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I liked the MacGyverisms for the most part and the frequency of them, but I didn't like the guy they were trying to protect. I hated all the obnoxious bling bling Kardashian lifestyle crap and I wish the show were at least a little more serious and not so heavily reliant on reality TV/social media references and trying overly hard to be hip.
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So far I liked this episode the best - it made me laugh sometimes and I liked the MacGyverisms. The writing is definitely better. But it's still not MacGyver - which annoys me even more because I really think this has potential.
It's kinda funny that the reboot tries so hard to be hip and cool and still fails in so many parts. And I still don't really know why. The original show wasn't always hip and cool and had its flaws every now and then (e.g. bad writings, stupid villains and over-the-top-crazy MacGyverisms) - but somehow it worked.
I think while trying to be so hip and cool and modern and trying to fulfill CBS demands (Team MacGyver, big kawooooooms and action but no big expenses) at the same time, they somehow failed the characters. I just don't "feel" them. I don't care about exchanging Pete for Patricia anymore; because she's just "not there" for me - she's in the room and talking but somehow just a pretty decoration. As they said on the Phoenix Foundation Podcast, she's a soundig board for the others. She's as bland as the villains (that we don't remember because apart from Vinnie Jones in the pilot, they have no names, no faces and no lines to speak).
Jack Dalton is a totally new character in this reboot and yet I think I actually know him the best. He's also the most interesting with the best character development. Which is bad, because I don't really know New MacGyver - and I should know him and feel for him; MacGyver being the main hero with a show named after him and having 7 seasons of the old show to get to know the character. I can't really explain it; I feel like I should grab him by the shoulders and demand "Who are you? You seem so familiar and yet I just don't know you!".
That's always a sign you might be in trouble if your dashboard is on fire... Currently blogging about the MacGyver Reboot on Dashboard On Fire
QUOTE (DashboardOnFire @ 12 October 2016 - 10:04 AM)
I don't really know New MacGyver - and I should know him and feel for him; MacGyver being the main hero with a show named after him and having 7 seasons of the old show to get to know the character. I can't really explain it; I feel like I should grab him by the shoulders and demand "Who are you? You seem so familiar and yet I just don't know you!".
I think this is one of the show's biggest problems. MacGyver doesn't really have much personality in this. I've said it before-- we don't get any taste of his sense of humor, we don't know what motivates, we don't know what angers him, etc. We just know he's the guy on the team who does MacGyverisms. And that's not enough to make us care about him. I understand that we've only seen three episodes, so there hasn't been time for tons of character development, but three episodes is more than enough time to give the lead character a personality.
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I still don't like the "team" aspect they're going for in this version of MacGyver. And as it seems they're not going to change it, I guess this was the end for me. I'm sorry but Mac is a lone wolf IMO.
"Ok hotshot, so you got yourself a golden brown palomino between your legs, and NO reins. Now what?"
I wonder if the show will ever do occasional "lone wolf" episodes. For example, in the original series, there were many episodes in which Mac wasn't sent on an assignment, but rather he just happened to stumble upon a situation where somebody needed help. Could we see something like that in the reboot? Maybe an episode that starts with Mac driving somewhere for vacation or whatever, and then he sees someone in trouble, and decides to lend a hand? Now that I think about it, episodes like that really defined Mac's character. He didn't just help people because it was his job, he did it because it was in his nature to do so.
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It seems like a MacGyver for people that are slow witted. They are far too pedantic with their explanations of the MacGyverisms IMO. But that is not my biggest complaint.
There is a distinct lack of the "Every-man" quality to the new Mac's personality that RDA had in his performance. One episode that I recall had Mac knocking out a fake security guard at the Phoenix Foundation and he cut a piece of electrical chord to tie him up with, only to then see that the guard had a pair of handcuffs on his belt that he could use instead. It showed Mac smiling and shaking his head at himself for being too cute and then using the handcuffs. The original Mac was confident, but also self-effacing when he realized his errors. It made him likable and relatable. The new Mac is arrogant and smug.
