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A reimagining of the television series of the same name, the new MacGyver follows a 20-something MacGyver (X-Men: Apocalypse's Lucas Till) as he gets recruited into a clandestine organization where he uses his knack for solving problems in unconventional ways to help prevent disasters from happening.

A high priority for CBS Television Studios — which produced the original — the drama was originally written by R. Scott Gemmill (NCIS: L.A.) but ultimately picked up to pilot with new writers Paul Downs Colaizzo (CBS pilot LFE from last season) and Brett Mahoney (Code Black) — though the network may be tossing out that script for a new one as the duo's future with the series remains in question as Hawaii Five-0's Peter Lenkov has boarded the drama. Henry Winkler, who executive produced the original series, is on board to serve in the same capacity alongside Michael Clear, head of the production at James Wan's Atomic Monster. Wan (Aquaman, Mortal Kombat, Saw) will exec produce and segue into TV with the project.

CBS originally had trouble casting the lead after ordering the pilot without a final script. David Von Ancken directed the pilot and exec produces alongside original MacGyver creator Lee Zlotoff.

CSI grad George Eads co-stars as there will be some changes to the secondary cast as Addison Timlin, Michelle Krusiec, and Joshua Boone are unlikely to return.

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via HollywoodReporter:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed...macgyver-893733

Peter Lenkov introduces himself on Instagram:

via https://www.instagram.com/plenkov/

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James Wan welcoming Peter via https://twitter.com/creepypuppet


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A lot of people in the TV business are not happy about the cast and crew changing decisions being made.

Daniel Fienberg is a television critic for the HollywoodReporter. He does have some valid questions via https://twitter.com/TheFienPrint :


Daniel Fienberg ‏@TheFienPrint
I don’t get it. If you don’t like the cast of your show and you don’t like the creative, WHY PICK IT UP?!?

Daniel Fienberg ‏@TheFienPrint
What CBS is doing on this “MacGyver” reboot is not how you make quality TV. It can’t be. And CBS can’t possibly believe it is.


I guess we'll see soon about the other changes being made and how it turns out.

of course, the other cast members are disappointed:

Michelle Krusiec ‏@michellekrusiec
Congrats to team MacGyver and George and Lucas for remaining in the pilot reboot. I'm obviously disappointed they...

I don't follow this at all.

They've filmed a pilot episode and now it's in the bin and they're starting all over again?

Don't worry, me neither

They ordered a pilot without a script - they didn't like the script, so they hired a new writer.
They ordered a series after seeing the pilot - but they don't like the crew and cast, so they hired new writers and are going to recast everyone besides the two actors most knows already to the audience...

He really had a point - why hire an entire new series if you don't like the pilot?

To be honest, I don't see how they are going to hold on to the existing pilot.

A pilot has to be a big hit to draw new audiences in. It seems they didn't like it much or at least didn't believe in the crew and the cast.

Also, does this mean they didn't have a say in the casting process (or didn't want to) but now they're suddenly deciding? This is pretty mean. It also undermines the initial work and decisions of the director. If David VonAncken exits the project, that wouldn't surprise me.

Thinking back to the original - it's possible they do some reshoots and/or an entire new cut. I can understand now why the director of the original show's pilot episode didn't want his name on it anymore...

what we know so far:

MACGYVER
EPs: Peter Lenkov, Henry Winkler, Lee Zlotoff, James Wan, Michael Clear
EP/Director: David Von Ancken
Studio: CBS Television Studios in association with Lionsgate
Logline: A reimagining of the television series of the same name, following a 20-something MacGyver as he creates a clandestine organization where he uses his knack for solving problems in unconventional ways to help prevent disasters from happening.
Cast: Lucas Till as ‘MacGyver’, George Eads

via EntertainmentWeekly:
http://www.ew.com/article/2016/05/13/cbs-m...ialflow_twitter

Welcome to my world people !

Calm down... This is all pretty normal at pilot stage.

CBS having watched the pilot are making their comments felt and the production team are making improvements.

This isn't uncommon. The fact they are making these seriously changes, means that they see huge potential.

#nothingtoworryabout

Conversations between critics are hilarious, though:

Mark Harris ‏@MarkHarrisNYC
@TheFienPrint Don't you get it? All of the elements are in place except most of the elements! This could be the next Rush Hour!

