Director of Intelligence
Posts: 7,728
Joined: 13 Jan 2004
Gender: Male
Country: Belgium
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Season: season 5
Episode:Serenity, Passages, Humanity
Vehicle: Jeep
Jacket: Black/Navy flight
House: House boat
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"Ah, Siberia!" Or should I say: Moscow?
The series hit it's mark with this one and we go to more familiar territory. Russia, the Soviet Union, USSR, KGB, nuclear bombs... That's what partly made the original MacGyver great. Mac had his share of run-ins with evil Russians and the Cold War while the new one admits the KGB was shutdown before he was even born. So that makes our new Mac about 24-25. And what better way to enter this familiar territory with an old friend like Elya Baskin?
This was the best one so far except for maybe a somewhat cringe-worthy scene with no one else but... Penny Parker! Seriously, I hope they broke up because she kept calling him by his first name. And I really don't think Mac would have himself get caught when still looking for Nikki. But other then that, I've got the idea the series is slowing down a bit in pace and finds more his footing.
The music doesn't bother me much, plenty of other shows who uses music throughout the entire episode: Power Rangers, Xena Warrior Princess. They very rarely didn't use music in their scenes. Although I have my doubts on songs. The Burn Baby Burn song was fitting but perhaps lasted a bit too long. In the score's defense, they did add some Russian touches, which gave it all a more Russian feeling. Just like Ken Harrison did for plenty of his episodes. Just listen to the Egyptian sounds in Passages for example or the Western feel in Serenity. This is another step in the right direction. And what's even better is a reference to one of my favorite heavy metal bands: Iron Maiden. These guys know Iron Maiden! From Jack, I'm not surprised he does, he's like twice Mac's age now, still I would say he's in his late 30's/early 40's.
Also an interesting casting was Olek Krupa in a for once good guy role. Mostly playing villains: Fair Game, Home Alone 3. The adding of Bannister was a nice touch. Craig survived The Enemy Within thanks to Mac, so maybe he remarried and got a daughter. Just as I can start to believe that Patricia Thornton is Pete's daughter. It just wouldn't fly with the original, because they wouldn't act like this if there was any connection to it, but why not? I'm beginning to like her. She's tall (taller then Mac), she's beautiful, she's not just decoration as I've read here and she's more mature then some of us might think here. She may look like she's tough as nails but I'm beginning to believe there's more behind her tough looks. And what I hope to see behind that is something I can really like. Maybe she's got a few original Nikki Carpenter traits in her character combined with her leader position and you get Patricia Thornton. Maybe she cares more about the team then she lets on? Ever thought of that?
What the structure is concerned... In this early stage it may indeed some generic: opening gambit, scene at home, assignment debriefing, flying to destination, save the day, come back. Power Rangers is generic too: kids at school or youth center, Putty fight in the park, command centre, morphed fight, command centre, 2nd morphed fight with or without Zords, command center/school/youth center, end. That never bothered me. At this point it doesn't. It really didn't bother me either Mac was not in the last two scenes which lasted hardly 30 seconds.
Do you really think we're going get that variety of episodes we had in the original? Episodes set in the woods or just at home in the middle of the city, or environmental causes, teen runaways, treasure hunts or dream-episodes? I don't think so. No Legend of the Holy Rose or Eye of Osiris, no Black Rhino, no Runners or The Challenge or Live and Learn, no Kill Zone, no Serenity... At this point it seems not very likely. But I'm only at the beginning of the first season and have a lot of catching up to do, so I'll keep watching to see how it goes but I will not expect the series to turn into the original. Yes, I do know people here are hoping for 'lone wolf' episodes. Maybe those will come. Even Magnum had his episodes where he was mostly alone later in the series when Higgins, Rick and TC just had brief cameos. I can't see, why that can't work here. I'm all in favor of Team MacGyver right now and if they find angles to incorporate more elements of the original, even if it means straying away from their current concept, they are welcome to try it out.
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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