MacGyver Online Forums [Powered by Invision Power Board]

Printable Version of Topic
Click here to view this topic in its original format

MacGyver Online Forums > Episodes > 130 - The Coltons

Posted by: MacGyverOnline 25 February 2007 - 06:13 PM

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.

Episode 130 - The Coltons

MacGyver’s bounty hunter friends, the Coltons, are hired to find a young woman who is the only witness to a gangland slaying in Chinatown.

Posted by: MacGyver 25 February 2007 - 07:02 PM

Okay- here we go. I've been waiting to see what would happen when we got to this episode.
I'm going to probably be the outlier here, but I really enjoyed "The Coltons" episode of MacGyver.
Now before I go much further, let's keep a few things in mind. "The Coltons" was intended to be a pilot for a new spin-off series from MacGyver, presumably entitled "The Coltons". For this reason, the point of the episode was to highlight The Colton family comprised of Mama Colton, Jesse Colton, Frank Colton, Billy Colton and Frog (the Dog) Colton!

So yes, MacGyver only shows up in the prologue and epilogue of this episode. It was run as an episode of MacGyver and still counts as an episode of MacGyver. It just focuses on MacGyver's friends- a family of bounty hunters who have their own unorthodox methods of getting results.
It was definitely great to have MacGyver in there in a separate adventure to kick things off. And whatever you want to argue on plausibility, the MacGyverism was still cool because it was funny watching Mac and Frank getting the dog to get them the acid- and it's factually correct that acid can eat through rope (amongst other things

)
And I think the dynamics of the family made for great fun. Jesse and Frank are techincally the only bounty hunters- as Billy is supposed to be going to college. But he struggles with that issue throughout the episode, trying to prove his mettle as a bounty hunter. And Della Reese is great as Mama Colton watching over them all.
Frank and Jesse are also really funny because you have something of the classic "good cop/bad cop" formula. Frank tries to be nice and accomodating while Jesse comes off like The Punisher- shoot first and ask questions later.
Don't know if they're exactly MacGyverisms, but the Coltons have a few tricks of their own in capturing the bad guys. The scene where Jesse shoots down the light fixture was great. And Frank and Jesse also manage to escape from being tied up and hanging from the ceiling.
When it's all wrapped up, you have MacGyver finding out that all three of the guys (and the dog- I love Frog!

) are planning to be in the bounty hunting business- with Mama managing things (and Billy perhaps on a part time level- while still going to school.)
This was cool to finally see this episode as it's a culmination of casting efforts that never came together until then. If you remember, Richard Lawson first showed up as Jesse Colton in the 4th. season episode "Ma Dalton". Then later on, when Jesse Colton was scheduled to reappear in an episode- Richard Lawson wasn't available so instead Cleavon Little showed up as his brother, Frank Colton, in the 5th. season episode "The Black Corsage". (This is also the episode where the Coltons acquired Frog the dog.) And then Richard Lawson returned as Jesse Colton in the "Second Chance" episode. Then a few episodes later, neither one was available, and so Cuba Gooding, Jr. showed up (again!- in a different role- first time was as Ray Collins in "The Challenge") as their younger brother, Billy Colton in the "Black Rhino" episode. Billy also showed up again in MacGyver's dream in "Serenity".
Then in the 6th. season, Della Reese showed up as Mama Colton in the episode "Squeeze Play".
And then finally, the whole family was together in this 7th. Season episode "The Coltons".
And by the way, we also see MacGyver driving the blue Nomad in this episode.
Unfortunately, Cleavon Little died a year or so after this episode aired- in 1992.

If it had been a series, I would have watched. I really enjoyed this episode a lot- I think it had potential. And then we could have had ABC lining up a double block of MacGyver and The Coltons. And I'm sure we could have expected ocassional appearances from MacGyver on there- and possibly Pete, Jack Dalton, Penny Parker- maybe even Nikki Carpenter or someone from the DXS- like Craig Bannister. Who knows? Maybe even an appearance from Murdoc!

(which would definitely have to be a special 2 part episode continued from the previous episode of MacGyver!)

There were definitely possibilities with this series. It's a shame it never eventuated. So it remains as an interesting MacGyver episode entry- a "What If?" kinda episode...

Posted by: Astra 26 February 2007 - 01:33 AM

Of course if I had KNOWN beforehand that it was no regular episode when I watched it the first time maybe I would have seen it different. But as it was I was on the lookout for him the whole time and waiting for MacGyver to finally show up and therefore disappointed.

Posted by: Sheepy 26 February 2007 - 05:03 AM

It SUCKED.

