I finally resaw the episode 'The Hood' and I have to say that Mac didn't save nearly as much as I remembered from the houseboat. We know that he had stuff in storage (like the welder, as stated in 'Rock the Cradle') and he had a locker outside the houseboat where he stashed more things, like his motorcycle. He arrived at his new place with a big truck that wasn't even jammed tight. Thinking back to my last move, I stuffed a truck about that size with just the contents of a tiny 1 bedroom apartment, including appliances and patio furniture. Mac has waaaay more junk (he's a self-admitted packrat!) so I can't imagine that he got even a fraction of his stuff into that truck. What I'm thinking is that the 'good smoke alarms' save a lot of his things from burning, but that he lost a good amount to smoke and water damage.

So, all that to say that I don't think the amount of things he saved and the fact that the houseboat wasn't salvageable is necessarily unrealistic.

Mac

Maybe he already off loaded all his non essential stuff at a new storage facility.

Perhaps.

Mac
who used to be a packrat but who, after moving six times in five years, learned to... let go

But there was a comment "You saved all that?"

Which leads us to believe that there was a lot in the truck.. maybe it was packed into the front where we couldn't' see?

I've always wondered why, if he had such good smoke alarms and had time to save so much stuff... why didn't' he have time to put the fire out before it got out of control?

I noticed that they never stated WHY there was a fire . I mean, we all know MacGyver does NOT smoke . What started the fire ? Murdoc ? He wasn't around in the near vacinity. Or did they say what started it, and I just wasn't listening ?
- Kate Mackay

Amazingly, one of the table lamps from Mac's houseboat turns up in the living room of Jack O'Neill's house - 6 years later! It was one of the items that didn't survive the fire (obviously the Bridge Studios hung onto it and re-used it never suspecting anyone would recognize it)

Is smoking the only thing that starts house fires?

Is smoking the only thing that starts house fires?

NOPE your wires can get funky and cause a fire. That happed to my Aunt's house LAST YEAR.

Fire Chief Reveals Most Common Causes of Household Fires, and how to prevent them

My parent's house burned down a couple of years ago, and the fire investigators never found a direct cause. They weren't sure what happened, and my parents are very safety-conscious about fires and know all these tips as well as what causes house fires. It's very sad, and they've gone through a grueling process with the insurance company restoring and replacing everything. They've finally rebuilt, and the house is beautiful, but what work! Maybe that's what happened to Mac's house boat, but then again (shameless plug), you can read my theory in my next fanfic.

A few years ago, my husband worked with a man whose house was burned down because a mouse chewed through a bunch of wiring. It was an older home and nothing was salvagable. Luckily the owners were not home or they may have been seriously injured.

I forgot this the last time I posted but 3 years ago I had a mouse living in the engine compartment of my car. The little did $750 in damage to the wiring in the distributor cap!

I had it repaired, but I don't think the car has ever fully recovered.

Ow my Grand father and aunt had squirrels last winter doing the to there cars and this winter my dad had a stray cat hiding on his Engine... but at lest it keep the mice and squirrels a way

I'll take the cat any day, they don't chew wires.

But there was a comment "You saved all that?"

Which leads us to believe that there was a lot in the truck.. maybe it was packed into the front where we couldn't' see?

I've always wondered why, if he had such good smoke alarms and had time to save so much stuff... why didn't' he have time to put the fire out before it got out of control?

I think you have an excellent point there, Rocky . I , totally , agree with you . He should have taken the time to put OUT the fire . Instead of putting HIMSELF out . Unless he was getting tired of the neighborhood and decided to just move . This presented itself as the perfect opportunity. It's like he was saying " Uuuaaagh, I had enough of ya ! " And so he just left . No more of Wilt Bozer 's bangin ' on his boat ( reference from " Hallowe'en Knights " ) . Or anything else .

Sincerely,
Katey Mackay

Here's a thought.

Maybe he was in the process of moving when the fire broke out, and so a lot of his stuff was already out of the houseboat. Having moved several times myself, I know that sometimes it takes awhile to get everything loaded, especially if you don't have anyone helping you.

