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| MacGyver Online Forums > Episodes > 017 - To be a man |
| Posted by: MacGyverOnline 2 November 2006 - 04:21 PM |
 017 - To Be A Man Airdate: 05 March 1986 Writer: Don Mankiewicz Director: Cliff Bole Guest Cast: Persis Khambatta as Zia, Dana Elcar as Pete Thornton, Sid Haig as Khalil, Allan Kolman as the Captain, Ajay Naidu as Ahmed. Shot down and wounded by the Soviets in Afghanistan, MacGyver is given refuge by an Afghan woman and her son. |
| Posted by: Macs Lab Rat 8 November 2006 - 11:28 AM | ||||||||||||||||
| [COLOR=blue]votes a of 26 March 2006 Poor [ 1 ] [7.14%] Average [ 1 ] [7.14%] OK [ 1 ] [7.14%] Good [ 3 ] [21.43%] Excellent [ 8 ] [57.14%] Total Votes: 14 archived comments
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| Posted by: MacGyverOnline 30 March 2007 - 01:08 AM |
| Isn't it a little odd that someone living in the isolated "outbacks" of Afghanistan in the mid 80's would have such a good grasp of the English language? |
| Posted by: MacNymph 30 March 2007 - 06:50 AM |
 The booms they used on MacGyver are equipt with Bable Fish! |
| Posted by: Lothithil 30 March 2007 - 08:32 AM | ||
*snickers*  Yes, both the Russian soldiers and the Afganistan 'banditos' and locals seemed to have quite good English... I've always been tickled about the fact that Mac was 'rusty' in so many foreign languages, but most everyone else is fluid in his! I suppose that it would not have been cost effective to have too many subtitles.... money better spent on Mac's wardrobe or crane-shots!  |
| Posted by: MacGyverOnline 30 March 2007 - 02:15 PM | ||
Oooohhhh.. so thats how they do it.. That explains the booming babel fish industry then  This is actually quite a slow moving episode... which could throw some people off. It doesn't have the high energy that other episodes have. The story just wonders along at a lazy pace.. which I guess probably fits how MacGyver is feeling.. so in that respect it works well. Its still a watchable episode, but not one I would personally pull out to watch all that often. I do have a couple of questions though, after watching this episode... 1... When did MacGyver become a jet fighter pilot?  and 2... How did MacGyver know there was a crack in that big rock which he could poor water into to freeze? |
| Posted by: Devon636 30 March 2007 - 07:19 PM | ||
But I heard they were tutored by Yanna, the fluent english-speaking gypsy girl. 2 good questions...no good answers. Could it just been a lucky guess that the rock would be cracked to pour the water, or is that too much of a long shot? |
| Posted by: Lothithil 3 April 2007 - 04:34 AM | ||
Touché! |
| Posted by: Mac 3 July 2007 - 01:05 PM |
| I have newfound respect for a certain scene in this ep, right near the end, where Mac drives the jeep using his left hand to change gears since his right arm is bound up. Having had to do that today for the same reason, all I can say is that it requires a heck of a lot of talent! Mac |
| Posted by: Old Fan 3 July 2007 - 04:55 PM |
I remember reading this from somewhere in his biography, that RDA learned to drive on a frozen lake. Geeze... I can't even switch gears with the CORRECT hand - on a perfectly straight unfrozen road... Gotta give 'em credit.  |
| Posted by: MacGyverGrrl 3 July 2007 - 11:07 PM |
| Its very common for people in the midwest to drive on lakes in the winter. It gets cold enough in Minnesota and Wisconsin that the lakes form really thick sheets of ice. When Lake Superior freezes over, the ice is thick enough to drive semi trucks on it. I drove on a frozen lake, once, to be able to say that I did it. |
| Posted by: MacGyverOnline 3 November 2007 - 02:55 AM |
| This episode really doesn't do anything for me; In fact I normally skip it. As I said in an http://www.macgyveronline.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2644&view=findpost&p=4882 the whole episode just wanders along at a lazy pace, There's no real action or excitement to it and I don't get any kind of enjoyment from seeing MacGyver injured either.... In fact it adds to my dislike of the episode. It only gets an average vote from me. |
| Posted by: MacGyver 3 November 2007 - 09:29 AM |
| I stand by my earlier comments. I think "To Be A Man" is an excellent episode! I think there's a good mix of action throughout the episode, along with some cool MacGyverisms- particularly the tank MacGyver shoots off at the bad guy. And the hang-gliding is cool too. I also think it's one of the most powerful episodes for its message- especially when you think of the title. What does it mean "to be a man"? That you can shoot a gun and go out and kill people in a war? Or maybe that you realize that only you have control over your own actions and you are responsible for them? I think it's something important that Ahmed grapples with- and learns a different approach from MacGyver. I especially love that scene where MacGyver takes someone down with a sling- as I can't help but think of David taking out Goliath with a slingshot in 1 Samuel 16 in The Bible!  This is significant because I'm reminded of David in more than just this scene. I also remember another incident in The Bible where David is being hunted down to be killed by King Saul (though not for anything wrong David had done). While on the run from Saul, David has 2 opportunities to kill him, but passes both up, saying that Saul is still God's annointed king and he doesn't have the right to take his life- only God can decide that. I think this is also the message that resonates with me in this episode of MacGyver. Mac has a similar choice to kill one of his enemies- but instead decides to let him live. Ahmed, who has grown up with war going on in his country, can't understand why MacGyver did not kill the enemy. "Because I didn't have to," MacGyver replies. And because MacGyver chose not to kill the soldier when he had the chance, the grateful soldier allows MacGyver, Zia and Ahmed to escape at the end of the episode in return. For me, this episode just speaks strongly to the sanctity of all human life and emphasizes the respect for all living things that everyone should have, like Albert Schweitzer talked about. For me, powerful messages like this make up for any "lackluster" episodes as far as action goes. (Though I think every episode of MacGyver has plenty of action- they're all great!)  |
