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 55 - Kill zone

MacGyver discovers the cause of sudden wildlife deaths is an uncontrollably mutating organism that speeds up the aging process. The scientist who hid it on the satellite claims to have destroyed it.. but has she?

votes from March 2006

Poor [ 1 ] [7.69%]
Average [ 0 ] [0.00%]
OK [ 3 ] [23.08%]
Good [ 2 ] [15.38%]
Excellent [ 7 ] [53.85%]
Total Votes: 13

Archived comments

Yes, very thought-provoking, and, I think, even MORE relevant than it was almost twenty years ago, now that science is really getting into ethically challenging territory, like genetic engineering. How far is too far? I always like the scene where Pete discovers Sandra and her dog, aged to far beyond their natural lifespans. Dana was just great in that scene... the look of awe and horror on his face was enough to make the viewer know that what was coming next was pretty shocking... and yet it wasn't what you'd expect.

Lovely! A classic moment in MacGyver history. He's willing to go in but he got stopped by it.
"Oh my God! My dear God!"
That line is so powerful. So much drama in it. And what's even more emotional is that Sandra got what she actually didn't deserve.
"I suppose... an "I told you so" is in order."
"Save my work, please. All my other work. It can be important."
"Sandra, we've got them."
"Thank you!"
Then it's as if she wents to extend her arm or her fingers but she can't anymore and dies.
"She's gone, MacGyver. There is nothing we can do for her now."
For me this episode is set in three parts. When MacGyver is in the woods, the whole thing with the leak and the research of the organism and then the escape. And episode in three parts set in two places. Just love it when the Phoenix Foundation is a major part in the episodes. It's like 90% of the episode is set in Phoenix just like Phoenix under Siege.

This episode is definitely one of my favorites! I watched it again tonight, and here are several things I noticed that remind me why I love this episode so much:

1. This episode has everything--action, drama, and a serious intellectual debate about science, its benefits to humanity...as well as its potential threats.

2. RDA's acting in this episode is wonderful. He has great, expressive eyes and you can tell that he feels for the animals that have died. His reaction to Sandra when she ages rapidly and dies is perfect.

3. The interactions between Pete and Mac are enjoyable to watch. I love how Pete starts to understand what MacGyver is doing to restore the integrity of the lab seal, and MacGyver seems proud of him for figuring it out. When Pete helps Mac charge the manual override, I thought that was great teamwork and showed how much those two characters care for each other.

4. I really felt the emotions of everyone involved--it was effective enough that even I cried a little when Ace (the dog) died.

5. Naked Mac--need I say more, ladies?

6. And, last but not least...Comtrya! Did anyone else notice that the actor who plays Colonel Phelps also plays the lovable but annoying Harlan on SG-1? I almost didn't recognize him because he's younger in this episode, and also he's playing a dramatic role. I thought he did a good job.

Okay, that's enough of this essay.

It really was a great episode, with great music. That phoenix lab is cool. I like the glass-being-eaten and elevator-boosting sequences.

I am watching it now with my kids. My eight year old daughter loves this show almost as much as I do! She chose this episode. We are at the scene where Mac is walking through the wood in the beginning looking at all of the dead animals--really heartbreaking scene.

--Hey, Phelps--that's Harlan from Stargate SG1! You're right MacsChick! Wow!!

The scene in the wood where Mac is walking is continuing--it's not easy to write and comment on an episode while watching it--but ideas come to me.

One thing that strikes me in this episode every time is the relationship between Mac and Pete--especially during the Firestorm sequence and the elevator sequence--just great between them.

What to say about Dr. Sandra Millhouse--well, I think Mac and Pete sum her up.
Mac tells her in the lab that "there comes a time where you have to acknowledge a right and a wrong way to do things". Pete tells her essentially the same thing about being a responsible scientist, and that she has gone too far. I like her--her death is a tragedy--so is Ace's. (I am taking Pete's viewpoint and Mac's too). I admire her hard work, her passion, and her dedication, but I agree there has to be a right a wrong way to do things. Like the movie Jurassic Park--creative idea--but scientists that cared more about whether they could do it, than whether they should do it--to quote Jeff Goldblum in the movie.

I vote excellent--this is one of my top 25 and out of 139 that's pretty good.

The episode says a lot about the necessity for an ethical and a responsible approach to scientific discovery.

heartbreaking episode where you see all thoses animals die and then at the end where the dog jumps up, and they both turn old together, painful.

I liked this episode but it was a little scary. The way this scientist died was horrible, feel sorry for her. She wanted to do something good and she failed...One more proof that messing up with Mother Nature is not a good idea.

I'll always remember this as the weird episode. I always remember as a kid feeling sorry for the dog because I had a border collie.

Watched this episode last night with my kids. I enjoyed it but my 7 and 4 year old were sad about the all the animals, Both kids were crying when ACE died.

And then I had a very scared 4 yr old boy in my lap worried that Mac and Pete were going to be blown up with the lab self destructing....probably wasn't a good choice to watch with the kids.

