Other mistake: The creepy photographer guy is taking pictures throughout the episode. His camera somehow reaches everywhere on the estate; front gates, lawn, the Brigadier's balcony, with extreme close-ups and disregard to walls and structures in the way. It's one of those magic movie cameras.
Sammo
3rd May 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
3rd May 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Other mistake: The IRA operative puts the bomb into the Audi with a timer rigged for 5:00. Three minutes and a half of time that cannot be compressed (no cuts to any other scene that happens simultaneously - and if anything, more time than that should have realistically elapsed) pass before Magnum even gets on the Ferrari and drives out of the Nest. The way it is shown in the episode, Magnum could never make the heroic save. It gets even worse at the ending; 15 seconds remain on the timer and Magnum has yet to force the Audi down the beach road, the car has to reach the end of said road, Magnum runs, on foot, to their point, convinces them that there is indeed a bomb, and they run for cover.taking cover and waiting for the thing to explode! A minute could have been spent for that task alone. (00:39:20 - 00:42:50)
3rd May 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Other mistake: Magnum is taunting the dobermanns while he's grabbed and pushed against the door by two dudes. They are big, and armed. The room is normally lit. There is just no way he could get inside and somehow Miss their presence. Especially the one coming at him from his right; there is a railing on that side of the landing. Magnum would have literally bumped into him; it's not that because he was out of frame he was not existing. (00:05:15)
3rd May 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Other mistake: When the lads chase Magnum at the beginning, first of all they take a disproportionate amount of time to reach him, and secondly, the same footage is reused, so they effectively sprint past the same tree (with the same 2 dead leaves and straw by it) twice. (00:04:40 - 00:05:05)
3rd May 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Thank Heaven for Little Girls and Big Ones Too - S1-E4
Other mistake: Magnum gets inside the Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial climbing athletically over the closed gate. The bad guy comes roughly from the same direction, but given his physical state, one wonders how could he accomplish such a feat - it is conveniently kept off camera, but he comes from a direction with no gates. To beat him to the finish, Rick picks another direction entirely just walking around the bleachers! And they all end up at the same location.
2nd May 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
China Doll - S1-E3
Other mistake: Mai Ling is left in the sun for 8 hours at least, according to Magnum. She is drugged and in danger of dying. Yet her skin has no sign of any stress. They take time to show, of course, but when they meet with Higgins at the end of the episode (which is implied not being long after, with Higgins fixing the vase) she does not have anything unusual either (like a goofy sunglasses tanline).
1st May 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii - S1-E1
Other mistake: For the cool shot when Magnum smiles at the camera and then drives off (which will be used in the opening of the show for its whole run), Magnum unclips the detachable roof of Robin's 308 GTS and gives it a good push back. But it's not a retractable roof that folds in, but a Targa hard-top. So, basically Magnum just dumped a piece of Robin Master's fancy car in a random lawn somewhere near his estate, maybe even denting the rear of the car in the process as he carelessly shoved it back. That's inconsiderate even for Magnum's low standards. (00:06:10)
1st May 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii - S1-E1
Other mistake: During the Vietnam flashback that Magnum gets when he looks at Lieutenant Dan Cook's ring, there is a shot of the helicopter in between the first two radio calls TC does. In that shot, the footage is obviously flipped, with the writing "MARINES" appearing as "ƧƎИIЯAM" (00:45:00)
28th Apr 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Other mistake: The killer is finally in action; they get a semiautomatic with a silencer from a case, then they do an ominous gun-in-hand walk bit (filmic stereotype where someone just walks with a gun out for no reason instead of concealing it). The shadow of the gun there though shows no sign of a silencer. The killer shoots indeed with a silencer - the audio implies that - but in the shadow you can see it is now a revolver. (00:44:20)
28th Apr 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Other mistake: The accountant first, then some minutes later the prince and princess arrive at the estate. They are bone dry despite the hurricane outside complete with pouring rain noises and strong winds. (00:05:35)
28th Apr 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Other mistake: The Prince and Princess of Turbia are, according to Higgins, "Fixtures at Robin Masters' parties." Makes no sense then that they have no idea how Higgins looks like, since it's established that he's been taking care of the estate for over a decade - of course, Masters does not reside in Hawaii himself a lot, but earlier in the episode it is established that he runs those parties at his villa yearly.
26th Apr 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Other mistake: Rick and TC are at the counter of the Chinese joint when they hear a bang and a car speeding off. The noises are almost simultaneous, which means the lone assailant exploded a gunshot from their car while they were at the wheel. Uncanny coordination, recovery time and reflexes, contrary to the parking custodian in a booth we see there, who reacts to the car passing by, but was unfazed and with their back turned after a shotgun has been supposedly been fired meters away from him. (00:28:25)
26th Apr 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Forty Years from Sand Island - S3-E17
Other mistake: Hank Palmer appears in the closing credits as "Hank Sorenso", but his last name is pronounced by everyone (and logically so) as "Sorenson", and Rick says his first name is Fred. (00:31:00 - 00:48:00)
26th Apr 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Other mistake: Marsha Mackenzie is supposed to be competent with certain aspects of men care; she comes from a wealthy family and she has been taking care of the men in her family all her life. And Magnum does show up at the Kamehameha club with a nicely done knot on his tie. When we actually see the actress tie that same not metaphorical knot though, it's very clumsy, crooked and differs in between shots (it's also done on an unbuttoned shirt).
26th Apr 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Basket Case - S3-E14
Other mistake: During the game, Willie scores the 38-34 point according to the close-up of the electronic board, but in the wide angle when she actually shoots it, the score appears to be 30-31...from 30-30, which is odd, since it was a 2-point shot. (00:43:00)
25th Apr 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
The Arrow That Is Not Aimed - S3-E13
Other mistake: Magnum mispronounces the word 'seppuku' calling it it 'seppuki', prompting Higgins to correct him. He plays the role of the usual Westerner who is unfamiliar with the word and concept. But in the previous season, in 2-9, "The Taking of Dick McWilliams", not only he already had to deal with the prospect of ritual suicide, but he spontaneously mentioned the word himself ("Seppuku? You're willing to let your daughter kill herself?") with the other person simply mentioning a vague 'honorable thing to do'.
3rd Apr 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Other mistake: During the airport reunion with father and son, there are several boxes of "Cole" brand pineapples...which are just Dole brand pineapples with masking tape put on to alter the letter D to a C. The tape came off one box revealing the original unaltered letter - you can also see it on the side of a box carried by an extra, Cole on the front, but Dole on the side. (00:43:05)
3rd Apr 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Other mistake: The supposed teen prodigy at the beginning of the episode hits the balls shot by the machine sky-high and off her right. Her coach and mum though are thoroughly impressed. (00:01:30)
3rd Apr 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Other mistake: In the study, Phyllis Reardon retorts bitterly at Magnum that he was kissing Ginger 'yesterday'. But they are staying at Robin's nest, and it's impossible that a whole afternoon and night went by without them talking about what happened - including Magnum to Higgins. And the doctor just came to give her a sedative for the shock...or an earlier day? (00:12:45)
3rd Apr 2020
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Foiled Again - S3-E7
Other mistake: The culprit does not have wounds on their hands, but whoever tampered with the box left blood inside it. If the blood is irrelevant to the case and could have been left by Higgins, then it's unclear why it has an effect on the culprit and make them admit their guilt.
Join the mailing list
Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.