In the pilot episode of MacGyver, MacGyver (Richard Dean Anderson)
and a distressed woman are stuck in a laboratory that is rapidly filling with
radioactive waste. As MacGyver fiddles with a homemade bomb, distressed woman
asks, "I suppose you can make an explosive out of chewing gum?" "Why?"
MacGyver responds, "You got some?"
And thus the series began.
MacGyver: The Complete First Season includes 22 episodes,
so it allows viewers to watch the same story 22 times. The episodes can be filled
in like Mad Libs; all you need to do is substitute the names and places. In
each one, MacGyver faces a formidable foe (hijackers, mobsters, killer ants),
but he triumphs by creating incredible inventions made with everyday items (model
planes, sawdust, water).
MacGyver is the only consistent character, and the series suffers for it. The
first season lacks any kind of arc or relationship that would have lent the
series some depth. Instead, viewers are treated to voice-overs from MacGyver's
childhood in Minnesota. These appear to be inspired by Bret Maverick's stories
of his Pappy, but, surprisingly, MacGyver seems to have had a rather boring
youth.
In later seasons, MacGyver worked as an agent for the Phoenix Foundation, and
he developed a strong bond with his boss Pete (Dana Elcar, who actually appears
briefly in the pilot). MacGyver also had an arch-nemesis in Murdoc (Michael
Des Barres), the assassin who simply did not die. Both these relationships created
an ongoing storyline, and they gave the series much-needed continuity and weight.
But, despite its flaws, MacGyver: The Complete First Season
is a fun, mostly because Anderson is such a likeable actor and compelling lead.
He tackles the absurd situations with a nice balance of good-humor and modesty.
And, even with the pseudo-mullet, Anderson manages to be pretty damn hot. No
wonder Patty and Selma lust after him. And, although their similarity is tiresome,
the episodes are action-packed and move at an entertainingly clipped pace.
The DVD box set is completely without special features, so I've decided to
review the credits instead. I used to watch MacGyver with my
older brother when it first aired, and I remembered the credits as a montage
of edge-of-your-seat moments. I thought the airplane explosion that burst into
flames when the name MACGYVER appeared on the screen was particularly
impressive. But after watching the credits over and over (and over), I was forced
to acknowledge they were kind of lame. Instead of the exciting shots I had remembered,
viewers are treated to clips of MacGyver turning a car ignition, unraveling
some cord, dragging barbed wire with his feet, and clipping a wire. There is
a cool bit where MacGyver dives behind a jeep as a machinegun-equipped airplane
rains down bullets, but there is also a not-so-cool bit of MacGyver leaning
against a grounded airplane that just stays put.
MacGyver: The Complete First Season is a must-buy for fans
and will be mostly enjoyable for all others. However, you'd be better off waiting
for the rest of the seasons to come out on DVD. Just wait until you see the
one where MacGyver goes back in time to King Arthur's court. Awesome.
DVD Score: B-
Extras Score: None, but the credits deserve a C-
Overall Score: C+
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