[MacGyverOnline]

Paperclips have pretty much become the go-to icon of MacGyver's inventiveness, but how many times did he ever actually use one?

I can remember the Missle defuse in the 'Pilot' gambit, the unzipped dress in 'The Heist' and the failed attempt to fix the rental car in 'Three For The Road'.

Are there any other times he used a paperclip?

[MacGyverGod]

I think it was mostly in the more scientific early seasons. "You need something that can carry a current. Like a paperclip."

I believe Diane in For Love Or Money mentioned another time where he used a paperclip, a pencil and a piece of lemon to fix a computer.

[Miasma]

Yeah, the paperclip usage is definitely overstated. Same thing with duct tape. I don't think there were really that many times when he used either item. It's been too long since I've watched any episodes to say exactly when he did use them, but I remember when I used to watch it, I found myself wondering where the "paperclip & duct tape" reputation came from. Oh, and chewing gum. That's another thing that people always reference.

I guess the point isn't so much that he used those specific items, though, it's that those are simple, commonplace items, so they represent the KINDS of things Mac used when solving problems.

[MacGyverGod]

That's also early stuff. I think paperclips and ductape were hardly ever used after season 4. I think last time he used duct tape was in Easy Target to tape the grenade at the door and to cause that smokescreen with the walkie-talkie. Unless adhesive tape counts when he used it to get Carla's fingerprints but I'm talking about the actual roll of ductape.

Last mention of ductape goes all the way back to GX-1 on the MacGyverisms list. When it comes to paperclips there's no mention of it after The Prodigal, while he clearly used in Three For The Road and I'm thinking he also used it in Partners, but I'm not entirely sure. Used so briefly early on, yet it made a lasting impressions since a lot of people remember it.