- Cynthia Farrell, the woman Magnum fell in love with while in Los Angeles, is visiting but Thomas is involved with Andrea who claims that someone is going to kill her.
- Thomas Magnum is expecting Cynthia Farrell (Dana Delany before "China Beach", reprising a role from the 7th season opening two episodes set in L.A.) on a flight from the mainland, but before heading there he convinces T.C. to use his video store membership to rent some movies, including some apparent porn films. Magnum insists they are for a case, T.C. is shocked Magnum would get the videos for his fiancee -- the first of many denials by Thomas that he and Cynthia are engaged.
Interspaced with the story as it unfolds throughout, we get glimpses of a brusied and roughed up Magnum narrating to the camera about opportunities lost and life`s rythyms, leading to the title of the episode "Out of Sync."
Magnum heads to the airport to meet the flight, but there is no Cynthia. He heads back to Robin`s Nest and confronts Higgins about any messages. The phone lines have been out all morning, but Higgins says there is a *young lady* waiting for Magnum in the guest house.
When he enters the house expecting it to be Cynthia, it is instead Andrea Nicholson, his client, and she is watching the films. Magnum is surprised to see her, she claims this was the only safe place for her and she needs Magnum to help her watch the films. She thinks the producer of the films, Larry Prescott, is out to use her in a "snuff" (kill her off for real) film. Higgins comes in to see the film and is appauled, Magnum assures him it is not what it seems.
Cynthia then arrives amid the chaos, and Thomas not only has to explain the porn film, but also Andrea (a client I am working a case for...). Some clearing up of the facts and Magnum walks with Cynthia along the beach, ackwardly going over the missed connection at the airport (she took a later flight to get a free seat from an overbooking), the start their out of sync.
Thomas takes Andrea back into town with Cynthia`s blessing, and returns to start spending time at Rick`s Club with an evening of dining and romance with Cynthia. A wonderful dinner leads to some slow dancing and Thomas is probing trying to find out Cynthia`s intentions now that she is here in Hawaii.
They briefly kiss when a club employee calls Magnum to come out as a woman is there to see him. He excuses himself again with Cynthia`s blessing to meet with Andrea. Andrea is convinced that Prescott is going to kill her, and lifts the keys for the Ferrari as she is consoled by Magnum. She races off with Magnum plopped in the passenger door.
Rick and T.C. witness the discussion and the exit, then try to ease Cynthia`s mind about the matter but wonder themselves about the case Magnum is working on. Prescott`s name is mentioned and Rick recognizes the connection to the films and underworld, but plays dumb to divert Cynthia`s concerns.
Meanwhile Magnum has left Andrea (and the Ferrari) and is picked up by Prescott. He is roughed up and they want to know where Andrea is. Magnum gives them false locations and is roughed up some more. He is kidnapped and taken to a secluded film studio and held there. Cynthia remains at club until it is clear Magnum is not coming back, so Higgins who has now arrived takes her back to Robin`s Nest.
Magnum manages to get everyone out of the studio by first giving another false location for Andrea (Prescott leaves) and with requests for water (one goon departs) and then promising to give the real location to Prescott (the 2nd goon goes). He is bound to a chair but breaks out still tied up to the chair, hopping and waddling through the thick brush around the secluded film studio he was taken to.
Time is running out for Cynthia as the night turns into morning and still no return of Magnum. She has an early afternoon flight and is beginning to worry about Magnum. As morning breaks Thomas finds a deserted house with a working phone and is able to free himself from the chair and rope. He calls Robin`s Nest and tells Higgins he will be home, but accidently reveals that he has lost the Ferrari for now which concerns Higgins more than Thomas`s plight. Cynthia gets on the line and Thomas promises he will be back at Robin`s before she has to leave for the airport.
Exiting the house Magnum is confronted by the owner of the property who fires several shotgun blasts at him. He runs back into the brush and toward a road back to town. As he jogs into town he is passed by runners (marathon?) and begins to wonder about the absudity of it all. When he gets to the Robin`s, Cynthia has left for the airport. Magnum calls and gets her paged promissing he will try to get there if she can book a later flight. An airport ticket agent has found a seat for Cynthia on the last flight out that night and she covers the phone to take the ticket, then tells Magnum she will wait for him.
Andrea and the Ferrari weigh on Magnum and he feels he has to get that matter taken care of first. He borrows Robin`s Jeep and armed with his 45 service pistol goes after Andrea. He goes to the location where he left her and is surprised to see her with Prescott. She apologizes for all the trouble, it seems she and Prescott have this little cycle of rifts and then always get back together. Prescott`s goons try to further explain this was what they had been trying to tell him while he was being roughed up at the secluded studio. Prescott wants to write a check for Thomas to make up for all the trouble, and as he hands it to him Thomas just stares in disbelief.
The episode ends with Magnum racing to the airport and getting to the gate as last call is given. He gets a momentary embrace and kiss with Cynthia, they both seem to not know where to next meet, either L.A. (Cynthia`s choice) or Honolulu (Magnum`s choice). She walks down the jetway as the door closes and he shouts goodbye.
The final interlude, of all the flash-forwards with Magnum discussing people and relationships, happens showing Magnum at an airport cantina alone at a table. He rises and leaves the cantina and the airport, totally out of sync and lost as to where he and Cynthia will next be together (it turns out never).
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