I know Lee David Zlotoff created the character of MacGyver and George Lucas the character of Indiana Jones. But there are similarities between the characters. And by that I mean the since of adventure; and if you look at National Treasure there were similarities between the Nick Cage, character, Indiana Jones character, and MacGyver. I guess what I'm asking is which came first the chicken or the egg. What do you think? And I only mean this in theory.

ummm call me stupid but I think MacGyver come first....
but maybe you could compare MacGyver with 007 with less gadgets...

I don't think MacGyver based off of Indy.

The answer to the question is..partly.

Indy Jones first appeared in the 1981 movie Raiders of the lost Ark (MacGyver didn't air until 1985). But MacGyver was described as Indiana Jones without the whip and James Bond without the gun.

The Indiana Jones movies are credited as defining the action adventure genre, which is why any adventure movie/show always seems to end up being compared to Indy Jones at some stage.

Things like the way Indy dresses, jacket, hat, bag over his shoulder, are now all things we associate with adventure and see repeated in other movies and shows

I think it would be fair to assume that there are certain aspects such as the way MacGyver dressed (leather jacket khaki cargo pants etc) which were very much Indy inspired.

MacGyver was definitely created as an action adventure secret agent which calls on aspects of both Indy Jones and James bond but does so with it's own unique style, which was that he thought his way out of a problem.

I voted no...just because Indy never reminded me of Mac or vice versa.

I don't see any links between Indy and Mac either. Mac is Mac.

I'd never call you stupid. You are probably the only one around who understands what I say.

Funny, the jacket was the main thing that made me vote "maybe" before I read the thread. Well, and obviously Indiana Jones was around first. But I agree the show definitely had Indy influences, up to and including direct reference in the Holy Rose episode when Mac is yelling at Zoe(y). But especially in the treasure hunt episodes it was obvious the show didn't mind borrowing elements from the films.

I'd never call you stupid. You are probably the only one around who understands what I say.

Actually that is a wonderful idea too. I think I would compare James Bond to Maxwell Smart (the greatness of Bond to the funny Smart).

Well said!

I would suggest it would be nearly impossible to make an adventure show which didn't borrow from Indy Jones in some way, simply because the Indy films defined the genre.

In the same way you can't make a spy film without some aspect of James Bond showing up in it.

I'd say the only trilogy that has succeeded in making adventures that wasn't Indy related is Back To The Future. The adventures of Marty McFly and Doc Brown. No treasure hunting but adventures of their own to set things right that was wronged by themselves.

Any other, that would be more like family oriented films. Besides treasure hunting or setting things right the only other adventure aspect I can come up with is making long trips to get somewhere or to get home and dealing with obstacles along the way like Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. Movies where in nothing is to gain except getting to place where you wanna be with the peoples you love.

What about the Home Alone movies?

neither Back to the Future or Home Alone are classed as Action/adventure Genre.

Back to the future is comedy sci-fi,
Home alone is comedy,
Homeward bound is Family Adventure.

So we're comparing apples to pears.

Action Adventure Genre has specific characteristics, which were primarily set by the Indiana Jones films. So I guess it's understandable that any other film which has any of those characteristics would be compared back to the big grand-daddy of the genre.

Yeah, that part in the Legend of the Holy Rose has "Influenced by Indiana Jones" written all over it. Anyway, I voted maybe because I'm sure it was influenced in some ways. But it is also original in and of itself.

I voted maybe because no one really knows but George Lucas.

I know the James Bond movies/series was the inspiration for Indiana Jones (hence Sean Connery playing Indy's dad), so who knows.

Maybe Indy helped spark the idea.

I don't think Mac, as a character, was particularly inspired by Indy, but certainly some of the situations he gets into are inspired (i.e. "stolen from") Indy. As has already been said, Mac's quest for the Holy Grail is a prime example, especially considering the fact that the episode was done just months after Last Crusade was in theaters. Obviously the writers were heavily inspired by Indy. The fight sequence at the beginning of "Eye Of Osiris" is blatantly borrowed from Indy. The scene with Jack grabbing his hat from under the closing door in "Mask Of The Wolf" is another shamelessly borrowed element.
One of the reasons I never cared much for the treasure hunt episodes, actually, is because they always come across as the poor man's versions of Indiana Jones.

I prefer when Mac isn't trying to be Indy. Nobody is going to beat Indy, so I'd rather Mac just be Mac, rather than a pale imitation of someone else.

Now that has been said that's what worries me the writers of the new movie are going to do. (If that train hasn't fully passed yet, at least)

As King Solomon said, "there is nothing new under the sun." I'm sure Mac was inspired by previous action/adventure characters, but to me he truly is one-of-a-kind.