| Posted by: MacGyverGrrl 4 November 2007 - 08:52 PM |
| I really like this episode. I'm not sure if it's Mac's extreme vulnerability and complete trust in strangers or his message that life should be respected and that killing a defeated enemy is not necessary. MacGyver is injured and relies on strangers for his safety and welfare. He trusts them to take care of him. He has no way to know if they are really going to help him or turn him in until Kahleed shows up. When Zia and Ahmed side with Mac, he relaxes. I agree Rock, that this episode doesn't zip along at a fast pace. For some people, that may not be as enjoyable as those that rip along at a galloping clip, but sometimes its nice to slow down and enjoy the scenary. |
| Posted by: MacGyverOnline 4 November 2007 - 09:04 PM |
| Actually I think it's the whole injured Mac thing that turns me away from this episode. I really dislike episodes of any show where the main character is injured. I like my heroes at full strength. |
| Posted by: MacGyverGrrl 4 November 2007 - 09:13 PM |
| Funny how we split on this issue of injured vs not along gender lines. I've noticed before that many of the female members really identify with the vulnerability while many of the males identify with the strong healthy kick butt hero. Just an observation............. |
| Posted by: jackwabbit 6 November 2007 - 03:16 PM |
| Yep, you know I gave it an EXCELLENT vote for the shoulder injury. Yep, yep, yep!!! I also like the fact that Mac's good deed comes back to reward him, etc. Lots of underlying messages in this ep, and I like it, but the whumpage is what first made it stand out in my mind. I'm shameless, I know, but it's true. It's a sickness. And I don't want to be cured.  |
| Posted by: MacGyver 6 November 2007 - 04:06 PM |
| Hmm- well, I don't dislike "To Be A Man" (or any other episode, for that matter) because MacGyver gets injured- but it's not a turn-on either. I enjoy all the episodes. If MacGyver gets hurt, that just adds more drama to the episode, which is fine. But obviously being a man- it doesn't make me "Ooh" and "Aah" over him. |
| Posted by: Astra 2 January 2008 - 03:34 PM | ||||
I think you're right with this one. It makes you worry more whether or not he will be able to beat the bad guys. We all know he can do it when feeling at his best, but this is just more challenging. And I keep wondering whether Mac would have still been hurt, if RDA not had been already? Or do you think the whole episode was written without any pain at first? I wonder how that would have turned out. Would be very different. But the way he tumbled down with the hangglider (nice stunt!) I think he would have been hurt one way or the other (but I thought it was a bit stupid by Mac, to be so visible at the hill top, he should have crouched down! He knew he was pursuaded).
Apparently I have seen to many hard core heroes running around with broken ribs etc. - I remember thinking "Why can't Mac walk if it is only a shoulder injury?" Well, away from the injuries/pain for a minute: I wonder what would have become of Mac if Ahmed's mother had not allowed for him to stay. He was willing to leave, to not cause any trouble, or even threat to them, you could see it in his eyes, he was determined to do it alone. Wouldn't have come far, though. Oh, and I would like to know who this woman in the office was, that looked together with Pete for Mac's progress with the plane? I haven't seen this episode in the right order - did we see her before or after again? Did she have anything more to do than looking worried? Since we're already talking about women - I remember there was a discussion here months ago, whether Mac and Ahmed's mother did together or not... Personally I don't think that anything happened (though the music sounded very promising) but there were only two beds in the room, and you kinda wonder, where she did sleep, after all... But honestly, what I wonder about most is always how easily people are leaving their homes. To leave everything behind, everything they know, they like, to face an uncertain future. Granted, they did not have much choice in the end (but I was sad that Mac's repairing of the pump was for nothing), but this goes for many other episodes as well. At the slightest chance everybody turns tail and runs over the border. What about friends, family that gets left behind? But that's a different story. I again would like to know what became of the young Russian soldier. Somehow they never bother to tell us about the minor characteres. After he let Mac go - which was great, of course - I'm pretty sure he did not return to his superiors, especially with these threats hanging over his head. So, did he grab the opportunity and cross the border in his shiny little tank himself, maybe? But why did he not take Mac and the others along with him? |
| Posted by: MacGyverOnline 2 January 2008 - 04:51 PM | ||||||||||
That was Pete's secretary. I'm pretty sure she turns up again at the Phoenix Foundation, although it might be a different person, but it makes sense that a manager would have a secretary.
They didn't have friends, family.. nothing, they weren't even in a town or anything, so I would say it was pretty easy to leave for greener pastures. When you can see better opportunities in a new location than what you already have, it's pretty easy to move.