But of course, that's just my humble opinion

Posted by: MacGyverGod 26 February 2007 - 07:56 AM

I voted OK on this one. I had doubts between Average or OK. I voted OK. The episode would've been better if it had kicked off. A whole new series and MacGyver has a cameo role in it.

And if it had kicked off MacGyver would've definitely showed up throughout the series.

QUOTE

It was run as an episode of MacGyver and still counts as an episode of MacGyver.

I don't fully agree on this. They should've rewrote and reshoot the episode with MacGyver in it. But that was no longer optional.

QUOTE

Frank and Jesse are also really funny because you have something of the classic "good cop/bad cop" formula.

I like that formula.

QUOTE

And I'm sure we could have expected ocassional appearances from MacGyver on there- and possibly Pete, Jack Dalton, Penny Parker- maybe even Nikki Carpenter or someone from the DXS- like Craig Bannister. Who knows? Maybe even an appearance from Murdoc! (which would definitely have to be a special 2 part episode continued from the previous episode of MacGyver!)

Definitely not. That's pushing your luck. MacGyver for ocassional appearances, I can get to that and Pete here and there too but not with everybody else. Didn't you notice that nor Penny nor Murdoc never had any real contact with one of the Coltons. In Serenity they don't have real conversations.
Ma Dalton is exceptional, but who could they know at the time that Jesse Colton would've come back.
So that would make Jack optional but very very doubtful. But there's no way in for Penny Parker or Murdoc.
Nikki Carpenter neither and most certainly not Craig Bannister.
If you start adding those characters in The Colton Family you can better make episodes of MacGyver.

QUOTE

There were definitely possibilities with this series. It's a shame it never eventuated. So it remains as an interesting MacGyver episode entry- a "What If?" kinda episode...

Sort of, yeah. Imagine that what if The Coltons did kick off and the series lasted let say till have way the 90's, more than four seasons is out of the questions I'm sure, that it lasted till 1995 or 1996. I'm sure that MacGyver would've showed up here and there even after the series was finished and the movies were made.

Posted by: Devon636 2 March 2007 - 11:59 AM

I'm with Sheepy. But I don't know exactly how bad it sucked because I fell asleep when MacGyver left the screen and didn't come to until the very end when MacGyver's voice woke me out of my bored stupor. I wanted to like it really, but it was just a little trying too hard...Maybe if the show had continued I would have given it more of a chance.

Posted by: MacGirl 2 March 2007 - 12:48 PM

I was prepared to not like this eppy... but I wound up loving it. The Colton brothers are a riot, and Mama Colton is great. And Frog makes it even more fun. I love how Frog (and then Billy) has a way of showing up just in time to help Jesse and Frank. It was really funny to watch Frank and Jesse being "good mama's boys" when necessary, when you know full well they're unorthodox, hardened bounty hunters.

I do agree that it would have been better if the series had actually kicked off, but hey, such is life.

Posted by: MacGyverGod 2 March 2007 - 01:29 PM

Two of the actors sure got ahead in life.
Cuba Gooding Jr and Richard Gant shows up in plenty of movies.
Cuba Gooding Jr showed up in an important role in Judgment Night, Instinct, Rat Race and a cameo role in Pear Harbor.
Richard Gant in Mr. Bean The Movie and Rocky V.
Richard Lawson... in Pandora's Clock with Rick himself.
Cleavon Little in Mel Brooks' Western Blazing Saddles in the 70's.
Della Reese in another series... can't think of the name though it has something to do with Angels. Angels from Heaven or something. She probably has a lot of movies or made for tv-movies on her name as well.

Posted by: MacGyver 2 March 2007 - 07:33 PM

You're thinking of "Touched By An Angel"

Della Reese also was in a TV-movie called "You Must Remember This" back in 1992 that I remember enjoying...

She also had a memorable role as Mrs. Baracus- mother of Bosco "B.A." Baracus on The A-Team!!!

Posted by: Mac 3 March 2007 - 04:33 AM

I can't give this ep a rating because there isn't enough MacGyver in it to compare to a MacGyver episode, and I haven't seen enough of the Coltons to rate it on that merit, either.

That said...

The opening with Frog and the sulphuric acid was so utterly preposterous as to induce eye rolling... if it wasn't so dang funny! "FROG!"

I rather like the Coltons, but I doubt I would have watched a series with them. Then again, I like Della Reese (so good on 'Touched By An Angel), so who knows?

To me, this is one of those eps I'll watch just because the DVD is in the player, I've watched the other three eps on the disc, and I can't be bothered to get up to change to another disc.

Mac

Posted by: Mac 3 March 2007 - 04:37 AM

QUOTE (MacGyverGod @ 2 March 2007 - 05:39 PM)

Not to mention a totally insignificant deal in an actor's career called winning the Academy Award (for Jerry Maguire).

