This Part Two "MSW" episode continues from "Magnum, P.I.: Novel Connection (#7.09)," originally broadcast three evenings prior to CBS crossover episode "MSW: Magnum on Ice: Part 2 (#3.08)," also filmed on location in Hawaii.
Angela Lansbury, Tom Selleck, John Hillerman, Ramon Bieri, Stephanie Faracy, Dorothy Loudon, Jessica Walter, Jared Martin and John McMartin co-star in both of these episodes, while Andrew Prine and Kwan Hi Lim enter for "Part Two." "Magnum, P.I." regulars Roger E. Mosley as TC, and Larry Manetti as Rick, appear in "Part One," but disappear from "Part Two," along with guest star Don Matheson as Paul Mayfield.
"Magnum, P.I.: Novel Connection (#7.09)" covers the arrival of Pamela Bates (Dorothy Loudon), Amy Salyer (Stephanie Faracy) and Joan Fulton (Jessica Walter) to Honolulu, Pamela to vacation, and Joan to conduct business, along with her secretary, Amy, whom Pamela arranged for Joan to hire in the aftermath of Amy's failing marriage.
Landowner Jason Bryan (John McMartin) arranges for a gathering at his estate for Pac-Isle Industries owner Arthur Houston (Jared Martin) to socialize with the visitors as he negotiates a purchase of newly-widowed Joan's technology company. Thomas Magnum (Tom Selleck) and Jonathan Higgins (John Hillerman) are consulted by the three to protect them against attack by a rumored hit-man, who holds a purported contract upon one of the three ladies, but they don't know which one.
When two gunshots are heard originating from the floral shed on the day of the party and a victim is slain, Hawaii Metro Police Captain Frank Browning (Ramon Bieri) arrests Thomas Magnum for first degree murder, while Pamela Bates contacts her dear old friend Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) to join her in Hawaii, to figure who's been trying to kill which of the ladies. Jonathan, a fan of Jessica's Mysteries, gives Thomas a copy of one of her books, which generates the title, "Novel Connection."
Part Two begins on "MSW: Magnum on Ice: Part 2," with Thomas Magnum's arrest, with Lieutenant Tanaka's (Kwan Hi Lim) booking Thomas, as Captain Frank Browning carts him off to jail, while postponing any bail hearing. When Jessica visits the falsely-accused Thomas behind bars, Thomas requests that she ask Jonathan Higgins to post bail, but there are further police delays.
Jessica visits Jason Bryan to recreate the scene of the crime, as Jason informs Jessica that he merely acts as party host for client Arthur Houston, as Jessica attempts to connect a link with the hit-man and his intended victim once she learns who has been included on the guest list, and who designed the guest list.
Victor Salyer (Andrew Prine) arrives at Royal Hawaiian Hotel, to which the ladies relocate, to confront estranged wife, Amy Salyer, who harbors her collection of valuable jewelry, after Victor has squandered the balance of their assets. Amy informs Jessica that the she has inherited the jewelry from her grandmother, but Thomas, still imprisoned, doesn't believe Amy's story, as Jessica reports upon visiting.
Joan Fulton claims that she has contributed more input into her company than her late husband has, so she knows how to handle conducting the negotiations with Arthur Houston, who repudiates her claim when Jessica stops by Arthur's outdoor office to investigate.
Pamela Bates, meanwhile, apologizes to Jessica for dragging her into this dangerous situation, and now she plans to board the next flight from Hawaii.
But when Jessica stumbles across a second body, a victim of the same 45-calibre pistol with silencer, which she has decided has claimed the first victim, her list of suspects narrows to five, excluding Thomas, for whom she tells Captain Browning that he has delivered the perfect alibi, imprisonment without bail.
Yet Captain Browning, who arrives at the second murder scene ahead of Jessica, informs her that Magnum has been released on bail for two hours, and the presence of his Detroit Tigers' baseball cap beside the body proves his guilt even though Jessica counters that this proves that Thomas Magnum has been framed.
Jessica decides that the poster of bail must be the perpetrator of both murders, and when she sneaks into a hotel room to uncover the missing pistol, while the police hunt down Thomas Magnum, the trap which she sets seems to backfire, as the perpetrator enters carrying the weapon, thus complicating matters with "Magnum On Ice."
The cast is rounded out by Rhonda Aldrich as Maid, Harry Endo as Desk Clerk, Keahi Farden as Bellboy, Byron Ono as Houseboy #1, Winston Char as Houseboy #2, and Pe'a as Officer.
This episode represents one of the last television roles by Dorothy Loudon, the most recent acting credit to date each by Winston Char and Keahi Farden, and the only acting credit to date each by Byron Ono and Pe'a.
This also marks the first of two "MSW" appearances for John Hillerman, the second of two for Jared Martin, the second of three for Ramon Bieri, and the second of four "MSW" guest roles each for Jessica Walter, John McMartin and Andrew Prine.
Dorothy Loudon, acting on television and in film since 1952, Ramon Bieri, acting since 1962, and Harry Endo, acting since 1977, have unfortunately since passed.
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