In this interview with Burn Notice creator Matt Nix, the interviewer (Troy Rogers ) asked about the comparisons between Burn Notice and MacGyver, and got a pretty interesting reply.

you can read the full interview at The deadBolt .com

I like this show very much! It is exciting and interesting, and the characters are likable.

Sounds like Burn Notice is a bit of everything. I only saw the first couple of episodes or so.

I've heard great things about the show, but that interview response sounds awfully wafflish to me. It sounds as if he's afraid to admit, "Yes, we're like MacGyver in some ways, and that's cool"?

I happen to watch Burn Notice religiously and I do see the similarities, but it all boils down to a personality difference. MacGyver was sort of a moral absolutist while Michael of Burn Notice is more of a relativist, he has no problem getting his hands dirty in the name of a greater good. I often picture Mac being put in the same spot and saying "No! Get that shotgun out of here!"

Burn Notice as a production is less concerned with having the "social conscience" that RDA talked about in interviews. Like, I wouldn't let young kids watch Burn Notice while I would let them watch MacGyver.

Hmmm... sounds like an improvement. That's one thing that bugged me about MacGyver sometimes-- he got a bit TOO sanctimonious occasionally.
I never saw Burn Notice. I'll have to check it out.

Hmmm... sounds like an improvement. That's one thing that bugged me about MacGyver sometimes-- he got a bit TOO sanctimonious occasionally.
I never saw Burn Notice. I'll have to check it out.

One thing I really like about Burn Notice that reminds me heavily of MacGyver is the voiceovers that Michael is constantly doing. He'll explain the chemistry or psychology behind what he is doing. He is also rather a loner- he has two close friends but that's really it. He lives in a loft, has a workbench where he sits and solders things he is making out of household materials (sound familiar)? It's always him improvising inexpensively spy equipment he used to have that would be too expensive to obtain now that he's not in the "agency." Rather than buying a bug he'll make one out of a cell phone, things like that.
While they use guns, they make it look like no one ever gets hurt (at least by the bad guys) but a common theme is he'll set two bad guy gangs up to mistakenly think the other side did something to them, and get them to go after each other. In some cases, the bad guys kill each other, but most of the time he sets them up to commit a crime while he or one of his two friends calls the police on them! Haha.

Far be it from me to suggest on a MacGyver forum that it is just as good, but I will say it is literally the only television show I watch right now. I'm more of a movie person but I will make exception for Burn Notice. Once upon a time I watched 24 but it got too dark and violent for me- I suppose Burn Notice does have sort of that lighter spirit that characterized 80's action shows. There's a fair amount of humor in it too. Bruce Campbell (who plays Sam) is really my favorite character despite not really being the lead.

Just for kicks, since this thread was recently revisited, I will make my observations about the similarities and differences. Here we go...

Michael Westen- Mostly a loner with a couple of close friends, lots of acquaintances
MacGyver- Mostly a loner with a couple of close friends, lots of acquaintances

Michael Westen- Only has two living relative around, lost father at a young age
MacGyver- Only has one living relative around, lost both parents at a young age

Michael Westen- Joined the Army right out of high school, was recruited to be a spy
MacGyver- Joined the Army right out of high school, was recruited to be a green beret (US Army Special Forces)/explosives disposal

Michael Westen- Was deployed to Afghanistan as a spy
MacGyver- Was deployed to Afghanistan as a spy

Michael Westen- Worked for CIA
MacGyver- Worked for DXS/Phoenix Foundation

Michael Westen- Was forced out of old job
MacGyver- Was recruited to new job

Michael Westen- Has a fear of relationship commitment
MacGyver- Has a fear of relationship commitment

Michael Westen- Loves guns
MacGyver- Hates guns

Michael Westen- Tries to avoid shooting people
MacGyver- Refuses to shoot people

Michael Westen- Drives an old muscle car
MacGyver- Drives an old antique car

Michael Westen- Carries a multitool everywhere
MacGyver- Carries a SAK everywhere

Michael Westen- Uses everyday items as diversion or to create traps
MacGyver- Uses everyday items as a diversion or to create traps; also to fix things and help people

