I went through and watched all the vids on the MOL youtube channel- nice work Rocky
After watching all those videos though, it brought something to my attention. We all know MacGyver as a character was anti-gun, but it seems RDA was as fervent about it as Mac was. He even said in one interview that he was extremely cautious because he knew he was in a position of influence. He always talked down about Mr. T and action shows of the time that made kids think it's cool to shoot 'em up and go in with guns blazing.
Now, there are far worse shows out there than SG-1, obviously. But at the same time, you would think a man who supposedly was so opposed to shooting people on prime time television would have passed up the role of O'neill. Granted, we could say it's not targeted at primetime viewers like Mac was, but that was when it was syndicated on UPN and when I first discovered it in my teens. So he definitely put himself out there as the shoot 'em up action hero that he said was such a negative influence just a few years prior.
I would even give him room to slowly evolve his views, but this was a 180, he was still filming for MacGyver when he took a movie role as a handgun-wielding cop. It's like as soon as Mac was over, all those Mac-like values were over too. I know they "stun" people a lot on SG-1, but still, over the course of almost ten full seasons as O'Neill, he probably has a bigger body count than Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando.
Any thoughts on why he accepted a role that was contrary to his fundamental beliefs?

I think that this is a different situation (Stargate SG-1 vs. MacGyver). SG is very much a science fiction program, dealing with space travel, aliens, monsters, etc.--and RDA's role was a trained military leader. The premise of MacGyver is that the character didn't rely on guns to solve his problems, but on his wit and science and luck.

As far as RDA 'selling out'... no, I don't think so. He is an actor. Actors act. He may personally detest handguns, but his character O'Neill uses them, is good at using them, and if anything, I think he demonstrates that using a gun doesn't always solve your problems. The team SG-1 usually gets out of trouble using Carter's genius, Teal'c's experience, and Daniel's heart... and O'Neill totes the heavy hardware, blows things up when they need him to, and makes sure everyone comes home.

Do a body count than. I've only seen Commando once but I intend on seeing it again and if I don't lose count, I'll fill ya in.

Yeah, I agree 100% that he as you said, he proves guns aren't the most effective way of dealing with a problem. In fact, I don't think SG-1 is a particularly violent show at all. But I think you have to have critical thinking skills developed enough to catch that- and most adults do- but that still wouldn't solve Rick's personal issue with kids popping on the tube and seeing RDA blasting away with a Beretta. Again, I am not criticizing him, I am just saying the values he expressed on talk shows seems a little inflated now in hindsight. He sounded proud that as MacGyver he didn't have to shoot anyone. Then he takes a role where he does. And, I'm glad he did, no one else could've played that part like he did

I think it's about moving away from his MacGyver persona and proving that he can do other roles. I think you will agree if he only took non-gun handling roles he would be fairly limited in his career.

So my take on it is that he used MacGyver as a vehicle to voice his own opinions on guns while the show gave him the opportunity to do so, but once the show ended, so did the opportunity, so he moved on.

It's hard to improve on Rocky and Lothi's comments!

The only observation I have to add is this: most actors like to stretch themselves. This means not taking the same roles all the time, and taking on roles that run counter to expectations. For example, RDA is not the kind of person who's inclined to collect close friends at the drop of a hat; I suspect that aspect of MacGyver's character ran against the grain.

He's not a raving psychotic, either, and after seven years of playing the hero, Through the Eyes of a Killer was a real stretch, and quite an amazing performance.

He's not an alcoholic, a gambler, or an ineffective wuss, which made Legend a stretch.

The stiff humourlessness of Jack O'Neill, as the character originally started, was probably more of a challenge than the military elements; and that part of the character evolved rapidly. The smartassedness was not acting, though.

Also, most of the descriptions of RDA's backstage attitude on Stargate mention him being goofy and having fun; in the circumstances, the prop guns probably didn't have the same impact as a realistic shoot-em-up -- especially since many of the weapons were futuristic, and many of the targets were aliens.

Maybe missing an important step between MacGyver and Stargate: Legend another non-violent mind thinking (and drinking) character. MacGyver did not drink, that much, Legend on the other hand, like a fish.

No mater what someone thinks in their own world, when you are making a living (no matter what) sometimes to bring home the bacon, you have to compromize. In doing so you can be be selective so that your values are not truley sold out.

This interview with RDA give an interesting little hint at his transition from MacGyver to SG:1.

Doesn't really say too much, but might give an idea of his thought process behind it.

Exactly. In the end they are just kids playing around. He always admits that they don't do anything serious, saving the world or such. And he has nothing against weapons in the hands of, say, military and police men.

Plus he likes/liked to play paint ball in his free time, so apparently there is an appeal.

Actually thats an interesting distinction to make.

Thinking about it a bit, I don't recall the message ever being a blanket "hate all guns". I think the comments RDA made about guns (PSA's and interviews) where always specifically about handguns in the home? and the MacGyver message wasn't really a "hate all guns" either. It was more about using your brain to solve your problems instead of violence.

But getting back to SG:1 vs. MacGyver, I think another important distinction to make is that SG:1 doesn't actually promote "shoot'em up" as the first choice of resolution in the way the A-team style shows do. They are first and foremost explorers, rather than a demolition team.

I just watched an SG:1 episode called The Warrior in which Jack takes great issue with the Jaffa's positive attitudes about killing.

He actually shows very MacGyverish tendencies in this episode against violence and killing.

I really got the feeling from this episode that his true thoughts and feelings on guns and violence are seen in MacGyver and SG:1 is just a 12 year old having fun playing shoot-em ups....

...Yes I know RDA is much older than 12.. but try telling him that!

Jack O'Neill also has changed during the seasons. The Jack from season six is different from the Jack at the beginning. Daniel might have rubbed off on him.

But Jack has a past, and he would have not been able to go onto all those special ops when he hated guns. He might have done things he despised, but as long as he believes it is for a greater good he will do it, no matter what it costs to him personally.

He also always will chose his team over others, and if he has to make a hard decision to bring them home safely and it means others have to suffer for it, he will do it. That's what they pay the big bucks for, as he says.

He then deals with it all later, alone, when nobody sees him.




As somebody on Jackfic once tried to explain: The military does not have use for mindless, numb soldiers who enjoy killing. They need people that can think on their own, and any thinking and feeling person would hate pointless murder.

Yeah they do.. those are the guys that get send on the "suicide missions"