I don't know if anyone else here ever saw the old Mission: Impossible TV series from the 60's, I'm obviously far too young to have caught it on air but the library had some VHS tapes when I was growing up. I was thinking today of how their opening sequence/theme song was very similar to MacGyver. The way that there was a focus on the gadgets and objects at well as the characters, and at 0:24 in this video, Willy is even using a pocket knife Anyway, some of the scenes seem very reminiscent of Mac, like the liquid in those four bottles vs the three test tubes from Countdown, showing electrical panels, wires, things burning and exploding, etc. I guess I realized I'm attracted to a lot of the ame themes in entertainment whether I realize it or not. Anyone else remember there being some common themes between the two that would suggest the writers may have had influence from the show?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k55NuWQCh78

I too am too young to have seen the original airings, but I have a vague recollection of maybe seeing it in re-runs at some stage. Anyway I do know that I've seen some episodes of the 1988 "new version" and remember being totally un-impressed by it at the time thinking it was very slow and boring. seemed to be all about talking and planning and had very little of the actual doing of anything.

Getting back on topic... It's an interesting idea that the opening sequence for MacGyver could have been inspired by Mission Impossible. In a way it would make sense, because that is the kind of genre they show was aiming for.

MacGyver was a one man IMF.

Exactly It was a team of the strong guy, the boss, the pretty girl, the technical guy, and the man who could disguise himself. I think we good good looks, brains, and leadership all out of Mac Then of course they worked for the government, tried to pull off covert capers for jobs that "fell between the cracks"- where going in guns-a-blazing just wasn't an option. Then they would plan meticulously yet still have to be adaptable, and in the end they were making the world a better place (hypothetically). The show always featured an opening Gambit, then the them that involved lots of boiling/explosions/gadgets, and somehow it all always worked out in the end.

Oh, and another interesting thing, the earlier first season of Mac had a mystery government "boss" that Mac got his orders from right? Not all that unlike M:I.

true.

All that was missing was the "this message will self-destruct in 30 seconds"

I know the "caper" scenario is nothing new to the action genre, but I thought it was interesting the similarities between this M:I episode and the Jade Dragon in Lost Love.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhCwzwXzBIM

well it wouldn't be the first time MacGyver borrowed a story line from another movie or show.