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| MacGyver Online Forums > Episodes > 016 - Every time she smiles |
| Posted by: MacGyverOnline 2 November 2006 - 04:19 PM |
 16 - Every Time She Smiles Airdate: 19 Feb 1986 Writer: James Schmerer Director: Charles Correll Guest Cast: Teri Hatcher as Penny Parker , Kai Wulff as Stephan Frolov , Michael Fox as Burak Milos Kirek as Petrovich. MacGyver travels to Bulgaria to retrieve a microfilm. But his plans for a quick departure are thwarted by an American women who involves MacGyver in her lovers quarrel with Bulgarian security officer. |
| Posted by: Macs Lab Rat 8 November 2006 - 09:41 AM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Votes from 26 March 2006 Poor [ 0 ] [0.00%] Average [ 1 ] [9.09%] OK [ 3 ] [27.27%] Good [ 6 ] [54.55%] Excellent [ 1 ] [9.09%] Total Votes: 11 Archived comments
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| Posted by: jackwabbit 20 October 2007 - 05:48 AM |
| I can't stand Penny in this one...ok, in general, but she does improve, so I had to vote 'poor'. Just too bad to stand more than once. |
| Posted by: MacGyverGrrl 21 October 2007 - 01:51 AM |
| I rated this episode good. Yes I agree, Penny Parker can be extremely irritating, but she also brings out an element in MacGyver's personality that we rarely see in his interactions with other people. The possible exception might be Jack Dalton. Penny annoys that hell out of MacGyver. This is evident in the scene at the airport where he's stnding around, minding his own business, waiting to clear security. She strikes up the conversation, and like Mac says later in the show, "A guy just can't be rude." He's very patient with her, but its also clear he wishes she would just shut up and leave him alone. I think anyone who has ever flown anywhere has met a person that immediately wants to be your new best friend. Been there, done that, got the T shirt. The problem with these people is that they just don't know when to quit. MacGyver deals with Penny's innteruptions and interferences with a suffering patience that actually makes you feel a little sorry for the guy. Penny is a real dingbat. Unfortunately, there really are people like that in the world. I know, I'm realated to one.  She does provide some comic relief, without crossing into Keystone Kops territory. I can't help it, but I find the scene of her running out in the street in a teddy and that coverup with the feathers hilarious. Mac yelling at her, "I said a bathrobe." and She answers, "this is the nicest one I have." Like she's not going to attract attention dressed like that.Overall, the acting isn't too bad from the rest of the supporting cast either. Teri Hatcher did get better in the later episodes she appeared in, but she did ok here. The one thing that I have to ask, even though it was pointed out in last year's discussion. Why didn't Mac pick the lock on the handcuffs before breaking out of the airport interrogation room? Penny had the earring, you couldn't miss it swinging like a fishing lure, yet Mac didn't think to pick the lock on the handcuffs until they got to the park. the other nitpicky thing that bugged me was that Penny kept wearing the other earring instead of taking it out. Its probably just me but it looks really weird and it just annoys me. Overall, not a bad episode. I go back to this one when I need a little levity in my day. And a question: is it me or does the actor playing Constantine at the end of this episode bear a strong resemblance to the Russian jr officer driving the tank in To Be A Man? |
| Posted by: Macs Lab Rat 21 October 2007 - 07:08 AM |
| This is a good fun episode. I like that spy adventure type feel at the start with the sneaky way to hide the microfilm on the postcard. Penny brings in some entertaining moments. Yes, she is an irritatingly silly girl but she has a sweetness to her that makes her bearable. She is amusing and entertaining enough for me to forgive her irritating side, most of the time! I also like that she is game to go along with MacGyvers plans and doesn’t act the helpless female all the time. The episode was good but I think the introduction of Penny made it more memorable than it otherwise would have been. Its really funny to watch MacGyver try to keep his temper and not patronise her. |
| Posted by: trtlsoup 21 October 2007 - 07:31 AM |
| I added my "OK" vote. I'm not too fond of the Penny Parker character. I think the PTB's could have written her just as child-like and naïve without her seeming like a total bubble-head. I do like how they worked around RDAs injury, though. Though being handcuffed together is a bit unbelievable. Necessary for the storyline, I guess. *shrug* And as pointed out before, he could have pick the lock on the handcuffs earlier, especially with one hand free. And another run for the border... (Has anyone counted how many time he had to get over the border?) But all in all, this is an entertaining episode-not one for the record books for memorability, but I don't turn it off when it's on. |
