is probably the best episode so far. An old Nam nemesis (Bo Svenson) seems to be after Magnum, T.C. and an old friend to tie up some loose ends.
Usually an episode has a twist; sometimes they're fairly obvious but at times they're quite good as this is overall a well written TV show. The one here is really good and it displays well the trauma that followed the vets home (before it became overused in films and television) and how it can be triggered for menacing purposes.
Selleck is always good as Magnum and Hillerman as Higgins. They're relationship is often times the high point of an episode but they can also do serious very well. The biggest surprise here is probably Mosley as T.C.. He's not a great actor but he fits well in the show with his limited screen time but he steps up here as this episode requires a little more from him. And Bo Svenson plays the baddie quite well.
Major spoiler.
The ending here is a shocker. Magnum guns down an unarmed bad guy because justice can not touch him. Magnum indeed has a dark side and can play hard when his friends are threatened or killed. This one act displays an utterly menacing side to Magnum and he's all the more fascinating for it. I just might have to watch the remaining five seasons.
End of Spoiler.
An overall solid detective series just got a lot more interesting.