Magnum, P.I.

Season 1 generally

Continuity mistake: For the first episodes (minus the plot), the opening of the series features the Ferrari with two different license plates. The opening shot shows the ROBIN-1 vanity plate that is in every episode but not in the most well known version of the opening (with the iconic Mike Post theme music used in all the other seasons), and the following shows the license plate from the pilot.

Sammo

Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii - S1-E1

Continuity mistake: Magnum begins the episode coming out of the water. The hair on his forehead is frizzy as he stretches his shoulder with the old war wound. He begins his run, cut to a new shot with his hair now slicked back. When he reminisces about 'Nam later, his hair returns in a frizzy bang, and by the time he's calling Higgins a yo-yo, it is almost dry. (00:00:30)

Sammo

Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii - S1-E1

Continuity mistake: The jazzy opening credits show Magnum driving to meet his friend. However, footage in the city part towards the end show Magnum wearing a flower shirt instead of his blue polo, and earlier (Rober Loggia's credits) the person that steps on the gas is wearing jeans, while the first thing Magnum has to do when he arrives at the base is putting some pants on. (00:07:00)

Sammo

Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii - S1-E1

Continuity mistake: When the drunk Alice Cook hugs Magnum at the airport, behind her, slightly out of focus, there's a man in a grey suit with a yellow shirt passing by. She staggers back, and a couple is passing; he wears a brown suit with a light blue shirt. The couple passes by again, same direction and origin point, when she has a giggling fit at "Are you my boyfriend?", and the man with yellow shirt follows just a second after. (00:20:20)

Sammo

Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii - S1-E1

Continuity mistake: Magnum is trying to get information from Ensign Healy. Throughout their conversation (in continuity and without breaks), they are in different parts of the pier at the various cuts. They go from 50 to 37 at the first cut, for instance, or when Healy says to Magnum he's "reaching", they are back at the beginning of the walk as you can tell by the boats. (00:29:30)

Sammo

Magnum, P.I. mistake picture

Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii - S1-E1

Continuity mistake: In this pilot, Robin Masters' Ferrari does not have the famous vanity plate ROBIN-1 characteristic of the series. The license plate of the car is 56E-478 when first shown, but does not stay the same throughout the episode; when the two yo-yos chase him, the Ferrari's plate is the first one in the city, but 561-068 when they get near to the tunnel, and is back to 56E-478 when the bad guys destroy their (already banged up) car. (00:33:55)

Sammo

Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii: Part 2 - S1-E2

Continuity mistake: When Magnum is in the airport lobby, extras are recycled continuously; look at the old man with a black and white pattern shirt, sometimes carrying a bag and sometimes with a woman in blue; he walks in the opposite direction than Magnum's in the first shot, reappears with a long delay and coming from the wrong side, then he is behind Magnum as he pushes aside the two Swedish stewardesses, then he's ahead of him, etc.

Sammo

China Doll - S1-E3

Continuity mistake: During the opening credits, two sailors are walking down the street. They pass the "Esquire book store" sign, and reach the "topless bottomless" one. Cut, and they have yet to go past the book store. Similarly, in POV the hooker offers her services, and behind her there's a burly guy with poofy hair and a yellow and white shirt. New shot, and the guy is several meters in front of her. (00:01:45)

Sammo

Magnum, P.I. mistake picture

China Doll - S1-E3

Continuity mistake: When Choi kills the captain backhanding him in the temple, the crayon doodle on his palm is on the left. Later in the episode (when he kills the cousinuncle, when he is on the pedicab with Rick), the tattoo is on his right. (00:05:00 - 00:15:00)

Sammo

China Doll - S1-E3

Continuity mistake: When TC is roasting Magnum about his "beady bloodshot eyes", there are no pauses in the conversation but the cable of Magnum's headset jumps in a different position and makes a different curve between shots. (00:06:00)

Sammo

China Doll - S1-E3

Continuity mistake: When Magnum and TC are in the chopper headed to Kauai with the passengers in the back, Magnum's microphone is attached to the helmet on his left side, but in a couple of closeups from behind Magnum his mic is attached to the right side (not flipped shots). (00:07:25)

Super Grover

China Doll - S1-E3

Continuity mistake: Magnum gets in the store and introduces "Uncle" Ho. When the two have the awkward lack of conversation at the counter, Ho's hand positions don't match between shots and their reverse, nor the movement he makes to change (for instance when Magnum suggests to "blink or somethin'", Ho is bringing his right hand across to the left corner, the next shot contradicts that). (00:10:10)

Sammo

China Doll - S1-E3

Continuity mistake: Mai Ling opens the door of the store with a big smile, and a roll in her right hand, kept vertical. Wider shot, and she has the roll in the other hand, and horizontal, until she switches, this time on camera. (00:10:40)

Sammo

More mistakes in Magnum, P.I.

Of Sound Mind - S3-E12

Higgins: How fiendishly deceptive of you, Magnum. I could have sworn I was hearing the emasculation of a large rodent. To my great surprise, I see the sounds are emanating from what I thought was a harmless musical instrument.
Magnum: Cute Higgins, real cute.
Higgins: Why Magnum? Why do this terrible thing?
Magnum: Higgins, I'll have you know I used to be very good. I was the second best sax player in my High School band!
Higgins: Well, how many sax players were there?!
Magnum: ...Anyway. I just saw this in a pawn shop window and thought I'd like to try and get my chops back.
Higgins: May I suggest that your "chops" are irretrievable.
Magnum: Higgins, did you come here just to abuse me!?
(00:05:25)

Sammo

More quotes from Magnum, P.I.

A.A.P.I. - S7-E5

Trivia: At the awards ceremony, three men seated at a table together resemble three detectives from 1970s TV shows. Detective Mike Stone (played by Karl Malden) from ABC's Streets of San Francisco; Detective Frank Columbo (played by Peter Falk) from NBC's Columbo; and Detective Theo Kojak (played by Telly Savalas) from CBS's Kojak. (00:07:20)

Super Grover

More trivia for Magnum, P.I.

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