Mac

Posted by: MacGyverGod 3 March 2007 - 06:56 AM

QUOTE (MacGyver @ 3 March 2007 - 04:43 AM)

That was what I was talking about.

Posted by: dinoman 9 October 2008 - 07:17 AM

I was a little bit dissappointed that MacGyver only showed up at the very beginning and at the end, but it turned out to be not a bad show afterall. Jesse and Frank were entertaining enough to keep me watching, and Frog, too, who also took up a leading role in this episode.

Although I may not be so into 'Coltons the new series' (if there were one) as I am for MacGyver, IMO it's not bad to have new perspective in the show after 6 seasons.

Posted by: Murdoc12 14 March 2009 - 12:36 PM

I liked it though I wish it had Mac more.

Posted by: Miasma 16 March 2009 - 10:25 AM

This really isn't a bad episode, as long as you're prepared for the fact that it isn't really a Mac episode. It's a lot of fun in its own right, though I got tired of Frog-- he's a little TOO good at understanding things, and the way he saved them at the beginning of the episode was just stupid.

It was interesting seeing Richard Gant in this episode, since I always only knew him as Tommy Gunn's manager in Rocky V (the poor guy gets punched hard at the end of both Rocky V and this episode!)

Posted by: Jack Thornton 8 April 2009 - 12:56 PM

I don't like Coltons and Mac is in this episode only for a few minutes. It is also stupid how they used that bulletproof vest thing twice. Still, there are worse episodes than this, so I voted average.

Posted by: Beachbead 22 April 2009 - 01:07 PM

Loved the Coltons mother. But i didn't like this one very much, it just seemed things was missing like the Grandson.

Posted by: mazinger 4 May 2009 - 01:15 PM

Yesterday I was watching The Coltons and I realized that this episode was shot in Vancouver instead California. It appeared the Nomad Car instead the Jeep from the 7th season. I think it was one of th episodes to fill the 7th season.

I think The Coltons had their own tv show.

Posted by: MacGyverOnline 4 May 2009 - 03:25 PM

QUOTE (mazinger @ 5 May 2009 - 09:15 AM)

This episode was suppose to be used to launch the Coltons own show, but it never happened.

and yes the Coltons was filmed in Vancouver. It was originally planned as part of season 6.

http://www.macgyveronline.com/pages/faq.html#q24

Posted by: Beachbead 5 May 2009 - 01:26 PM

wow something I learned i didn't know they would have there own show.

Posted by: jennkurz 9 March 2011 - 03:58 PM

my only complaint about the coltons is we had an entire episode 1yrd prior devoted to the fact that jesse had fathered a child in thailand named willie. At the end of that episode 15 year old willie returns with jesse to live as father and son presumably to hawaii (as frank says thats where jesse is living in the black corsage)to live with his father jesse. Yet he is never seen or even mentioned again, not even when the brothers who are all now living in LA are gone on assignment in Black rhino or in Squeeze play and mama recruits Macgyvers help. What happened to her now 16 year old grandson?

Posted by: KiwiTek 7 February 2013 - 02:08 PM

Here's an interesting fact I hadn't picked up on before...

This episode was written by show producer Michael Greenburg.

Michael has been RDA's partner in crime for most of his projects since MacGyver. He produced several of RDA's TV movies as well as SG:1 and Legend - and even wrote a couple of SG:1 episodes to boot.

Posted by: Rocket 24 August 2013 - 12:01 PM

Not as bad as I thought it might be (having read the comments on here!) but I can understand why this didn't get picked up as a spin-off series.

Frank and Jesse are probably supposed to seem laid back, laconic and in control, but they actually come across as a bit... flat.
Momma, Billy and Frog are all entertaining to watch and have plenty of spark, but the two main bounty hunters just aren't interesting enough to carry the idea.
Also, while I like Frog I suspect that the 'dog saving the day' gag might wear a bit thin after a few episodes...

I voted OK.

Posted by: kristiina86halonen 21 February 2014 - 01:36 AM

I watched The Coltons just 10 minutes or so and when I realized there's not gonna be MacGyver in this episode, I was very disappointed and skipped to the next episode. I never watched it to the end. I've read about the reasons, why this episode was made, but I still just don't get it!!!

Posted by: MiracleMac 21 February 2014 - 02:35 AM

I found couples articles from internet, that The Coltons episode was intended as a pilot for a spin-off starring the Coltons, but ABC decided it would not be aired.

Posted by: cmbj67 14 August 2014 - 04:28 AM

The Coltons are a nice family, but if I watch MacGyver

I expect to see MacGyver

, so this is the only episode which is poor to me.

