Just watched this again, having finished the films last week.
I'd forgotten how different the stories were at the start! I really like the way they introduce Mac and how his brain ticks, and I like Barbara Spencer as his sidekick of the day too
Interesting that it was directed by 'Alan Smithee'. Isn't that the alias they use when the actual director doesn't want his/her name on the piece?
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This gets an excellent from me. It really sets the show up brilliantly with the underlying theme of MacGyver being the "go to guy" to solve any problem and this episode must be the one with the most MacGyverisms of the whole series.
In spite of the picture quality issues, this episode seems to stand the test of time well. That scanner thing the doctor stands under before entering the lab still seems pretty high tech even today.
Excellent episode. Excellent way to start the series.
"One time we were on a camping trip. This bear ate all our food! I got all wimpy scared, but my grandpa, he said to me, 'Bud. . . we'll just go grazing.'"
That poofy pompom toque in the opening gambit is absolutely hilarious. In Canadian winters you can see somebody coming literally a mile away in those things. Definitely not the most efficient stealthware/ accoutrement for secret operations.
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I wonder if that's the same hat he wears in the Eagles episode? And if it is I wonder if they wide angle shots of him on the cliff face are taken from the same climbing movie they took the scenes from for Eagles?
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Don't be dissin' the hat! That hat is awesome. lol
I wouldn't be surprised if RDA chose that hat himself. After hearing stories of how much he was a goofball on set of Stargate, one can assume he was just as bad on MacGyver. lol
I hadn't seen the pilot in over two decades, but when I saw it when I re-watched I instantly knew the show was going to be awesome. Call me weird.
"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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QUOTE (Jediferret @ 9 March 2014 - 02:04 AM)
Don't be dissin' the hat! That hat is awesome. lol
I wouldn't be surprised if RDA chose that hat himself. After hearing stories of how much he was a goofball on set of Stargate, one can assume he was just as bad on MacGyver. lol
I don't think he had any say in anything of season 1. He was a hired actor at that stage. It wasn't until season 2 that he started to get input to the character development.
On SG RDA was a producer (the boss) which gave him a lot of freedom which he wouldn't have on MacGyver.
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QUOTE (Macap311 @ 8 August 2012 - 02:05 PM)
Makes me wonder how much stuff is out there we may never see! Hopefully one day the complete series will be rereleased on Dvd with some kind of bonus material! Hey, I can dream!! Lol!!
This pilot episode was actually filmed as a full long movie, but was later cut to TV-version. It could be great to see this full version someday. I just watched Stargate SG-1's DVD collection of all 8 seasons, where RDA was with, and there was lots of special features - behind the scenes documentaries and interviews. Lots of, lots of, lots of great bonus stuff. I think there exist lots of behind the scenes material about MacGyver, too. It's sad there isn't any behind the scenes bonus material on MacGyver DVD box.
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QUOTE (kristiina86halonen @ 18 March 2014 - 11:12 PM)
This pilot episode was actually filmed as a full long movie, but was later cut to TV-version. It could be great to see this full version someday.
I thought it was written as a movie but then cut down before they started filming?
QUOTE
I just watched Stargate SG-1's DVD collection of all 8 seasons, where RDA was with, and there was lots of special features - behind the scenes documentaries and interviews. Lots of, lots of, lots of great bonus stuff. I think there exist lots of behind the scenes material about MacGyver, too. It's sad there isn't any behind the scenes bonus material on MacGyver DVD box.
MacGyver was filmed using 35mm film cameras and then transferred to video for editing. After nearly 30 years the original film would be degraded too much to be of any use now and we don't know what CBS Paramount's policy is for retaining video. They may only keep the edited master versions and discard or reuse the original copies, or possibly done so later in time.
It would be nice to think they still had the original video sitting in a vault somewhere just waiting to be re-mastered onto a digital format - or better yet, that they were already in the process of re-mastering both the episodes and special features for a Blu-ray release.
Only time will tell, unfortunately, that time will also destroy if left too long.
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QUOTE (KiwiTek @ 19 March 2014 - 08:30 AM)
I thought it was written as a movie but then cut down before they started filming?
Actually, the full 90 minutes episode WAS filmed, but was later cut to the 60 minutes version. Because of editing there was a lot of quest starring characters that didn't appear in the version that aired. Also they cut off scenes where MacGyver's first name was said, which was Stace at that time. You can read about all that on RDA's personal website.
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QUOTE (KiwiTek @ 9 March 2014 - 09:38 AM)
QUOTE (Jediferret @ 9 March 2014 - 02:04 AM)
Don't be dissin' the hat! That hat is awesome. lol
I wouldn't be surprised if RDA chose that hat himself. After hearing stories of how much he was a goofball on set of Stargate, one can assume he was just as bad on MacGyver. lol
I don't think he had any say in anything of season 1. He was a hired actor at that stage. It wasn't until season 2 that he started to get input to the character development.
