2.14 - Mardi Gras Beads + Chair

Airdate: Jan. 19, 2018
Story: Brian Durkin
Teleplay: Marqui Jackson and Andrew Karlsruher
Director: Mike Martinez
Guest Cast: Amy Smart (Dixie/Dawn) , Garrett Morris (Willy) , Jonny Coyne (Raymond)
Edwin Walker (Bartender) , Jeffrey David Anderson (Guilherme Barbosa) , Benjamin Wood (Joao Barbosa)
Anthony Belevtsov (Enforcer)


When the team heads to New Orleans to track down the con artist (Amy Smart) who is posing as the wife of “Duke Jacoby,” one of Jack’s old CIA aliases, Jack finds himself in jeopardy when “Duke’s” old enemies resurface looking for revenge.

Well, first of all... jerk move CBS on making it subscription only to watch new episodes on the website. Cute CBS, very cute....

I dunno if it's a reference or not, but Mac burning his hands seems like a throwback to when original Mac burning his hands in Blind Faith.

Besides that, there's no real gripes... well, none that hasn't been mentioned before. I'm more annoyed that CBS is making people pay for a subscription to watch new episodes online.

CBS... you're not HBO...

Hopefully, they won't pull that shtick with the upcoming Murdoc episode...

Though, if this is how they're going to behave, I may just tune out completely after the Murdoc episode. CBS ain't the boss of me... =P

CBS did THAT?! Well, there goes any reassurance I felt about if I missed an episode, I could catch it online. Hope they release season 2 on dvd a lot faster than season 1. I couldn't bring myself to boycott watching the show all together as payback for trying to make people pay, though. We need the ratings, and I hope they don't fall too much. I do agree CBS is being a jerk, though.

Yes, I noticed the "Blind Faith" throwback, too. I think that scene of Mac grabbing the flaming box was done somewhat poorly. If I grabbed a box like that, I would be crying out in pain, even if I kept grabbing it until I freed Jack. Maybe really high adrenaline?

Quick question, how did the metal detector Mac made find the money? It was paper money, not metal.

And I feel like an idiot, but where did the Mardi Gras beads and the Chair come in?

And I felt cheated, at the end of the episode, they said "stay tuned for scenes from the next episode". There were no scenes. I know that there's no new episode until February 2, but still... Please don't lie, CBS. (Actually, I think that message at the end might have been an error).

Mac says that new bills are being printed using metallic ink, and the beads were used to tie the Albanian thug to the chair. It didn't really show him do that. I Imagine they used the beads in the title to help people recognize that it was the episode in New Orleans.

At my dad's place, so didn't have time to watch the Episode yet. Overall, Feedback on Twitter seemed positive.

Preliminary Ratings are in: http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/the-...-1-19-2018.html

Audience numbers were not as good as last week, but still very good!

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The good news to that is that it seems to have been a timing fluke. It's now available to watch without a subscription.

*phew* They scared me there for a minute....

See, the problem is if they ever decide to do that, they will alienate some viewers, like myself, that can't afford a subscription. Also, if they did that on an episode I really want to see, it would seem like a cheap shot... but thankfully, it's a false alarm.

So, it's all goo now. lol Sorry CBS!

The good news to that is that it seems to have been a timing fluke. It's now available to watch without a subscription.

*phew* They scared me there for a minute....

See, the problem is if they ever decide to do that, they will alienate some viewers, like myself, that can't afford a subscription. Also, if they did that on an episode I really want to see, it would seem like a cheap shot... but thankfully, it's a false alarm.

So, it's all goo now. lol Sorry CBS!

Oh good! I'm so relieved! CBS isn't completely off their rocker after all.

Mac says that new bills are being printed using metallic ink, and the beads were used to tie the Albanian thug to the chair. It didn't really show him do that. I Imagine they used the beads in the title to help people recognize that it was the episode in New Orleans.

Okay, that makes sense. I was wondering how paper money could be found with a metal detector. And I know that they wanted to emphasize the New Orleans theme, but they should've picked a better title.

It's quite a daring title considering what Mardi Gra beads are used for and the current 'Times Up' climate of anti-harassment.

It's quite a daring title considering what Mardi Gra beads are used for and the current 'Times Up' climate of anti-harassment.

Yes your right when you put it that way. I've been to a couple of Mardi Gra's and I know exactly what your talking about.

Yes, this reminded me immediately of "Blind Faith".

Though I think rebooted Mac should have as thick bandages around his hands as Original Mac did? I mean, he did grab the burning coffin with his bare hands, after all.

I wonder if Lucas and George knew beforehand that they would engulf the whole coffin in high flames like this in post-production, because I think the acting corresponded better with a "smaller fire". Wouldn't the fire already have found a way to burn through the wood in places? Methinks Jack should have had more severely burns, as well.

I know they pride themselves of being a family-friendly show and we will never see as much whump as with Hawaii Five-0; but therefore I think the scene should have been either toned down a bit or the "results" should have been more severe; aka both of them ending up in the hospital and out of comission for a few weeks.

That's my only explanation of this so far - adrenaline rush

I guess the editing was done before they realized there won't be an episode next week - or the person responsible for editing a preview for 2x15 wasn't able to finish it?

Final Ratings are in: http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/show...-1-19-2018.html

The episode lost a bit in audience numbers, but not much. And it kept the 1.0 rating for the important demo group.

