Magnum, P.I. (TV Series) Did You See the Sunrise? (1982) User Reviews

best Magnum episode

[rickharover · 10/10 · 21 May 2006]

The final scene proves that Magnum was indeed a hardened combat veteran.

His usual "nice guy" persona is altered by the deservedly so cold bloodedness of his action.

This is my favorite Magnum episode because of this final scene. It is also not one containing any "other worldly" stuff or Magnum's "little voice" or any comedy. I don't mind those things in the context of other stories but all would be totally inappropriate in this episode.

Serious and compelling. After seeing it "first run" i waded thru years of reruns before i saw it again

Unquestionably one of the best episode of Magnum

[TKardinal · 8/10 · 4 August 2006]

There seem to be two different kinds of episodes of Magnum PI; the ones where he comedically seems to bumble his way through the case he's hired to solve, enduring ridicule from Higgins and having to cajole favors out of Rick and TC...and ones like this. The episodes where Magnum shows the will, cunning, and the strength you'd expect of a SEAL who had seen combat in Vietnam. And not coincidentally, these episodes seem to refer to his days in Vietnam.

"Did You See the Sun Rise?" is of the latter category, and is a powerful episode that reveals and admirable and ruthless character in Thomas Magnum. Without question one of the best.

Pitch perfect; perhaps the definitive "Magnum" tale

[DVD_Connoisseur · 10/10 · 12 November 2018]

"Did You See..." is the feature length episode that kicks off Season 3 with a bang. Written by Donald P. Bellisario, this is an extremely well executed television movie.

From the beginning, there's a sombre air over the proceedings; a feeling of nightmarish unease that soon becomes a reality.

Gritty, uncomfortable and uncompromising for a peak-time television show, this is a classic episode and fan favourite. Once seen, this is never forgotten.

Bo Svenson plays the ultimate Magnum bad guy, the psychotic Ivan.

10 out of 10. Just brilliant. After two seasons, this story demonstrated that the series had only just found its feet.

Mind blowing episode for a certain age group

[whatch-17931 · 9/10 · 7 December 2020]

This had a jaw dropping ending that is hard to convey to the younger generations. Really, you can't. It was just a time when you couldn't google what happened or even watch the episode again. But EVERYBODY watched it, and everyone was talking about it in school the next day.

Magnum was most often a friendly, often goofy, character. But when he needed to be serious, he was quite thoroughly, lethally, serious.

When Magnum's pushed . . .

[Mr-Fusion · 9/10 · 20 April 2016]

In the episodes I've seen up to this point, the show has been walking the line between the main character's beach bum charms and the darkness of his past. 'Did You See the Sun Rise?' falls completely in the latter category. Elements from Magnum's (and T.C.'s) past come screaming back to throw their lives into chaos. Everyone from the Navy to a vengeful Russian is involved, and it's all a painful reminder that, despite the car and the island life, Magnum was once (still is?) a hardened killer. Seriously, don't eff with Magnum's friends.

This episode goes to some surprisingly dark lengths, and part of the reason why it's one of the best (at least of those that I've seen) is that freeze frame ending. Now I get the reference used on "Archer" several years back, but I'm glad to have finally seen this.

Haunting stuff.

9/10

The Dark side of Magnum

[ODDBear · 10/10 · 22 March 2012]

I'm slowly going through "Magnum P.I." and I just started watching the third season tonight. Most episodes have had light humor to accompany the semi-serious tone of Magnum's investigations. At times, lurking in the background, is Magnum's Vietnam past and it's been fairly well established that his happy-go-lucky attitude indeed has a dark side.

This third season opener is probably the best episode so far. An old Nam nemesis (Bo Svenson) seems to be after Magnum, T.C. and an old friend to tie up some loose ends.

Usually an episode has a twist; sometimes they're fairly obvious but at times they're quite good as this is overall a well written TV show. The one here is really good and it displays well the trauma that followed the vets home (before it became overused in films and television) and how it can be triggered for menacing purposes.

Selleck is always good as Magnum and Hillerman as Higgins. They're relationship is often times the high point of an episode but they can also do serious very well. The biggest surprise here is probably Mosley as T.C.. He's not a great actor but he fits well in the show with his limited screen time but he steps up here as this episode requires a little more from him. And Bo Svenson plays the baddie quite well.

Major spoiler.

The ending here is a shocker. Magnum guns down an unarmed bad guy because justice can not touch him. Magnum indeed has a dark side and can play hard when his friends are threatened or killed. This one act displays an utterly menacing side to Magnum and he's all the more fascinating for it. I just might have to watch the remaining five seasons.

End of Spoiler.

An overall solid detective series just got a lot more interesting.

