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Where did the "Lost epiosode" come from?

Season 7 was contracted to be 13 episodes, which they completed filming in December.

The “Coltons” episode was actually shot as part of season 6, but aired as part of season 7. This meant they had 14 episodes instead of the agreed 13, so they aired 12 season 7 episodes as well as "The Coltons" and saved the finale for April when they did a special night of several series finales.

That was supposed to be the end. But the ratings were so high that night that they brought out the Mountain of Youth as a "Lost Episode" and then continued with reruns throughout the summer.

That still doesn't explain why exactly it was labelled a 'lost' episode. A euphemism in this case and it was more likely not up to snuff for one reason or another since it was filmed before 'The Stringer'. In my opinion, it's one of the better episodes of the entire series and so it's a bit of a mystery why it wouldn't be played as a trump card instead of getting 'lost'.

I like this episode but the acting is terrible! Even RDA's acting was not as good as usual.

They've hawked a bit of this story off of Disney's "The Night Train to Kathmandu" ... starring a very young 'Mila' Jovovich. Mystic man coming on a mission and with the Holy Men knowing of his coming through some kind of spiritual telepathy. I think you can see it on Netflix. Have a look and see what you think ......

I've just acquired a couple of rev. final drafts to this episode. I'll be interested
to see how one changes from the other and how both of them differ from
the final output. Knowing how scrutinizing the network was to any/all geopolitically sensitive
issue and the geopolitical & racial dancing that this episode encompasses - could have been some
interesting (or not) edits made, and may quite possibly shed a light into why this productions was 'lost' or
'held back' til the very end (or not).

We already know the answer to this.

Where did the "Lost epiosode" come from?

Once again, that tells us absolutely nothing. It's, one of the better season 7 episodes, final draft finished in November and before The Stringer. already to go ..... & so what exactly was 'lost' about it and why was 'it' the one that got 'bumped'?

Lost is a generic term which seems to get used for episodes which are aired outside of or after the usual schedule.

I reckon the only thing lost about it is that it lost the short-straw pick and thus got dumped from the lineup to make way for the Coltons.

I've always thought that it was probably the episode which was scheduled for the date they wanted to air the Coltons and thus got dumped.

Well, let's put it this way. Mac hanging out and communicating on a higher level with Bubbas and being identified as 'enlightened' would not be on for a pilot episode in 1985. Better to slide that one in at the (very) end. Geesuz, fandom wouldn't even allow him a gf for heavensakes. Now he's doing his Steven Seagal Tulku reincarnate thing.

What was happening in '91 that made this episode so touchy?

Nothing & everything. The fact that they took a lot of effort to cleverly dance around and not specify any religion and not specify the Islamic terrorists seems to show sensitivity. Why not just say Sufism or Buddhism etc. who cares? At that time Pakistan & China were well involved in a nuclear weapons pact, Afghanistan in shambles, Taliban and Al Qaeda on the rise. Was that what they were getting at in this episode? Maybe yes, maybe no, maybe there's a clue/lean in one of the earlier revisions that were since edited out. I'm hoping so.

It would be interesting to hear what other members think about the religious topic in this episode. Jedi, what do you think? Would it be pushing it with the US audiences back in 1992 to go a bit further than they did with the Mac 'in tune' with the spiritual / enlighement / Buddhism/Sufism angle? Or not. If not, how much further could they have run with that and not caused some negative feedback? Keeping in mind that he wasn't even allowed to have a steady gf at that point, so essential a monk! I do believe that this probably had a factor in why it got temporarily 'lost'. Just have to prove it now.

I don't get all the criticism really. Themacgyverproject blogspot has ranked this episode as the worst episode in the entire show. There are a lot worse episodes than this. *coughs MacGyver's Women/The Lost Amadeus*. I think this is also one of the better episodes of the final season. The last one fully set in another country since Eye of Osiris. We finally reunite with Jack after 40 episodes. There's such a sight of beautiful girl in it. Maybe not a Mac-girl but I think Mukti is one of the prettiest girls in the show. And Ken Harrison's score is again finger licking. I get goosebumps everytime that military theme plays during the action scenes. And Jack keeps annoying Mac throughout the episode so hard that Mac even has to ask: 'Will you stop?!' or tell him: 'Shush!'

It didn't took me long to realise how fictional it all was. Kabulstan, Ammukash... Maybe they really weren't pointing or pushing anything at that time and simply searched for a fun adventure. Might even explain why there were caucasian soldiers in that army. I think the idea of military oppression made it easier. In 1991 I think most global problems were not so much of big deal. Russia lost the Soviet Union, Germany became reunited. There were still wars going on but I think the major nations were licking their wounds after the Cold War.

I think the story behind it is still an interesting one. Maybe another wink to the Last Crusade. Drink of the Holy Grail and get eternal life, drink of the fountain of youth and become very old. Kinda reminds me of Li Ching-Yue. A man who allegedly lived for 256 years. You can look it up on Wiki, it's probably a myth but I think it's fun to read about it. There is debate whether or not he was actually 256 years. He himself claimed to be 197 years old. There is also a story that at the age of 130 he met an older hermit in the mountains who was 500 years old.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Ching-Yuen
I think it's up to you, if you wanna believe it or not. A 7 feet tall Chinese living for 256 years?