So far, the last three episodes have the highest amount of viewers in Season 2. The last two episodes have the highest rating.

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Yeah, I was like "I don't see any previews..."

Some people on Facebook think Mac was yelling something in German when he burned his hands, and recalled what Matty said about people automatically speaking in their native tongue when in pain, and are wondering if that was a clue...

Hm. Didn't recognize any German in this scene.

Also, even if MacGyver (or his parents/grandparents) had German roots, that doesn't automatically mean that German is Mac's native tongue - it's possible he grew up in a strictly English-speaking home.

I'm sure Mac and Jack have been hurt seriously or been tortured on missions before - I think someone (aka Jack, Thornton or other agents) would have noticed if Mac's native tongue wasn't English?

Of course, he might be fluent in it due to his job as an agent, but we also never had proof about him being fluent in Mandarin (as Bozer mentioned in the pilot).

Well, coming from a German background myself, I can honestly say that his native tongue wouldn't be German. It would be English. It's very rare for that to happen. My mother taught me some German when I got older, but only a few phrases.

Angus MacGyver, however, is a Scottish name, not German. Not to say he doesn't have German in him, but his name would suggest a Scottish heritage. So either his parents were extremely proud of that, or they were massive AC/DC fans.

My mother also taught me some Spanish. She once dared me to go up to a guy and say: bésame... bésame mucho...

She also wouldn't tell me what it meant either. Did I trust her? No... no I didn't...

Hm. Didn't recognize any German in this scene.

Also, even if MacGyver (or his parents/grandparents) had German roots, that doesn't automatically mean that German is Mac's native tongue - it's possible he grew up in a strictly English-speaking home.

I'm sure Mac and Jack have been hurt seriously or been tortured on missions before - I think someone (aka Jack, Thornton or other agents) would have noticed if Mac's native tongue wasn't English?

Of course, he might be fluent in it due to his job as an agent, but we also never had proof about him being fluent in Mandarin (as Bozer mentioned in the pilot).

I didn't notice any different languages either, but I just thought I'd share what other fans were saying. Personally, I'd think Mac would know if he had a different native tongue than English. Not much of a potential plot-twist there...

I wouldn't trust her in those circumstances either... Do you know what that means now?

LOL! Yes, I do... but back then, there was no "just Google it". I had to ask... and it was humiliating.

Any chance it means something you can't post here? I'm kinda afraid to google it myself....

LOL! No, no... nothing like that. It was just awkward for me because I was, and still am, socially inept.

Actually, it just means: Kiss me... kiss me a lot...

Good thing you didn't say that to him, then! Honestly, I wouldn't have either.

if he'd taken you up on it, your mom might have slapped him, though?

LOL! Not really... my mother was the biggest fangirl that ever lived, and a lover of men. She was a bit miffed being stuck with three daughters and no sons. lol Poor Dad...

I don't know why, but that reminds me of this...

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I really liked Amy Smarts character in here and I think it's kinda funny that I like the love interests for Jack a lot better than the ones for Mac - and I'm usually rooting for them to come back. Not sure if it has to do with my age or because Jack's women are more interesting character-wise?

Generally, I think some of the guest-stars are very well-chosen, but George Eads seems to have more chemistry with Amy Acker and Amy Smart than Lucas with his (potential) love-interests. Maybe it's an "Amy-thing" . I wouldn't mind if any of these Amy's came back for another episode.

I like Tracy Spiridakos, but I don't like Nikki and I don't see any chemistry between her and Lucas (although since she was never intended to stay as a recurring, it didn't matter that much when they cast her). The same goes for Isabel Lucas. I like her; but it took me almost 7 episodes to start liking Cage and I never saw enough chemistry between her and Lucas for her to become a love-interest for Mac. I'm still not sure if they had ever planned on that or if she's - plot twist! - family. (I'm still opting for half-sister or something.)

I felt Lucas had the most chemistry with Zoe (Amy Okuda - look there, another Amy ). Too bad she can never join the team.

I don't mind any of Jack's love interests, I just wish they'd pick one and STAY with her. One minute he's obsessed with Sara, then he finally gets past her with Dixie. But this upcoming episode, he's into Riley's mom again. I don't mind a little jumping when necessary, but make up your minds, please.

As for Mac, I feel pretty apathetic about most of his love interests. I don't feel the need to ship him with anyone, because I have yet to see him with a girl that I consider "special" enough to really feel like they're made for each other. Zoe might have been that, but... Well, we know what happened to her. *sob*

I actually don't care much for Jack, or his love interests. It just feels a bit cliched to me. Dixie just comes off as the "rebound chick" because he couldn't get over Sara... which doesn't really come off as healthy.

But... I'm not an expert here.

Mac and Zoe is about the only "interest" that made me actually go... aww... that's cute! Then they killer her...

However, the original suffered from lackluster love interests too. Mike and Deborah from Negotiator are the only interests that ever struck a cord with me. Deborah, though a villain, would have been a great redemption story arch.

But, we can't have everything in life... so... fanfiction it is! XD

To be honest, I'm not much of a shipper anyway. Well, most of the time. I wouldn't have minded if the Riley/Bozer thing happened, but now that he's with Leanna, I prefer that match. If Bozer suddenly were to be into Riley again, I'd be REALLY annoyed.

And the only romance from the original that I sometimes ship is Murdoc/Penny. I never really cared who Mac was with.