Monchichi Demo ‏@APeckOfPickles
@TheFienPrint So, essentially they're in a bad spot and are going to try and MacGyver a fix for MacGyver.

Tim Carvell ‏@timcarvell
@MarkHarrisNYC @TheFienPrint In fairness, few things are more "MacGyver" than hastily throwing something together. "Our female lead is a ball of rubber bands perched atop a toilet-paper roll. And yet, somehow, it works!"

I'm still not sure what to think of a reboot in general.

At first, I was very much against it. Then, I got excited. Now, I'm ambivalent.

But I have to admit - when I came home, looked up the MacGyver-Hashtag on Twitter and saw my timeline explode, that was pretty great. So many people talking about MacGyver, the old show in general and RDA and several asking what MacGyver even is... It opens up to many young people and new audiences. Also, a lot of fans are already sending messages to CBS and Henry Winkler for a cameo by RDA

The media will probably compare the reboot with the original show and write articles about it. Even if the reboot is so good that they declare the old show as bad people will still talk about it; many even look for the old show to see for themselves (if it's really so bad or actually much better than the reboot). They will talk about MacGyver and RDA and that's really not such a bad thing for a 30year-old-TVshow.

Guess it's final, then:

via https://twitter.com/Addijay

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These are all good things, they are acting upon viewing the pilot.

Pilots are notoriously weak at the beginning. They are a place to make mistakes and screen test the chemistry between actors.

These are all normal things, when you are putting a new show together. The Big Bang theory was put together in a similar fashion (also by CBS). If memory serves me correctly, they shot a test pilot three times, with different actors and scripts, etc before getting it right. Penny being the hardest person to cast (but she was worth the wait).

I'd be more concerned, if these changes weren't being implemented.

No one has commented on the fact that Lucas Till, remains as MacGyver. That proves he played the role well and that they see potential. Well done, Lucas !

With all these changes being made, do you think we actually get to see some material on Wednesday?

I guess with all these recasts going on it won't be a trailer or group pics (since the characters won't stay much longer than the pilot - if they don't get cut out in the final cut). But I do hope for some stills of Lucas and George in character.

I did a show once were a promo was made, the show was given a great write up (as a must watch). And I hadn't sat down to edit the program. That was scary, but in the end it turned out better than expected.

I expect a short promo will be cut together - at the end of the day it's all about MacGyver. And Lucas isn't getting the chop, so all that footage shot hasn't entirely gone to waste.

Pilots generally get re-shot anyway once a series goes into commission. So I wouldn't worry too much about them re-casting certain roles especially as most of these are secondary characters. These are all very normal things.

It's all about tweaking and improving, before they showcase it to an audience.

OMG OMG OMG OMG


MACGYVER IS COMING BACK THIS FALL!!!!!!!!


First and for most let's focus in on the positive of the news namely macgyver is back! And that'll has been picked up


Now undergoing major changes to some here (and in the critic world for some reason) seem like a major issue but let's talk about a few things that have happened


1. Arrow: in the pilot episode of Arrow two major difference with the rest of the show. First the inner dialogue is heard much like you would in a comic book or in well an episode of macgyver this stylization was dropped after the first episode also when Sarah lance showed up in season 2 she wasn't played by the actress who played her in the pilot and was actually played by actress (and someone I have a huge celeb crush on) Caity Lotz.

Now I know what your thinking ok well this is just one show and maybe the actress had other contracts or issues well let's go to the A-team and on trivial pursuit question most people get wrong

2. Who was the original actor to play face... 95% of people will say Dirk Benedict and those people would be so incredibly wrong

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=g3zhzR_j0nw

Forget the guy's name but yeah that is not temple ton peck again pilot went to air and by episode 2 dirk Benedict was face and that was that...

There are at least a million other examples of writers directors and actors changing on projects even if they are given "the proper time" for example the 250 million dollar film Spectre had Writer John Logan working on the script along for a period of a year when it came to production the producers saw huge holes in the script and begged purvis and wade to come back and salvage the plot they did but further writing and salvaging had to be done by Jez Butterworth. Like I said this process is pretty normal for all we know she'll had bad chemistry with Lucas or maybe she was just wooden all around perhaps cbs felt the pilot was good but needed a bit more punch or was to far from the original or not far enough... We don't know why these things are happening but we do know they are and macgyver has been picked up so I am happy with this!

um... you missed out the most obvious one of all.

