I've read (and heard in interviews) on more than one occasion that MacGyver was one of (if not the) most expensive TV show to film during its original airing.

Each time I hear or read this, it always makes me wonder why it was so expensive to shoot.

I've heard RDA say it was to do with the way they filmed the MacGyverisms, but I still cant really figure out how that would amp up the cost.

In fact in one news clip I saw they said the cost of making the show, compared to other TV shows at the time, was one of the main reasons for pulling the plug. I guess the drop in ratings couldn't offset the cost of filming any longer.

Still don't get why it would be so expensive to make.

Stunts are expensive, everything from blowing something up to just having a double running down an alley.

That's just one huge chunk of the budget. Star salaries are, of course, another issue, as are sets.

Mac

So running down an alley with two actors is more expensive than shooting a conversation with two actors?

Yup.

Paul Gross, star and producer of dueSouth once talked about that in an interview, quoting mid-90's figures to illustrate the cost of having actors standing around in rooms vs running down alleys. Yes, he used that exact comparison.

Special effects, like explosions, are also very expensive.

Mac

Location shots.

Everytime you go out of the studio, you have to pay the locality to use there city street, park, whatever. That includes rent, shutting it down to the public, redirecting foot and vehicle traffic, security, and then you have to put it back exactly as it was found or in some instances agree to beautify the area for the favor of having been allowed to use it.

On explosion or scenes that have fire, you get to pay the local emergency departments to be on scene.

by the time you get to season 7, these actors are getting paid 60% more than they were getting paid in season 1. That's hollywood/vancouver for you.

Well, uh, nothing is a free ride.

Yes! That's the next point I was going to make. MacGyver had a lot of location shots and not so many sets.

Mac

Maybe they were being over-charged for SAKs and duct tape.

What about all the time that went into the research for the macgyverisms? They surely took their time to get it all right and convincingly so the usual time of only one week per episode must have been more when including the research. All the bright brains that came up with them surely got paid, too?

That shouldn't have been too big of a problem come the later seasons

Maybe all those geniuses were unemployed scientists who could make "some" money by making up those -isms


What would be the most expensive show currently running?
Lost?

Regarding the MacGyverisms, there was a scientist on board with MacGyver, named John I. Koivula, who was responsible for coming up with cool scientific ways for Mac to get out of jams. Basically, the writers would give him the scenario with the tools available and he'd find a unique way for MacGyver to get out of it.
There's an interesting article from The Hollywood Reporter's salute to MacGyver on its 100th. episode you all might like to look at.
http://rdanderson.com/archives/90-03-10.htm

And here's one from a 1989 issue of 3-2-1 Contact (A great show on PBS! )
http://rdanderson.com/archives/89-03-00.htm

And here's another page I found on him.
http://john-koivula.microworldofgems.com/


Incidentally, he was also the writer for a MacGyver episode- "Phoenix Under Siege"! Cool!

Wasn't that Stephen Kronish?? Or maybe they wrote it together.

No.

John Koivula wrote the story. Stephen Kronish converted it to screenplay

Location shots are expensive, also possibly the use of Canadian film crew - which is done when series are filming in Canada, also how about the insurance costs to go along with all those stunts? Plus having to pay the living expenses of American star and other actors who needed housing while living in Canada...

yeah, but they moved to Canada because it was cheaper for them

I always thought that when Paramount moved Mac to Canada - they built the Bridge "Stages" just for this - it was to free up the LA studio sound stages for Star Trek TNG which began in 1987. When Mac moved back to LA for the short 7th season, Paramount realized they could shoot it cheaply - only 13 eps (12 really - one was held over from season 6 - filmed in Vancouver) and none really needing the studio. Just tired old LA and tired old actors and locations. If they began shooting season 7 in July of 1991, they probably were finished before the end of the year - even though the show aired into 1992. By then, Paramount was rolling in dough - from StarTrek's success - and could afford to shoot a few inexpensive eps to finish the show off.