Thats why they're called minor characters they don't matter.
which threats are you talking about? I would have assumed he would just tell his superiors that he hadn't seen them. How would they know any different? I think the whole idea of that scene was that he was only able to let the go becasue there was no-one else around, which is what makes the scene more special, MacGyver had no-where.
I think the fact that they tried to cover up RDAs injury indicates that it had nothing to do with the story. The story was probably written way before he was injured; they may have used his injury to their advantage, or may have used the story line and scenes to help cover up his injury.. but either way I think the story was written as an episode and not as a cover for RDA's injuries.  |
| Posted by: Astra 3 January 2008 - 03:01 AM | ||||||||||
Yeah, I remember the secretary from later episodes being a much older women, wasn't she? I didn't catch the name though to know whether that shall be the same person.
Yeah, in this case, I agree. But I will come back with this in other episodes, count on that 
Maybe to the people that only watch it as a TV-show. But I watch it as if it was "real", and though I haven't written any Mac-fiction so far, I see it with the eyes of a writer, who always asks: What happened after the director yelled "Cut!"? Real Life never stops, it goes on and on, and I look out for a good story to make out of it. But I know of course that you can't answer every question in only 45 minute frame (well, maybe they could, if they cut down on long boring car chases etc.  )
Wasn't there a court martial hanging over his head? Maybe I did not understand everything of this scene, but when he came back, after Mac had thrown the roof over him, the superior said something like "If you find him, then .... and if you don't find him, then court martial". So, that he still let Mac go, knowing what would happen to him, I only can explain by that he did not plan to return himself, at all.
Yes, but I mean, if he wasn't hurt at all in the original written story, how would they then explain that he turned to Ahmed and his mother for help? If he was fit and healthy, he just would have escaped as he had planned before all of this happened (and how exactly did he plan to escape, anyway? See - another question for an author!) - and then this would have become a whole different story IMO. In Sci-Fi-Shows it is called AU - alternative universe. We could ask "What if Mac wasn't wounded" and this story could take a different direction. |
| Posted by: androgyny 7 June 2008 - 02:44 AM |
| i rated this episode excellent simply because i found it totally cool that mac can fly a fighter plane. shallow, i know. but i just cant forget that scene. and somehow, i cant stop thinking about jack o'neill as well. |
| Posted by: dinoman 25 September 2008 - 04:31 PM |
| I rated this one excellent, too. The whole injury stuff seems reasonable and normal for me. In real life you can't always get away so easily in situation like this (this is rare in real life, though), even James Bond gets poisoned and hurt (remember Casino Royale?) I think this only added some 'reality' to the character and make it more human. I watched this episode after I finished season 5 and I found that Mac easily gets emotionally involved with women in season 1, to name a few: Chris in The Heist, Kate in The Gauntlet, Ahmed's mother in To Be A Man, and happened less in later seasons. Is it because he learnt to protect himself from being hurt by women? |
| Posted by: SHEILA 19 January 2009 - 07:34 PM |
I have a question, the afgan boy that was in this eps. was he in the movie Office Space?    |
| Posted by: MacGyverOnline 19 January 2009 - 08:18 PM |
| Yes he was. He played Samir Nagheenanajar. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0619651 has been in quite a few TV shows and movies since MacGyver. One of the more notable appearances for me was in the West Wing special episode "Isaac and Ishmael", about the 9/11 aftermath, in which Ajay played the Iraqi worker who sparked the security "Crash" at the White House. |
| Posted by: MacGirl 23 March 2009 - 10:12 PM |
| Oh, funny! I totally missed that. Good catch, Rocky. I'll have to watch that TWW eppy again. It's been awhile since I've watched TWW, so I really don't need much of an excuse... |
| Posted by: Beachbead 25 April 2009 - 10:42 AM |
| I felt so sorry for MacGyver when he bite down on a stick and was burned. |
| Posted by: SMeeceymouse 8 May 2009 - 10:34 AM |
I liked this episode, especially when the Russian soilder says "American next time I bring roof down on your head." and points the way to the boarder. I also like the way that Mac makes you see the consequences of your actions. We could use more of that in today's world. |
| Posted by: macsgirl1 8 May 2009 - 10:59 AM |
I agree with you. I felt bad for MacGyver, getting surgery in a dusty shack with no pain relief.  |
| Posted by: SMeeceymouse 8 May 2009 - 11:04 AM |
Well, just think about a hundred some years ago maybe longer that was the only way to cure an infection. And I guess in some parts of the world they still do it. At least it was done with sterile technique. |
| Posted by: Keyan 20 May 2009 - 03:21 AM | ||||
Well spoken. But I don't totally agree. This might sound dememted, sadistic, or something like that, but I like it when a character is injured because I like to see what they come up with when they're not at their best. It's also interesting theo see what their friends do. It also might be a girl thing.