MacGyver! The pilot had characters and setups which were never seen again and even Season 2 had a number of changes from season 1.

Yes forgot for a moment there.... Heck the pilot has macgyver using a gun

If we were to listen to critics all the time, half the shows that went on to become massive hits would never have been made.

I wouldn't listen to what a Critic says, generally they just like to stir s#%t.

Just for a moment, let's suggest that the pilot was a huge success. CBS called in the production team to review the show, and they have suggested ways to build upon or improve certain aspects. One or two of the cast members (mainly the two female leads) seemed weak. Overall they see huge potential, few modifications here and there.

CBS then suggest assigning Peter Lenkov to help bring the show to series. He was successful at reviving Hawaii 5.0 from pilot into it's now 7th successfully season. Let's hope his involvement will be of similar success.

All these developments are all positive, and highlights how seriously committed CBS are, in making this a success.

But... seems the pilot itself wasn't such a huge success - Deadline wrote up all the new facts in an article and it seems the pilot will be redone:

(...)

James Wan, a driving force behind the reboot, remained an executive producer but pulled out from directing because of feature commitments. The pilot was helmed by David Von Ancken. It is unclear who will direct the new pilot but I hear it is unlikely to be Wan because of his busy feature schedule.

(...)

via http://deadline.com/2016/05/macgyver-serie...nkov-1201755899

I'm really curious about Von Ancken's pilot and what he had done with the script. But I guess if they really reshoot it, we won't get to ever see it...

In essential, he and the crew did all the work for nothing while the new director can take all the good ideas out of it and gets the credit in the end?

I would never be the right person to work in Hollywood; I would be a very bitter, angry person pretty soon

If they start all over again we might never see this Pilot than? Sounds like what I found out about the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers years ago. They also have an unaired Pilot episode. In which the yellow Ranger was played by someone else than the one who finally got the role, they were also very different in character, a few different names and sets looked totally different.

Indeed, in Mac's case like Kiwi says the Pilot in Mac was also very different than the rest of the show: the observatory, Gant... never seen again. Maybe it doesn't hurt to start all over again either. It's not shelved, you know.

I think sometimes we all think it's a given. But I'm slowly getting past that. What I read on themacgyverproject blogspot on how it all came to be, how difficult it was to get the original Pilot started... I think the production of an episode is not to be laughed at. OK, there maybe fun and easy episodes, difficult productions that make fun episodes. I read that Bitter Harvest almost didn't became to be if they didn't push it.

I just hope these guys who worked on this Pilot do get paid though.

Yes if nothing else, it all highlights that CBS are hell-bent on getting the series made in some form or other.

That's true!

But that's exactly what made me wonder why they didn't wait for a bit longer until they had a script, writers and a crew they really loved in the first place...

They were hired by CBS to do this pilot, so I say yes. It's not like they handed in an unordered pilot to convince the network to get hired for the show.

But even if they get paid - the recurring cast members and the crew counted on being hired for some more episodes if the series gets picked up. So they invested time in a project that's not getting made while missing out for auditions for other projects. That money won't help over the sting of missed opportunities on other TV shows for pilot season...

This is a why it's difficult to be all over the moon on this project. If it's own creative team can't, how can we?

Peter Lenkov admits feeling the pressure. If practically everyone gets thrown out and you get hired to do it right... well, that would scare me, too.

Let's hope for the best. Hopefully, we won't have to open a new thread for a MacGyver Reboot 2017, a Reboot 2018 and a Reboot 2019



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I also wondered about George Eads involvement. If he stays the same character (as Lincoln) in the new cast, does this mean that Colaizzo will get a credit for the show, too (even if they reshoot the pilot)? Since he's the one that created the character?

Otherwise, they could just assign him a new character, even if they reuse the old pilot. Would be kinda funny and a nod to the original pilot if they have a Dana-Elcar-Situation on hand

May not have been created by Colaizzo?