Stupidity: The whole episode is adorable 80s camp that makes zero sense. A very public attempt is made to the life of the star player, at a party and there are 3 bullet holes in a car to prove it. He hires someone to investigate, and the only way this guy has to protect him is to be added to the team. That's absurd; not just because it's not how pro football works, but also because being on the pitch getting physical with other players in no way helps to protect Darcey from a shooter that snipes at him from distance; Magnum would have done a better job watching him from the stands and being on the lookout at the hotel.
Stupidity: Magnum totals his car and suffers " a severe concussion, numerous cracked ribs, bruised hip and a contused kidney." The injuries are methodically listed and can't be dismissed, but he's driving, on his own, literally the next day, and the Ferrari (which requires importing pieces, plus an insurance claim) is repaired just a day after. Both are more than miraculous recoveries - and his friends who care this much about him just let him drive in such condition (one has to assume that with damage so severe he'd also be on pain medication, but that's not mentioned).
Stupidity: The elaborate plan of the bad guy obviously involves driving Magnum increasingly crazy and create a rift between Higgins and him, but practically all the most damning episodes are outside the bad guy's control, and all the steps he takes are actually harmful towards him should have Magnum been in any way competent at his job. He couldn't have predicted that Magnum would paint the whole episode under the ridiculous light of "sumo wrestler and midget" instead of "big guy and small guy", he couldn't have predicted he'd stain himself, he'd try and force himself upon the girl, he wouldn't check the girl's background.
Stupidity: The secret service's purpose is to protect the prince of the nation. There's a roadblock (a watermelon truck across the lane). They could and should turn the car around and/or avoid the obstacle, but what they do is instead stop the limousine and walk out, right into enemy fire, leaving open the doors. Stellar work. (00:26:30)
Squeeze Play - S4-E7
Stupidity: Hard hats are a necessity but they leave something to be desired in terms of comfort and nobody really is overly fond of them. Yet in a Hollywood clichè, the construction workers chilling at the bar outside of work wear their hats, even the one guy who is retired (and still somehow knows where the guy Magnum looks for currently is). (00:16:50)
Stupidity: Everyone refuses to believe Waldo and treats him as a complete fraud once Magnum finds out that he was discharged from the CIA a couple years before, but it's rather preposterous; the man has been a CIA agent as he mentioned, and for over 20 years. That is not like discovering that he lied about everything, and nobody would shrug off everything he says without a second thought.
China Doll - S1-E3
Stupidity: The villain of the episode is supposed to be a fearsome martial artist who killed with his bare hands dozens of people (a dozen alone is made of Mai Ling's relatives). This killing machine has one small weak point; he 'blinks' before striking. But it's not even a 'blink'; he squints. Hard. For long. Not even the worst amateur boxer has such a gigantic weak point. He also gets distracted by a helicopter flying in the distance forgetting completely about his opponent and letting them grab a gun and calmly point it at him.
China Doll - S1-E3
Stupidity: Higgins tells Magnum that he needs to get out before he opens the safe. Magnum then gets all sassy and asks "Shall I open it?" and proceeds to activate the statuette that unveils it, then pauses. Higgins is outraged and then goes ahead and opens it dialing the combination. Higgins' behaviour here is absurd; he gave up and handed Magnum the victory in their petty squabble when Magnum proven nothing. Magnum is the security consultant of the house, it is unthinkable that he would not at least know where the safe is, but it's also rather obvious that he did not know the combination. You don't get a safe assuming that nobody will ever know where it is; keeping it out of sight and reach is a plus, but it's not really its point. (00:19:30)
Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii - S1-E1
Stupidity: You'd expect Magnum's friend Dan Cook to be quite smart and adept with military affairs and regulations, being an NCIS guy, but just look at the guys who tricks him; they both have terrible hair and sloppy care of the uniform, and the guy who greets him has a messy 'stache no Marine could wear. (00:09:30)
Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii - S1-E1
Stupidity: The gag with Magnum not noticing Higgins lurking at his home is fun, but for that to work he needs to completely overlook the fact that the lights are on, and walk perfectly backwards without jumping in surprise when he bumps the back of the leg against the dogs. (00:37:30)
Stupidity: Magnum and the policewoman do the stakeout and tailing for the drug deal using TC's chopper. A crooked cop that can't spot a helicopter on a nearby roof, a helicopter following his car, and most importantly, a helicopter landing right on the top of their apartment house building, should consider a career change or a hearing aid.
Forty Years from Sand Island - S3-E17
Stupidity: Magnum just assumes that the accident that happened to Higgins is an attempt to Higgins' life due to the earlier meeting, without even remotely considering the (he believes) drug dealers Magnum just messed with and that saw him drive away in that same car that gets sabotaged. Higgins never takes the Ferrari, so a sabotage aimed specifically at him is incredibly unlikely - as it's in fact the case. Just one of those things to keep the plot going.
Stupidity: After much buildup about the necessity to approach cautiously the KGB agent because she'd kill on sight, she does nothing of the sort; despite having intent to kill and putting her hand on the gun, she does not shoot Higgins or her assassination target, making the subplot about the infiltration pointless.
