I'm sure some of you have read this review already, but it was new to me, so maybe it will be new to someone else, too. I think it pretty much hits the nail on the head:

From DVDTalk--

MacGyver comes to a sad end in MacGyver: The Complete Final Season. Oh, he doesn't die or anything like that. He just sort of...fades away, the way most tired series do during their final, little-watched seasons. I wasn't a die-hard MacGyver fan by any stretch; it always seemed to be aimed at teenagers and below during its seven-year run. I remember all the positive news articles (no doubt courtesy of ABC's publicity department) about how the show was good for kids to watch because it got them interested in science. During its first year or two, I remember occasionally tuning in and liking the show well enough. Richard Dean Anderson had a likeable, laid-back quality that was a fresh approach for a TV espionage/action hero would didn't like physical violence, and the plots had a globe-trotting scope to them that enhanced the action. And of course, the "MacGyverisms" were top-notch fun, with half the show's appeal clearly rooted in how MacGyver was going to take a paper clip, a bar of soap and nail polish, and escape from a booby-trapped building.

I've never really understood how the show lasted seven seasons without ever ending the year in the Nielsen Top Thirty. Despite relatively mediocre ratings, it must have hit the demographics ABC was looking for, as well as garnering a loyal following of vocal fans who lobbied for its continued production (I would imagine that its stated goals to "educate" kids about science, and to keep the violence to a minimum, also helped ABC feel good about keeping it on). Certainly, there's no doubt that MacGyver, by Season Seven, was on its last legs. Most cast and crew of a long-running show know when a particular season is going to be the last, and it definitely shows here. Anderson looks alternately bored or distracted; whether it's because he's grown tired of playing the same role for seven years, or because he's asked to do some silly things in this final season, it's hard to tell. After all, when MacGyver, the guy who can get out of any situation, is reduced to begging a bulldog to bring him a bottle of sulphuric acid to eat through the ropes that bind him (in episode The Coltons, an obvious pilot episode for an unsold new series), you know that the writers have run out of fresh ideas. When the writers of a show start to go stale, they sometimes move the character to a new location in hopes of generating new plot ideas (remember The Mary Tyler Moore Show, when they kicked her out of her old apartment - bad idea). MacGyver moves to a new neighborhood in this season, a "bohemian" neighborhood as the DVD box describes, but the writers can't seem to come up with any good reason for him to be there. We're introduced to a new reoccurring character who lives nearby -- Mama Lorraine, a quasi-voodoo priestess/shopkeeper -- but seriously, that fake Caribbean accent pretty much blows the whole point of the character. Another sign post of desperation for any long-running series is a time travel episode, and MacGyver: The Complete Final Season has a particularly lame one, where MacGyver is transported back to the court of King Arthur. It's a two-parter, meaning it's double the non-fun.

There are a couple of good episodes in MacGyver: The Complete Final Season; Obsessed, where MacGyver's arch nemesis Murdoc returns from the dead, yet again ("Oh my God, they've killed Kenny! I mean, Murdoc!), is probably the strongest in the group, with some tight direction and editing. But it's fairly outnumbered with junk like the season opener, Honest Abe, featuring an ungodly unfunny appearance by "comedian" Shelley Berman, and The Prometheus Syndrome a mad bomber/arsonist tale that looked stale back in the '70s when countless variations of it appeared on numerous cop/detective shows. The main problem with MacGyver: The Complete Final Season seems to be a disconnect with MacGyver's role as a crime fighter. His commitments to the Phoenix Organization seems haphazard at best; is he working for them or not? Most of the time, he just seems to be hanging out in his apartment, waiting for something to happen. His involvements with nefarious plots seem to come willy nilly; it's lazy screenwriting when MacGyver can't even walk down to the neighborhood grocery store without encountering a kidnaping/voodoo plot. The social activism of the show, regardless of whether or not you deem that particular plot element necessary or even wanted in an action series, clearly is a crutch for the writers at this point. I'm not convinced MacGyver audiences wanted a weekly lesson in civics buried amid the various explosions and gun play. Neither element is well served in MacGyver: The Complete Final Season, with the action underplayed, and the social commentary delivered in a compromised, superficial manner. Clearly, the show was on life support when MacGyver: The Complete Final Season was produced.

Other then the fact that he didn't go on enough missions in the later seasons I completly disagree with the negitive review. I know so many love to bash the last season but I enjoyed all the new people and places. I enjoy it as much as I enjoy the other seasons which all had there own feel.

