Comedy legend Carol Burnett shows up in Hawaii this week in the first of the two episodes up for review this week.

Rembrandt’s Girl was written by Chris Abbott, and aired on 2 February, 1984. Higgins (John Hillerman), with Agatha (Gillian Dobb) helping out is planning a meditation retreat weekend at the estate, and this suits Thomas (Tom Selleck) fine, because thanks to a case he just finished, he’s paying off his debts to T.C. (Roger E. Mosley) and Rick (Larry Manetti) by treating them to an all expenses paid getaway to the Big Island.

Higgins just has a small favor to ask, swing by the bank that Robin Masters uses and pick up an item. It’s here that he bumps into Susan Johnson (Burnett) again. She asked him to follow her father, a recently released con, and counterfeiter, because she’s afraid he’s up to no good. Magnum tries to politely decline, but then finds himself trapped in the vault, time-sealed until Monday morning. Humor and stories ensue, not to mention the actual culprit.

Meanwhile, unperturbed by the fact that Magnum is missing, T.C. and Rick hold a party of their own at the estate in Magnum’s guest house, much to Higgins’ annoyance, and T.C.’s would be girlfriend Gloria (familiar face, and writer, Deborah Pratt) shows up.

Selleck and Burnett are a lot of fun to see working together, and they have a nice chemistry, as they drink, eat chocolate, open up to one another, and begin to suffer from oxygen deprivation…

The next story up, Paradise Blues, written by Chris Abbott and Chas. Floyd Johnson, originally airing on 9 February 1984, is a bit more serious, story-wise, and sets the spotlight squarely on T.C., and we get to learn lots about him in this episode, thanks to a wonderful scene between Thomas and Higgins about halfway through the episode.

Trouble rolls onto the island in the form of singer, Alexis Carter (Leslie Uggams). T.C. has been in love with her since Vietnam when she was there with the USO, and they had a fiery romance. But wherever Alex goes, there is bound to be trouble following, and this time is no different, she’s on the run from some Detroit drug dealers.

When she arrives on the island, T.C. drags Magnum to see her show, where she asks him to please track down someone who owes her a fair chunk of change, $18, 000! But the man is dead, and Alex seems to be next unless she can be completely honest with both herself and T.C.

Things don’t go so well, and it’s obvious that this one hurts T.C. a lot, because he’s truly in love with this woman.

It hasn’t been the easiest season for Magnum’s friends, Rick’s sister, T.C.’s love life… and the b-story through out this episode is Higgins conducting an inventory of the estate, and trying to find all the things of Masters’ that Thomas has ‘borrowed.’

This one was a solid story, and I like when we get a look at the rest of the gang, and learn a bit more about their lives, and how they all click together.

Until next time, Aloha!