I didn't know about the spin-off idea, so I expected MacGyver to show up any minute and I was disappointed.

The few minutes at the beginning are fun

, but the rest is only another show, even if not bad.

Posted by: Jediferret 14 August 2014 - 08:54 AM

I think everyone feels that way about the Coltons. I only watch the beginning because it's funny. lol The rest of it isn't all that interesting. No Mac, no interest. XD

Which is funny that anything keeps my attention these days. I have the attention span of a flea.

Posted by: MiracleMac 15 August 2014 - 04:09 AM

That episode was OK, but it was weird without Mac, but actually while watching it I forgot what TV series I was even watching, because there wasn't Mac

But it still gave feeling about that spin off, that they should have to show that The Coltons "pilot" as a own series. Not mixed with MacGyver, but I understand that they kind of "know" MacGyver, but would that MacGyver then ever appeared in that Colton series, if it would have got own series...I don't know.

Posted by: Hannibal_Smith 15 August 2014 - 04:51 AM

This episode tries to do what JAG later did with NCIS - a two-part episode of one show served to introduce the cast of the other show. I finally tracked that episode down a few months back, and the big difference between it and "The Coltons" is that it still works as a JAG episode. It's your basic story about Gibbs' team running an investigation, but the investigation revolves around proving Harmon Rabb's guilt or innocence - so even if you don't care about the new show, you still have a reason to watch as a JAG fan.

"The Coltons" would've worked better if they'd either left it as is, but made it the actual pilot of the new show; or left it where it is in Season 7, but still made MacGyver integral to the plot. Personally, I still love the episode and would've loved to watch the show. But it is a bit jarring to see it in the middle of a MacGyver season, and I understand why others weren't as taken by it.

Posted by: MacGyverGod 15 August 2014 - 04:58 AM

Sometimes I wondered if The Colton's paid off, if RDA would show up as a regular as the Coltons did in MacGyver.

Posted by: Hannibal_Smith 15 August 2014 - 05:14 AM

Methinks if the show had needed MacGyver appearances on it to keep it alive, it wasn't going to go anywhere anyway.

Posted by: MacFan092985 15 August 2014 - 06:14 AM

I was thinking the same thing the Colonel (I hope people get my reference) was thinking. If "The Coltons" had been handled more like the J.A.G. / N.C.I.S. crossover or it probably would have had a chance. Besides RDA, they could have some times incorporated other characters from "MacGyver" to keep the connection alive. Jack could have tried to sucker the Coltons into a scheme or two, perhaps as a bounty hunter himself.

Posted by: Elizabeth MacGyver 29 April 2015 - 07:07 AM

I love it it's one of my favorites.

Posted by: PhoenixFoundation 30 June 2015 - 01:01 AM

As far as pilots go, it's decent enough. I enjoyed it. Anybody know why James Hong is credited as Kuang up front? I didn't hear that name or see him anywhere in this. Is the Netflix version edited down from a longer pilot version or something?

Posted by: MacGyverGod 30 June 2015 - 01:59 AM

Nope maybe his scenes are cut. Or is he perhaps briefly visible when Mr. Denmark explains The Coltons their assignment?

Posted by: KiwiTek 30 June 2015 - 03:02 AM

His picture was in the paper shown to the Colton's by Denmark when he was explaining the Chinatown shootings.

Kuang was the crime boss killed by Chi.

No speaking parts, but because he's seen on screen (he may have been in the shooting scene as well) he still gets listed int he credits.

user posted image

Posted by: PhoenixFoundation 30 June 2015 - 11:33 PM

Wow. Totally missed that. Nice catch!

Posted by: Maclover 4 January 2016 - 03:08 PM

Watched this tonight. As an episode of something called The Coltons it was OK. As an episode of something called Macgyver it sucked! To borrow the phrase above.

Posted by: RadiantRose 10 October 2016 - 07:33 AM

I have to appreciate the producers and writers for the work they did in creating substantial roles for African-Americans, Asian-Americans and even Canine-Americans. It can be very tempting for white males to focus mainly on white, male characters (*mutters to self about "Star Trek" - the original series*)

That said, yes, the lack of Mac was a disappointment. When I saw the blue car drive up at the end, I said, "About time!"

Posted by: MiracleMac 12 August 2017 - 05:34 AM

I like the punchy drum score in the background when Jesse is at the warehouse in night.

Posted by: sylvain1888 5 August 2020 - 09:09 PM

very good episode, good scenario and actors at the top of their forms... I really don't understand why sanctioned the episode, because there is no RDA? but it's an interesting TV moment