Episode 120 - There but for the grace

MacGyver poses as one of the homeless in order to find out who killed his friend, a well loved priest active in the homeless community.

Another excellent episode. I like this one. This is episode where in everything was solved without muscles. The death of Father Jim was drama from the top shelf and I like the depressing touch over it when they show the lives of homeless people. MacGyver trying to win the confidence of Danny and Doc. Cool MacGyverism in the end and written by co-actor John Considine. This episode fully gives way that MacGyver is a religous person. Great going on this one.

How do you figure that?

Or maybe not entirely in this episode considered The Madonna. I just figured that when he said 'God bless you, Doc.' at the end. He never said anything like that before. I'm sure he doesn't go to church every week but... that's how I figured.

um... wouldn't a religous person be inclined to say stuff liek that all the time?

maybe he never said anythign like that before.. because he's not religous?

"There But For The Grace" is an excellent episode!!! I agree that it's a very much drama-driven episode- and brings home a great point. The example of Father Jim is such a great lesson for everyone to take in. Doing to others what we would want done for ourselves- and caring for the orphan, the widow- and the least of these, which the homeless certainly fit into-especially in modern society...this is an example everyone should be following and not just at Christmas.
It's obvious MacGyver followed this example- as we see him reaching out to help Danny and other homeless like him.
As a Christian, this episode really reflects to me the love theChrist showed for everyone- and reminds me of what Christmas is all about.

And we did get a few cool MacGyverisms here too- Mac stapling someone to the ground (in their coat! ) and a nice explosion at the end!

Oh yeah- and Blu Mankuma makes another appearance in his semi-recurring role of Lt. Rhome.

It's not in The Bible, (and not grammatically correct, but oh well ) but it's a great saying to really think about- "There but for the grace of God, go I."

I guess There But For The Grace Of God was a too long title.

I think they probably made a conscious decision to leave God out of the title, and therefore allowing the title to fit all religions and beliefs.

I think that phrase is commonly shortened down to just “There but for the grace” anyway. I’m sure I’ve heard people say it that way. or I might just be losing my mind.

I think the title fits MacGyver’s explanation too. We’re all the same, except for a little bit of luck.

I’d have to say that this isn’t one of my favorite episodes, but it does make you think about how much we take for granted and how easily and quickly our lives could become a lot worse. I think this is one of the unique qualities that MacGyver has as a show… it gives you cause to evaluate yourself and your life.

And how appropriate is it that this episode pops up for discussion right before Xmas? What better time to evaluate and be thankful for what we have, and maybe even spare some time for those less lucky than us.

Because it already happened before that you missed a week, that's why.

But it is indeed a good episode to think about the things of life.

What?

Great eppy! I'd heard a lot about this one, but it was one of the few I hadn't seen until I got the DVD's.

I really liked how Mac reached out to Danny, and got him to help out. I also loved the scene where Doc finds out who Mac really is, and Mac's answer to him: "The only difference between you and me is a little bit of luck." So true! I thought it was great how they made mental illness part of Doc's character... that's very, VERY accurate. A good portion of the homeless (a third or more, I think) struggle with some type of mental illness... which is why they're homeless in the first place.

And I still take some issue with the assertion that Mac is a religious person. I think the most you can say about him is that he's spiritual in a broad sense, and evidently believes in some type of higher power, and in some kind of life after death (as we saw in Passages). He also seems to respect different traditions (as in Mask of the Wolf and Legend of the Holy Rose). There's no evidence, however, that he subscribes to one particular belief system, and we certainly never hear him proselytize. You can be very spiritual, yet reject organized religion, and that's where Mac seems to be. I think he sees some truth in all traditions (much like me). Yet another reason I love this show so much.

What?

It's too long ago. But sometimes you missed a week or two with the episode discussions. But you try to keep up. Anyway it doesn't really matter.

Excellent ep! I loved 'Grazer', one of my favourite of Mac's alter-egos! Touching story and an exciting wind-up. I always wondered why they introduced another boyhood companion that happened to become a priest, rather than using the same character we met in 'The Madonna'. Still, I enjoyed this ep very, very much. Loved Doc and Danny. Wanted to gag Father Jim's assistant when she blurted to the bad guy!


And again, another one of Mac's schoolmates bites the dust (if you'll excuse my callous euphemism). I wonder if, at Mac's school reunion, there will be anyone there besides him?

Me too. Maybe they couldn't get that actor to come back, and so had to invent a different character.

Me too. Maybe they couldn't get that actor to come back, and so had to invent a different character.

Maybe his friends think church is the only place safe from MacGyvers crazy, getting blown up, chased by bad guys, escaping by the skin of a crazy MacGyverism, life style.

Or maybe he just drives them to either drink or pray

Touché!

Bud, let's just go grazing.

She was just a little naive. How could she know? She was just trying to be friendly.

(Apparently not, there's a Stargate ep called 'There But For the Grace of God'. )

Everytime I rewatch this ep, I like it more and more. It's an ep like 'Bitter Harvest' that shows what a humane person Mac is and the lengths he'll go to to make sure that what needs to be done is done.

My only major quibble with this ep is the hokey accent 'Grazer' develops.

Mac

What accent? Maybe he just did that to make Danny feel comfortable.

The hokey one he develops when he goes undercover (probably to sound more like 'one of the guys').

Mac

Pretentiousness and correct grammar won't get you very far when you're trying to blend it with such a group of people. Look at Doc... he was an English teacher! Falling back on the boondock-Minnesota accent helped Mac get the job done.

That was great! Also the way he stuck his finger to the back of the guys head to make him think he had the gun on him.
Is that the building site where Danny was hiding when the murder happened?
If so how did he see an expensive car with a third guy in it come and pick up the two murders when the street wasn’t visible from the yard?

Because he was snooping around probably when we were at the scene with MacGyver and Rachel.

That doesn't explain it does it? Snooping around later wouldn't have let him see the car would it?
Danny said (or mimed anyway) that he saw the murderers run away and get in to an expensive car right after killing the priest. If the murder took place in that yard, Danny wasn't likely to follow the running murderers in to the street. He was really scared…so how did he see the expensive car and the 3rd person? Maybe it was a different yard?

I loved the stapling-the-bad-guy-to-the-ground stunt too! I was when I saw that!!

There might be confusion--
The priest friend in the Madonna is Father Patrick Lafferty.
In this episode it's Father Jim--two different characters. Similar in that they both played hockey in high achool with Mac. Question: did most of Mac's high school class move to California? It sure seemed like it.

I am watching the episode now, and it is still a great one.

Nicholas Coster who plays Doc is an incredible character actor with a wide range of roles.

I vote excellent.

My favorite part is when Mac is talking to Doc is the Father's office and telling him that the only difference between them is a little bit of luck--very touching

Loved it when Mac stapling that guy to the ground and him saying "Hey. what are you doing." and Mac just keep on stapling away.

Very good episode. What amount of Mac´s classmates being murdered!!

Me too. Maybe they couldn't get that actor to come back, and so had to invent a different character.

Maybe his friends think church is the only place safe from MacGyvers crazy, getting blown up, chased by bad guys, escaping by the skin of a crazy MacGyverism, life style.

Or maybe he just drives them to either drink or pray

[QUOTE]
Good one! I'll remember this when i need a good laugh.
I like Grazer too. Mac does an excellent homeless person.

How come the list of MacGyverisms doesn't credit the device at the end with the rubber glove, incandescent bulb and the gas canister?. Surely that counts as a MacGyverism, even more so than the staple gun trick.