|
| Posted by: SMeeceymouse 22 May 2009 - 12:28 PM |
| I agree. Especially since Mac is Mac. It gives the other characters a chance to show what they are like, and what they are capable of in times of stress. As Mac onces said how come he always has to figure the way out of a jam, why can't a women be just as MacGyver as MacGyver. Nikki showed she could do it. |
| Posted by: lucsch 31 May 2009 - 12:57 AM |
| I actually like this one a lot. I love all the episodes, but this is one of the ones I'll watch again and again. I love watching RDA with kids. It brings out the best in him, I think. |
| Posted by: Geekgirl 30 March 2010 - 04:35 AM |
| I voted Excellent on this episode. I really liked the acting by RDA...yes, I'm a bit of a sucker for wounded heros. He did a great job driving a manual transmission left handed and showing the pain from the wound. Did anyone else notice the eyes rolling back in his head during that scene? I actually caught a glimpse of the whites in his eye, before he passed out. Great scene. Only downside was having to explain what cauterize meant to a seven year old. I love the episodes where he works with kids. Loved the fact that he gives Ahmed something to think about by not killing the russian soldier. The fact that all life is valued and that he didn't have to kill him is a great moral lesson, maybe even more so today. My kids even liked this one...my son now wants to use the fire extinquisher from the kitchen to break open rocks. Overall, a great episode...lots of action adn great acting. |
| Posted by: Dr Zito 12 October 2010 - 11:31 PM |
| I voted poor, I think Im the first one. Really one of my least favourite episodes. The suspension of disbelief in this episode is just too much for me. The slingshot is actually a very difficult weapon to use accurately.. with two arms and in perfect health, even for people with experience. Mac was wounded and his background doesnt exactly infer that he had much previous experience with it, so hitting the rider at his first shot.. well for me it just set the absurd tone of the episode, whcih already was kind of exposed with mac piloting a jet! I know mac is supposed to be a jack of all trades but why would he be an airforce pilot with his dislike for weapons and wars? then of course you have the afghani countrykid speaking perfect english, the hayloft scene which screamed for the russian to shoot then ask questions, and the rock cliff scene with the perfect timing and the russians parking the jeep just below the cliff. But Im not looking for realism obviously when watching macgyver, I think the main problem was that it wasnt a really interesting plot for me. Too much message and too preachy for my liking. I may have to look at my listings, but this goes down as probably amongst the worst MG episodes in my book. |
| Posted by: MacGyverOnline 25 March 2011 - 07:32 PM |
| Actually MacGyver wasn't flying the jet. If you watch closely he's reading something every time we see him so the plane is on auto-pilot. But we do see in later episodes, that MacGyver can fly planes. Final Approach, The Odd Triple both show him piloting planes and didn't he pilot a plane in Legend of the Holy Rose as well? (can't remember). I actually watched this the other night and found it enjoyable enough to watch, it's certainly pretty far down on my list - probably close to the bottom actually, but I watch it seldom enough that the few times I do watch it, it can be enjoyed. |
| Posted by: Makedde 31 March 2011 - 08:29 PM |
| I watched it for the first today today and I vote it as being okay. I was, of course, worried when our hero was injured but you kinda know that everything will be okay. The episode was pretty slow and slightly boring, though. |
| Posted by: MacGyverOnline 31 March 2011 - 11:24 PM |
| yeah it is a pretty slow movie episode and really not much of a story line. |
| Posted by: lsalzman 15 July 2011 - 10:25 AM |
| It would be nice if all our movies had some kind of positive message to benefit all mankind. I think a lot of people to to react instead of acting on their instincts. How many people really take the time to reflect on their actions and who it may have affected. I guess this is why I really like this episode of MacGyver due to the teaching or message being given.javascript:emoticon(':D') |
| Posted by: NightTinkerer 9 August 2012 - 04:33 PM |
| This episode is another definite favorite from season one. I, too, wonder if they actually created (or adjusted) this script because of RDA:s injury. Anyway, they all did a great job, since it does feel very plausible. I am also one of these hurt/comfort junkies who enjoy watching their favorite characters in pain or sick or injured, as long as they're being comforted or treated for their injuries. Watching characters that I care about getting hurt and not being offered comfort/proper treatment always makes me feeling depressed or despaired. What felt really heartwarming about this episode is that Zia cared for Mac despite her situation, and he was able to offer his help in return. The cauterization scene was very plausible--aw, poor Mac! I can't even imagine the pain, and it was really great acting from RDA. When Mac is well enough to walk around, you can see that RDA is trying to hide the fact that he's actually is wearing a cast, not just a bandaged hand. Anyway, my second "Excellent" so far. |
| Posted by: Mela_007 16 November 2012 - 11:46 AM |
| I really liked this episode. I do seem to like the episodes where our hero is hurt/injured greatly. Perhaps I'm sick too? After all Mac is human, not superman. Since the bad guys are very often shooting machine guns at him eventually he has to get hit and be injured. I really thought they did a good job of hiding/incorporating RDA's injury into this episode. The cast was obvious and visibly worked into the episode "Every Time She Smiles", but they disguised it well during this episode. Though for the close-ups of hands they had to use a double to hide the injury until after the hang-glider wreck. I cringed when I saw the "landing" of the hang-glider...man that guy hit hard!! RDA's acting was fabulous in this one, especially the cauterization part...OUCH!!! I admit it was a slower action episode, but I like the variety of putting the slower ones in to break up the pure adrenaline episodes all in a row. Besides, with RDA's injury it was likely easier to incorporate a slower episode while he healed. I wonder if he got the injury during the show or in his active personal life? Could be either since he was very active in both. |
| Posted by: KiwiTek 30 December 2012 - 02:21 PM | ||
| Here's an interesting comment from a doctor about cauterizing bullet wounds. This is from http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/Hollywood-Survival.html, a magazine covering outdoor adventure,travel and sporting activities.
