Murder, She Wrote Season 3, Episode 8
"Magnum on Ice"
Original Airdate: Nov. 23, 1986
Writer: Robert E. Swanson
Director: Peter Crane
Cast: Angela Lansbury, Tom Selleck, John Hillerman, Kwan Hi Lim, Harry Endo, Ramon Bieri, Stephanie Faracy, Dorothy Loudon, Jared Martin, John McMartin, Andrew Prine, Jessica Walter
Tonight on Murder, She Wrote, we've got the conclusion to a two-part crossover. Newcomers to MSW might expect J.B. Fletcher to join forces with other AARP members like Ben Matlock, Dr. Mark Sloan (of Diagnosis: Murder), Columbo (another Levinson and Link creation), or Father Dowling (Tom Bosley's next stop after he exits this series). Instead, the series only ever crosses over with one other CBS drama: Magnum, P.I. By 1986, Magnum was in its seventh, penultimate season. Maybe if they'd worked Jessica and Magnum's sexy bathrobe scene into the first half of the crossover, it might've given that series a longer lease on life. Who's to say?
To be honest, I've never seen that first part, "Novel Connection," in its entirety. Despite the terrific theme music by Mike Post and Pete Carpenter, I probably associate the opening of Magnum, P.I., unfairly, with the end of some syndicated cartoon block. Later I'd dismiss Tom Selleck as a weird libertarian water baron and then as the patriarch of prime time copaganda. Suffice to say, I usually skip this one.
All that said, I'm actually glad I finally revisited this Hawaiian holiday. In most cases, Jessica is presented as fairly unflappable, one step ahead of danger; cool as Sherlock Holmes. But Dame Angela is such a gifted comedic actress, so it's refreshing when she gets to play a more jittery Jessica. Frankly, both sleuths navigate the final act so clumsily, they're lucky to get out of this one alive.
It's a good time though. We've got a wealthy tech bro using a full-on desktop PC on his patio. We've got some absolutely peak '80s beach fashion from the scores of extras at Jessica's resort. We've got the late, great Jessica Walter attempting to solicit a bellboy. And i'm pretty sure Higgins (Hillerman) is harboring a massive crush on J.B..
A Silenced Magnum?
A montage of events from "Novel Connection" brings us up to speed. Jessica's been summoned to Oahu to help a friend (Loudon) who believes her life is in danger. As it turns out, it may just be Pamela's proximity to the three other people in a car forced off the road in a hillside chase. Was the assailant after Pamela's sister Amy (Faracy), a young woman on the run from her abusive husband? Or Amy's new boss, Joan Foulton (Walter), who'd recently inherited control of a corporate empire following the death of her husband? Then again, could it have been an old enemy of the man at the wheel, former British Army man Jonathan Higgins? It starts looking like Amy is the actual target when Magnum spots a man tailing her car and she briefly goes missing. Magnum bristles at Jessica's arrival, seemingly offended that anyone would doubt his ability to resolve this himself. Doing a real bang-up job so far, slugger.
Jessica naturally downplays her crime-busting credentials, but we all know she's going to walk away with another pin in her victory map — especially since Magnum is going to spend most of this episode behind bars. When a hitman turns up at a lavish party, he and Magnum exchange fire. It ends in some classic Agatha Christie business, with Magnum hovering over the dead man, claiming not to have delivered the killing shot to the man's back. But all the guests report having heard only two shots.
The local police really have it out for Magnum, putting off the bail hearing for as long as possible. That leaves Jessica and a very smitten Higgins to chase down the exonerating evidence while keeping a close eye on Pamela, Amy, and Joan. Luckily, Jessica manages to find the missing shell casing from the (silenced) murder weapon back at the crime scene — the source of a popular reaction gif as she fires off a finger gun to determine the killer's probable positioning.
Even after Magnum makes bail, he's almost immediately under suspicion for a second murder. The police find his signature Detroit Tigers cap near the body of our aforementioned tech bro, Arthur Houston (Martin). Dude had it coming; he was very rude to Jessica and I don't even think that outdoor PC was turned on.
Speaking of turned on, Higgins arrives at the hotel just in time. Jessica and Amy walk in on her husband, Victor (Prine), ransacking the young woman's hotel room. The abuser reels on them with a crowbar, but runs off when Higgins delivers a generic karate chop. Higgins takes a jab to the dome, but it's worth it for the TLC from his favorite mystery novelist. This diversion is a bit of red herring; Victor is after some diamonds Amy (rightly) ran off with, and it looks like she continues to elude him by the end. The two murders are unrelated.
Meanwhile, Magnum's photo is on the front page of the local paper, wanted for the killings.
Thomas Magnum: Fugitive?
When Jessica learns it was Joan, not Higgins, who posted Magnum's bail, everything clicks — including a maid's key in the door to Joan's hotel room. Jessica's ruse is enough to get her inside to snoop, but Joan gets wind of it almost immediately. Jessica pretends she was looking for some aspirin, but Joan's a cool customer. She killed the hitman at the party and posted Magnum's bail just so he could take the fall for Houston's murder too. A dull corporate grudge. Now she's got her silenced pistol aimed right at Jessica's heart.
Just outside, clinging to the window ledge in flimsy docksiders, Magnum makes his glacial advance toward the open balcony.
When he lunges inside, Joan has them both dead-to-rights. Magnum tries stalling her, claiming he's already called the police and they'll be here any moment. Fortunately some other guest saw him scaling the side of the building and actually called it in, because the cops arrive just in time.
Jessica and Magnum agree to never team up again as Higgins offers a ride to the airport. Anything for a moment alone with his literary crush. The little guy is simping hard.
Next week, it's back to Cabot Cove for a curious case of an exploding news anchor!