| Posted by: Berni 28 October 2007 - 06:44 AM |
| I have rated "good". It's because I lgenerally enjoyed the episode, but I have a little problem with Penny too. On the one hand, I think that she is a very nice girl, but on the other hand I find her quite annoying. Poor  !I liked her about as much as in "Cleo Rocks" and "The Secret of Parker House", which were actually the episodes where I saw her first. But thanks to her those episodes are very entertaining. I like the story, somehow it reminds me of James Bond (Eastern Europe, the game of chess with the contact, the café and so on). That handcuff-thing also seems a bit strange to me. Apparently Mac likes to be attached to women in this way  (We know about his problems with commitments  ):I remember the escape with Lulu in "The Lost Amadeus". He was in no hurry to get rid of the handcuffs until she had that "little problem". But it surely adds a bit of fun and suspense to the episode. |
| Posted by: MacGyverOnline 28 October 2007 - 02:46 PM |
you know.. I've never actually made that connection with the handcuffs.. but now that you mention it...  |
| Posted by: The True MacGyver 4 April 2008 - 04:03 PM |
| Although a rather annoying debut for Penny, this really opens up Mac. Whereas Jack is kind of Mac's brother, Penny really has a similar effect. Mac eventually sees her as a sister, him being the over-protective brother. |
| Posted by: jknnej 11 April 2008 - 01:53 PM |
| I gave it excellent because it makes me laugh SO many times. When the come out on the baggage claim, and oh my God, when Penny descibes the "farm machine" and MacGyver says, "A Trac-Tor?" I crack up. Not the best ep for serous stuff, but oh, so damn funny. Edited because I could not think of the word for baggage claim; I'm a high school teacher, it's Friday, and it's been a LONG day!!! LOL Even now I'm not sure I spelled it right, could I be having a stroke here? |
| Posted by: MacBeth 11 April 2008 - 09:08 PM |
| That "trac-tor?" line is one of my favourites, also -- fantastic delivery! |
| Posted by: Liz1976 15 July 2008 - 01:14 PM |
Another fave moment fir me is when Mac is running for the bathroom in the airport and he runs into an older, overweight, Bulgarian (supposedly) woman who screams and causes Mac to scream.  |
| Posted by: androgyny 24 July 2008 - 07:37 PM |
| well, it's just an okay episode. penny annoyed me a bit. |
| Posted by: Liz1976 25 July 2008 - 05:47 PM |
| Yep, that's what you get with Penny Parker: annoyed. Does anyone wonder if Teri Hatcher doesn't seriously regret the role? |
| Posted by: androgyny 30 July 2008 - 05:45 AM |
| she's an actress. she's bound to have done roles she didn't really like but needs the exposure. at least with penny parker, it's a recurring role in a popular tv show. so, i don't think she regrets it. imo, of course. :-) |
| Posted by: MacGyverOnline 30 July 2008 - 01:53 PM |
| I guess it comes down to how secure she is. If she thinks of herself as a smart intelligent person, she would have fun with the role, goofing around and pretending to be a bimbo. If she wasn't' so sure.. she might have worried that people would think she was really like that. I think her role of the strong feisty intelligent Lois Lane in Lois & Clark would have superseded any presumption of her being a bimbo in any case. |
| Posted by: Beachbead 3 May 2009 - 10:58 AM |
| I liked her in her first time playing Penny she acted like a blonde more then anything else. |
| Posted by: Dennman 18 March 2010 - 02:34 PM |
| I believe Ricky Dean had broken his wrist during filming that season. I voted excellent, which pretty much sums up the first season to me. |
| Posted by: MacLovin 14 April 2010 - 12:47 PM |
| I think this is my favorite Penny Parker episode. I love it when she starts talking about "the thing that plows" and MacGyver responds "a trac-tor?" And also the look on his face when she kisses him at the restaurant like he was thinking what a terrible idea it was (nothing like when she kissed him in "Friends") |
| Posted by: deepfathom393 25 April 2010 - 10:33 AM |
| Penny Parker is one of my favorite supporting characters. She and Mac just sort of bounce off one another. I loved this episode! I gave it an "Excellent". It was really fun to see mac in this sort of situation. You could just tell he wanted to pull his hair out, but he was really sweet with Penny. That's what makes this episode so good. i'm glad they brought Penny back a few more times too. Her episodes are just so much fun to watch because she's such a ditz and Mac knows it, but he still cares about her and is really a great friend to her. |
| Posted by: MacGirl 25 April 2010 - 05:22 PM |
| Here's a question for you. Do you all think Penny really is that dumb, or is she smarter than she lets on? If it's the latter, why?? If she's doing it because she thinks men find it attractive, she's definitely wrong. The only guys who like dumb girls are a) dumb guys and b) guys who want a trophy girlfriend. |
