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.


Movie - Trail to Doomsday


In England, MacGyver investigates the mystery of his friend's murder and discovers a secret nuclear weapons facility in the process.

I have to vote good.
Because it is a MacGyver movie

I know I've seen it, but it is very long ago, and I don't remember it. But it is a MacGyver, so it has to be good.

Never watch MacGyver and thought "I don't really like this one".

This had such a depressing start! And all throughout everyone around MacGyver died or deceived him. It must have been so sad and confusing for him. This was quite a dark movie with lots of people dying and a very angry MacGyver. I like episodes with a light side to them the best so this darkness didn’t appeal to me. There didn’t seem to be many MacGyverisms and that ones that there were there weren’t that special. They didn’t make me think “how on earth did he think of that!”. But then again we haven’t seen many of those since the early seasons. I think that they should have made an extra special effort as these were movies but this one seems to lack anything to make it special and is only getting an average vote from me. Its watchable but there are a lot better episodes out there.

This movie didn't feel like MacGyver to me at all.

In fact I had to force myself to watch it. And keep reminding myself that was MacGyver.

It was more like watching a movie which had RDA starring in it, than watching a MacGyver movie.. it just didn't resemble MacGyver to me.

I remember that the first two minutes were great. Then the power went out and that was that. I don't think I ever forgave the power company.

Maybe one day, in the far off future, I'll find it on Youtube or as a Torrent.

Mac

Of course I voted good on his last adventure. It's dark and depressing, the way I like it. The settings are dark as well. His only friend in the movie gets killed in his first scene. In this case he has no friends only contacts and sources. Actually to me it all seems to me there was nothing left of the MacGyver World as we knew it or very very far away. Bit like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. There was only Indy, a kid he caught and the girl from the nightclub, but nothing of familiar environments. No Marcus Brody, no Sallah, no dad.
That's how Trail to Doomsday felt to me. And something that concerns Doomsday is not supposed to be taken lightly. The difficulty level in this adventure is extremely high. An investigation that doesn't seem to proceed, police that's uncooperative.
Actually this is a sort of 24-ish scenario. Crime, terrorism, knowing who you can and can't trust, insiders, twists in the story... It was a big cake, I tell you that. A big web of crime.
Best parts: Paul's funeral, the fight, the sewer scene, the scene where in Mac almost lost his self control over Natalia. I really like that scene, it all seems so tempting to give up the case, but you just can't. MacGyver is just desperate. Also running back to sewers is great and the scene where MacGyver fights back and is flicking all those buttons really gives me a kick. That's when our hero comes back and finally saves the day.
OK, well admitting: the MacGyverisms were indeed a bit low, this was after all an investigation, MacGyver didn't smiled once after Paul got shot, situations looked bad and there seemed no ways out. But I can live with this.
It's always that last scene that makes me emotional with MacGyver and Elise at the river. Because it's the last scene. Once it's over we have to keep the guessing on how MacGyver's life will go on. We always have our fanfics to continue his life.
I also like that last scene when they leave MacGyver places his arm around Elise. I like that, it shows again how protective he is towards the one he cares about.