On SG RDA was a producer (the boss) which gave him a lot of freedom which he wouldn't have on MacGyver.
I think he could do his own things already on season 1. Like in The Enemy Within in this dissection scene, when he eats this egg roll. It can be something not written in script, because when MacGyver turns to take the egg roll, you can see, that RDA's arm is in plaster cast. Why they bothered to hide this plaster cast behind that jacket when at the next moment everybody can see it. So, I think it was RDA's own and they left it in the episode, 'cause it was funny.
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QUOTE (kristiina86halonen @ 20 March 2014 - 10:19 PM)
QUOTE (KiwiTek @ 19 March 2014 - 08:30 AM)
I thought it was written as a movie but then cut down before they started filming?
Actually, the full 90 minutes episode WAS filmed, but was later cut to the 60 minutes version. Because of editing there was a lot of quest starring characters that didn't appear in the version that aired. Also they cut off scenes where MacGyver's first name was said, which was Stace at that time. You can read about all that on RDA's personal website.
Does that sight have actual evidence that the name being used in dialog? I know the name Stace MacGyver was used as a Character name in the script, but haven't seen any evidence to suggest that it was actually spoken at any time in the script.
Don't be dissin' the hat! That hat is awesome. lol
I wouldn't be surprised if RDA chose that hat himself. After hearing stories of how much he was a goofball on set of Stargate, one can assume he was just as bad on MacGyver. lol
I hadn't seen the pilot in over two decades, but when I saw it when I re-watched I instantly knew the show was going to be awesome. Call me weird.
Ha .... I actually have a few of those style toques in my mitten drawer. The difference being that I usually only wear them during a snowstorm and as a beacon-esque warning to marauding snowplows - to stay clear and so as not to run me over. As for pulling one over my ears for a covert operation Nope! I've got a black balaclava and a can of shoe polish - tailor made for those assignments.
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QUOTE (KiwiTek @ 21 March 2014 - 08:37 AM)
QUOTE (kristiina86halonen @ 20 March 2014 - 10:19 PM)
QUOTE (KiwiTek @ 19 March 2014 - 08:30 AM)
I thought it was written as a movie but then cut down before they started filming?
Actually, the full 90 minutes episode WAS filmed, but was later cut to the 60 minutes version. Because of editing there was a lot of quest starring characters that didn't appear in the version that aired. Also they cut off scenes where MacGyver's first name was said, which was Stace at that time. You can read about all that on RDA's personal website.
Does that sight have actual evidence that the name being used in dialog? I know the name Stace MacGyver was used as a Character name in the script, but haven't seen any evidence to suggest that it was actually spoken at any time in the script.
...and then ARCHIVES and then WILLIAM S. PALEY MACGYVER SEMINAR Museum of Television and Radio. March 6, 1998
It's very long (but very interesting) article. The topic we talked about is in the section, where fans ask questions. When print the article to A4, it's on page 15.
And for the article, where said, that 90 minutes version of Pilot was filmed go to http://www.rdanderson.com and then MACGYVER and then PILOT.
Just watched this again last night and I just love it This is the episode that originally got me hooked on MacGyver and one of my favorite episodes. I think that's a great way to start the series A lot of pure and simple macgyverisms, lot of humor, that lovely accent he has and a lab of metallurgy (my mom studied metallurgy and when i first saw this episode i hadn't seen her for quite a while and missed her).
still the same things bugged me also: red hat and bright blue clothes at a mission where you should try to be invisible Mac shooting and what is it with all those women in the series "I kiss you now just in case we'll die" who thinks about kissing when you afraid you'll die and with someone you don't even know? ok he is handsome and smart and lovely character and saving their lives so maybe it's understandable anyone would like to kiss him
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One of my favorite things about the first season are the opening gambits. It added a bit more depth to the episode. This is one of the better pilot episodes than other shows at the time.
"It's funny how, when you want time to move along, it never does. But when you're running out of time, it disappears much too soon."-MacGyver (Phoenix Under Siege)
"It's a shooting gallery MacGyver, and we have no guns!"-Murdoc (Halloween Knights)
"We'll never be able to out run it".-Dr.Ludlum "Come on, where's your sense of adventure?"-MacGyver(The Human Factor)
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You might wonder what happened that he didn't want to in the first place. Did he had such a hard time directing it? Or didn't he just feel anything for it. Pilots can be hard maybe, because you don't know how it'll turn out.
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.
QUOTE (kristiina86halonen @ 20 March 2014 - 10:19 PM)
QUOTE (KiwiTek @ 19 March 2014 - 08:30 AM)
I thought it was written as a movie but then cut down before they started filming?
