Magnum PI - S05E06 - “Dead Ringer” recap and review (I’m going to spoil some stuff here)
I love how amazing it is that Thomas and Juliet are going into this relationship completely. They already know each other well, and have been working well together for a couple of years, and their flirting and interaction is just so incredibly well done. And when they don’t have a case, they choose to start the day off with some coffee and some sex? They are INTO this relationship and I am for it.
Rick is...well, Rick is very much himself. And the conversation between him, T.C. and Kumu at the bar has some friends speculating and maybe hoping that they’re right about Thomas and Juliet. Rick even says they’ve been rooting for this for years, but they don’t REALLY know. Even with finding Juliet’s necklace under Thomas’ bed.
Did Juliet just toss a $10k bundle on Thomas’ lap? I’m not sure if that was a disagreement that Thomas and Juliet then agreed on...or a professional argument that ended when they weren’t sure where they ended up, but had a way forward? Either way, Juliet’s frown when she’s not sure if they agreed or not is cute because she realizes they really do play so well off each other. So they’re looking into Jack Hill?
Gordon’s hearing is today. And I like how supporting Dennis is of his dad. You did a good job, Katsumoto. You’re a good father.
Higgy closes the laptop. The foot is down, the FOOT is DOWN! Jack Hill was a police officer. Hmm...this just got all kinds of interesting. Unknown client, money stack up front from the unknown client, ex-cop as the target of the investigation and still no reason for why...oh yes, you have my attention. And Magnum and Higgins still disagree on how to proceed, so they’re going to work the case from the ends they think best: Higgins will try and track down the unknown client, and Magnum will look into Jack Hill. Though she doesn’t look too pleased that he’s doing that. And she has good reason, because as Jack Hill (in the truck I presume) drives away he apparently misses the bright fire-engine-red Ferrari parked in the street with the driver watching him, and Magnum immediately goes to break into the home of an ex-cop. Oh smooth, Magnum. I don’t know if this is one of your smartest plans...
But he got enough clues to help when Higgy checks in with him with her results. So we find the anonymous client is the anesthesiologist that just helped with Jack Hill’s operation. Higgy has such a great smug smirk. After the talk with the Doc, we have a brief interaction, you can’t even call it a tiff because they don’t disagree they just banter flirtatiously.
I love that we check in on Gordie to see how he’s doing before his hearing, but did we have to phrase it that we’re asking a favor. They could literally have left that whole sentence out and just asked if Gordon remembers Hill from HPD. Magnum you, sir, are a bit of an ass.
Rick is really having some trouble about the Miggy relationship. Kumu and T.C. look at him funny because it does seem like he is REALLY going hard to try and figure out what’s up.
Oh the escort! Juliet goes from slight shock to nervous laughter to flattered in about 7 seconds, but we didn’t get much reaction from Thomas at the suggestion of a three-way from the escort. But the mention of Jack Hill and she gives some critical details that make Thomas and Juliet suspect he was using Amber (escort) to stand in for his deceased wife, and he might have found a replacement...
The ideas just bounce back and forth between Thomas and Juliet quite well. And we find a missing persons report that the victim, Jenny, has some overlaps with Jack Hill in just the right time frame. I’m really hoping this is going to get ugly.
Gordie! You got this, dude! Dennis, you’re cool. Gordon, you’ll be fine.
And we go to the diner where Jenny worked and it’s owned by her father. Oh man, please tell me this guy is going to get closure. So the police found her car burned but never found a body...hmmm. And then Jenny’s mother left because she couldn’t stand to be around Abe. Damn, this is sad.
Get yours, Gordon! He takes out the speech and words he had prepared and then puts them back in. He speaks from the heart. That matters. It MATTERS. Because however this disciplinary board votes, Gordon needed them to know how much the job MATTERS to him. Yes, he’s extremely good at it, but why he does it? That’s huge.
Detective Childs. Oh I do not know that he imagined he’d be seeing so much of Higgins and Magnum when he got to HPD. But he’s getting used to it! And Higgins and Magnum are learning how to work with him, too.
Rick’s in limbo? Huh, parts of his life that he wants to be certain ways are not, and they’re kind of in limbo. And the relationship between Juliet and Thomas, whether intimate or not, has been going for years now and is in limbo, but might be more certain. And if they can do it, why not Rick? T.C. hits it: Rick has hope. And that can really be something.
Oh Detective Childs is good. Is he making up a story to gain sympathy points with Jack? When Jack gets nervous, Childs also immediately goes hard.
How the crap did Jack die...wait, he had a peanut allergy...but his cabinet was full of peanut butter...could Jenny be alive?!?!?! We can see Magnum’s wheels turning. And we’re at Jack’s house and the wheels are still turning. They’re really going. Holy balls, Jenny’s alive! And that SOB had her in there for 5 f’in years?!?!?! There is a whole long string of expletives that I want to say right now, but Jenny’s family has her physically back. Mentally, it’s going to take a LONG time though. But it’s a start.
Gordon and Dennis, enjoying dinner. And Dennis is there to support his dad, but one thing kids are also great at is keeping a parent’s ego in check. Nicely delivered in jest, Dennis.
Congratulatory party for Gordon! So HPD is keeping him! Yeah, Gordy! And Magnum can’t have anymore favors, but Higgins? Not a problem.
T.C. and Rick pull Thomas aside for a minute. The necklace...T.C. asks if Thomas and Higgy are together. Thomas response? After stuttering/spluttering for a few seconds, the smile and “I can’t keep it from you guys anymore, it’s too important. And honestly, I’m too happy!” FANTASTIC RESPONSE. And then the loving look he gives toward the table. Fade? We’re fading? Why the hell are we fading? Oh okay, we’re going outside.
Juliet approaches Thomas outside. The touching! They are so tactile, they just can’t keep their hands off each other! PDA because she probably already suspects...yup, and they are so into this relationship. Juliet, you are right: “It’s definitely working.”
I just finished throwing in my thoughts on the previous episode last night, and mentioned that NBC’s treatment of this series is just...great. It seems like the network is giving this series a really good shot. And I’m here for it!
This was another great episode! The writing, the pacing, the relationships, the acting, we are just hitting it so well in every aspect. I don’t know if this episode had an actual weak spot. Editing this recap, it does seem somewhat erratic, yet follows the show. Hopefully anyone reading this will have watched or will be watching the episode because it’s really good.
I do want more Suzy, more Mahina, always some Kumu, and maybe now the Lads. I want Higgy driving a Ferrari! We’ll see. I don’t know how much can be packed into these episodes, but damn if it’s not working so far this season!