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 096 - Live and Learn
MacGyver reaches out to a promising high-school student as part of a Phoenix mentor program, but he has to get around a cynical teacher and the youth's no-nonsense father for his message to take hold.
I watched this episode for the first time in a long while last night. I had some negative ideas and memories about this episode, but found it pleasantly entertaining.
There was something about seeing MacGyver pass on his knowledge to a younger generation which was quite kewl. Although I don't normally care much for the social conscience episodes, I did like the strong, yet subtle, message this episode carried about education being the key to all success.
I liked the MacGyverism with the burnt paper too.
And I love the line between Mac and Tony...
Tony: "Where did you learn to do all this stuff?"
Mac: "where do you think?"
such a subtle little message... If you want to be like MacGyver, stay in school.
I think this is definitely an episode to sit down with your kids and watch, especially if your kids think MacGyver is kewl.
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The teacher, George Fraley seems like the typical burned out, overworked teacher that (while they may never take their feelings or lack thereof to the extreme that he does) feels that he is being shortchanged. My mom is a retired literature teacher and she taught 8th grade for years in a city school, and she had plenty of struggles trying to keep her sanity. A good movie about high school teachers in an inner city is Dangerous Minds, with Michelle Pfeiffer.
"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
A good movie about high school teachers in an inner city is Dangerous Minds, with Michelle Pfeiffer.
Oh yeah, good movie from what I remember.
And yeah the teacher in this is one of the things I liked about the episode. I bet there are thousands of teachers around the world who can relate to the teacher, probably more so in todays politically correct "cotton wool" schooling environment, where the emphasis is on making a student happy rather than educated.
I find it kinda sad that this episode is still so relevant nearly 20 years after it was made. Our education system has gotten worse rather than better.
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The actor who played the teacher looks very familiar. I didn't catch his name. Anyone know what else he's been in? He is a pretty good actor. Good episode.
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I didn't care for the sappy PSA, illiterate dad, the overworked teachers the school system parts of this but did enjoy the applied knowledge to piece together a burnt piece of paper.
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This episode has inspired me to go back to school one day. I never finished year 10 and I've regretted it for years. I guess if you want to get somewhere in life, a good education comes in handy so I'm gonna take Mac's advice and go back when I can and learn.
Great episode, though. I love all the 'social' kind of episodes, Mac gives us some great messages. The teachers rant about class sizes and textbooks and that is so relevant though, even today. The public system does need more help and the kids need more encouragement and more one on one time.
"You may not believe this, but there have been times when I've had a lot more fun in the back seat of a car." - MacGyver (Golden Triangle)
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QUOTE (Makedde @ 19 June 2011 - 06:43 PM)
This episode has inspired me to go back to school one day. I never finished year 10 and I've regretted it for years. I guess if you want to get somewhere in life, a good education comes in handy so I'm gonna take Mac's advice and go back when I can and learn.
Great episode, though. I love all the 'social' kind of episodes, Mac gives us some great messages. The teachers rant about class sizes and textbooks and that is so relevant though, even today. The public system does need more help and the kids need more encouragement and more one on one time.
Yeah, I had a mentor but as soon as I started high school the mentoring program stopped. :/ I needed (and still need haha) a mentor like MacGyver, Someone I could just talk to. I think most students should have a mentor. It helps alot.
"When James Bond gets an assignment, he probably ends up on the Riviera, up to his 007's in bikinis. Me? I end up 80 miles past nowhere. "
Not my favorite episode, but I think the part at the beginning where Mac is calling a football play is great! You can tell the actor playing the student is having a hard time keeping a straight face.
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You do know that that kid is Teal'c, right?
I think the poison that was used was applied to this knife, passed to the mutton when it was cut and then activated by the wine. - MacGyver. Sometimes you just have to die a little inside to be reborn and rise again as a stronger and wiser version of you. It's better to be a little sad than to be fake content.
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I wish I could find the con panel interview, but in the bowels of YouTube, Christopher Judge tells a hilarious story behind the scene where he's face to face with RDA. Apparently right after the scene cuts, RDA let out a huge fart, which caused the rest of the kids to laugh.
RDA is notoriously gassy, and the fart battles he had with Christopher Judge on Stargate are legendary.
Case in point...
"Walk in love. Walk in service. And you will walk in honor." (Good Knight MacGyver) "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." - Albert Einstein "What are ferrets made of? Happiness."
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That's one way to put it. Might as well say they farted it out amongst themselves.
I think the poison that was used was applied to this knife, passed to the mutton when it was cut and then activated by the wine. - MacGyver. Sometimes you just have to die a little inside to be reborn and rise again as a stronger and wiser version of you. It's better to be a little sad than to be fake content.
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QUOTE (Jediferret @ 31 May 2017 - 06:00 PM)
I wish I could find the con panel interview, but in the bowels of YouTube, Christopher Judge tells a hilarious story behind the scene where he's face to face with RDA. Apparently right after the scene cuts, RDA let out a huge fart, which caused the rest of the kids to laugh.
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It took me years to realize though but the mean looking teachers are usually the best ones. If you can look past their exteriors and George Frailey is a great example of that. Once a good and promising teacher who enjoyed his work but became embittered due to the circumstances he has to work in. Also I think it's very interesting how Mac choose Frailey to work with and told him if he lost the wager Frailey should become projectleader. I was never in favor of troubled teens episodes but I think out of all of them this one is my favourite.
I think the poison that was used was applied to this knife, passed to the mutton when it was cut and then activated by the wine. - MacGyver. Sometimes you just have to die a little inside to be reborn and rise again as a stronger and wiser version of you. It's better to be a little sad than to be fake content.
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QUOTE (MacGyverGod @ 24 October 2020 - 01:32 AM)
It took me years to realize though but the mean looking teachers are usually the best ones. If you can look past their exteriors and George Frailey is a great example of that. Once a good and promising teacher who enjoyed his work but became embittered due to the circumstances he has to work in. Also I think it's very interesting how Mac choose Frailey to work with and told him if he lost the wager Frailey should become projectleader. I was never in favor of troubled teens episodes but I think out of all of them this one is my favourite.
Indeed, the "meanest" teachers are the best, when I was younger, I had a tough teacher, even mean, but I had great esteem for her, and I have never learned so well with her. ... That's why, when I saw the character of George Frailey, it immediately made me "tilt" in my head ... And as you said and Mac, Frailey is bitter, he is almost disillusioned with this life, and I think that's why Mac chose him to, too, give him back a taste for life, give him back self-confidence and also motivate young people ...