MAGNUM, P.I.: MEMORIES ARE FOREVER (TV)

Summary

One in this detective series set in Hawaii, starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a former naval officer turned private investigator. In this two-part episode, Magnum suffers dreams about his late wife Michelle in which he tries and fails to save her life. Later, he complains to Higgins about his overly-attentive dogs Zeus and Apollo, and is amused to find that Higgins is writing his memoirs and slightly exaggerating the details. He halfheartedly works on a case involving a cheating husband and a money-hungry wife, but then notices a nearby yacht occupied by several Asian men – and a very familiar-looking woman. He asks Higgins to develop the rest of the footage and shows his initial photos to Rick and T.C., though they point out that they cannot clearly see the woman's face, and Magnum recalls the day during the war on which he told his friends that he had proposed. T.C. grimly reminds Magnum that Michelle was declared dead in Saigon, and when Magnum argues that she may have survived, T.C. questions why she has not contacted him. Elsewhere, Colonel Ki and General Hue have a tense meeting with an American admiral, Kitchner, and Hue's wife is revealed to be none other than Michelle.

Magnum recalls his happy wedding reception, which was interrupted by a bombing, and Higgins observes that Magnum is being strangely "nice" as he gives him the rest of the photographs. Upon closer inspection, Magnum realizes that the woman is wearing a distinctive French cross, just like the one worn by Michelle. Kitchner demands the return of the remains of several American pilots buried in Vietnam, though Hue counters that they died while bombing civilian villages and are buried in unmarked graves. Magnum heads to Little Saigon to search for Michelle, joined by a now-convinced Rick and T.C., though Magnum soon discovers that a young boy has stolen his wallet. The three of them are caught and held at gunpoint by one of Hue's men, who demands to know why they are searching for Michelle, but they manage to fight their way out. Hue and Michelle see the admiral off and Ki arrives with Magnum's wallet and news of his search, though Michelle claims not to recognize him. Magnum is then angered when Lieutenant McReynolds arrives to force him back into Navy service, claiming that he needs to testify in D.C. on a defense matter. Michelle attends church and remembers her wedding to Magnum, and though the "priest" tells her that he has been "taken care of," she demands to see him.

Magnum steals Mac's ID and tries to bluff his way into the classified files at Pearl Harbor, but is quickly stopped and met by Colonel Greene. Magnum declares that Greene is the "key" to the conspiracy about Michelle, and Greene relents and allows them to meet. Ki updates Hue, revealing that Magnum is Michelle's former lover and is possibly now her CIA contact, suggesting that Michelle is the "tiger" that they seek. Hue reacts angrily, but Ki vows to interrogate them both. Greene explains that Michelle, a devout Catholic, believed her first husband, Hue, killed in the Tet Offensive, but then begged Greene to fake her death upon learning of his survival and realizing that her marriage to Magnum was invalid. He finds her at the chapel, though Greene learns that Ki is hoping to catch them there together because he believes her a spy, and Greene decides not to prevent it in order to maintain the true "tiger's" cover. Michelle begs Magnum to understand why her faith is important to her, but then admits that she still loves him despite the lies. Ki arrives and catches them there together, but Greene opens fire and the pair manages to escape together.

Once alone, Michelle explains that the "tiger" is the head of a revolutionary group that opposes the reunification in Vietnam and feels that the party has betrayed the people, and Magnum realizes that the conflict may resume. She swears that she does not know his identity, and the two give in to their mutual attraction. Later, Hue calls Michelle and tells her of Ki's suspicions, promising to protect her and adding that he knows the truth about her history with Magnum. Magnum later finds a note from Michelle explaining that she has returned to Hue, and he finally spills the entire truth to Higgins and asks for his help. T.C. and Rick keep an eye on Mac as Higgins lures Greene onto the yacht, where Magnum confronts him and accuses him of putting Michelle in danger. Greene admits that he is using her as bait so that the spy can finish his work and help to recover the pilots' bodies, and Magnum realizes that Hue is the "tiger" after all, unbeknownst to Ki. He leaves Greene and Mac with his friends and heads back to the chapel to find Michelle, though Ki pursues them closely. A shootout ensues, just as in Magnum's dream, and he is shot in the shoulder but manages to kill Ki at the last second. Magnum tells Hue and Michelle to make it appear as though Ki was the spy all along, and Michelle bids him an emotional goodbye before leaving with Hue for good. Later, a recovering Magnum watches sadly as the news reports that the pilots' remains have finally come home. Commercials deleted.

Details

• NETWORK: CBS
• DATE: November 5, 1981 8:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 1:37:20
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: B:11188
• GENRE: Drama, police/private detective
• SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, police/private detective; Drama, action/adventure; Asian American Pacific Islanders Collection
• SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1980-1988
• COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

• Donald P. Bellisario … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
• Douglas Green … Producer
• Andrew Schneider … Producer
• Gilbert Shilton … Associate Producer
• Glen A. Larson … Created by
• Ray Austin … Director
• Mike Post … Music by
• Peter Carpenter … Music by
• Tom Selleck … Cast, Thomas Magnum
• John Hillerman … Cast, Jonathan Quayle Higgins III
• Roger E. Mosley … Cast, Theodore "T.C." Calvin
• Larry Manetti … Cast, Orville Wilbur Richard "Rick" Wright
• Marta DuBois … Cast, Michelle Hue
• Soon-Teck Oh … Cast, General Nguyen Hue
• Jeff MacKay … Cast, Lieutenant McReynolds
• Lance LeGault … Cast, Colonel Buck Greene
• Clyde Kusatsu … Cast, Colonel Ki
• Paul Burke … Cast, Admiral Kitchner
• Brian Fong … Cast, Tan-Soo
• Soo Yong … Cast, Old Woman
• Matthew Stinson … Cast, Seaman
• Wesley Ogata … Cast, Vietnamese Boy
• Yankee Chang … Cast, Priest
• Charles J. Faust … Cast, Marine Guard
• Patrick Nakata … Cast, 1st Vietnamese
• Roland Nip … Cast, 2nd Vietnamese
• Patrick Bishop … Cast, Bartender
• Louise Dushkin … Cast, Praying Woman
• Kel Plasket … Cast, Admiral's Aide
• Allan Okubo … Cast, Madam Hue's Driver
• Gloria McCafferty … Cast, Vietnamese Mother
• Sasha Wong … Cast, 1st Vietnamese Girl
• Eleni Espania … Cast, 2nd Vietnamese Girl
• Robert Inouye … Cast, Colonel Ki's Driver