Actually, the full 90 minutes episode WAS filmed, but was later cut to the 60 minutes version. Because of editing there was a lot of quest starring characters that didn't appear in the version that aired. Also they cut off scenes where MacGyver's first name was said, which was Stace at that time. You can read about all that on RDA's personal website.
Does that sight have actual evidence that the name being used in dialog? I know the name Stace MacGyver was used as a Character name in the script, but haven't seen any evidence to suggest that it was actually spoken at any time in the script.
If you've got other information can you link us to it please? Thanks
There's a MacGyver reproduction script circulating on a popular auction site these days entitled 'MacGyver - A Ninety Minute Pilot by Lee David Zlotoff'. It is a 'Second Draft' and dated 'January 3, 1985'. It is meaty and almost 100 pages long, content commensurate with a 90 minute program, and appears, as far as I can tell, to be authentic.
So ..... at the Government Test Center and as they run Mac through a fitness/agility- type course and on age 22, Dr. Collette Webster receives a computer printout of his ongoing progress and she begins to read it out loud .... and I quote:
Webster: MacGyver, comma, Stace, test sequence one seven nine. Cumulative reflex response time; 38.5-- down from your previous readout of 39.2. Muscle oxygenation co-efficient 134.3-- formerly 132. I could give the specifics of each sub-group but the decline is apparent.
Really a good read with Mac being definitely more suggestive with the ladies from what we've come to know of him, has a bit of caffeine addiction, and actually has(had!) a line that says 'you want a beer or what?'
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Just the same, it sure educated alot of us 80's kids with something that made chemistry, etc. alive! I remember how there always happened to be the right tools for the job available, but that was a common theme with alot of the shows back then. I could never get over how there was always an acetylene torch and tons of scrap angle iron available on the A Team to come up with solutions to get out of a fix too. I just wish I had some of that kind of stuff lying around right now!
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For MacGyver it wasn't so much a case of having the right stuff laying around. It was a case of making what ever was laying around in to the right stuff.
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QUOTE (KiwiTek @ 13 August 2015 - 04:23 AM)
Is it just me or does he come across as arrogant?
Not to mention it seems like he still holds a grudge.
I think he's more like honest. It's quite possible he doesn't remember anything and especially if he hasn't seen the Pilot after he finished it. It's been thirty years as well. It seems 'MacGyver' had a real difficult starting period. Even more than I thought. It's like the production company seized it's opportunity to take something and make it their own to have all the credit. John, Henry and Jerry Freedman clashed but they also have clashed with Lee. OK, if they didn't, we wouldn't have Mac the way it is or MacGyver wouldn't have been made. Or maybe it did, through another studio. It just seems to trouble me a little the way it happened.
QUOTE
By the time I showed my two-hour cut to Henry and John, we were at each other’s throats. They recut it into a 90 minute movie and got it on the air. That’s the bottom line. When I saw the final cut I was upset, and used the DGA pseudonym Alan Smithee because I didn’t want my name on it. The production company tried to deny me my royalties because of that, but the DGA wouldn’t let them. If I had to do it over again, I would swallow my pride and leave my name on. Lots of directors are recut, sometimes badly. I was reacting as much to the overall bad feelings as to the editing. Water under the bridge. The show did well, and I wish everyone involved the best. It is interesting to note that the show went through many changes and producers before they hit their stride. A tough show to get the right handle on.
This, I kinda of think as interesting. I know it probably was meant as a two-parter but what we got is just a 45-minute episode. So this means there must be a whole lot of deleted scenes somewhere.
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 just voted, thought the first episode was great. Never did find out why Mac stopped doing voice over At the beginning of each episode, Loved to hear his voice. My real fav is thin ice and the negotiator. Like seeing Mac enjoying playing his fav game. And really like his music he was playing.
I've always been bothered by the opening scenes claiming the Grand Canyon as being "Somewhere in Central Asia." Later in the Friends episode we hear that it was actually Mongolia.
I've just been searching for canyons in Mongolia which resemble what we see in the opening scenes, and low and behold, there are similar places there.
Mongolia has the Gobi desert which is littered with structures like this.
And if you go west to Kazakhstan, you find the Charyn Canyon.
So their location is actually correct and not (as I've always thought) just something they made up thinking "well who's gonna know the difference?" due to the lack of travel and access to such knowledge back in the 80's.
Thanks for the research, and there is a slight resemblance, but that's definitely the Grand Canyon in the opening sequence of the pilot episode.
I seriously doubt that the production team would travel to Mongolia or Kazakhstan to film such a short sequence, especially since they hardly ever left the Los Angeles area for filming during the first two seasons. You can clearly tell it's the Grand Canyon, and it must've been some B-roll footage. They didn't even go to the neighboring state of Arizona to film a scene that's supposed to take place there, they shot it in Agua Dulce, California, just an hour outside of Los Angeles, which also served as the setting for Afghanistan, lol.
This post has been edited by Galloe on 8 January 2016 - 08:23 PM
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