The Assassin

Episode:  022

Production No.: 40191-022

Airdate: 07 May 1986

Writer: James Schmerer

Director: Charles Correll

Nielsen Ratings:  13.6 rating / 24 share / 2nd (30th overall)

EPISODE

MacGyver tries to prevent the assassination of an archbishop by a master of disguise.

CAST

MACGYVERISMS

Used exploding toothpaste to distract Terry.	Placed board in front of tire spikes to allow his car to pass over without puncturing the tires.
Placed the phone on the end of a ruler sticking over the edge of a desk to catapult the phone into Emilio’s hands so he would drop his gun to catch the phone.

TRIVIA

• Fans have often wondered if the Piedra was an early inspiration for Murdoc.
• Actor Anthony De Longis did all his own stunts for this episode, including the clock store fight scene.
  He is also a stuntman and weapons specialist who trained Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer for their whip work in their respective roles of Indiana Jones’ Crystal Skull and Catwomen in Batman Returns.
• The DXS has a voice pattern recognition system on their phones.

MEMORABLE QUOTES

• Problems are my specialty ~MacGyver
• Nice – in a nasty kind of way.  ~MacGyver
• What took you so long?  ~MacGyver
  well, I wanted to see who was going to win.  ~Pete
• It’s 2 o’clock. ~Pete
  That’s right. And it will be 2 o’clock for the next 40 seconds. ~MacGyver
• What happened? ~Pete
  The wages of sin I think.  ~MacGyver

NIT-PICKS

• When Mac and the girl drive away from the cemetery, Mac puts his sunglasses on as the car starts to move, then as the camera angle changes suddenly his glasses are gone, and we see him put them on a second time.
• How did Piedra know who his target was meant to be? and why did he continue his assassination attempt if he didn’t get paid?
• The car pursuing Mac drives over some spikes and comes to a complete stop with the wheels practically on top of these spikes, but when the camera angle changes the car has moved forward so that the spikes are not in view.
• In the clock shop fight scene, a guide-wire is briefly visible on the wooden mallet MacGyver uses to block a knife thrown at him by Piedra.
• When Piedra looks at his hand after stabbing it on his poison needle, you can clearly see the makeup glue holding the pin to his hand for the scene.
• How did Piedra know the Archbishop was his target if he never took the call or got instructions from the paymaster?
• The newspaper article about the Archbishop’s appearance has the same paragraph printed over and over.

FILMING LOCATIONS

French’s Fine Watches  Private Store 1240 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA	Hotel Mayfair Hotel 1256 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA