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Magnum, P.I. Season 5 Episode 14

Compulsion

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7.9

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 1/24/85

Carol turns to Magnum for help when she feels threatened by a number of suspicious incidents. Higgins tries to pass off the Robin's Nest as his own to former classmates from his Sandhurst days.

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When a series of strange and eerie events befall her, Carol is certain that someone is stalking her and asks Magnum to investigate. Meanwhile, Higgins will do anything to get out of a visit from some old friends from Sandhurst. A very good episode...moreless

9.5

By Jay-Spacedust, Jul 30, 2009

This review contains spoilers.

Can it be â€" two decent fifth season episodes in a row? 'Professor Jonathan Higgins' was silly but fun, and now 'Compulsion' offers up a decent story, and stands as one of the far better of the shaky season.

The episode is directed by David Hemmings, his second time working on the show, and he also guest stars as Higgins old Sandhurst 'friend' Lord Binkie Smythe-White. He will appear as another character in the seventh season episode 'Out of Sync'.

I like the beginning of this episode, as Carol arrives home on a dark, stormy night to find what seems to be an intruder. The scene is eerily filmed, and starts the story off well.

Like 'Professor Jonathan Higgins', the episode has a lot of nice touches, something that has been sadly lacking for much of the season. I like the will-they-or-won't-they possibly romance between Carol and Magnum â€" Kathleen Lloyd and Tom Selleck bounce off of each other really well, and it really brings the episode to life.

From the second he appears on-screen, I found Carol's workmate Steve to be the obvious culprit behind Carol's odd occurrences. Just the way he was introduced, it seemed so obvious that it was him. Likewise, mailman Moody was an obvious red herring. Even so, as much as it was obvious that Steve was the culprit, the story unfolds well, and is still a good watch.

The b-plot, of Higgins trying to get out of a visit from his old Sandhurst friends, is equally as pleasing. The scene of Magnum, Rick and T.C. posing as Higgins' servants is one of the most amusing and pleasing sequences of the season.

The climax of the story is quite exhilarating, and well shot; it is a good ending to a nice episode overall. With it's nice touches and good performances from Selleck and Lloyd, this comes off as one of the far better episodes of the season.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Tom Selleck	Thomas Magnum
Larry Manetti	Rick Wright
Roger E. Mosley	Theodore "T.C." Calvin
John Hillerman	Jonathan Quayle Higgins

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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David Hemmings	Lord Binkie Smythe-White	Guest Star
John Pleshette	Steve Elliot	Guest Star
Susan Swift	Sunshine	Guest Star
Gillian Dobb	Agatha Chumley	Recurring Role
Kathleen Lloyd	Carol Baldwin	Recurring Role

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TRIVIA (1)
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- In this episode we learn the reason for Higgins' expulsion from Sandhurst. At school a student was paralyzed by a childish prank which Higgins, though innocent, took the blame for.
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NOTES (1)
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- The German episode titles are "Unter Druck" ("Under Pressure") and "Notlüge mit Folgen" ("A White Lie with Consequences"). The French title is "Contrainte", an exact translation. The Italian title is "I ragazzi di Sund Hurst", meaning "Boys of Sandhurst".
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