I really liked the episode. Science can do many wonderful things, but it can be done in the wrong manner....great lesson/reminder. The acting was great as several people mentioned, really liked Pete and Mac's expressions as Sandra was dying.

Overall - I give it an excellent rating.

this episode was not one of my favourites at the time but I have revalued him recently!
I do not remember why I did not like it...
I like often seeing it now again!!!

I just watched this episode today. It's one of my favourites - I have quite a few, hehe.

I did miss the first few minutes and I totally forgot about naked Mac! Darn it!

It's a good episode in the sense that it really makes you wonder if the end justifies the means, and the progress we have made in science.

The rapid aging really got me, though. Not because I didn't like it, but because it actually scares me that one day someone is likely to create someone just like it - if they haven't already.

Sorry for the double post, but does anyone (fingers crossed) have some screencaps of Mac with his shirt off?

Just saw this again. I think it's a really good commentary on the limits of science, and where those boundaries are. Also, what are the ethical limits? How do you draw those lines? Sandra had her heart in the right place, but she pushed way too far. These aren't easy questions to answer, but they have to be addressed by society.

You're right. It does highlight the "Scientists playing God" issue and Sandra did seem to not care about any risks or dangers she created. And that's the danger outlined in this episode. It's all very well to say you can save millions of people, but if you kill or harm millions in the process of creating the cure you've achieved nothing.

It reminds me of that quote from Jerrasic Park. "The scientists were so busy seeing if they could, they never stopped to think if they should." - love that quote.

It would be interesting to know if this episode was triggered by any particular events around this time period.

I'm terribly sorry this took me so long to post, but I'm visiting my parents again, celebrating my dad's birthday... and we're having a bit of an Internet meltdown here, the DSL modem died, and guess who's expected to fix it... oh well. Glad I've got a mobile connection too, while waiting for the spare (or making it back home, I'm kinda held hostage here at the moment... )

I hope, by the way, that those of you who are affected by Sandy are all safe and well! You're in my thoughts and prayers!

Anyway--this is a very suspenseful episode, and, as MacGirl put it, it also brings up questions about the ethical limits of science--how far *should* scientists be allowed to go with their experiments?

The dead animals Mac found in the forest did look very creepy. No wonder he had to go through such a throughout decontamination process. I couldn't help but laugh at the "chilly" comment, hehe. There seems to be many requests for screencaps--not only in this forum--of that particular scene...

Hehe, anyway... As the rat was brought in for a demonstration of the effectiveness of that tiny sample, it really made you cringe, as it would have been a totally unnecessary sacrifice, since we already knew what was going to happen to it. It once again brings up that ethical question: How much of the animal testing that's being done "in the name of science" is actually necessary?

In the end, I felt... well, almost enraged about Sandra's behavior. I mean, she was such a promising scientist, and yet, she let her obsession become her downfall, sacrificing herself--and her beautiful, innocent dog, for her research. Such a waste, and a very tragical death, for that matter...

It's rather amazing, btw, that today's prosthetics in general is so much better than this. OK, I know that today, it can be combined with pretty good computer generated skin effects, but still... it didn't look plausible at all. It's not particularly bad compared to the general standard of that time... but to be honest, the only movie made during the 80's with plausible "old-age" makeup (that I can think of) is Amadeus...

All in all, this one's bordering on "Excellent" too, but I'll give it a strong "Good" instead.

This is the only one that still scares me....even today. I even felt bad for sandra on this, im mean her goals were commendable, but her methods were a bit too extreme, and unfortuately it killed her and the dog, the drama in this episode was outstanding i voted excelllent for that as well as the message it sent across.

I cried when Sandra's dog died. That was heart-rending.

Why didn't the sheep farmer get infected?

Did they say how they found out about the virus? Was it reported or did they immediately quarantine the area when the satellite fell. If it was the latter then the farmer wouldn't have been allowed in the area. But if it was reported by someone then the question marks a valid point.

The farmer seems to be the first to find out that something was wrong. The news reporter said that the farmer woke up in the morning and found his sheep dead.
Maybe his house wasn't close to the pastures, hence he saw the dead sheep from a distance? He did suspect nerve gas so naturally he would have stayed out of the area.
Or he could be immune to the virus?

Just watched this again a while ago and this has to be one of the best MacGyver episodes. So emotional and raises many questions. Also I love that it is so different when compared to common episodes.

This has to count as one of Mac's Worst Days Ever. Not as bad as the ones where he lost Mike or family members, but in terms of the number of horrible things that happened.

1 He had to see the bodies of numerous dead animals.
2 He very nearly got napalm dropped on him.
3 He had to get naked in a situation that was obviously embarrassing. (A little bit chilly? If you say so ...)
4 And then get the top layer of skin blasted off. That just doesn't sound pleasant.
5 And then a building security system nearly killed him.
6 And then he had to witness the death of Saundra and Ace.
7 And then the same building security system nearly killed him - again.
8 And the mouse whose life he had saved, plus all the other mice in the lab, was incinerated when the building blew itself up.

Aw, loved how he protected the mouse. And the decontamination scene...well...a shirtless MacGyver is never a bad thing!

very good television time, moreover the music is at the top. 5⭐️