Every week I will be posting a new topic titled "Episode Discussion". In this we will discuss an episode, what we liked about it, what we didn't like, etc.


Episode 117 - The Wasteland

A land developer whose latest project may seriously harm the environment is in serious trouble himself. His children are planning a hostile takeover which includes murder.

Whoa- "The Wasteland" is definitely a good episode. It features another of MacGyver's Phoenix Foundation coworkers- Willis- who works with environmental programs it seems. MacGyver's rescue of Willis is pretty neat- sets things off with an intense tone. And I love Willis's quote- "Somehow, in the corner of my mind as I was going down, I knew you'd show up. You're always on time."
Yeah!
(For the record, Willis goes on to show up again in "Trail of Tears" and "Hind-Sight")
This episode dealt with something MacGyver definitely feels strongly about- and that's the environment. It also dealt with something else MacGyver feels strongly about- and that's people. I think the real story going on here is the relationship between Andrew Bartlett and his kids. This family obviously had problems- but it was really sickening and sad to me to see the path his own kids went down- and ultimately put together a plan to kill their own father! And Laura was kind of coerced into this thing by Scott - to a degree. To be sure, she went along with it up to a point, but at the last moment, she did try to stop her brother. Sadly, she winded up being the one to pay the price.
And MacGyver came up with a great MacGyverism in the end to get Mr. Bartlett to safety with the propeller parachute- that was pretty cool!
And it's sad the price it took to get Mr. Bartlett to make a change- but at least he does really change by the end- and tries to make amends both toward the environment and toward his family. And that's what truly brings a sincere smile to MacGyver's face at the end.
It's definitely a good episode with a powerful message.

Yet another good episode. Love the fight at the restaurant and the rescue of Willis and the making of the Parchute-copter. Once again Mitzi Kapture and Bruce Harwood appears. Willis is besides Nikki Carpenter the only Phoenix employee to show up more than once in a season. I kinda like Willis, a man scientist/analysator dedicated to his work. This is another episode like The Negotiator but with no love experience. This was a fine episode.

What smile, I didn't see him smile. There are only a very few smile ending episodes in this season. Usually he just mentions the last phrase and then freeze.

Okay- you may be right on that. It's been a while since I've seen this one. What I meant was that MacGyver is truly heartened by Bartlett's change of heart- I think most importantly, in his relationship toward his family- and also toward the environment.

Great eppy, about a subject close to my own heart... with shades of "The Negotiator." I also got a kick out of Mac's rescue of Willis... another Macism that would actually work! I like Willis, too... wish he'd shown up more often.

I agree that the real story here is the tension between Bartlett and his kids. It was sad to see that Scott and Laura had grown up with this greedy, power-hungry man for their father, and how Bartlett didn't realize what a poor example he'd been until he was confronted with himself in Scott.

I think it also shows that people really can change, regardless of how hardheaded or hardhearted they might be, though it may take a tragedy to do it.

What I like about Willis's rescue is when Mac looks in both directions to see what can help him and Mac didn't seem too happy with the assignment Willis gave him.

Excellent ep!

I love the expression on Mac's face after he figures out all the components that he was going to need for his power-wing.

The look on his face is like, "I can't believe that I'm even going to try this!"

It seemed more like: 'Nah!' But hey he did it. There are lot of his facial expressions that says a lot.

By the way did you see that there were 4 guys in the fight? 4 against 1 isn't very fair. Still a cool fight with all the powder causing another smoke screen, only this time it was meant for the eyes. Too bad he lost. I wonder what he would've done if he knocked those four guys out.

I can’t believe that he did try it!

For me this is the second most far-fetched over the top MacGyverism in the whole 7 seasons. Topped only by the Ultra-lite plane he made in Legend of the Holy Rose.

Far fetched but still possible me thinks. It reminded me a little of Murdock's trick in the A-Team with his trashbags. He also used a propeller tied to a chair blowing up trash bags. Makes a nice flying chair, flying all the way to safety. Then again he was a pilot.

You're right, Rocky! This is definately an "Oh, pu-leez!" moment!

If ANYONE could build an Ultra-light plane or the propeller-parachute thing on the spot- it would HAVE to be MacGyver!

Well I'll be darned! Those propeller-parachute things are real!!

www.cuttingedgeairsports.com/WELCOME.html

Well, I'll be damned!
MacGyver truly is educational and realistic.

I vote good. I liked the Willis character (liked Bruce in the x-files too ) and loved the parachute thingy at the end (even though it made me laugh and wonder how long he would have needed to put that all together). It looked fun though.

yeah thats another thing tha annoyed me about that macgyverism..

In the time it would have taken him to make that thing.. he could have walked (or run) to where they where...

Although, I have to say.. all that would have been superseded by the sheer entertainment factor of raiding around in it...

WEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee............

MacGyver works at the same speed the propeller goes.

Yeah, but if he had walked or run to where they were, he may have lost the element of surprise, plus, how else would he have gotten Bartlett out of there?

"Talk about being consumed by your work." Great line!
Great episode. I am watching it now.

The actress who played Laura also played Jack Dalton's ex Katie in Rock the Cradle. I liked her character more in that one, but still the poor woman gets killed in a horrible accident and by her brother--very very sad. Andrew Bartlett is a character maybe they should have done more with--about growth and change.

Only OK episode for me, but agree 100% on the look on his face. Great moment!

I wondered where I'd seen her before... but obviously not enough to go look her up.

It was a good episode.

Mitzi Kapture is has a very distinct beauty about her... it is always fun to spot her in other shows.

I particularly enjoy following her 'brother' John Pyper-Ferguson--following his career. He's played some pretty great characters over the years. Still, when I see him, I always say "Look! It's Scott Bartlett!"

On nice summer nights there is a guy who flys over my house with one. I used to have pictures of it, but I don't know where they are.

I voted excellent, shows again how one person or corporation can screw up the enviroment, and peoples lives. Glad the son got to see the wasteland at night; sorry the daughter had to die.

Guys, aren't we forgetting that Macgyverisms are completed at the speed of plot?

(Apologies to J. Michael Straczynski!)

I enjoyed the tone of this episode-- the outdoor scenes really captured the dim, bleak mood they were aiming for.

I also enjoyed the absurd MacGyverism at the end. Yes, it was over-the-top, but it was fun, so who cares? The only thing that did bother me about it was the fact that the guy just stood there and let MacGyver swoop down and kick him. He had PLENTY of time to either move out of the way or shoot MacGyver, but no, he just stands there, gets kicked, falls down, and lays there until Mac and Bartlett are out of firing range, THEN he decides to get up and start shooting. I think they could have choreographed that scene better to make it more exciting.

Heh heh...

He's thinking, "Ye Gods! It's a guy... Wearing a THING! And it has a fan.. and... and... Oh heck, here come the boots!"

THUD!


I liked this one, it has some of the seat-of-the-pants quality of the earlier seasons.

Laura Bartlett was played by the same lady who played the babies mother in Rock the Cradle back in season 3 - Mitzi Kapture

One thing I noticed was that Mac/RDA seemed to look older and more troubled in this episode than in the preceding ones.

Well, my assumption was that RDA was now in his 40's and they wanted him to come off as a 40 year old man. He does look older than in Season 5. He comes off as more annoyed and less patient/optimistic. I'm not sure if it was RDA's "cynicism" popping through or if it was intentional.