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 31 - Silent World

MacGyver is convinced the reoccurring dreams of his deaf teacher friend contain clues to an ingenious plot to steal a missile-guidance system.

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Total Votes: 10

Come to think of it, that guy does remind me of Hannibal Smith! LOL!

Anyway, "Silent World" was a pretty cool episode. The whole bit with MacGyver's deaf friend's dreams being used to help catch the bad guy was pretty interesting. I also liked MacGyver's distraction on the boat toward the end. And the sign language at the end was awesome when the kids tell MacGyver thank you. Another good episode.

Been a while since I saw this episode, how did Mac mess-up on the signs? I vaguely remember his signs being slow and deliberate which is typical for a signer who doesn't sign regularly. Perhaps, I caught the lack-of memory bug from Rock?

Hannibal smith? Who? Did you mean Hannibal lector? who is smith?

Couldn't have said it better. Really episode. The scene were the girl hears for the very first time really touched me. And of course I loved as well how Mac screwed up the sign language.

I always wonder, how in the world, if dreams are just memories of things already happened, how come in the dream she sees things that have not happened???

dreams aren't memories.

they are your brains way of processing information.

Dreams often contain images which have nothing to do with the actual "data" your brain is processing, but rather reflicts how your brain understands thats data... hence the term "dream code"

I think the answer to your question is actually in the story line of the episode... the dream contained "bits" of memories put together to create a new image.

Ok, that makes sense. Thanks

There’s an interesting element in this episode, which examines (to some extent) the “Self fulfilling prophecy” effect.

This is where we take a fact and make it fit our vision or idea. This effect is most often worked in fortune telling, psychic readings etc… where we are told something of the future and then sub-consciously look for things which we can twist, exaggerate, or stretch to fit what we’ve been told.

This is evident with the lightning sign on the side of the van. What Carrie described and what happened weren’t really all that similar… But both Mac and Pete made the situation fit her description by ignoring most of the facts.. i.e. it was a van which nearly hit Mac.. not a bolt of lightning actually striking him.

I don’t think there’s particularly anything wrong with the Self Fulfilling Prophecy effect... I just think it’s interesting that even a “man of science” is susceptible to it as much as anyone else, although I know he was using this to explain where the “idea” or the image had come from. In that she must have seen those things already and they just appeared in dream code.

There's our Three Nameless BadGuys again!

I liked the character of Crane... he was an intellegent bad guy... and the whole 'football thing' kept me rotfl!

I watched this episode again last night.

I voted good for this episode. Its another fine example of why I think seasons 2 and 3 are the best. Nicely paced, with a little bit of everything, action, humor, romance, intrigue... It even had some decent actors.. what more could you ask for?

Interesting to see the little hut on the edge of the lake used again. (last time we saw it was Prisoner of conscience... I think?)

How much fun would that hover craft be. I can just imagine the crew taking turns with that thing in between takes and stuff

I couldn't help noticing how much that Sleep Doctors voice sounded like the computer in the Human Factor episode.

I remember watching this way back when it first aired and thinking it was super kewl that MacGyver had a computer at home which he could access the Phoenix Foundations computers with.

I had to laugh at the little adult bit they threw in.. with Macs response when Carrie told him she had a dream about him.... not the kind of dream he was hoping for

Yes, that made me laugh, too. He actually looks a bit disappointed for a second, before he realizes just how serious the situation is.

Rocky, you're a big geek! lol!

Ok, here goes.

David Crane is a great villian--intelligent, experienced with a sense of humor. I love that he mentions being a quarterback on a football team, coolege or high school?

I love the scene with Mac at the test site, with the dialogue between Mac and Pete and the military General. If you watch RDA as O'Neill it's quite a switch.

I like the episode switching from Crane to Mac to Crane to Mac--well done.

Crane's blowing up the chair--I love the way he has the people's attention--he really scares them. He also mentions having not touched anything in the room and having the room prepared ahead of time. Interesting-- a nice note-throughout the episode it shows that Crane is detailed and organized.

Carrie Linden is a wonderful character that I would have like to see much more of, not as a romantic relationship for Mac, but as a friend. She's a real role model for kids. And yes I like the scene where she tell him about her dream. He insists that she have tea. As she tells him, he listens. I don't know that he is disappointed that she wasn't dreaming about him in a romantic way, I think he was concerned about his friend. But good scene.

One of my favorite sequences is when Mac has just told Pete about Carrie's dream and they are coming out of the restaurant, Indian food. Pete mentions having lost his tastebuds. Mac laughs and that's something I wish that Mac had done more of in the show--laughed. Then comes the van with the lightening bolt-freaky! Mac laughs again at the test site with Carrie.

Carrie's dream--I agree with Mac--it's like a map or a puzzle coming together. I like that Mac sat with her throughout the dream. Very intense--enough to get Pete really worried.

