whereas American TV from the 70s was littered with "cross-overs" and guest appearances from other shows, it was a rare thing to see in the 80s, and was not something the world would see again until the 90s when shows like Friends and, to a lesser reliant extent Seinfeld, picked up on the concept. the reason for this could be the vast scales which both Magnum and Murder, She Wrote reached with this stunning climactic episode; a height which neither show would never, arguably, reach again.
whereas Angela gives a conventional, superb performance, it was in this episode in particular that Selleck really came into his own in embracing the character of Magnum. the performance he delivers was one he would not equal until the infamous prison sequences in An Innocent Man, and several keys to unlocking the later, more complex relationships Magnum had with TC and Higgins are latent within the subtext of this show. if you never really cared for Murder, She Wrote, you are nonetheless encouraged to bear witness to this episode if you wish to fully understand Magnum.
American television really didn't get as good as this particular episode again until the early 90s series of Doogie Howser, MD. this is must-watch viewing for anyone who sees a television set as something more than a background noise in their lives.