The 'Hood, Obsessed, Prometheus Syndrome, The Walking Dead, Good Knight MacGyver, Gunz 'N Boyz, Mountain of Youth and The Stringer are in my opinion good episodes. Maybe not as strong as we were used to in like the third season or so but I recall that I like to rewatch many scenes of these episodes. Probably has to do with the fact I grew up with most of these episode, especially Good Knight MacGyver. The lavapit scene (from the moment the ground breaks till the moment the frame freezes over gives me goosebumps each time), scaring the dog away, the making of the kite, Mac getting shot in slowmotion, those are scenes that really means a lot to me.

That's also with the Prometheus Syndrome when Earl dies. Just when you think the Mac saved the day again the bomb does explode killing Earl. It's maybe a small thing but the actual thing about the scene is when Mac crawls back screaming 'Earl' and puts his jacket over him. And that's where I think lies the grandness of the scene, despite it was just a small room on fire, when filmed from the ground it seems like everything is on fire.

Also when Mac is trapped in the building with another bomb gives me goosebumps. When Prometheus locks the door, Mac stares at the bomb when Prometheus is talking. He stepped straight into the trap and Prometheus has this taunting thing about it: 'you stepped into my trap and now you're gonna die'. Fade out!
I actually also like the lighting on that part. You can't see Mac's eyes. They're completely dark. It makes him look as if he's mad at himself for falling into the trap. And talking about looks just look at how Mac looks up when Prometheus calls him from the desk.

Obsessed is also one of the better episodes. The dream, the first phone call, he had to let him self get caught, the nearly failed rocket escape, Mac going after Murdoc for a change and that final phone call. It's just classic. Last when I saw Obsessed I almost got obsessed with the final lines of the episodes and the frame freezing with Mac in close-up realizing Murdoc isn't dead.

Mountain of Youth finally brings back Jack for a last adventure together.

Okay, we have to admit season 7 might not be the Mac show quality we know from previous seasons. Why'd they bother than? I don't know. Okay, can't deny there are some bad episodes in it. Deadly Silents and Split Decision for instance were bad. I think Deadly Silents is one if not the cheapest episode ever made. Just four people and no extra's. No women either. Split Decision was a poor Rocky-ish remake. Sorry, Sly did way better.

But in all I think they still tried to make the best with inspiration that was left over. With exception of Split Decision, he gets caught in every episode and needed an escape, sometimes twice. That was still a very important aspect of the show, escaping. If that was left out, than it would've really sucked.

I think it was bad enough there was only one good fight in it. One where Mac got his butt kicked by Minton. But if it wasn't for them escapes season 7 would really have gone down the drain.

Regarding those episodes:

"The Hood"-- Yeah, that was okay. Pretty typical, fun Mac episode, and as I've said before, I did like the fact that Season 7 had some of these episodes that didn't try to teach kids right & wrong, but rather just focused on adventure (I know MacGyver was meant to be a kids show, but even as a kid, I found the moral lessons got a bit tedious after a while.)

"Obsessed"-- Campy as hell, but fun, and easily one of the highlights of the final season.

"Prometheus Syndrome"-- I did like this one more than this reviewer did. Gotta agree with you again.

"Walking Dead"-- Forgot about this one. Yeah, enjoyed this one, too.

"Good Knight, MacGyver"-- Embarassingly bad. I actually felt bad for the actors in this one.

"Guns & Boys"-- Meh, never really got into this one. Not a big fan of the Challenger Club stuff.

"Mountain of Youth"-- It has some good moments in it, but the beginning of the episode is so painfully bad that I hardly ever make it to those good moments. I usually turn it off after the first ten minutes.

"The Stringer"-- I do like this one. I expected more for a finale, but if we forget that it's the finale and just take it as another episode, it's pretty good.

So yeah, there ARE some good episodes in Season 7, but just not nearly enough, and I think a lot of the complaints that the reviewer makes are accurate.

I agree very much with the possitive things said. I really LOVE all those aspects of the show. One of my favorite things that stood out in a wonderful way was the escapes. Ever since The Holy Rose I've noticed that the writers have restrained MacGyver( tied him up/down) thus upping the anti for his escapes and I think it was a great choice. One of the best things of season seven was sitting there going "Holy Crap! How's he getting out of this one?" The clock is ticking and you can't move! I really miss them.

I actually got a bit tired of the "escape" theme. It began to feel too much like the type of thing that they parodied in Austin Powers: Rather than just shooting the hero, the bad guys lock the hero in a room with some kind of convoluted trap, and NEVER stick around to see if the trap actually works. The first few times it happens, it can be fun in a campy sort of way, but when it becomes the formula for almost every episode, it gets old and predictable. I felt that from Season 5 onward, they started relying too heavily on these "Batman & Robin"-type escape scenes, instead of thinking of more original, intelligent situations. In the earlier seasons, the writers were more inspired and there was a bit more variety in terms of what predicaments Mac got into. By the later seasons, I imagine the writers often just thought, "Well, what sort of contraption should Mac get locked in (or tied to) this week?"

