Magnum, P.I. (TV Series) Resolutions: Part II (1988) User Reviews

Could have been better

[dga23 · 7/10 · 21 June 2023]

I just finished re-watching the Magnum series. I miss it already. When I first watched the show it was just for the beautiful setting of Hawaii and the sharp sports car but then found Magnum entertaining as well. Also, I thought John Hillerman was an underrated actor.

About the finale... it wasn't the greatest. Liked it better than The Two Birds of a Feather episode though.

Wish they would have done a 10 year reunion: how Magnum's career was going (Magnum and Maggie would have been great together), how Rick's marriage was going and TC's as well and what Higgins had been up to without Magnum.

Unconvincing, disappointing

[mts43 · 6/10 · 16 June 2020]

The writers were in a hurry to complete the final episode of the series. They decided the easiest way was to tie up all loose ends for all the major characters. By attempting to do this, they created another disappointing and unconvincing conclusion to another long-running series. Suddenly Magnum is reunited with a long lost daughter, and she adapts to the situation like she moved across town. Despite contradictions in various earlier episodes of the series, Higgins claims to Magnum that, as Magnum suspected, he is Robin Masters. T.C.'s estranged wife shows up in Hawaii, and although it's been over eight years, she and T.C. immediately get back together like making up after an argument the prior day. Rick is tongue-tied saying his vows at his wedding -- yeah, sure. Although Magnum has just been reunited with his long lost daughter, he rejoins the Navy. I could have written a better, more convincing final episode.

Could have been a contender

[safenoe · 6/10 · 16 June 2023]

I finally watch Resolutions: Part II (I saw Part I a couple of hours ago) and for a series finale, I was dismayed by the ending because it was somewhat disjointed, confusing and all over the place. It's a shame the Magnum Opus ended in such a manner. The cliffhanger of Rick giving his wedding vows was corny galore and an insult to the audience. But at least this finale wasn't as bad as the Seinfeld one.

The end credits had a special thanks to Lance LeGault and Jeff Mackay, who made a guest appearance at the end at the wedding of Rick.

Sadly this finale doesn't stand the test of time but still it's worth watching.

Disjointed, confusing and roughly conceived

[trey-yancy-572-763547 · 5/10 · 18 January 2019]

As series conclusions go, this was not not very good. It would appear that a goal was to include as many familiar faces as possible, and then tie some things up, but one can only assume that the writers strike of 1988 got in the way.

Many threads are laid out, ready to be tied off, but most are abruptly dropped. Odd things are thrown in, such as the love interest and the grandfather, then given an unceremonious heave-ho. And some things simply do not make sense.

Extreme measures are taken to protect Magnum's daughter because the villain and his thugs are still out there, but once the reunion takes place, not only is the daughter at a major social event, but Magnum does a 180º on his adamant refusal to re-up (seen in part I) and, now that he's back in the Navy, he will not have the freedom to protect her.

This finale is a huge mess and a major disappointment, especially considering the popularity of the show and its impressive eight-year-run. The fact that a Magnum reboot appeared doesn't help, because it is weak, bland, and generally unappealing. Perhaps it would have been better not to have a series finale, but it is better than the "series finale" at the end of season 7, which was yanked out of the fire by a surprise eighth season. So, how does in end up for everybody? Magnum's now a single parent in the military with an enemy still gunning for his daughter. Rick has what looks like an uneasy marriage. T.C. is sort-of back with his combative wife and he's clearly keeping her at arm's length. Higgins keeps doing what he's always done. Ironically, it is like the last audio tape from Magnum's dad: running out of tape, rush to finish up, then take a beat, and then it's too late. Very unsatisfying.

A very disappointing way to go out

[feindlicheubernahme · 3/10 · 15 January 2024]

With Resolutions, Magnum adheres to the overall poor standards of seasons 7 and 8, which, despite some gems of episodes, have not had nearly the same quality as those preceding them.

Even if I were someone who wrote synopses, I would find it impossible to do so for Resolutions because there quite simply is no major plotline running through it. It's merely a collection of disparate sub-plots, some of which aren't given enough time and just abruptly begin or end, and some of which shouldn't have been given any time at all.

The search for Lily would have been worthy of a two-parter all by itself. Instead, she just turns up and it's instantly happy families. No mention of any continuing threat to her life, the legal procedures Magnum would have to go through to become her legal guardian, problems with adjustment to her new situation, etc. All the feeling is removed from what should be a hugely emotional occasion. (Incidentally, now that she lives in the US, hasn't anyone ever thought it might be a good idea to teach Lily English? In fact, her vocabulary has shrunk to just two French words - "Ma poupée" - which doesn't exactly help in establishing an emotional connection to Magnum or us, the viewers)

Reporter Linda Lee Ellison is back and being stalked. She and Magnum renew their romance. It seems the series will finish with a matured Magnum not only having a daughter but also settling down with one woman - even if I still think Dana Delaney's Cynthia would have been the best choice. But no. He sleeps with her then dumps her. After he catches one of her stalkers (Linda has TWO knife-wielding maniacs after her! Funnily enough, Magnum himself also semi-stalked her in her previous episode) they have a chat and then she disappears. We don't see her again even after he catches/maybe kills the principal stalker.

The appearance of Magnum's previously unmentioned grandfather seems like it's going to be significant, at least sentimentally, but it isn't. He appears, Magnum is cold towards him, he talks about being a wanderer or something, he disappears. He doesn't even get to meet his great-granddaughter. What was the point? That was running time that could have been better spent elsewhere.

And don't even get me started on TC's out-of-the-blue airport kiss with his ex-wife, the is-Higgins-Robin-Masters routine, Magnum reenlisting in the navy despite making it clear for as long as we've known him that he would never go back - and this at just the time that he becomes sole parent to a little child, or the "cliffhanger" ending in which Rick might not be able to say "I do" at his wedding.

One of the previous reviewers mentioned something about a writers' strike. I'll cling onto that idea as some kind of justification for ending the series with such a mess of an episode. And, looking on the bright side, we'll always have the great first 6 seasons and some choice titbits scattered here and there during these final two. Anyway, so long, Thomas and friends. By and large, it's been a blast.