The Elmo Ziller Story - S2-E20
Continuity mistake: During the conversation between Higgins and Rick and TC upon his arrival - when he recalls meeting Elmo on D-Day - the same cowboy extras walk about the premises, sometimes incoherently even between consecutive shots - look at the one with a red shirt far off in the background, going opposite directions as Higgins pronounces the words "During the war" across a cut. (00:29:55)
The Elmo Ziller Story - S2-E20
Continuity mistake: Rick in rodeo clown garb yells (through an obvious dubbed-over line) Elmo to watch out for the loose bull. During the longshots that clown has his hands together on his lap, but in the preceding and following close-ups Larry Manetti has his hands supporting him on the beam. (00:32:45)
The Elmo Ziller Story - S2-E20
Revealing mistake: When Elmo gets bumped and tossed around by the bull, the stuntman is wearing thinner fake moustache than John Hillerman's. (00:32:55)
The Elmo Ziller Story - S2-E20
Visible crew/equipment: When Magnum asks Higgins why he's angry, Higgins gets up from his desk and shouts about Magnum's, "Abysmal failure to perform rudimentary detective procedures, like finding one loud course woman." In the next shot the white tape mark is visible on the floor behind Lexi (where was previously standing, and then it's gone a few shots later). (00:38:20)
The Elmo Ziller Story - S2-E20
Visible crew/equipment: After Bronco tells Rick the blaggards won't try to kill him unless he keeps his distance, Rick follows Bronco out of the trailer, and when blonde Barbara distracts Rick, the plastic T-mark is visible on the ground at her feet. Then when Magnum spots Bronco being pushed into the pickup he sticks his gun into his waistband, and as Magnum runs over to the horse a crew member (presumably animal wrangler) can be seen crouching behind the tractor. (00:42:50 - 00:44:05)
The Elmo Ziller Story - S2-E20
Continuity mistake: When Barbara the trick rider flirts with Rick, runs her fingers down his chest in the first shot, she's holding his scarf in the next one, and again her hands are on/off the scarf between cuts. (00:43:10)
The Elmo Ziller Story - S2-E20
Visible crew/equipment: As the cab carrying Lexi Ziller drives off, set lights are reflected in the passenger window, and same for the boom mike in particular in the quarter glass. (00:47:40)
The Elmo Ziller Story - S2-E20
Other mistake: There are spotty areas in the plot of the episode; in particular, it's never explained how can Elmo make an appearance at the newspaper office - but at the same time also be considered dead, and Higgins be at the hotel - and who would be riding his bronco leading others to believe he's around.
The Elmo Ziller Story - S2-E20
Plot hole: Considering the reveal about 2/3 into the episode, Higgins appearing to Magnum coming down the stairs of the estate at the beginning does not make sense. Spoiler; it is revealed that he was Elmo all along, but then he would have had - with his terrible athletic ability as shown in previous episodes - to run across the estate beating Magnum to the villa or somehow find a way to the top floor that is never shown throughout the whole series, change clothes and - with the lads! - come down without breaking a sweat.
Continuity mistake: The announcer is describing the first bikini. The model, seen through the screen, slips the cover-up robe in her left hand, but at the cut that hand is free and goes on her hip. When she makes her exit from the stage, the same robe goes from her hip to over her shoulder. (00:01:45)
Continuity mistake: The second model in the opening show, Wendy, wears a robe with a necktie that looks entirely different length and position-wise at the cut. (00:02:10)
Continuity mistake: Magnum meets Florence Russell clearing out of the office. He tells her that they are looking for a place where to put the equipment, and she shrugs saying "It's allright." She had a frame in hand that disappears to the opposite side of the paper bags she had her hand on. (00:21:30)
Continuity mistake: TC is taking plenty snapshots of Rick while he gets set for lunchtime at the club. In the wide angles the wind puffs up the tablecloths, while in TC is snapping away in close-ups with the cloth undisturbed. (00:23:00)
Continuity mistake: Magnum is eating a banana and asking Rick to do his job for him. Rick says "Then you're not sure that this Lindsey guy knocked his partner off" and folds his arms, which are again extended as before after the cut. (00:27:25)
Revealing mistake: In the car explosion, the dummy inside the car is actually quite well done, but the camera lingers too long on it giving away the complete lack of any movement before the blast. (00:27:50)
Visible crew/equipment: After Magnum walks out of the guesthouse brushing his hair, in the next shot Detective Kaio is standing alone on the grass by the garden wall, with nothing particularly noticeable on the ground. In the next shot, as everyone else joins Kaio, now notice all the small branches/stones which are strategically placed on the grass to mark all the actors' positions, especially the two branches placed as a "T" where Magnum stands. (00:29:50)
Plot hole: Magnum is defending his client from the detective's interview, and doing so he says "The bomb that blew up Lindsey's car could've been planted at any time yesterday." Now, Magnum had no way to know that the murder happened through a car bomb; he just learned of Bart Lindsey's death from Higgins, and he rushed to the beach without getting additional info, nor seemingly this info was given by the police crew in the first place. but he knows! Magnum is obviously the murderer. Not really, but it's the kind of statement that gives a murderer away in traditional whodunits, generally. (00:31:00)
Other mistake: Magnum spots a patrol car inside the impound lot. He and TC duck down, and they are at the side of the car. The same side the camera is at, when it gives us a view of the patrol car passing by. It's plain daylight, and they officers have to be completely blind to Miss those two big dudes lying by the side of the car in a spot they have a clean eyesight on. (00:36:20)
Visible crew/equipment: In the study, when Magnum tells Higgins that he opened the front gate for Rick and TC, Higgins then reminds Magnum about the poet who'll be staying at the guesthouse. Then Magnum walks over to the desk and we can see the actor's white tape mark marking the spot where he sits (it's gone when he stands up later). (00:37:35)
Audio problem: When Ox punches Magnum in the final act, the one oonf!-ing in pain is seemingly Denny Miller and not Tom Selleck. The canned sound when he goes KO a few seconds later is equally disjointed. (00:42:10)
