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 106 - Humanity

After MacGyver is taken hostage by Romanian solder, he saves the solders life and then tries to appear to his sense of humanity.

Like I said with the episode Serenity, it bugged me that some episode weren't being discussed, especially one like this that was so highly thought as a deep episode. I want to discuss the episodes that there hasn't been lots of discussion on if that's ok with you guys. One thing, hey Rock, when I click Deep Cover, Lost Amadeus comes up. Check that. 2 totally different episodes.

Humanity: I am popping this in the DVD player now. Yes I know that's cheating.

Ok, the music plays and the credits role. Love it still. I am a kid at heart.

Present day Bucharest. "Welcome to Bucharest" as Mac says to Pete.

Does anyone see like I do that Mac and Pete are being lured into a trap for a reason. Mac and Pete are told they are not wanted. Mac says "Well somebody wanted us here."

The guys with guns and the bomb and the safe scene: interesting. The Major is a real piece of work.

Mac's realizing that the thermite bomb (which Pete tells us) can't be diffused in time. He's fiddling with the safe. This is a great scene. I am going to take a break and watch. Victor shoots Mac in the shoulder and then threatens to break his neck. He uses Mac as a shield and then as a hostage. Mac (I love this) say "DON'T Shoot!" also "I'm not going to take in the back, and I'm not going to take it laying down, so you're just going to have to shoot me face to face. I can't believe I just said that." Great line!!!

I know what happens, Victor gets bit by a snake, Mac saves his life. Slowly we see that Victor's whole life has been programmed and dictated by the Major, who's a psychopath. Mac learns that the Major ordered Victor to murder his best friend, when they were kids, being trained by the Major (Krick). Victor, we see has had a very sad life, never his own.

I like that Mac slowly convinces Victor to challenge the Major. Mac won't sacrifice Pete, and there Victor learns about real friendship. Ultimately to save Mac, Victor sacrifices himself to bring down the major, killing both of them.

Mac reminds Victor of his humanity, despite his years of following orders. It's a sad episode. it's sad that Victor dies. But, what life did he have outside of being a soldier. Maybe he could have been rehibilitated.

What does everyone think? Throw me a bone.

Liz, I'm pretty sure we discussed all these episodes before here, but we had a major crash with the forum and lost almost everything. Through a huge effort we were able to recover some discussions (that's why there are so many quotes in the first posts of others).

That's why Rock started the weekly discussions again from beginning.

I'll write more about the episode once I have watched it again. Just wanted to plead you not to be too harsh on us This is definitely an interesting episode in many ways.

I apologize. I didn't mean to ruffle feathers. I just thought I would comment on one that didn't have a lot of current comments. Some have pages of current comments. So, I thought I would try giving my ideas about ones like Serenity and Humanity. Humanity is really deep, and thought provoking. I had to take a break from typing to watch it and then finish writing. Serenity is just fun, a little odd, but fun.

I certainly didn't mean to offend anyone. I have been reading and reading everyone's writing, and you're all amazing.

I think Children of Light was the first episode discussion posted after the crash.

So any empty discussions after that episode means they haven't been discussed for some reason.

It's good that your posting in these discussions. Keep it up.

Great episode to me too. Watched it last night after S6 was released in my country. Before that I had it on DVD from TV but dubbed, which no matter how well it is done, sounds and looks way different.

Nice relationship developing here, and Mac's opennes is what makes Viktor understand in the end. Love the snake scene and loved the very last scene when Mac puts Viktor's leg on the stretcher, showing his respect. I think that eps like this one build on the character a lot. Definitely on my fave's list.

There are certain episodes that I avoid watching and this is one of them, along with Passages. I cried when Victor told Mac the story of killing his childhood friend. I cried when Victor sacraficed his life for Mac, Pete, and Pete's counterpart. As Anne Frank said "I believe that there is good in everyone" and this episode proves that.

I like episodes like this when they dive in another chars background.

I cried my eyes out over this one. First Mac gets shot then the bad guy he turned good sacrifices his life for Mac, Pete, and the romanian guy. Areal tear jerker!

I laughed when MacGyver carefully placed the rock beside him when he and Victor were having a rest.

just in case *nods*

Good episode. I only wish it didn't feel quite as preachy ("There's good in everybody! YAY!" reminded me of that Smurf's episode when they all danced around Gargamel singing, "Goodness makes the badness go away!") But that aside, I did like the episode. It almost had a season 1 feel to it, actually, which was nice.

Yeah this episode gets a "good" rating from me. to be honest I'm not sure I ever picked up on the "There's good in everybody" thing.

I do have to criticize the unrealisticness of MacGyver being able to find any good in someone who has been trained to be a cold heart killer since childhood. I think Humanity, or even good, for that matter is something we are taught, it's not an instinct, so from that point of view this episode bugs me somewhat, but in general if you turn off your brain and just enjoy it as entertainment, it's a good watch

And gives it a pat just before he closes his eyes. Hahaha!

I really liked this episode, it's one of my favorites! It had the deeper undertone, but it had some humorous scenes too that lighten it up. Mac's instinct to help save Victor even after Victor had been trying to kill him (and had already hurt him), it's totally like Mac. He is willing to help the helpless even when they don't deserve it. I liked how he said "it seemed like a good idea at the time" when Victor asked why he had helped him. After all, how many times has Mac tried to help a person who was about to fall...even after they were trying to kill him (for example, Debra and the "Gun Man"). And Mac having the rock ready "just in case" cracked me up!!

I like the adventure of MacGyver, but I really think you can only do that just so long without getting into deeper subjects and more about the characters. I have not seen all the episodes yet as I am catching them on the MacGyver Marathons on TV right now, but thus far I like the progress the series took from the strictly adventure to the more serious subjects later. Just my two cents though.

I liked this episode too, even though it's one of the few with a sad ending and normally I prefer a happy end.

The characters are good and Viktor contrasts well with Mac's openness and general niceness. Just a shame he couldn't have survived and, perhaps, worked to rehabilitate other child soldiers, but I do get that his sacrifice was necessary to stop the bad guys from killing our heroes.

I like the bit with the emergency back up rock too

In Humanity, there is mentioned that Mac Gyver uses a SAK. Either a Spartan, Tinker or Standard.

The knife is shown when Victor frees MacGyver and gives it back to him.

However I just watched the whole episode and did not see any particular point where the knife was used.

Can anyone please watch the episode and let me know? So that we have a complete updated list.

denizen maybe?

thanks

If you're interested in a fun fact: Ceausescu spent WO II mostly in prison or internment camps. So what Major Krik says that Ceausescu saved his mother and father from the Nazis is merely for the story sake.

a truly dramatic episode, the Mac / Victor duo is unique in the television landscape, moreover no series offers such emotion these days ... Macgyver is truly incomparable

All is not true, but the production has changed some historical facts ...