A powerful ep that is one of the best of the series

[MiketheWhistle · 10/10 · 25 February 2020]

This might be the best ep of the series, but it definitely is one of the best. This is one of the few Magnum's I remember having watched when it aired (or a rerun at the time). It brought out the Vietnam aspects of the guys and tragedy, and Magnum's resolution certainly was a show statement of how far he would go for a friend.

It's funny that this ep wouldn't have happened had Mack not gone to the Golden Monkey which was canceled in one season which is how "Mack" comes back.

Whitmore does a real good job as well in one I think was one of his last acting jobs before essentially becoming a director full time.

In what is perhaps an unintended manner, it shows how having been in a war is never really gone from one's life especially for someone who was a pow. I served in war and was blessed enough to not be a pow but met many who had been during my service. Everyone should support our troops and honor them especially those that were pow's like John McCain.

One of the best top 3 shows!

[ewecantbserious · 9/10 · 6 February 2007]

This 2 part story was awesome. This episode and a couple of others really showed how that no matter how hard Magnum tried, his past would reach out and pull him back down that "black hole". "Magnum P.I." overall was one of the best ever written for television. I am surprised that a "Magnum" movie was never made, considering the automatic built in fan base. Many people that I have talked to have told me how they thought it would be so cool to be Magnum. But if you really think about the character, you might have second thoughts. Because while Thomas tried to live a happy carefree life, the fact of the matter is, he is a very troubled soul trying desperately to escape the ghosts of his past. The the very first half of the episode "Mac Is Back" did a good job of showing this. And this episode, "Did You See The Sunrise?" showed that when "push comes to shove" don't screw with Thomas Magnum or his friends. Because he will kill you. Literally.

most discussed episode in our office

[mxmann · 10/10 · 17 August 2020]

The day after this episode aired the 'water cooler talk' in our office was more fast and furious than normal, but mostly asked the same question: "Can you believe what Magnum did at the end of the episode?!" We were all stunned.

Magnum becomes a man

[safenoe · 9/10 · 22 September 2022]

I watched a few episodes of Magnum back in the 80s, although I was more into The A-Team which was kind of on the same level of realism.

But still, I saw Did You See the Sun Rise? For the first time today and goodness, what a shock the ending was. Magnum truly becomes a man and kills the nasty Soviet commander who brutalised Magnum et al in the American invasion of Vietnam.

I never expected that Magnum would pull (or push) the trigger. You never actually see the Soviet commander being shot but still, you get the drift.

Magnum is decisive and wants to ensure justice plays out. Rambo would be proud.

Good show.

[richvolkjr · 9/10 · 2 September 2020]

First of all, this is a 2 hour show. Longer than 45 minutes. Second, another goof. When the Ferarri blows up, Julie's hair is long for some reason. And yet she had short hair before the scene.

This episode disturbed me!

[mm-39 · 7/10 · 24 April 2019]

Did You See the Sun Rise? Disturbed me! The little voice, and humor is replace with a past which haunts magnum, and a sadistic Soviet after Magnum's friend some sort of Vietnam payback. We see a serious military operative side of Magnum in Did You See the Sun Rise? Well written and directed all the actors play their roles perfectly in a more serious episode. Did You See the Sun Rise? is an evil for evil episode. As a kid I did not like Magnum for a while after this episode. We got to see the darker side of Magnum's character as Magnum says coldly "Did You See the Sun Rise?" as the episode end. Leaves a bitter cold feeling, which makes Did You See the Sun Rise? memorable. 7 stars.

For Whom Does the Sun Rise?

[Far_Out · 10/10 · 20 April 2024]

The ep contains one of the most profound presentations of hard truth I have ever known/seen.

The Admiral (a fantastic casting of Paul Burke) is waiting on a tarmac for a Prince to arrive with Buck right next to him. They are discussing the betrayal of Thomas and Burke tells the Colonel, "Don't be so sure. Even the most hated enemies have ways of becoming friends...In time." Burke then plasters a wry smile as he faces and salutes. Then we see the Japanese Prince emerge from the plane, and the Japanese flag (the red sun) is displayed. Think of it. A Japanese Royal being welcomed at a very spot his direct ancestor had allowed/ordered an all-time, infamous, attack to be.

I had not thought of it the first few times I watched this ep, but he was a prophet foretelling the mutual respect Buck and Magnum would come to know, and lead to Magnum's return to USN duty.

The controversial killing of Ivan was absolutely legal as Ivan had committed war crimes at the prison in North Vietnam we saw. This means there was a dead or alive lifetime warrant for Ivan.

I love that TPTB made the choice they did.

This ep was also the genesis of the crucial friendship between Maggie, who is introduced as a proud feminist in uniform. Buck wasn't exactly enamored with her attitude, but he was rather pleased to have such a capable aide. They, too, would become exemplars of Burke's dictum.

The action scenes toward the end of Pt. II were absurd.

The ending was sublime.