Well, it's kinda sad to be talking about the last aired adventure of MacGyver (for now- never know what the future may hold )- but I'm glad we got one more chance to enjoy MacGyver in 1994. I remember watching this when it first aired and of course, I later got a copy of both this and "Lost Treasure of Atlantis".
I thought "MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday" was one last great adventure for MacGyver. I agree that is rather dark- I mean, we start out with a fairly happy MacGyver who's ready to reunite with his friend, whom he saved from dying on a mountain (that we see in flashback) And then at the party, MacGyver's world is rocked when Paul is shot down and killed and Elise is kidnapped.
The whole thing was in a somber mood and the running through the sewers thing was appropriate for that. I thought the storyline made for a great crime/mystery drama as MacGyver was unraveling this whole thing. And there's lots of great MacGyverisms- from classic stuff like spraying powder into a bad guy's face, to make shift gas mask and make shift magnifier and one of my favorites was scaling a castle wall with his belt!
It was also neat to see MacGyver being wrongly accused and having to run from the police at the same time while he's trying to infiltrate this terrorist gang and track down his friend's killers.
Add to the mix Natalie, former KGB agent, who plays MacGyver like Delilah. (And I guess Mac fits as Samson, with all that hair in his mullet! )
I thought it was pretty cool- a fun, exciting last adventure for MacGyver. I didn't like seeing him in bed with Natalie, but he had no control over that. And she did say she did it to keep him alive.
One scene I remember really well is when MacGyver was made to shoot one of the guys in the gang. Of course, MacGyver would never do this, but if he doesn't he might expose himself. Just as he's raising the gun and contemplating his move, the commercial break comes on! And that's where it picks up with MacGyver shooting the gun near the leader (not to hit him of course- just scare him. For those keeping score, that would be the second time MacGyver fires a gun on the series- interesting, in both the first adventure and the last! And he doesn't hit a thing either time.) "It's a stupid leader who kills his own men. I thought I was working with professionals, not a bunch of suicidal punks!"
And of course the scene at the end was classic MacGyver. He had to escape the bad guys, overpower them and defuse a bomb! And the trick with the tricket wrench made from a tennis racket was cool.
And there's a couple of quotes I like from this one. All in all, it was a great MacGyver adventure!

"We're both going to die!"- Paul "NO ONE's gonna die!"- MacGyver

"You never give up, do you?"- Natalie "I guess it just wasn't meant to be."- MacGyver

"My father cared so much for this planet. He just wanted to do some good."- Elise "He did."- MacGyver "But my father, your friend, he's gone."- Elise
"Then I guess it's up to us."- MacGyver

WOW! Awesome ending- that's a great MacGyver moment. And it still captures a core MacGyver message- one man can make a difference! (okay, that's Knight Rider, but I'm pretty sure Mac agrees with it )

It's up to all of us to make a difference in the world- Don't just do well in life- do good!

Look what I added to it. That's the complete sentence.

Yeah, you're right. Forgot some of it. Good catch!

Wow.

The two Mac movies are polar opposites, representing most of the full spectrum of MacGyver, from amusing capers to serious stories. I feel that while Atlantis failed, Doomsday is a rousing success. It captures so much of 'old style' MacGyver including:

1) an 'exotic' locale;
2) an environmental cause;
3) the Cold War (and the Balkans);
4) at least one clever MacGyverism featuring something that had no logical business being in the immediate area (what, praytell, was that tennis raquette doing in that office?!);
5) an old friend of Mac's, with them sharing a perilous back story.

Add to that all the red herrings and plot twists (I kept on second guessing myself as to who was good and bad) and some superbly devastating acting by RDA and you have a winner.

Mac
ready to forgive the power company

I voted "good". how can a MacGyver movie not be at least "good?"
It was dark though, and disappointing overall. I think you have to be a true MacGyver fan to watch this more than once - and yeah, I've seen it hundreds of times

I really didn't like either of the MacGyver movies. They didn't have any of the original cast members in them except mac. They didn't petain to things as much as the show did. I did love the part at the end where MacGyver punches the girl after setting the bomb. That was hillarious. All in all they are awful but they were not great either.

And they didn't have many "Macgyverisms" either, another flaw

theres much more to MacGyver than just having the main character appear in some random story line.

unfortunately thats about all this movie had.

They needed better writers in both of these movies

No they didn't.

Trail to Doomsday is similar to Blind Faith also written by John Considine. Same environment, dark characters involved in the crime world.

As a kid though I was always in favor of Lost Treasure of Atlantis because I considered this film way too dark for me. In recent years I got a big respect for this movie and I'm considering this film in story telling way better than Atlantis.

Originally there were meant to be six films. RDA only wanted to make two. Actually each writer from the last seasons should've written their own movie.