http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/Rambo-First-Blood-Part-II.html  |
| Posted by: Joe SAKic 20 March 2013 - 06:16 PM |
| This is one of the better episodes of Season 1, imo. I'm a big fan of the Afghan (ongoing) War depicted on screen and this particular story is screened and depicted very well. Additionally, this one scores big with us Trekkies who can not help but be impressed by Persis Khambatta's guest role and the Vasquez Rocks connection in the same episode! Wow, way too cool! Mac's at his best improvisational self of course, and wounded to boot - who would expect anything different!? |
| Posted by: Rocket 21 March 2013 - 02:38 PM |
| I liked this episode too, especially with the addition of Persis Khambatta. I think I'm right in that she died really young - heart trouble, was it? Shame  Good story and I also thought they did a good job of hiding RDAs broken arm! |
| Posted by: Joe SAKic 21 March 2013 - 05:50 PM |
| Yes, very sad. It may well have been somehow related to a car crash she had in 1980, I don't know ... but apparently she had a heart bypass operation a few years after that accident. |
| Posted by: NewMacFan 7 August 2013 - 11:26 AM |
| Does anyone know how RDA broke his arm before this episode? I know that it was broken in real life and that's maybe why they "took it easy" but I can't find any info anywhere on what really happened. Thanks! |
| Posted by: KiwiTek 7 August 2013 - 02:40 PM | ||
A quick look on Wikipedia found this... In 1998, Khambatta was taken to the Marine Hospital in south Mumbai, complaining of chest pains. She died of a heart attack on 18 August 1998 at the age of 49. http://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/20/arts/persis-khambatta-movie-actress-49.html |
| Posted by: KiwiTek 7 August 2013 - 02:54 PM | ||
Hi NewMacFan, I have a vague recollection of seeing something about it, but I'm not sure if it was that break or one of his many others. Most of his injuries seem to be from hockey so it's probably a good beat that he injured in a game. |
| Posted by: Scwilson 7 August 2013 - 08:20 PM |
| I liked the homemade glider scene. Mac hiding from the Soviets made for a good episode. |
| Posted by: NewMacFan 7 August 2013 - 09:08 PM | ||
Thanks for your post KiwiTek, I keep coming up with hockey when I search too, but they all seem to be related to his injuries that made him quit hockey in his teens, not anything about injuries during his acting career... gotta love those crazy hockey players |
| Posted by: Rocket 13 August 2013 - 01:33 PM | ||
I'm pretty sure someone else on here said it was a skiing accident. Have a poke around on the discussions for this episode and the couple preceding it, it's in there somewhere... Then again, it could have been hockey - RDA has a 'knocks and scrapes' list to rival Evel Knievel...  |
| Posted by: Joe SAKic 13 August 2013 - 05:16 PM |
| Yeah, probably skiing (or perhaps while on a ladder) - a far more dangerous sport/activity. I played some very competitive hockey over 30 years (at college and the senior level) ... and never lost any teeth, nor suffered a broken bone, or even a cut bad enough to require a stitch. Sure it can get rough at times, but the excellent (expensive) equipment is there for a reason and protects you very well. Having said that, I might add the game has changed immensely over the past ten years. Of particular note, the skate technology has made the game much faster, the (pro) players much larger and with more muscle mass, and the hockey stick technology more efficient in propelling the puck much faster. Also the equipment is made of a harder material these days and combined with the above mentioned data and (not so) recent rule changes (in particular the elimination of the center line for passing the puck which further speeds up the game) has culminated in more injuries and in particular many more concussions. There's been many studies done on how to lessen the load and slow things down a tad .... but jury is still out and something must be done soon - to lesson the F=MxA equation factor. |
| Posted by: KiwiTek 13 August 2013 - 06:16 PM | ||
The F in that equation stand for Fracture  |
| Posted by: NewMacFan 13 August 2013 - 07:28 PM | ||
I know this is off topic, but as a fellow hockey lover I just have to say that I absolutely love your user name! Go SAK AND Sakic!! |
| Posted by: NewMacFan 13 August 2013 - 08:19 PM |
Back on topic, I have to say that I voted excellent on this episode. It is definitely one of my all-time favorites (maybe because it was one of the first I saw?? Isn't it weird how the first ones we see often tend to be some of our favorites? Okay, back on topic again... ) and although it is much slower paced and not even close to being as funny as some of my other favorites, I too am one of the self-confessed fans of "MacWhumpage" . I like when main characters get injured once in a while because it seems much more realistic than the ones that waltz through dangerous situation after dangerous situation and never come out with barely more than a scratch. Absolutely FANTASTIC acting by RDA!!! |
| Posted by: NewMacFan 13 August 2013 - 08:30 PM |
I wonder if the writers had already written this script and RDA just HAPPENED to have a broken arm or if they had to write it specifically BECAUSE of his arm? That wouldn't give them a lot of time to practice the episode before filming.  Back to his real broken arm though - I just find it odd that I can't find anything about it online somewhere, usually you can find out that sort of stuff about actors... |
