Episode 123 - Strictly Business

Murderous Murdoc is back from retirement with orders to kill the only target that ever escaped him… MacGyver!

This is the best Mac/Murdoc encounter, because MacGyver is so close this time to being killed! The stakes are higher in this episode, too, because not only is MacGyver injured--he has amnesia. He's more vulnerable to Murdoc's games than usual, which makes this a very tense, exciting episode.

When this episode first aired, my grandfather was visiting us, and he loved it! He was an engineer (he died when I was 17--10 years ago. ). Watching this episode with him is one of my fondest memories. He loved the MacGyver character, and how he used ingenuity to get out of a tough situation. This episode has a great, old-fashioned adventure feeling to it with the mine shaft and rescuing the girl. He enjoyed it as much as I did (and do, now that I have the DVD. ).

I saw this episode with my brother, too. My brother loves Murdoc. His favorite part is when Murdoc is eating the chicken and has to throw it away when Amy and her mother come in to the kitchen. It was just one of those silly moments where even a scary bad guy ends up doing something ordinary. For some reason, it just seemed so out of place for him, because we're so used to him focusing on killing MacGyver that it's odd to see him snacking.

This was an excellent episode. Indeed the darkest and best Mac/Murdoc encounter ever. As a kid I was very obsessed (Obsessed! Get it?) by this episode. This has it all, action, suspense, MacGyverisms. What more do you want? Despite his amnesia he sure can still figure his way out of... or in this case deeper into the mine. And it all end with a great second fight between Mac and Murdoc. By the way maybe interesting to know is that Murdoc is the only one MacGyver fought twice with.

Well, even killers gotta eat. Don't recall him throwing it away though.

Murdoc eps aren't my favourites, but this episode is an exception. MacGyver is really vulnerable and in jeopardy in this one, and you can see how he'll slowly slide down into the 'obsession' with Murdoc of season 7.

I thought the kid was really smart (isn't she another Amy? ). The mother really needs to learn that kids see and sense things that aren't always obvious to grown ups (something Amy has in common with Lisa...).

I think my favourite part of the ep is the last bit, in the mine, with Mac slowly remembering who he is as he comes up with some pretty smart MacGyverisms (nice use of lead pellets and a rifle).

Good stuff, and much more grounded in reality than most of the other Murdoc eps.

Mac

Amy!!! Get away from the door!!!!

What do you mean?

In a hand to hand combat. They fought in Cleo Rocks and again in Strictly Business.

oh.. not surprising.. Murdoc's only 1 of about 3 people he's encountered more than once.

Good eppy, but I had a few problems with it. Problem #1: this is the third time (by my count) that Mac's had amnesia. That plot device was wearing a little thin by this time. Also, as a psych major, I'm always annoyed with the way amnesia is portrayed in movies and TV shows. "Retrograde" amnesia is pretty rare, and not of much interest to researchers. More common is a form of amnesia in which a person remembers the past but can't form any new memories.

Problem #2: It kind of bugged me that Amy's mom was so suspicious of Mac but just took Murdoc's word that he was who he said he was (of course, he had a fake ID, but still...) Why didn't she call up the Phoenix Foundation and find out what was really going on? Given that she was so suspicious of strangers, you would think that she would have wanted to verify a stranger's identity. Of course, Murdoc cut the phone wires, but I think that was later. Anyway, it wouldn't have been that hard to get to a neighbor's house and use the phone. She could have made up some excuse and gotten away without Murdoc following. This just struck me as really weird, but I guess TV writers will do all kinds of things to achieve their desired outcome.

I did like Amy though... she was as smart as Lisa, but without the whine factor. And of course, I loved the ending, with Mac rescuing Amy's mom from the mine shaft, and fighting Murdoc.

What I meant was fighting. Of course there are more villians he encountered more then once. With Murdoc I was referring that he got into more fights then with the others.

I don't understand what the backwards SAK was all about in this episode.

When Murdoc picks up the SAK after the car explodes, the emblem is on the back of the SAK instead of the front.. to this day i stil can't figure out why they did that.

OMG! Soda nearly came out of my nose!!

It's SO funny that you said that considering your fan fic.

Ack! *backs up*



I love this episode! Definitely my favorite Murdoc/Mac encounter. This was always one that stuck in my head after seeing it air the first time! I think when Murdoc lets loose the rocket, there was a cut to commercial, and I was on the edge of my seat! Yeah, the amnesia card gets played a little hard in the series, but for some reason I like those eps a lot ( oh you'll just love the rest of my fanfic, Macgirl...if I ever get more posted! ) Anyway, I love how Murdoc comes to the crux of his mission, but then decides to force MacGyver to, well, be MacGyver. One of my faves!