In addition, the original Mac would pack what the thought he would need for a particular operation when he had the chance. The new one doesn't. Rather than having the MacGyverisms spring from pure necessity, they are treated as a fetish. He won't use guns, but he will work with those, and rely on those that use them excessively. Also, he will be sitting in a surveillance van with tons of equipment, but he won't bring a lock-pick with him and will use Jack's sunglasses instead; not because he COULDN'T have easily brought a lock pick when he knew he was going to be breaking into a house (after all, they had that hi-tech van and tons of guns), but because he HAS to do things the hard way for no reason except to show how clever he is. It's just silly and unrealistic. The original Mac improvised because he HAD to, not out of some sort of fetishistic need to not do things normally. He didn't like guns (at all) because of a childhood tragedy, not because he was just too damned quirky.
His relationship with Walt is stupid and condescending. Mac treats him like is is a special needs child that he is patronizing and humoring. This unneeded distraction needs to go away completely from the show. It adds nothing to it.
They should not have even included this new Jack Dalton since he's nothing like the old one. If they were going to have this character they are calling Jack, they should have renamed him. He's not the lovable friend that is always needing to be bailed out due to some sort of get rich quick scheme but Mac can never say no to. Many of us have had a friend similar to the original Jack Dalton. If they were going to change his personality that much, they should have just given him a new name entirely so that we weren't making comparisons. The new character is fine, it's just simply NOT Jack Dalton (not even an updated version of the same character).
Patricia Thornton is another one. Either rename the character, or make the relationship and personality similar to the original. Why couldn't they have cast a realistic mature woman to play her if they had to switch genders? Why a young attractive woman who seems to be hard as nails?
Honestly, they should have made Mac a different person too (perhaps a son or grandson of the original). In fact, they would have done better to leave Thornton as a man and change the sex of Mac (could have made her a granddaughter).
Before you say,"This is a reboot, so you have to take it on it's own merits" let me say this: when you retain the same character names and series name, you invite comparison to the original show. Otherwise, you would just rename it and see if it would work on it's own merits. When you keep the original name you are, in part relying on the reputation of the original to give you momentum and to gain an audience that were fans of the original (particularly if the original show was still fresh in the minds of a large part of your core target audience). Unlike Hawaii Five-O, which was rebooted 30 years after the original show went off the air (whose original core target 30-50 year-old audience was largely dead, or very old), Macgyver, was rebooted only 24 years after it had gone off the air. The core target audience of the original show was much younger than Hawaii Five-O had been, and most of us are still alive and kicking. In other words; we're going to be making comparisons to the original show constantly. So, when you do a "reboot" you are not only benefiting from the reputation of the original show, you are setting the bar pretty high because you also have something to live up to.
Anyway, thanks for reading if you made it this far through my rant.
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QUOTE (Miasma @ 12 October 2016 - 03:12 PM)
I wonder if the show will ever do occasional "lone wolf" episodes. For example, in the original series, there were many episodes in which Mac wasn't sent on an assignment, but rather he just happened to stumble upon a situation where somebody needed help. Could we see something like that in the reboot?
I say we won't see that in the reboot - at least not in this season because it's focused on the "Team MacGyver" aspect. It might change if the show gets picked up for another season, but somehow I doubt it because it doesn't fit how CBS and other networks think a modern TV show should be. Which is a pity.
That's always a sign you might be in trouble if your dashboard is on fire... Currently blogging about the MacGyver Reboot on Dashboard On Fire
So far, Lucas hasn't shown much charisma, but maybe the writing/directing isn't letting him? I don't know. I haven't seen him in anything else, so it's hard to say. Also, I try to remind myself that RDA wasn't all that great in the early episodes. It took him a while to grow into the role.
Is it traditional that regular shows don't air the day after Thanksgiving or was there some other reason?