Michael Westen- Does voiceovers while doing clever things
MacGyver- Does voiceovers while doing clever things

Michael Westen- Will get his hands dirty breaking the law to catch the bad guys, okay with collateral damage and bending the rules
MacGyver- Refuses to become like criminals to stop them

Michael Westen- Keeps duct tape around for its many uses
MacGyver- Keeps duct tape in back pocket for its many uses

Michael Westen- Can pick locks
MacGyver- Can pick locks

Michael Westen- eats yogurt on screen
MacGyver- Eats yogurt on screen

Michael Westen- Has many recurring enemies that seem never to die
MacGyver- Has one recurring enemy who never seems to die

Michael Westen- Lives alone in a loft
MacGyver- Lives alone, at one point in a loft

Michael Westen- Has been shot many times
MacGyver- Has been shot many times

Michael Westen- Is a Karate black belt
MacGyver- Knows karate

Michael Westen- Makes a meticulous plan in advance
MacGyver- Creates a loose plan and improvises on the fly

Michael Westen- Has a close friend who cons him into helping people with problems
MacGyver- Has a close friend who cons him into helping himself

Michael Westen- Lives near the beach
MacGyver- Lives near the beach/water most of the show

Michael Westen- Forced to retire early
MacGyver- Chooses to retire early

Michael Westen- Close friends repeatedly die in his arms
MacGyver- Close friends repeatedly die in his arms

Michael Westen- Goes undercover and uses aliases to catch bad guys
MacGyver- Goes undercover and uses aliases to catch bad guys

Michael Westen- Just wants his job back
MacGyver- Just wants the world to be a better place

Michael Westen- Is kind of scary
MacGyver- Is pretty friendly

Michael Westen- Drinks occasionally
MacGyver- Never drinks

Michael Westen- Has a workbench and a computer in his apartment
MacGyver- Has a workbench, chemistry lab, computer, and a western video collection in his house

Michael Weston- Is confined to Miami
MacGyver- Mostly stays in LA, but is all over the world for the first half of the show

Michael Westen- Creates improvised explosives
MacGyver- Creates improvised explosives

Michael Westen- Wears Ray Bans
MacGyver- Wears aviators

Michael Westen- accepts money from people for helping them
MacGyver- Is compensated by the Phoenix Foundation for helping people

I could make part 2 someday as I toss ideas around in my head, but this was a good thought exercise for me

I was made aware a while ago by someone who knows one of the writers on Burn Notice that MacGyver is mentioned and talked about all the time by the writing team which seems to contradict the implication of what was said in the interview. I guess maybe he's trying to distance himself from MacGyver to avoid any "copy cat" accusations.

My husband just recently recommended that I watch Burn Notice since I like MacGyver. He spotted the similarity and thought I would like it too. I do like Burn Notice and Macdriver mentions many of the similarities. One comment, though Mac does not seem to go against the rules or laws, he does bend them himself. He regularly enters a place without permission (not so much Breaking and Entering since he picks the locks, but same principle). He left jury sequestration to see the scene for himself (against the Judge's explicit orders). That type of thing. But since Mac is not on the run or really hiding, he can use his Police and Government contacts to help him where Michael Weston cannot.

Either way, I like the show Burn Notice...though I am just now beginning to watch it and it's already been on for a while. Guess I have some catching up to do.

It still won't beat MacGyver in my opinion, but that might just be me.

Burn Notice is a great show. I can tell many aspects of MacGyver are in Burn Notice. I thing Michael Weston is heavily inspired by MacGyver and James Bond in couple of ways. Overall a great show. I would recommend it to any MacGyver fan.

I never watched Burn Notice. I'm currently trying to keep up with my one TV show at the moment (Supernatural). I've heard good things about it though. I know one of my co-workers really likes the show a lot.

I actually always loved that MacGyver seems to start off like James Bond, then kinda take a side turn to Indiana Jones later in the series, so I always so Mac as a big of a combination... hey, who doesn't like Harrison Ford, eh? XD