I didn't like the woman very much, she just came off wrong.

The episode, in the good words of Bill Bellichick "is what it is."

I was wondering ... I can't find what "Bolvin" means ... I'm pretty sure it's an insult the way Victoria (agreed, brick wall of an actress) says it and Mac then repeats it after she leaves. I for some reason, just want to understand it.


g

yeah it's weird. When she says it, it sounds like Bovine, like she's calling him a stubborn bull or Ox or something, but then when he repeats it, it definitely sounds like Bolvin.

It definitely sounds like bovine when she says, it, but when I play it back with the CC on, she definitely says bolvin and so does he.

Didn't like this episode much (Ingrid had a ton to do with it, as others have said).

However, it's saved by the opening gambit, which had one of my favorite scenes in the series... MacGyver's reaction when the East Germans (in Nazi uniforms, no less!) pop out and he gives them the "Esel! Ich bin ein Soviet Officer!" speech.

I do know some German, and I'm with Rockateer: "struggling" was putting it mildly. Played for laughs, clearly.

I just looked up East German uniforms (of the NVA - Nationale Volksarmee which translates to National People's Army) and I'm quite sure that the officers in the episode actually wear NVA uniforms rather than Third Reich stuff.

This wasn't one of the best episodes in my opinion, but certainly not the worst, either.

The contrast between Mac's torn up T-shirt and the tux is priceless.

None of the female characters felt too plausible in my opinion--you immediately suspected there was something wrong about Ingrid (poor Craig...) and Viktoria Tomanova... well, she was rather cliché. Some of you have pointed out that it's disgusting that Mac can fall for such a much older woman, but according to IMDB, Viktoriya Fyodorova was born in 1946 (and RDA in 1950). She looks much older than she's supposed to be (for which, at least partially, you can blame the makeup staff or the wardrobe department).

Still, I think most of you are aware of what I think about romance "in excess" by now... well, a big thumbs down.

The microphone defibrillator looks ridiculous if you know anything about sound equipment. Yes, if you hook up the cable to a much stronger power source, who knows if it might have worked... but then again, it wouldn't be too easy since a so called DIN socket has multiple pins and the wiring is different from an ordinary electric cable. With all that scientific equipment lying around, he could have used *anything* else, even just an ordinary table lamp.

Then again, maybe it was the writers' decision having him use a lower current cable, to eliminate (or at least diminish) the risk of copycats...

It stands between a "Good" or an "OK" rating from me. I'll be nice and give it a "Good".

A James Bond type episode with cloak and dagger elements. The Cold War theme was used regularly in The series.

The scene where MacGyver tells Viktoria he "dabbles" in chemistry and she then asks "What is dabble?" got me thinking...

How would you actually explain what the word "dabble" means to someone?

Dabble is just doing an activity for fun because you enjoy it, nothing serious.

Dabbling can be used in many different ways depending on the context of the conversation. It's often used to downplay and/or slightly undermine your knowledge/efficiency and so as not to draw too much attention towards yourself. Also could be anything between having read a few books on the topic up to a professional.

The "opening gambit" was a good one, and the spy element is good in these earlier episodes, and this episode is a good enough one, with good guest actors.

7/10

When Viktoria, the Russian defector, was first in MacGyver's appartment she xalled him a "Bolvin" as an insult. He repeated it. Nearest I can come u with is a 17th century French midwife which makes no sense. Any better ideas on the meaning?

I always thought she said Bovine - as in cow like.. maybe dumb and stubborn like a bull/cow?

My mind can't even process the candlestick thing. So I will, at this particular time, just point out what was wrong with the CPR on the unfortunate clergyman. Yay for Mac and the other guy, opening airway, chest compressions and rescue breaths. But nobody actually remembered to call for an ambulance. Assuming there wasn't a defibrillator in the building, this was 30 years ago after all, all the chest compressions and rescue breaths would do would be to keep the man alive till the ambulance crew arrived.

The people doing CPR aren't meant to declare death - they're meant to keep the patient in a state where there is a chance the patient could survive until help arrives.