| Posted by: Geekgirl 25 April 2010 - 07:23 PM | ||
I wouldn't say that Penny is dumb, ditzy as heck, yes, but not truly dumb. I knew someone like her growing up in small town Michigan. Annoyed the hell out of me with her ditzy dumb blond attitude (forgive the saying). Turned out that she hadn't travelled much, let a pretty sheltered existance, even more so than me, and just hadn't spent much time thinking about what she truly could do with her life. Granted that was her at 16 yrs old, not 25 or 30 like Penny. Now, I've moved out to Minnesota, and I have managed to find a young 30 something woman who could pass as Penny...and the scary thing is this friend has a BA in Art and is working on a Masters in Education...early childhood education. Again, hasn't travelled much, sheltered youth, and a very simple/naive view of things. I've also run into a 26 year old male, who could pass as a male version of Penny in that respect...kinda spooky really. Now saying this, I find Penny to be an annoyance in this episode, but I love how Mac deals with her.... |
| Posted by: Makedde 5 March 2011 - 11:22 PM |
| It's okay. I wasn't expecting Teri Hatcher to pop up in it, so I was quite surprised to see her. She drove me nuts! It's amazing Mac didn't tell her to bugger, that woman could talk the hind leg off a donkey! I think she and Mac started to get along well, but he does seem to get frustrated at her incessant babbling. |
| Posted by: NightTinkerer 8 August 2012 - 01:01 PM |
| The frame story of this episode is actually rather interesting, and I think RDA is doing a great job here, considering that his arm is actually broken for real. However--I'm sorry, but I find it very difficult to like Penny Parker. Teri Hatcher seems to have a talent for dancing and stage acting, and of course, there's the comic relief factor... but, the Penny Parker character's attitude just drives me nuts. I think the reason for me is simple--she's everything I *don't* want to be. Now, don't get me wrong here, I'm not an extreme feminist or a fighter for women's rights, and things *have* changed since the 80's, although we're not quite there yet (and I doubt we'll ever be, simply because there *are* differences between men and women, and it's hard to overcome our natural instincts). That said--as a woman in a men's world, (as is often the case with me, since I am much of a technical troubleshooter and audio system rigger... plus I'm also an avid urban explorer, just to mention some things...)--it can be hard enough to make people forget that just because you're a woman, it doesn't mean you're more fragile as a person. Penny Parker is using all her female qualities, including her (assumed?) lack of intelligence, to draw attention and sympathy from the men. (Yes, there are many unintelligent men out there too, but very few are using it for sympathy the same way women tend to do--hence the "myth" of the "blonde" female, I think...  )I may sound harsh, but in my opinion, characters like Penny Parker help feeding this clichéd myth which so many of us just... detest. I know, these were the 80's, and some things have changed since then--I imagine it would be much harder today to establish a character like Penny in a modern TV series... but she still bothers me. That said, I mean no offense to those of you who actually like her, (as long as you don't expect real life females to act and be treated like that...  ) She does provide comic relief now and then, as with the famous "trac-tor" line...Needless to say, though, I'm glad that her and Mac's romance was ignored in the later Penny Parker episodes, and he said she was like a younger sister instead. Voting "OK" on this one. |
| Posted by: Joe SAKic 23 March 2013 - 08:15 PM |
| The plot/premise is alright. PP is soooo annoying and childlike though - that I had to fast forward through many parts of this. Nobody could be that ditzy, could they? OKay maybe 1980s Valley Girls for which I think her character was based upon!? Thumbs down on this one. |
| Posted by: MacManx 2 April 2013 - 06:19 AM |
| This episode is just so funny, and the reason it is sooo funny is Penny. Mac gets into this situations because he is such a nice guy and can't be rude and that is part of why we love him. The classic spy stuff at the beginning was fun as well. I can not be at an airport, see the baggage claim conveyor belt and not think about this episode. And I have different ran into those people that just won't stop talking to you, even though they don't you. On a overnight flight to Manchester, a Texas lady, very much like Penny, would not stop talking the entire flight to the British woman seated next to her. I was across the aisle and row back and heard every word of the conversation. my intent was to sleep through the flight. It didn't happen. Soon as the plane landed the British woman bolted. We saw the same Texas lady chatting up everyone she was in line with throughout customs. People like Penny are there. |
