Sun, surf, and fake Beach Boys muzak can only mean one thing: It’s time for flashbacks! In this episode, we see Magnum, T.C., and Rick as they were before the pilot episode. Magnum’s a struggling P.I. on his first case. T.C.’s flying someone else’s helicopter. Rick is still doing that weird not-Bogart impression. Unfortunately there’s also a plot in the present day, and they’re connected, and neither of them makes a lot of sense, and it’s kind of a disaster all around. But: One of the all-time great Higgins speeches! Also, Jason almost forgets the blockbuster segment he introduced to the show last time!

Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr

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Norman Fell menaces in hallucinatory flashbacks, a centipede bite causes mayhem, a spider steals Herman the Shark’s valor, and there’s some guy named Michaels. Unfortunately, this episode wants to be “Home from the Sea”, and even re-uses footage from that episode, which just reminds us that we’d rather be watching that episode.

Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr

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This earliest non-pilot episode of Magnum features weird music, dogs, shots from the opening credits, an unfortunate Chinese food joke, fast dialogue, and a kung-fu assassin with one fatal flaw: blinking.

Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr

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Back to the early days of “Magnum” with this episode featuring dual Ferrers and dual Lockharts along with a single Scatman. This episode really sets the stage for what this show will be able to do, even with the unnecessarily complicated plot. But don’t hold it against the screenwriter—after all, he is a novelist.

Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr

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Now lissen up, Pilgrim, there’s a fake Christopher Cross version of the Magnum Theme and a dead body in a trunk in this episode. We play a game of Bad Cop/No Cop with guest star Clyde Kusatsu! But… does it have the island vibes?

Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr

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It’s our 100th episode spectacular! Major General Eyepatch threatens our friends with death! Rick faces death by remembering some guys on the 1969 Cubs, but can Phil remember those guys? Is Robert Forster chewing the scenery… for the CIA? Which episode template of “Magnum, p.i.” is this, anyway? And Clyde Kusatsu is the George freakin’ Washington of Cambodia.

Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr

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Academy award nominee Robert Forster chews all available scenery in part one of this two-part episode featuring a rogue mission to Cambodia. The gang travels upriver to the heart of darkness to the strains of a very bad Creedence Clearwater Revival cover. Death to the papists!

Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr

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It’s time for another Summer of Magnum, unless you’re one of our many Australian listeners, in which case you’ll just warm yourself with shots of 1980s Hawaii. In this episode, we spend a surprising amount of time doing nothing other than announcing our return and telling you what episode we’re watching next. Consider this a shakedown cruise.

Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr

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We preview our 2025 Member Special, which is about S3E1 of “Vega$”, “Aloha You’re Dead,” starring Robert Urich. It aired a month before the first episode of “Magnum” and features a lot of familiar locations, including Robin’s Nest itself. You can listen to that episode if you become an Incomparable member. In this teaser episode we also read a letter, discuss swearing, Jason brings up some recent news, and it’s basically our usual nonsense. We’ll be back later this year with a full season!

Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr

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We wrap up this season of “Magnum, podcast” with a blockbuster two-hour special that introduces us to Magnum’s ex-wife, yet not wife in the eyes of the Catholic Church or the Vietnamese government, Michelle. For an episode that we didn’t like, we try to find positive things where we can. And we muse about how introducing Michelle in season 2 might have pulled the rug out from under all of Magnum’s future romance ambitions.

Keep those emails coming to [email protected] and we’ll see you next year!

Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.