Networks typically don't bother showing new episodes during Thanksgiving or the Friday after Thanksgiving. Even when they do show a new episode, it's usually not a regular episode (for example, this week's "Designated Survivor" was about real-life designated survivors, it wasn't a normal episode continuing the plot of the show.) I think the network know that most people are too busy with family gatherings, etc, and won't be watching television.
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I rewatched this episode on the weekend and interestingly, I liked it a lot better this time around.
The MacGyverisms are still too fast for me (with the surgery in the car being on the "WTF"-side ).
There is a constant theme with all three main protagonists (the importance of talking to your parents and loved ones); but it's not too preachy.
Yes, Ralph is annoying and a bit over the top, but he's still very human when he realizes he might actually die and hasn't spoken to his mother for ages and tells them his information just in case (although that puts him in a more vulnerable position).
Also, I didn't notice in how many scenes the Easter Egg (Mission City Star bag) is actually visible. I had to make a little compilation for that
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First a little general response.
Things, I've read here that it's too dark and that comparisons with the original Mac... For starters, this show is not dark at all. What I've seen so far gives me more season 2 vibes. The original season 2 in my opinion was the most fun and lighthearted season out of the 7. This is more violent, yes, but this is not dark. This is far from anything that could be Kill Zone or Lesson In Evil or the sewer scene in Trail To Doomsday. And when it comes to this MacGyver's military service... considering what he said in the next episode that the KGB was disbanded before he was born: that should make him about 24 in the first season. If he joined the military at the age of 18 or 19, that would give him about 5 to 6 years of military service. Why he left is unclear at the moment or maybe he simply did his time and was discharged to move on with his life.
The comparing with what we know of the original Mac with the new one... What do know of the new one? His motivations, why he's doing what he does the way he does it? Not a thing. Did it occur to you that that's all part of the mystery of this character? What did we know of the original Mac after three episodes? Not a thing. Besides the only mention of a cousin Allie in The Golden Triangle, it took 10 episodes before we knew MacGyver had a grandfather, it took 13 episodes to know he loved hockey, 33 episodes to know his father and grandmother died in an accident, 66 episodes to know why he hates guns and 94 episodes to know his mother died of a stroke. I think it's great this MacGyver remains a little more mysterious. The less we know the better, just to keep on guessing. This way they can take their time to develop the character, work out his new backstory and maybe slowly move him out of Jack's shadow bit by bit. Isn't that exactly what the original was? He's just a regular somewhat mysterious guy you go to when you have problems and in some weird way he's a comfort because of the things he does or says. "It's just what I do is kinda tough the explain." "You know, MacGyver, in a weird way you're a comfort."
Also I don't think, this show is trying to be hip or cool at all. Modern, yeah, maybe, but that was the original one too. He also teamed up, maybe not every episode but they did. There were explosions, fights, gunfire and they didn't always miss considering the times MacGyver took a bullet. And this show does not take itself serious. The mood is too light, too much fun for that. I wonder when they get to a Kill Zone like episode or Lesson In Evil or The Negotiator or Blind Faith. But at this point, I'm having plenty of fun with it.
Now on the episode itself.
Another good one, really. For the first time I caught myself rewinding a scene a couple of times because it was so great. This being Jack standing at Ralph's bed and nodding at him before he freaks out. Ralph was annoying and I think everyone wants to punch him in the face. And honestly I was thinking: Jonah Hill? Maybe they should've casted him instead.
A couple of great and original MacGyverisms, but they seem to have taken more time with it, it wasn't so flashy and that's a step forward. And I liked it that they complicated the plot by having their guy injured and Mac has to improvise on surgery, not to mention that great icky detail on the windshield. That's the kind of humor I like.
This was a good episode.
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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That I hate Ralph, for me he completely spoils the episode ... But I would like to say hello to my girlfriend from Malaysia, who adores Mac and who actually lives in Malaysia, hello Hamiza
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