| Posted by: MDBfan 2 April 2013 - 08:07 AM | ||
Oh yes, that happens to me a lot! I'm one of those who seldom talk to strangers but for some reason I attract chatty people. Most of the time I don't mind. I'm glad everyone is not as shy as me, that would be boring.  But some people just talk too much! Once I was on a bus trip that lasted six hours and a man was talking (to himself as well as to me) ALL the time. I have a fear of being impolite, however I discreetly tried reading a book, listening to music and pretending to be asleep. It did not help.  |
| Posted by: Joe SAKic 4 April 2013 - 07:11 AM |
| Well let's not confuse 'chatty' people with complete ditzes. Talkative, friendly people with alot to say are one thing .... but PP is completely over-the-top in the airhead department, imo. You'd think that Mac would prefer a slightly more 'cerebral' woman to get nose to nose and toes to toes with .... but then again opposites do often attract. |
| Posted by: Rocket 4 April 2013 - 01:53 PM |
I liked this episode too; I like the way Mac is totally taken aback by Penny and can't work out how to deflect her without seeming rude. That cracks me up every time!  While Penny is certainly annoying, I still find her funny. If only for the effect she has on everyone around her and the fact that we've all had to deal with a Penny at some point! Also, as noted by others here, I think RDA is doing really well for a guy with a busted arm. He ends up doing loads of stuff with both hands, which must have hurt. |
| Posted by: MacGirl 5 June 2013 - 01:19 PM |
| NightTinkerer: You took the words right out of my mouth, and said it better than I could. That's why Penny irritates me, too. |
| Posted by: Scwilson 7 August 2013 - 08:16 PM |
 We are introduced to Penny who really irritates Mac at times but he has a soft spot for her in his heart. |
| Posted by: Rocket 14 December 2013 - 03:06 PM |
| Just watched this one again - I love how frustrated Mac is with Penny when he's made all the effort to sneak into the apartment to get the microfilm back and finds that Penny just walked in through the front door... |
| Posted by: John Litteral 30 January 2014 - 05:56 AM |
| Its not one that I have watched tons of times like most of the other episodes, mainly because Penny wears me out in that episode, though I do like her quite well in all the others. But she is over the top in this one. |
| Posted by: cmbj67 27 July 2014 - 03:51 AM |
| This is a funny episode, I like him with Penny. Poor Mac |
| Posted by: denizen 27 July 2014 - 10:23 AM |
In for a Penny, in for a pound!  |
| Posted by: Jediferret 27 July 2014 - 02:53 PM |
| I actually like the dynamic between MacGyver and Penny. It's because despite his original annoyance with her, he can see beyond that and comes to realize that she has a good nature. I also love the facial expressions Mac has when Penny says something out of context. XD |
| Posted by: denizen 27 July 2014 - 08:34 PM |
Or when she just goes on an on an on...  |
| Posted by: Maclover 23 September 2015 - 01:19 PM |
| I've finally watched this one all the way through on the new DVD's. I am not keen on Penny as a character - I guess she is the Harry Mudd or the Ferengi of MacGyver - the character they introduce when they want a lighter hearted episode. That said I did find myself smiling at some of the one liners (from memory) - small kiss from Mac - MAC "that's for luck", larger forced kiss from Penny "We need lots of luck", Panny "we're starting to think the same things" Mac "now that does worry me" - you have to listen to the dialogue closely, but if you can get past Penny's constant babbling some of the dialogue is funny enough to be worth listening closely to. |
| Posted by: Mr Duct Tape 23 October 2015 - 02:12 PM |
| I just don't like the character Penny at all, so I'll give this one a 3/5. |
| Posted by: Barry Rowland 23 October 2015 - 02:50 PM |
| Penny is a creature unto herself, but I like the show. It gives a different spin on players of the Iron Curtain! |
| Posted by: sylvain1888 20 November 2020 - 03:48 PM |
| Posted by: Hannibal_Smith 25 March 2022 - 10:53 AM |
| I remembered this being a pretty forgettable episode, and Penny was never my favorite character, so I don't rewatch it much. What I'd forgotten and really stuck out to me this time was the entire story revolving around the bad guys' Swiss bank accounts, misappropriated jewels, and frantic attempts to keep them from being exposed. Which is the kind of thing that keeps coming back in later seasons. This show really had its finger on the kind of ubiquitous petty corruption that made the Soviet Bloc (including and especially the secret polices) run. It's less riveting than stories about them funding terrorists or stealing military secrets, but given the way that corruption just exploded in a lot of these countries after 1991, probably an even more important thing to remember. |
' How corny...xD 
