Episode: 004
Production No.: 40191-002
Airdate: 27 October 1985
Director: Lee H. Katzin
Writer: Stephen Kandel
Gambit Director: Lee H. Katzin
Gambit Writer: Judy Burns
Nielsen Ratings: 14.3 rating / 22 share / 2nd (44th overall)
OPENING GAMBIT
“MAP”
In the Middle East, MacGyver steals a map showing terrorist plans of attack. With the owners of the map hot on his tail, he evades his pursuers through the small town, eventually being chased out into the desert to a waiting hot air balloon, where he makes his escape – after fixing a bullet hole in the balloon.
MAIN EPISODE
MacGyver is sent to San Sebastian in Central America to rescue Kate Connelly, a photojournalist who has missed her deadline. But both she and MacGyver are captured taking pictures of an international arms dealer trading with the local Military leader. Their prompt escape sends the town, and country, into military lockdown to prevent the pair from escaping with the incriminating photographs leaving Kate and MacGyver on the run from their military pursuers as they try to find a way to get their evidence, and themselves, out of the country.
CAST
MACGYVERISMS
TRIVIA
- MacGyver specifically states for the first time that he prefers not to use guns.
- MacGyver states that he grew up in Minnesota and was a Cub Scout.
- We’re not sure if San Sebastian is the country or the town as it’s only briefly mentioned in the Friends episode, but we do know it’s fictitious. In real life both Guatemala and Belize border Mexico via a river as shown in the episode.
- The name of Montoya’s newspaper (El Tiempo) is Spanish for “the weather”
QUOTES
- It just goes to show you, a good map will always get you where you want to go. – MacGyver
- So, your name’s MacGyver and you’re harmless. –Kate Connelly
- I thought your camera was broken? – MacGyver
I fixed it. MacGyver style. – Kate Connelly - Please tell me how things could be worse. –Kate Connelly
Ah, you’re right. You convinced me. We’re in a lot of trouble. – MacGyver - So, how are you gonna start a fire? Make lightning, or rub two sticks together? –Kate Connelly
Well, I thought I’d use a match. MacGyver
Aw, shucks, MacGyver, I was looking forward to seeing some more of your Boy Scout stuff. –Kate Connelly - MacGyver, you don’t eat things like that. You call pest control. –Kate Connelly
- Never drop crumbs on the trail. Cos you never know what kind of critter might be behind you picking up the pieces. – MacGyver’s old scout leader
- I’ll never forget the motto she taught us.. Be prepared. – MacGyver
- It’s been said the best company you can have in a strange country is a map – MacGyver
- Great thing about a map, it can get you in and out of places a lot of different ways. – MacGyver
- This is the first time I ever deliberately tried to overheat an engine. – MacGyver
- Welcome to Mexico. You have anything to declare? – Border guard
Wiseguy. – MacGyver - Every time something else goes wrong you say it is good! – Vasquez
NIT-PICKS
- As MacGyver climbs out to repair the balloon hole you can see a rope running from the basket off to the right of the screen, pulled very tightly.. obviously to hold the balloon in place for the shot.
- As MacGyver runs up the sand dune there is part of either a vehicle or rigging visible at the right edge of the shot.
- Macs watch changes from black to silver when he’s waiting for the fireworks in the bell to go off.
- Mac sets off the explosion by inserting the plug of a camera flash and activating the timer. This, however, is impossible. Plastique is a very powerful but very stable explosive. A detonator is needed to set it off. A simple electric spark or current from a battery-operated camera would never initiate the explosion.
- At the end of the episode, Kate takes a picture with a camera that has just been swum across the river. Most cameras don’t work very well when they have been submerged underwater. Hers were already broken so would have filled up with water as they crossed the river.
- When Kate knocks out the solder with her camera, his hat comes off. But then when we see the next shot his hat is back on.
FILMING LOCATIONS
Be the first to comment