Yes, amnesia is a well-worn plot device, and I tried to stray from it myself when writing my fanfics, but it just became so fun to do for some reason. I guess because in that situation, MacGyver has to compensate for a lack of memories and perhaps use his mind and his natural cleverness even more. It's a little challenge for him, and I guess that was what the writers were thinking when they wrote this amnesia episode.

MacGyver (looking at Murdoc through the wiring, bewildered): "How do you expect me to get through this?"

Murdoc: "Well, that's your problem, isn't it?"

About the amnesia... several years ago, I took a tumble from my horse - at the last possible second, he decided not to jump the fence - he went left... I went right... anyway - I wacked my head hard enough that my helmet came off - my head impacted with the ground and I was unconscious for about 2 or 3 minutes. At the hospital emergency, the doctors kept asking me stuff like..."what is my name, what day is it, and what is my home address" - like they were expecting me to have amnesia. I was pretty groggy and after an x-ray to make sure that I didn't have a skull fracture, the let me go home - but I was not allowed to fall asleep for the next 24 hours - in case of a concussion. Does an injury like this often end up with a short-term amnesia as an after effect?

I just watched it again and I have a question.....
All the blood from Mac's head wound dripped down his face and neck... how come his white t-shirt (under the black sweater) didn't get stained? Even after the blood was cleaned up, it would stull show on that shirt - blood is very hard to get off, and the shirt appears very clean in later scenes...

I don't know... Maybe this is a nitpick....?

In the auto collision that I experienced last April, the driver of the car I was in got a mild knock on the head and, until very recently, could not remember any of our evening after 7 pm (our 'accident' occured about four hours later) leading up the the event. It's not so much amnesia as selective memory loss; the body and brain's way of dealing with a horrible situation. I only wish I had a touch of it myself!

I won't disagree that amnesia isn't often an over-used device, but considering how often our beloved Mac gets whumped on the head... I'd say the only surprising thing is that he isn't permanently brain-damaged!



I voted Excellent on the ep... 'cause it is!

I heard that it's very common, especially after being unconscious, you can't recall the last few moments.
In Magnum there is an episode called 'Try to remember' where in the story is told about short-term amnesia. Great puzzle episode and very recommendable.

That injured face of his!! The entire right side covered under blood. Hmm well if I remember well, the moment he passes out you can see the blood ran all the way to underneath his chin. I don't think he ever came in connection with his clothes during his run to the summer camp... which is by the way if I'm not mistaken the same summer camp we saw in Renegade.

I don't know.

Thats exactly the point MacGirl was making... these TV shows mis-represent amnesia by telling us that the "lose of memory" amnesia is common...

But MacGirl has already said ""Retrograde" amnesia is pretty rare. More common is a form of amnesia in which a person remembers the past but can't form any new memories."

Well, as it happens I just watched "Strictly Business" last night and I can definitely say that it's an excellent episode!!!
Definitely one of the best MacGyver and Murdoc confrontations. It features really the only time that Murdoc actually had MacGyver caught and could have killed him- but he relented because that was his way of paying his debt to MacGyver for saving his sister's life. And then we have him on the hunt, chasing MacGyver down and very nearly blowing him up in his car- with MacGyver escaping barely, but developing amnesia.
Murdoc has some great funny quotes while he's pretending to be MacGyver during this portion. "I could fix that if I had some duct tape."

And I really love how Amy is able to easily see through Murdoc's story and believe MacGyver to be good- I think that says something about both of them.

And I was reminded of how clever the main MacGyverism in the episode is- when he props up the trip wires with the rifle. He had to maintain the tension in the wires to keep Amy's mom from plummeting down the mine shaft- so he used the gun powder in the shells to weld the rifle to the wire- and then cut the wire so that the same tension would still be conducted through the rifle and allow him access.

One other thing I love about this episode- even in the midst of dealing with his amnesia and though we don't get to see it much- we see MacGyver taking the time to listen to Amy- and confronting her mom about running from her ex-husband. And in the end, MacGyver stops Murdoc and the mom decides to stop running. Just thought it was great how MacGyver so often helps people with their physical situations and also gives them help and counsel with their "real life" stuff going on. That's just what MacGyver does.

And I remember seeing this episode when it first aired- and getting all chilled and excited at the last line- "You don't know Murdoc."
And that music at the end- you just know MacGyver's going to have face Murdoc again sometime. I loved waiting for the Murdoc episodes as a kid.
But don't worry- MacGyver always wins!

Oh, come on. I don't take THAT many liberties with my fic! If you're referring to my use of the racist bad guys, all of that is based on fact.

