the pilot was the first and I was hooked.

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?

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

I thought it was written as a movie but then cut down before they started filming?

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.

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.

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.

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.

This is the confirmed information we have.

If you've got other information can you link us to it please? Thanks

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.

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.

This is the confirmed information we have.

If you've got other information can you link us to it please? Thanks

I don't know, if I can put here any links without permission, so go to:

http://www.rdanderson.com

...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

It certainly is one of the best!

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.

According to IMDb the directors real name is Jerrold Freedman.

Not sure how long it's been listed there or why (or if) he decided to own up to it, but it's there now so we know who the real director was.

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.

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.

This is the confirmed information we have.

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?'

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!

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.

Right on Kiwitech, and it sure was fun to watch him do it!

Talked to Jerry Freedman, the director of the Pilot, and why he went with the Alan Smithee pseudonym.
Click for Link

Is it just me or does he come across as arrogant?

Not to mention it seems like he still holds a grudge.

I love it! I rather liked Jerry's down to earthiness and honesty. Most put up a fake recollection. He says it how it is, according to his experience.

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.

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 really should start work on that...

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.

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