I still prefer Lost Treasure of Atlantis

I found it on YouTube! Type MacGyver. Scroll down and it should appear on the first page under MacGyver TTD. Part 1 of 10. I watched all 10 parts back to back like watching the whole movie, although I confess I would have been greater in one section and on the TV.
This was a dark depressing adventure. I liked it, but it was sad. Mac couldn't trust anyone. Natalia turned out to be the villian Mac was seen nearly losing emotional control with her when he confronts her at the mid point.
Good MacGyverisms. I am glad they didn't kill of Mac. All that said, it was missing something, Jack Dalton, Pete, Sam, Penny, Nikki, Murdoc, something resembling the series. RDA was great, but the film needed the other key elements that the other cast members brought to the show.

Yep. As I've said before. This movie really bears no resemblance to the series at all.

In fact I would go so far as to say it's not even the same time line or universe as the series.

Some would argue that becasue it has MacGyver it must be the same time line/universe.. but as I said in an earlier post, theres more to MacGyver than just the lead character.. and this movie lacked everything except the lead character.

I found I had to really force myself to watch it. It was like a not very good episode which had been stretched out to make a movie. Then again.. maybe if it had been made as a 1 normal 1 hour episode, it might have been more enjoyable.

You know, you make an interesting point, Rock. There is more to MacGyver than the main character. I saw this movie once when it aired, and unfortunately I don't remember much about it, but it does make you wonder. I cringe at the impending disaster any feature film of MacGyver would turn out--they would probably just slap the name MacGyver on somebody and drastically alter the theme of the show and expect you to follow it as you did the much beloved series without questioning it. At least the TV movies had RDA. The feature film probably won't even have that. *Laments loudly*

And the butler did it.

It's always the butler.. never trust a butler.

Is it me or did it seem kinda strange that sam was not in the movies.The show ended with Sam and Macgyver wanting to get to know each outher.It has been years since I have seen the two MacGyver movies,but I do remember that there was no explanation of his son what so ever.It is no big deal.Just some thoughts I have.Anyone agree or disagree

Sorry, since you seem to dig the whole scenario, but I was glad there was no SAM in the movies.

No explanation for his absence was better than the lame one for his existence.

Well said, Nymph! I never did buy or particularly care for the whole "long lost son" scenario.

How come MacsChick.Just wondering.

yeah it was a bit of an obvious "spin-off" setup.

But the answer to the movies is simply that they are not a continuation of the TV show. They are a completely separate entity.

They don't refer to any known characters, situations or scenarios from the show. In fact they distance themselves even further by introducing totally new characters from MacGyver's past and taking place entirely in a different country.

*shakes head and walks away*

Well, for one thing, I find that story line overused. Oh, you have a son that popped up out of nowhere! How convenient! Please. It's one of the oldest devices in storytelling that exists. It's completely unoriginal, and I thought the Mac finale was deserving of a better ending than that. I'm sorry if I offend you with my opinion. You're allowed to like it, and yes, Mac could have produced kids with some of his many relationships, but I just didn't think it was necessary to introduce them into the story, that's all.

I'm not offened by what you said.I do love the fact they brought in Sam.It gave Macgyver a new set of things in his life to deal with.I think the reason the show ended the way it did was the producers of the show had a spin off in mind all along.Tv in the early 1990's always wanted to go out with a bang.I do agree the show should have brought in Sam alot soone.

I agree totally with Rock. There was little resemblance to the show other than RDA, which was the point I was trying to make. No other beloved characters, no familiar locations, not even Sam or Pete. Mac is supposed to be retired from the Phoenix Foundation and living with his son according to the story from the show. Sorry to bring it up, but the storyline does exist in the show, whether we like it or not. I have mixed feelings about it. I thought that Sam was a character that had quite an impact on Mac. It was alos a plot device like moving away (also there) to explain Mac's leaving the Phoenix Foundation. Just a thought.
Ok, back to TTD Nothing other than RDA and an angry Russian woman, tie in with the brother of the victim. Is anyone else deeply bothered by the part where she and Mac are in bed together? It's interesting to see Mac punch Natalia in the end, because that's so rare for Mac to ever hit a woman. Still she deserved it.