| Posted by: Rocket 14 August 2013 - 12:53 AM | ||
My guess is the first one, because they made a valiant attempt to hide it instead of incorporating it like they did in 'Every time she smiles'. That said, it's not likely that a troubleshooter, even one as good as Mac, would have been sent on such a dangerous assignment with a busted arm and so they really HAD to disguise what had happened... RDA makes a good job of hiding it - he uses that arm a fair bit before Mac gets shot down. Then again, it must have been pretty much healed by this point - it's the third episode in which he's got the cast on it! |
| Posted by: Mela_007 14 August 2013 - 10:18 AM |
| RDA does use the arm a lot in the early part of the episode, but still has a cast on. In any of the face or full body shots if you look close you can see that the skin is never exposed on the right arm between the glove and sleeve. Plus his wrist doesn't bend. The close-ups where he's using his hands early in the episode must be a double. |
| Posted by: KiwiTek 14 August 2013 - 12:32 PM |
| Yes your right Mela. You have to look pretty closely to see it though. There is one aspect which they goofed up on though.... MacGyver was shot in the shoulder and it made pretty clear that this is the only injury he had, so why does he have a cast on his arm ? |
| Posted by: Rocket 14 August 2013 - 02:01 PM | ||
I'll have to watch it again to be sure but when Mac is clearly in pain, I'm pretty sure Persis Khambatta's character asks him if it's his shoulder or his arm that's hurting him, implying that he'd damaged both... I'll check and confirm They're definitely trying to hide the cast though, so it's a clear mistake on their part whenever it's noticeable...  |
| Posted by: KiwiTek 14 August 2013 - 02:46 PM |
| If he had broken his arm in the fall they should have shown it being cast or wrapped or something to explain it. They wrote a line to explain how MacGyver's clothes changed from when he passed out to when he woke up the next morning, so you'd think they would do the same to explain his arm injury. |
| Posted by: Joe SAKic 14 August 2013 - 06:28 PM | ||||
or = Fun!  Depends if you're the 'giver' or 'receiver' of the punishment.  Incidentally, there was a policeman (who had given me a 'few' traffic violation tickets in the past) and happened to play on a rival team in our local recreational league once upon a time. The beauty of the sport is that you can really 'paste' & 'wallpaper' another player 'legally' into the boards - if/when you ever get a chance and, of course, they happen to have the puck in their possession. And so, let's just say that I eventually got a bit of payback for those, imo, petty road infractions.  |
| Posted by: Joe SAKic 14 August 2013 - 06:41 PM | ||||
Oh, thanks NewMacFan! Mac's love for hockey and SAKs absolutely had to be honored somehow, someway me thoughts ..... & then I started thinking Joe 90 , Joe Cool , Joe Camel ...... Joe SAKic!   |
| Posted by: Rocket 14 August 2013 - 11:00 PM | ||
It would have made more sense, wouldn't it! Then again, having rewatched it, Mac's holding his wrist rather than his shoulder when Ahmed finds him and Mum does indeed ask him whether it's his arm that's hurting him, to which he replies, 'Just the shoulder,' so she has a look and decides it's poker time... I dunno, maybe it's implied that he's broken his arm in the fall or it could just be dodgy storytelling! |
| Posted by: KiwiTek 15 August 2013 - 03:02 AM |
| Did anyone else notice how nonchalant MacGyver was with the death of that guy that came back to the house? He didn't even seem to care that he was dead. The way he just rolled him over with his foot, he didn't care at all. This is a real contradiction to the whole "life is precious" undertone of this episode. MacGyver is harping on about he didn't kill the solder because he didn't have to, meanwhile he was the direct cause of a man's death and couldn't care less about it.  |
| Posted by: Mela_007 15 August 2013 - 03:09 AM |
| I really like this episode so I've watched it quite a bit. You're right that you have to look really close to notice the difference in the way his wrist bends. They did a good job hiding it. I have looked for it in this case which is why I noticed. As for the arm injury, yes the Afgan lady does ask if its his arm or shoulder, plus the Russian soldier reports to his superiors that the American was shot twice, once in the arm and once in the shoulder. |
| Posted by: Rocket 15 August 2013 - 06:34 AM | ||
Aye, I did. It does seem out of character, though perhaps an implied thug/rapist falling on his own gun doesn't seem like such an injustice... Even so, I'd have expected Mac to turn him over carefully. I dunno, it does seem un-Mac-like. |
| Posted by: Mela_007 15 August 2013 - 07:06 AM |
| I admit it seems unMac-like about his reaction to the guy's death, but we also have to remember that at the time Mac is Very injured. Chances are even Mac would not quite be himself having just been shot twice and crash landing a hang glider. |
| Posted by: Rocket 15 August 2013 - 08:35 AM | ||
That's true. The combination of shock and pain from being shot and (possibly - jury's still out!) breaking his arm in the crash could make him behave out of character. Also, injured as he was, maybe bending down and lifting the guy over carefully just wasn't possible. Dunno |