And what was up with Murdoc tying Mac under the rocket? You would THINK that after all he's been through with Mac, he would (1) know that Mac is good at getting out of such situations, and (2) want to see his arch-nemisis be destroyed. Therefore, logically, he would stick around. But no, he walks away, and Mac is able to escape, as usual (and that escape was pure luck. What the hell was that canister of nitrogen doing there, anyway?)

I know, I know, I'm probably being overly critical....

You know starting from season 4 there was a whole new writers team than before. John Sheppard, Rick Drew, Rick Mittleman, Robert Sherman amongst other joined around season 4-5.

Come to think of it every season there were like changes in the writers. Each season had a main writer I think and those were usually the ones who dared to do the most making the intenser episodes. James Schmerer for season 1. Calvin Clements Jr for season 3.

For season 2 I can't really pinpoint it out. I'd say my guess would be Stephen Kronish.

And later my vote goes to John Sheppard.

Why waste 5 minutes if it could be done in thirty seconds, right?

The pure luck thing was already in Legend of the Holy Rose but I don't think you have much choice but to rely on it if nothing is nearby you can reach except with your shoes.

Maybe the best strap down escape is in The 'Hood. He just couldn't reach it with the poke so he had to use the skeleton's arm.

Ah, you know. Now we don't have the say it.

But it's understandable.

Another good question is why did they agree on a seventh season if they were actually tired of it. I always say even if the script seems solid, you'd never know how it turns out on screen.

Ah, you know. Now we don't have the say it.

I was going to say that as well. LOL.

Ya know, I always feel like I have to defend soo many great moments from the show. Usually when someone would watch it with me and try to pick it apart. "SURE he just happen to have "blank" in the room with him." and I would have to take the time to repeat that it wasn't a matter of MacGyver wishing for a specific thing in the room and it happened to be there(A-Team). MacGyver is about him being able to use whatever is around him in a creative way. If one thing wasn't there then he would adjust.
As far as the escapes go, for me, it never felt forced or old. It upped the anti.

I think a friend of mine summed it up best last night. I was telling him about this thread, and this was our conversation:

Him: "You were debating a kids' show?"
Me: "Well, yeah, I just think that...."
Him: "Stop. Did it entertain you when you were 10 years old?"
Me: "Of course."
Him: "Then it did its job. Get over it. Move on."

lol... point taken!

LOL. good one:) Still, despite when you first see it. It's timeless and still inspirational.

It was pretty cynical IMO. I mean, eh, I'm not going to call it the show's golden season, but at the same time there was some pretty good material and acting in there. I think a lot of what people like from the show is nostalgia, so while some people saw more of the first season, or saw it first, other people started watching later and really like the last seasons. I think all in all it was pretty consistent. There were some pretty mediocre episodes scattered throughout the whole series. Some of it depends on which setting you like Mac in better as well. Personally I liked his "overseas" adventures most, but I still think the urban stuff was good to show that MacGyver was still able to use his way of thinking in a more domestic setting and not just in exotic places in bizarre situations.

Just my $.02

Ah, you know. Now we don't have the say it.

I was going to say that as well. LOL.

Ya know, I always feel like I have to defend soo many great moments from the show. Usually when someone would watch it with me and try to pick it apart. "SURE he just happen to have "blank" in the room with him." and I would have to take the time to repeat that it wasn't a matter of MacGyver wishing for a specific thing in the room and it happened to be there(A-Team). MacGyver is about him being able to use whatever is around him in a creative way. If one thing wasn't there then he would adjust.
As far as the escapes go, for me, it never felt forced or old. It upped the anti.

'The stuff's is already there, I just find diffirent ways to use it.'

Exactly! I always remember being thrilled he said that:)

Also ONEST ABE it's, for me, a good episode!
It reminds me of the classic episodes of the first two seasons.

And among the writers of the show, I prefer Stephen Kandel, at least in the first 3 seasons...

Sorry, but I can't stand Honest Abe!! The character grated on me after about thirty seconds, tops. S7 was rather uneven, IMO.

I agree, however, that there WERE some good eppys in that last season. The 'Hood, Walking Dead, Prometheus Syndrome, Obsessed, Guns n' Boyz, The Stringer, and even Mountain of Youth were all well done. Split Decision wasn't bad, either.