And I DON'T misrepresent real stuff like TV writers do (MacGyver isn't the only show guilty of that!)

I remember someone saying this before and couldn't figure out what was meant and didn't want to ask in case I looked stupid. Since you now all know what level of intelligence to expect from me... Can you clarify what you mean by the front and back of the SAK? I think of the front as being the side with the emblem but if it was on the other side I'd think of that being the front...

Oh and I vote good by the way!
Not my favourite Murdoc episode but I enjoyed it.

Does any one else think the rocket shot at the car seemed a little out of character for Murdoc? I mean, he wasn't close enough to gloat, take pictures, or generally show off. not that a rocket isn't showy...I don't know, there's just something about it.

I thought that this showed a measure of growth in Murdoc's character. He'd tangled with Mac before and seen what he could do... Mac had managed to escape the bazookas in their encounter in 'Partners'. I think that Murdoc was determined not to give Mac any opportunity to 'MacGyver' his way out of it. But when Mac turns up without his memory, Murdoc can't resist 'playing with his prey'... at least until Mac remembers who he is again.

Mac escaped with his life by pure luck. If that rope hadn't caught Murdoc's ankle...






edited... thnx, MGod

"MacGyverrrrrrrrr!" Hehehe...sorry, couldn't resist!

Front is the flat side with the emblem.. the back is the side which has the corkscrew.

He probably figured: no more pictures, no more gloating or showing off, this time the big guns!!!!

That was Partners.

Actually, I confused you with another Mac(female). You all look the same to me.

I don't think I've ever read any of your fan-fic.

Oh! I get it!
I agree it's really odd (now I know what you mean ).
Maybe the SAK people gave them one with the emblem on both sides so the camera would show it on every knife shot and the could have some free advertising. Then again, just the red handle pocket knife screams Swiss army knife at me with out the logo.

Yes. but he went back to silly scenarios MacGyver can escape from in Obsessed. I guess it took some goading from MacGyver to make him do that one though.

Actually, I confused you with another Mac(female). You all look the same to me.

I don't think I've ever read any of your fan-fic.

Ah! My apologies, then.

I only have two fics posted: "Hate Meets Justice" (this is a long one) and "Holiday Heartaches." You might want to read them in that order, since I introduce a new character in the first one. (No, I'm not giving anything else away!) I wrote them both awhile ago, so you'll have to go back a ways to find them.

I've been meaning to write another fic, and I've got a couple in the works, but I'm having serious writer's block. Not to mention I've had more important things to do than sit around writing fanfic. (No, seriously... I'm still looking for a job!!)

Watching it right now, at the start. Let's see how many weapons does Murdoc have including the one that he throws?

Murdoc mentions that the food is vegetarian, and we know that Mac eats healthy food, but what about Murdoc?

Murdoc mentions Ashton's recent death in a avalanche while skiing, and he mentions in Halloween Knights that she is his only living family. What happened to their parents?

I love the freaky music and the look on Mac's face in the houseboat when he sees Murdoc. Of course he's not happy to see Murdoc! Murdoc's little speech and halfway through the chair traps Mac. "Do you see me playing golf, do you see me fishing?" Love it. Funny. "Better death through chemistry that's what I always say."
Mac knows here that Murdoc has him and admits, that's a first. Wonderful scene! This episode never gets old.

The next scene is the phone conversation between Mac and Pete, with Murdoc listening in. Pete looks about ready to cry, he hates not being able to help Mac here.

The car--Murdoc with a bazooka--fitting considering how they met. Yeeeesh!!!

Then Murdoc finds the car--empty--he's ticked off! I love it!

MacGyver, bleeding, hurt, and with amnesia stumbles first across the mine and then the camp. Lost Lake Camp is the name on the sign. Mac passes out and Suzanne and Amy tend to him. We learn their story. I am summing up.

I like how Mac struggles to regain his memory, and figure out who he is and who is after him. I also like that he is still Mac, trying to help Amy and Suzanne. It's interesting too to see Murdoc interacts with Suzanne who wants to trust him, and yet Amy doesn't trust or like him one bit. Kids are a good judge of character.

The scene in the mine is one of the best--MacGyver jumping on Murdoc and they fight, and struggle. With each episode, especially these after Halloween Knights, the relationship becomes more personal---Murdoc's affect on Mac's mental state becomes gradually more profound. By this one, you can tell that Mac carries around the memories. Widowmaker you see, Cleo Rocks you see it. This one--by the end Mac wants to kick the heck out of Murdoc, and definatelt by Obsessed. Good fanfic idea to have Murdoc go after Sam.

Excellent episode.

Doesn't he eat a bit of the food and screw his face up at it?