| Posted by: KiwiTek 15 August 2013 - 03:02 PM |
| We've seen him pretty badly knocked around before, but he always maintains that high level of regard for life. It just didn't seem to be there at all in this scene. |
| Posted by: NewMacFan 15 August 2013 - 09:25 PM | ||
Really? What's the third one? I think I must have missed it  |
| Posted by: KiwiTek 15 August 2013 - 09:43 PM | ||||
Good Question. I don't recall seeing a cast on his arm in The Enemy Within which would have to be the first episode. I've only seen it in Every Time She Smiles and To Be a Man. |
| Posted by: Rocket 15 August 2013 - 11:08 PM | ||||||
Aye, I only noticed it because someone else mentioned it in the nitpicks... There's a scene in 'The Enemy Within' where Mac is in the hospital, eating something (egg roll?). He has his jacket draped ever so casually over his arm, but if you look carefully it's actually hiding the cast on his arm Must have been a pick up shot taken after the rest of the episode had been filmed. |
| Posted by: KiwiTek 16 August 2013 - 12:41 AM |
| Interesting! That pinpoints when the injury happened. But begs the question of how, because I don't think they have breaks between episodes do they? Or maybe they do? Anyone know for sure? |
| Posted by: Rocket 16 August 2013 - 01:45 AM | ||||
I'm copying this across from the nitpicks on 'To be a Man'. OldFan seems pretty sure how it happened:
|
| Posted by: Joe SAKic 16 August 2013 - 07:02 AM | ||
| Skiing seems the most likely cause - albeit he does seem 'very' accident prone (and what's all the chatter on the internet about usage of pain killers?). In a 2002 interview with Vicky Gabereau, he seems kinda surprised that he 'wasn't' injured in his latest skiing adventures ... which seems to indicate that he's been injured in the past while tackling the slopes.
Full interview http://stargate-sg1-solutions.com/interviews/rda/021005rdagab.shtml#projects |
| Posted by: Rocket 16 August 2013 - 09:47 AM | ||
He does seem accident prone - I think he's one of those people who just shouldn't go out without wearing a suit of armour! I can sympathise with that because I'm a bit accident prone myself  I should think he does creak a bit with the number of knocks and scrapes he's accumulated over the years, but chatter on the internet about painkillers? What's the story there? |
| Posted by: KiwiTek 16 August 2013 - 03:11 PM | ||
High powered pain killers for his last lot of foot sugary were the main reasons for his massive weight gains a few years back. There's a discussion here somewhere about it, but I think the basic story is that foot surgery (or the kind he had) is one of the most painful surgeries to endure and the specific painkillers he was on during recovery have a side effect of causing weight gain and this coupled with his mobility (can't do much when you can't stand up) lead to the big weight gain. |
| Posted by: Joe SAKic 16 August 2013 - 04:44 PM | ||
The Vicky Gabereau inteview was from 2002. She continues to pry in on the accident/pain thing and asks him (for all intents and purposes) if he's in chronic pain .... which he says 'yeah' but states that he doesn't take anything for it anymore .... which might imply that he had had some sort of dependency on something in the past.
|
| Posted by: Joe SAKic 16 August 2013 - 05:01 PM | ||
I had to go back and look at the scene as I didn't notice anything unusual about it at all in first passing. He used his foot because he was in upper body pain and quite likely in shock. Additionally he knew the extra dangers that the presence of the 'body' represented and he had much bigger fish to fry in a finite period of time. What to do? Let the boy, soon to be a man, to handle it all and in the Muslim tradition. Perfect. |
| Posted by: KiwiTek 16 August 2013 - 08:46 PM | ||||
My point here is that he was directly responsible for the death of someone and he never even registered, yet all through the episode there was a strong message of "preserving human life". And any other time through the show if anyone died in his presence it was like his best friend had died. |
| Posted by: Rocket 17 August 2013 - 03:05 AM | ||
The more I think about this, the more it does seem like a really 'wrong note'. If Mac had meant to knock the guy down/out with the gas cylinder, you'd expect shock and dismay when he found that he was actually dead, even though he hadn't shot him himself. If he'd meant to kill him with the cylinder (which would itself be out of character, but just possible as clearly Mac was in no condition to fight him), you'd still expect him to express regret that he'd had to do it. High regard for life (even sleazy, villainous life!) is so much a part of his character that I don't think any amount of shock or pain could dislodge it completely. Write it off as a first season, still getting into the character kind of mistake I guess |
| Posted by: Joe SAKic 17 August 2013 - 06:52 PM |
| Well ... there easily could be a political angle to it. Don't forget that the US had poured billions of dollars in arms into the Afghan mujahideen by then and the war was still ongoing in 1985/86 ..... and the deceased was a rapist and Class A scumbag to boot. Thus showing any degree of concern/compassion may well have had it's repercussions and drawn ire from those still heavily involved (somehow) in the conflict. As it was Pakistan was clearly portrayed as the good guys and the Soviets and Soviet-loyal Afghans - the bad guys. Under the circumstances/era ... I think it was handled very well. ----- Incidentally, the climax where Mac engineers the rock fall is very reminiscent of how Capt Kirk deals with the Gorn in the Star Trek TOS episode 'Arena'. In fact both episodes were shot in the very same location @ Vasquez Rocks outside of Los Angeles. |