But I do agree it's kind of odd that he wouldn't have grabbed a fire extinguisher. Unless he was away when the fire actually started?

Maybe he was able to put out the fire and that's why he saved so much stuff.

But he didn't want to live there anymore because all the baddies knew where he lived.

And he just told people the place burnt to the ground because it was easier to explain than "psychos keep trying to kill me and they knew where I lived"

Not exactly what you want to tell your new neighbors.

Is smoking the only thing that starts house fires?

The fire was probably caused by that electronic bug that Deborah planted behind the kitchen socket in 'The Negotiator'.
We never saw if they found and removed it!

LOL! I hadn't thought of that!

I just figured that he kept a lot of stuff in storage. Plus with a houseboat, I imagine even a little fire damage will go a long way toward condemning the property, making it uninhabitable.

I have to say, I never could reconcile this move. Why would MacGyver, who has said that he loves living near the water, condescend to move into some cramped loft which he has to share, considering the way he guards his privacy? Which, by the way, he doesn't have any of anymore, as everyone in LA seems to have a key to his appartment!

That... or he just never bothers to lock his door anymore!

Well we know the real reason was change of filming location back to LA.

but it seems like the writers just grabbed the first idea that popped into their heads and couldn't be bothered to even stop to think if it would actually fit the characters profile.

Kinda set the tone for the whole season really.

Yeah, the seventh season was less than stellar.

*grumbles and kicks toy* stupid seventh season.

I agree. Season seven wasn't my favorite.

It sort of felt like they were just anxious to get it over with. There were a few good eppys, but the season was awfully hit-and-miss. It had a sort of seat-of-the-pants feel, which works when Mac is getting out of trouble, but it's a bad strategy for writing a TV show.

You know, it seems to me that season one and season seven share a similar problem--neither of them are completely faithful to the MacGyver character in terms of his personality. With the first season, that's understandable because first seasons of any show are always trying to get a feel for the character and learn who he is (remember how we've discussed before how the season one Mac seems a little too cocky compared to later seasons?)

By the time a show reaches its last season, however, we're familar with the characters. We know who they are, and if they're written well, they seem like real people to us. Usually, writers for the show are familiar with the style of the character as well and remain consistent with personality traits. Season seven of MacGyver, however, once again shows a MacGyver that isn't completely like the MacGyver we've come to know during all those previous seasons. He seems to me, once again, like the Pilot version of Mac--not cocky--just not well defined.

I completely agree that MacGyver is a loner who would not like the communal living in season seven. He IS a contradiction in that he's not a complete recluse--he will help and befriend people, but he still prefers time alone. Maybe the writers thought he was being experimental with that move, or they were exploring his contradictory nature, but I still don't think it worked. It didn't suit the MacGyver we know well at all.

Okay, I've talked everybody to death!

I think you've hit at least some of the nails on the head there.

Maybe because they knew this was the final season, and ratings weren't an issue any longer, they could try some new ideas.

Around 1990 the Fresh Prince of Bel Air came along and was clobbering MacGyver in the ratings. And then Blossom (there's irony for you).

Maybe the writers felt the show needed a more urban and/or youthful feel.

well that would certainly make sense, and fit with explaining some of the changes that went on in season 7.

Actually now that I think about it... the clothing, the colors... yeah...

*kicks Will Smith*

But MacGyver sure stood his ground because he was still in the sixth season than.

*kicks Rock* Don't kick Will, Rock.

But MacGyver sure stood his ground because he was still in the sixth season then.

When you're under contract and/or got the film in the can, you kinda put it out there. It's the subsequent cancellation you should take note of.

*volenteers to hold Will Smith down while Rock kickes him again*



j/k! I like WS, even though I did not like 'Fresh Prince' That show is a prime example of 'lowering the common denominator of the Average American's Intelligence'. I for one don't mind having to think a little while I'm being entertained.

Hey, I don't like hitting women, but exceptions can be made, huh!

You wouldn't hit a woman with glasses on, would ya?

Peace, MGOD...