Magnum P.I.

J. “Digger” Doyle (1981)
Tom Selleck and Erin Gray in Magnum, P.I.

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Thieves are attempting to steal tapes of Robin Masters’ new book. Magnum joins forces with security expert J. “Digger” Doyle to prevent the theft. Part of the history of the Haiku Stairs are true. It was a low frequency radio antenna and radio station build during WWII. The Haiku Radio Station was commissioned by the USN after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941. The proposal was approved in 1942. When Digger jumps from the truck after she and Higgins find T.C. treed by Zeus and Apollo, she is brandishing a hand gun in her right hand. When she arrives at the tree she no longer has the hand gun and both hands are on her hips.

J. “Digger” Doyle (1981)
Tom Selleck and Erin Gray in Magnum, P.I.

This episode served as a pilot for a spin-off series starring Erin Gray, but a series was not ordered. Erin Gray was born in Hawaii. The mountain stairs seen in this episode actually do lead to a former Navy installation. Known as the Haiku Stairs and Stairway to Heaven, the 3,000 step path was a popular hiking trail for many years, until the endless flood of parked cars in the neighborhood below forced the state to shut it down. Although a million dollars had been spent in renovation and land for a prospective parking lot had been identified, the state voted in April, 2024 to remove the steps.

J. “Digger” Doyle (1981)
Tom Selleck, Erin Gray, John Hillerman, and Stewart Moss in Magnum, P.I.

This is the most notable of several episodes that contradicts the theory that Robin Masters may be none other than Higgins himself. (NOTE: The Higgins-might-be-Masters was just a running joke in the last season. It wasn’t meant to be taken seriously.). Until now the layout of the Robin Masters estate has been vague. In this episode a map is displayed. This is the first episode where T.C. calls Higgins “Higgie Baby”. When dictating his resignation Higgins states his full name as Jonathan Quail Higgins III. With the notable exception of a ruling monarch, the British do NOT generally name their offspring as Blah Blah [numeral] or even Blah Blah Jr. That is an obvious Americanism. Magnum:[a drugged Higgins has been rambling with one of his stories as Magnum carries him on his back up the side of a mountain] Higgins, SHUT UP!

Lisa is played by Jacquelyn Ray, who was Tom Selleck’s wife at the time this episode was done.