| Posted by: NewMacFan 18 August 2013 - 07:57 PM | ||||||||
You're right!!! I entirely missed that the first time!  Thanks  |
| Posted by: NewMacFan 18 August 2013 - 07:59 PM | ||||||
Thanks for this too!! At least some of the mystery is solved now |
| Posted by: Rocket 22 March 2014 - 11:31 AM |
Watching my way through this season again. I'd forgotten just how funny it is when Mac bats the bad guy in the face with a shovel  Also I love how relieved Mac looks when he sees that the shovel ploy has worked! |
| Posted by: MacGyverGod 9 October 2015 - 02:00 PM |
| Did you guys ever notice in the shot before the kid introduces himself to Mac while escaping one of the horses in the stream just falls over along with the actor? Some of the others are looking back to see what happened. |
| Posted by: MacsJeep 10 October 2015 - 06:40 AM |
| I never notice things I should I do love this episode, though. As I'm working my way through them all for a second time, I'm finding my choice of season 3 as my favourite in my profile isn't true any more. There are so many I like from most of the seasons, it's unfair to try and judge! |
| Posted by: Mr Duct Tape 27 October 2015 - 09:23 AM |
| not one of the great episodes I'm afraid. average I'd say |
| Posted by: Barry Rowland 27 October 2015 - 10:16 AM |
| I really liked the movie, and it was great to see how Mac aced it in the father figure role. I liked the Russian Sergeant in the end scene....he really gave a great impression of the "other side" being human too. It must have been a revelation in 1985! I remember how it was...not a whole lot of good news coming out of Afghanistan then. |
| Posted by: Grazer 27 October 2015 - 02:26 PM | ||
What movie? |
| Posted by: Barry Rowland 27 October 2015 - 03:59 PM |
| You got me Grazer....I watched it on DVD, hence the misnomer. |
| Posted by: themacgyverproject 4 October 2016 - 07:19 AM |
| I recently got a hold of a script copy and http://themacgyverproject.blogspot.com/2016/10/macgyver-script-analysis-to-be-man.html about it: |
| Posted by: denizen 4 October 2016 - 08:19 PM |
| Well despite your "hammering" it was a good post. |
| Posted by: themacgyverproject 4 October 2016 - 09:29 PM |
| haha, thanks! I'm glad they're loyal readers and care enough to comment but they can be relentless sometimes. |
| Posted by: RadiantRose 5 October 2016 - 12:33 AM | ||
The enjoyment isn't in seeing him in pain, it's in thinking, "I must nurse him back to health!" and happily planning how to do so. I've only just started exploring the world of fan fiction, but "hurt/comfort" seems to be a popular category. I'm pretty sure that it's something in ordinary fiction also - possibly connected to why writers might decide that a character should be an orphan or have physical scars from a traumatic past. Edit: I swear I wasn't thinking of Harry Potter when I wrote that. |
| Posted by: RadiantRose 5 October 2016 - 01:06 AM | ||||
Who knew that a ballet class for pre-school children could hold so many hazards? And poor Wylie. |
| Posted by: RadiantRose 7 October 2016 - 01:05 AM |
| I can also imagine that, as a parent, he would be torn between wanting Wylie to enjoy adventures like sky-diving and wanting her to stick to dance classes forever. Or maybe reading. Very safe activity, reading. Maybe she could wear bubble-wrap for dance classes, just in case she fell over. |
| Posted by: MiracleMac 19 April 2017 - 07:21 AM |
| That sergeant who let MacGyver go in the end of the episode played by Michael Shore, I saw him in Youtube where was introducing some toys. He is now Vice President of Mattel Inc, Mattel is the toy brand which is manufacturing for example Barbies and UNO play cards. MacGyver is his only acting credit. |
| Posted by: Barry Rowland 19 April 2017 - 07:19 PM |
| I really liked how he (the Sergeant) played his role. Great episode!! |
| Posted by: denizen 19 April 2017 - 08:08 PM |
| Interesting though. I didn't actually know who he is now. |
| Posted by: AmigaDeVenezuela 16 July 2018 - 01:36 PM | ||
A couple years ago I was in a no-longer-third world country where one of the doctors that went did have to cauterize a patient. We did have a local anesthetic for the pain. The patient still felt it a little. |
| Posted by: AmigaDeVenezuela 16 July 2018 - 07:34 PM | ||
True. The episodes with child actors are my favorites. This one. The Outsiders, Rock The Cradle, Cease Fire, Strictly Business, Hearts of Steel, Bitter Harvest, Battle For Tommy Giordano to name a few. |
| Posted by: AmigaDeVenezuela 16 July 2018 - 07:59 PM | ||
Hitting the ground as hard as he did when the hangglider crashed would cause ones body to be sore/hurt. It catches up to you. Fitting that Persis's character would tell him to stay and that he can barely walk. |
| Posted by: sylvain1888 15 November 2020 - 03:07 PM |
| Not too bad, the Mac / Zia duo works and Afghanistan is well reproduced, fits well with a Bond film "The Living Daylights" released just a little later, so totally in tune with the times. 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| Posted by: sylvain1888 15 November 2020 - 03:11 PM |
| Thanks MacPhoenix |