The part with Mac having the access to Phoenix Foundation's computer--I agree that's pretty funny.

I really like this episode a lot, love the ending with the way Mac jumps through the window and first Crane tries to hit Mac and punches a pan and then Mac punches him out cold. Hurray for the good guys!!

I wonder how Carrie was able to describe the exact form of the lake, when she was terrified and running in her dream and surely had not seen all of it? It was a large lake, so to overview it all she would have needed flying in a helicopter.

I also wonder how Mac made this little fountains when he was in the water. He could not use his straw because that's how he breathed down there. So it would be pretty stupid, to make it full water several times?

It's nice to see Mac talking with his hands. It just looks good. Does anybody know if he knew Marlee Matlin before or after this episode? I always wondered if she taught him some things.

By holding his breath then allowing the tube to fill with water and blowing out through the tube. Just like snorkelers do.

Did you see how short this straw was? No way such a big ammount of water could come out of it!

maybe he was holding the water in his mouth and spurting it.

What kid hasn't done that with a straw

One question I just watched it, in the scene at the cabin when Mac is rescuing Carrie, how did Mac know Crane's name (the voiceover)?

I haven't watched this episode for quite some time, but MacGyver voiceovers are usually more for story-telling rather than advancing the story itself, like what you would expect in a book, more of an "eye of God" all-knowing narrative.

I loved the character of Crane... he was an intellegent bad guy. I loved when he was talking to the teacher and she was telling him her dream, too funny.

Anyone else notice how the dream scientist lady at the phoenix lab sounds just like the computer voice in the Human Factor episode?

I did--I just watched this episode the other night. I wonder if it is the same voice...

The whole episode was a little bit spooky for me:) This metal skeleton, strange dream ohhh I got goosbumps :0

I liked this ep. I liked the whole feel of the episode because it was a bit different than a lot of the other episodes. i thought Carrie's character and the actress who played her did a very good job.

Funny you should ask that...

"Silent World" is very different, in many ways, I think.

It all started out as what you thought would be a more action packed episode, bordering on science fiction. Then, all of a sudden, we get to meet the deaf kids, and watch MacGyver demonstrate how the same kind of technology that you're using for the guidance of missiles can be used to help deaf people hear again!

The scenes at the school--from beginning to end, were all very sweet. Mac trying his best to say "electronic translation device" and messes up the sign language. Wonder what he said?

Really touching scene when Maria hears for the first time. And at the end, Pete is so moved that he looks close to tears as Maria says "Thank You MacGyver..."

You'd almost expect that Mac would be more skeptic regarding the dreams--at least initially, but it's obvious that he cares a lot about Carrie and knows she's very intelligent, she wouldn't make things up. Maybe the whole dream research procedure was more than a bit implausible, but I definitely don't think such things should be laughed at. My dad and I have both had "prophetic" dreams--though, unfortunately (and ironically), in my case, it's all been about silly and unimportant things, and in no way as detailed as Carrie's dreams.

The elements of the dreams (and some of their equivalents in the real world!) were pretty cool, though. The steel skeleton is creepy, but indeed a work of art.
And that hover craft... well, say no more.

On a final note--believe it or not, but I thought Mac and Carrie looked very sweet together. Don't know if I would still appreciate it had things turned into a "real" romance, but their relationship was so natural and felt so genuine. Maybe part of it was because of the fact that she was deaf for real, and her accent was her own.

Not among my top ten--but still a "Good" episode.

Do you mean the way it was done or the fact that it was done at all?

Do you mean the way it was done or the fact that it was done at all?

Well, probably a bit of both. Scientific sleep studies isn't exactly my area of expertise, but from what I know, the procedure is usually very different, involving various psychological and medical tests. They seemed to have much of a "New Age" approach to things, which is a bit odd for the MacGyver series. But then again, it's a bit hard to judge things here since the circumstances were kind of unique.

As far as 'MacGyver', the show, is concerned I have very big disbelief suspenders, so I buy the whole dream analysis thing – although I find it a tad boring that they show the dream over and over again.
On the plus side: I really like the bad guy. Have you noticed, by the way, that he wears a jacket Mac has worn in another episode?
The biggest plus: this episode carries my all time favorite macgyverism, the water clock

Oh yes--you're absolutely right about the water clock--it IS a mighty cool trick indeed, I agree!

Didn't think about the jacket now until you mention it, but that's an interesting fact! And yeah, he does come off very believable as the bad guy. Even at a first glance, his appearance gave me the creeps.

I think this was an ok episode due to the human relations.

This is one of the better episodes of the second season, imo. It has excellent flow, great sets and fantastic chemistry between Mac & Carrie. It's also a (partial) ripoff of the play/film 'Children of a Lesser God'. Still it works well, the macgyverisms great and a very pleasing episode overall.