Also, apart from anything else that is almost certainly wrong with the candlesticks thing, did nobody tell that the aim of a defibrillator is to temporarily stop a heart which is beating in the wrong way? The idea is that when when it starts up again, it might be beating correctly.

It's nothing to do with breaking up blood clots. An aspirin might help break up a blood clot. A defib - no.

Sorry to resurrect the posting on this one, but its played on my mind since I first watched it.

Firstly the candlesticks as they have been discussed above. I don't think the candlesticks were intended to act as a defib, I think they were to deliver an electrical field to stop the polymer forming in the blood stream - not that that isn't just as far fetched as a concept

Secondly and mainly the 'Yuk inducing kisses' with Victoria. I am totally convinced that Mac didn't fancy her, yes, I think he knew that she had been an attractive young woman and knew she was still trying to play that role and was quite happy to play along, but I think he really felt that you was more Pete's material, I am sure she knew that, but she sure liked the look of him.

I think asking to be kissed was more of a trust issue. She was scared, he was threatening to hypnotise her - effectively removing any self-control of the situation that she had left, could she really trust him? She needed reassurance and lets face it a kiss/cuddle from Mac would certainly be re-assuring. He would never kiss her first - she knew that, but was still attractive enough to a younger man that he would kiss her at all, could she still obtain that re-assurance? The answer was 'yes'. A kiss was exchanged - not a passionate kiss, but a reassuring kiss, delivered with gentlemanly aplomb - Yes, he would do as she requested, and therefore he could be trusted to hypnotise her. At least that was my take on it, but I often see things slightly differently to the rest of you

The worst bit of this episode for me was that dress she wore - what was the wardrobe department thinking of????!!!

Ahhhhhh the 80s Maclover, although I'd be inclined to trade some of that fashion just to take a trip back

Interesting take on the kiss, Maclover... can't disagree. There's a similar scene in Thief of Budapest where Reena kisses MacGyver to see if he's telling the truth.

To be honest, I have NO idea how that even works... but I just roll with it.

Agreed that the dress is a bit... erm... gaudy? But, it was the 80's. Fashion sense at the time was a bit questionable... let's not forget the horrors of shoulder-pads. lol

Just wanted to speak up and answer the questions above about the word Viktoria uses that sounds like bovine...I am a Russian speaker and I think the word is Bolvan - pronounced Bahlvahn. (болван) It means dummy or fool usually.

Also wanted to say I just got into watching Macgyver and its nice to come on here after every episode and see what people thought of it. Thanks!

This post has been edited by arya_sheppard on 5 January 2017 - 01:20 PM

I like that, too! Nice to meet you in here!

Welcome to the forums Arya! Be sure to let us know what you think of each episode you watch. The more conversation the better!

Thanks for that Arya. I think your absolutely right after listening to that clip again it does sound exactly like "Bolvan" which leads to the question... did MacGyver know what the word meant?

They didn't know anything about polymer or clotting until the autopsy was done.

In that scene all they know is the guy is having some sort of cardiac event.

Guess I'm reviving an old thread here, but I just saw this ep on METV. Two things...I agree with Maclover that Mac wasn't into Viktoria (though she was into him...the cougar!). He just kissed her because she asked and he's too polite to refuse. You could tell by the first kiss he really wasn't thrilled about it.

Secondly, seeing Mac in a tux....need I say more?!!?

But that's the fun thing in here - discussing old episodes again after a rewatch

There's always something new you haven't noticed before or something you want to discuss after all these years.

Hi. Sorry I haven't been here in a long time. I was just reading the discussion on this episode, The Enemy Within. I too have been wondering what that word bolvan meant. Thanks Arya for the information on that word. Glad to know what it finally means! I found a website that listed other words that could be used along with what you said Arya. It listed words like dumbhead, numbskull, blockhead.... Anyway, here's the link to the site that translated that word.

http://www.wordhippo.com/what-is/the-meani...08732922b8.html

Glad I finally found the meaning after so many years!

Nice to meet you Arya. Nice to meet another MacGyver fan!

And certainly nice to have you back with us again, MacNancy.

I noticed Spydor too (the toy

The drink serving robot (Rocky IV anyone

Good episode this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_G_ridrcbY

Pretty cool