There is also Zaro Aga, a Turk who lived for 157 years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaro_Aga
But like I said, I think it's debatable if it's true or not.

I just think it's interesting stuff and maybe the whole story was based on that and what other way to use to best known subject to the audiences besides the holy grail like the fountain of youth. Just thinking out loud here. I also like the fact Mac had to adjust his opinion about the whole fountain of youth thing.

I think at that time it was much more common to think of religion not literally as religion but as an inherent feature of a geographical region. It was a way to show, hey, look, this is really rural Asia.

It is similar to Latin America episodes where villagers are oppressed by a military dictatorship. When the village square in Jack of Lies is what makes them Latin American, in this episode religion is what makes them rural Asian.

I feel the episode is more problematic today, with positive stereotypes. It certainly worked better on me before, when I was like, wow, twist, and didn't think too much about it.

Great post MG! Don't forget, there was this whole western neo fascination with spiritualism and the Dalai Llama starting to build in the 1990s. I believe that this was also part of the inspiration for the script. To be honest, if I hadn't been assigned to India and that part of the world for work around that time, I would not have appreciated or attempted to understand this episode nearly as much.

Albeit, there's a lot of content ideas that they try to compact into 45 minutes and they really bit off a bit more than they could chew. Also, in attempting not to single out a specific religion or terrorist nationality, they cause further confusion as themacgyerproject rightfully alludes to indirectly. It would have been better to have idols, icons that you could clearly identify and focus on, rather than always trying to guess who these people were trying to represent.

I think it was the right idea, but perhaps a bit borderline 'at issue' for circa: 1992 & conservative Mac.

Good point. It sets the table as best as possible for the repressed minority villagers living amongst the radical military types. Who cares exactly who/what they worship. Myrtle, do you think the content was why it became lost or bumped down the list, or was it just deemed not up to snuff especially seeing that the themacgyverproject places it dead last in it's ratings and thus they only dusted it off to fill an urgent network void?

I think we have the answer in Kiwi's link though. Imagine if the ratings were low on The Stringer and they never aired The Mountain Of Youth but did release it on dvd for the first time, that would've been an extra. An whole new episode, never aired before. It would've added more myth to the episode as the lost episode. I just don't think there's much lost to it. Maybe the Mountain of Youth was meant to be episode 130 instead of The Coltons. Or maybe it comes before Split Decision as episode 134 which might explain why he was gone a week as he mentions.

But than again I don't care how lost this was, I always had it ever since I was little. And I think Mac makes a nice entrance in this episode coming down with his parachute and than when he touches down that rousing music begins. I used to rewind and replay that moment over and over again just to hear that music and when he hides the parachute and comes back he shakes his head to get that lock of hair out his eyes and the next moment his hair is all the way backwards. I really love that part.

The answer is in the inner-office memos /dialogue between the network screeners/sensors and the producers &/or the script revisions. I've read some of the crap that goes for the most (seemingly) tame technicalities in other episodes. Thus why this one piqued my curiosity.

I mean I'm not religious and could care less if Mac was Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, or Buddhist ..... but the networks probably would and the viewing audience would as well, and definitely Donald Trump would have spouted off about too if he had had the opportunity!

A mix of both I guess... it's the one that sticks out the most, risky or not. Like if an episode turns out to be seen as not all that entertaining, it's better to have one in downtown LA than an overseas setting.

For some reason, I thought this was from much earlier, like season 3 or 4.

If they were making the programme now, with the original values, Mac would probably be stirring up controversy by having Muslim friends. Donald Trump might not like it. But Trump's grown-up sons hunt animals for fun, so probably wouldn't care what Trump thinks.

Don't get me wrong. I'm sure has friends who vote Republican. But I don't think he would care for Trump.

Greetings all,

I watched this episode again last night on DVD.

Did anyone else notice how Jack's hair color changed - at the beginning, his hair had gray streaks on the sides, but by the end, his hair was more brown again? I wonder if this was part of the plot to go with the anti-aging properties of the spring water.

Also...Jack being Jack, it would have been interesting twist if Jack had sneaked one last test tube out hidden in his hat.

I do like the way they ended it though, that Jack had finally reformed (at least for that situation).

I liked that Jack in the end realized that money isnt everything and decides not to cash in on the water , something he was obsessed about on previous episodes.

I read your review tonight and wanted to watch this episode, and I totally agree with you. this is one of the best episodes of season 7, the perfect music, the magnificent temple, I found in the prayers of the faithful an atmosphere like "Tintin in Tibet" and as I am a fan I validate. And I also wanted to react on a point, compared to the blogspot of Themacgyverproject, indeed, the author ranked it in last position, although I totally respect his opinion, personally I find it unfair, he does not inherit this from me. place and as you said there's worse (for me it's The Lost Amadeus) ... Finally we must respect the opinions of each other ... For me very good evening and really for the end of the series, bravo .

RIP Roya Megnot/Mukti
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roya_Megnot