This episode represents what the show is all about. Playful banter. Childish behavior. Danger. Mystery. Silliness. Friendship. That all sounds cheesy in print but the back and forth between Higgins and Magnum has always been a staple of the series and this ep really brings that into focus. Their continuous back and forth, upping the ante with each childish prank until they find themselves in a life and death situation in an elevator. And after seasons of speculation, it's great to see Magnum finally accuse Higgins and being Mr Masters all along. Now I haven't seen the rest of the series yet, but somehow I doubt that'll ever be resolved. Because if I've learned anything from Magum so far it's that not all cases get a finite conclusion.
6 Reviews
A really great ep
MiketheWhistle21 February 2020
Will the real Robin Masters please stand up.
pensman1 July 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Magnum sneaks into the estate's computer control room to play a game he borrowed from TC but when he is interrupted by Higgins, Magnum accidentally erases part of Higgins' massive autobiography from the hard drive. Infuriated, Higgins takes his Ferrari away from Magnum; but isn't that supposed to be Robin Masters' Ferrari? Because Magnum needs the Ferrari, he hot wires it and finds himself arrested after Higgins reports the car stolen. To retaliate, Magnum then cuts down Higgins' prized night blooming plant just before an important flower show. In turn Magnum discovers Godfather style that his beloved rubber chicken has been beheaded and left in his bed. While this one up-manship continues there is an attempt to kill both Higgins and Magnum but that plot line is unimportant as we wonder which will have the final word in this family war and will Higgins be unmasked as the real Robin Masters.
Pure Comedy Gold!
spasek28 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
And so ends, arguably, the best streak of great episodes (three) from "Death and Taxes," "Little Girl Who," and finally, "Paper War," which kicks off one of the best prank wars ever devised.
Magnum and Higgins' often "strained" relationship finally comes to a head when Magnum sneaks into the computer room at night to play TC's new video game. Higgins destroys the disk, albeit by accident, and Magnum inadvertantly wipes out five chapters of HIggins' memoirs, thus kicking off a true "tit for tat" prank war.
The episode also presents Magnum's theory (which, frankly, has more holes in it than a shooting victim of Dirty Harry) that Higgins is, in fact, Robin Masters. This is a theory that would be revisited and played with until the series finale.
What ultimately makes this episode work so well, isn't necessarily the crazy and outlandish length that Magnum and Higgins go to "one up" the other, but the simple fact, that despite all of their bickering and arguing, they actually care far more deeply for eeach other than either would ever admit.
On some level, Magnum admires Higgins for his sense of responsibility and even his adult behavior, while Higgins actually wishes that he could "loosen up" and behave more childlike; to be spontaneous and throw caution to the wind. I've always maintained that this is the root cause of the tension in their relationship. Their final argument in the elevator pretty much proves this.
"Magnum, P. I." has always been about the relationships between Magnum and his three closest friends. While there is always a case to solve, it's the relationships that have alwayas defined the series, and it is also one of the core reasons why the show is still endeared and beloved by so many even after all of these years.
Magnum and Higgins' often "strained" relationship finally comes to a head when Magnum sneaks into the computer room at night to play TC's new video game. Higgins destroys the disk, albeit by accident, and Magnum inadvertantly wipes out five chapters of HIggins' memoirs, thus kicking off a true "tit for tat" prank war.
The episode also presents Magnum's theory (which, frankly, has more holes in it than a shooting victim of Dirty Harry) that Higgins is, in fact, Robin Masters. This is a theory that would be revisited and played with until the series finale.
What ultimately makes this episode work so well, isn't necessarily the crazy and outlandish length that Magnum and Higgins go to "one up" the other, but the simple fact, that despite all of their bickering and arguing, they actually care far more deeply for eeach other than either would ever admit.
On some level, Magnum admires Higgins for his sense of responsibility and even his adult behavior, while Higgins actually wishes that he could "loosen up" and behave more childlike; to be spontaneous and throw caution to the wind. I've always maintained that this is the root cause of the tension in their relationship. Their final argument in the elevator pretty much proves this.
"Magnum, P. I." has always been about the relationships between Magnum and his three closest friends. While there is always a case to solve, it's the relationships that have alwayas defined the series, and it is also one of the core reasons why the show is still endeared and beloved by so many even after all of these years.
World War Magnum
safenoe6 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Siege of the Seventh Galaxy is the exciting video game that Magnum plays in Paper War. Anyway, this scene is one probably one of the early TV scenes to feature a character playing video games. Of course, Tron was released four years before Paper War, so maybe Tron inspired Siege of the Seventh Galaxy.
I must admit, Paper War got a bit juvenile towards the end. Also, Higgins in the final scenes, when he cackles with laughter, looks like Laurence R. Harvey as Martin Lomax from The Human Centipede 2, really.
Anyway, I think any Magnum is better than no Magnum, and I'm not exactly drawn to the Hernandez reboot.
I must admit, Paper War got a bit juvenile towards the end. Also, Higgins in the final scenes, when he cackles with laughter, looks like Laurence R. Harvey as Martin Lomax from The Human Centipede 2, really.
Anyway, I think any Magnum is better than no Magnum, and I'm not exactly drawn to the Hernandez reboot.
One of the worst episodes. It made no sense.
daviddiepusc-9226911 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Magnum accuses Higgins of being Robin Masters. If there was any logic to this, why didn't Magnum think that the 'real' Robin Masters just fire and kick him off the estate immediately, instead of "one of us be removed from the estate"? Also in the last 6 years Magnum has helped Robin and have been with him in person, Magnum being in Naval Intelligence and a great investigator never found any information on the man he is paid to protect? Stupid concept, stupid episode. Magnum P. I. deserve better than some cheap gimmick.
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