Synopsis: MacGyver, a special agent, is called in when an explosion takes place in a high security underground laboratory. The explosion results in an acid leak that could contaminate and underground waterway. Upon reaching the underground lab, MacGyver discovers that the explosion was not an accident.
Since this is MacGyver, I am going to start talking first about the opening gambit, in other words, the little adventure that opens up the episode. This was how the first MacGyver episode started, and they continued this for quite a while in the series until the gambit was eventually dropped.
OPENING GAMBIT: MacGyver is sent to fetch a missile that was downed in Mongolia. While trying to get the missile out of the enemy’s camp, MacGyver’s mission becomes a rescue mission as well when he discovers that the plane’s pilot survived.
Throughout the whole mini-adventure, Mac is telling a story from his youth about a palomino horse he wanted to ride as a kid. The story is meant to parallel MacGyver’s situation at the present moment. For a while there they had MacGyver telling stories from his childhood often, then that kinda went to the way side.
When we first see MacGyver he is scaling an outrageous mountain face, so we can see that he is a man of adventure. He also quickly flips out the Swiss army knife that would remain a trademark. The music throughout this gambit is awesome, especially while MacGyver is actually inside the tent containing the missile. A bit un-MacGyverish is when he actually uses a gun on his enemies, something that Mac would never do later. Totally MacGyverish, though, is when he mentions that he ‘hates heights’, and then makes a “rocket thruster” out of a flare gun. Running out of time, Mac propels himself and the Air Force pilot over the cliff edge.
Since this is my first post on MacGyver, we have to appreciate the theme song. IT IS SO AMAZING! That theme song is one of those theme songs that gets stuck in your head for days and you don’t care because it makes you feel like you are a super hero! Or MacGyver! Which is practically the same thing! It was composed by Randy Edelman, who also did the score for several episodes.
THE PILOT: Now we’ll talk about the main part of this episode.
After an explosion in a high security lab, MacGyver is called in. He has to stop a dangerous acid leak from flooding into an underground aquifer that could poison a lot of state’s water supply. After using his binoculars to get past an intricate laser system and crawling through some debris, MacGyver reaches some survivors. One of the survivors, an assistant scientist named Barbara Spencer, insists on staying with him. MacGyver continues to puzzle everyone with his odd mannerisms, especially when he stops to pick up candy bars from a busted vending machine (those will be very important, remember them!).
The reality of the situation hits hard when they discover a lab that had a gas leak. The room is full of dead bodies. While MacGyver is figuring on how to cross through the toxic gas-filled room, the military is preparing to bomb the facility to stop the impending acid leak. MacGyver gets a quick kiss as a thank-you and he heads off toward the acid leak.
The chocolate comes in handy now! MacGyver uses the chocolate to create a seal on the acid tank, stopping the leak. Now, chemically this actually would work. It would take a bit more chocolate, though, I think. Listen to all the chemistry Mac spouts, and then go look it up for yourself. It actually would work, even though it seems really strange. Acid leak solved!
Chemistry again when MacGyver has to blow the door down. He takes a tiny bit of sodium metal and puts it in a water soluble cold capsule (that Spencer just happened to have), then puts it in some water. When the capsule dissolves, the sodium metal touches the water and blows. Which is also legitimate chemistry.
Mac then has to stop the crazy scientist who planted the bomb, Steubens, from trying to kill them all for the second time, during which Barbara gets herself shot. In order to tell the team upstairs that they are still alive, Mac uses morse code through flipping the lights on and off, managing to get it through that he has solved the problem!
The Big Brother thing I’m pretty sure was added to show the audience that MacGyer was socially conscious. Keep in mind, with pilots the writers/directors are trying to show all the aspects of their character that they want there. So that also includes the Swiss army knife, the fear of heights, the Macgyverisms, and his expansive knowledge of different subjects.
I’m glad that the swaggering arrogance of Season 1 went away. MacGyver is much more likable when he is a genius who doesn’t flaunt it.
(I’m glad that the woman throwing themselves at him stopped, too.)
Fun Stuff!
- The Swiss army knife and the fear of heights stayed as part of the character for the whole series.
- Dana Elcar, the future Peter Thornton who was MacGyver’s friend and boss, stars as Agent Andy Colson in this pilot.
- All “Macgyverisms” were fact-checked so that theoretically they could work (even if you also needed an outrageous amount of luck to get it to work).
Quotes:
- (MacGyver to Gantner)
“Well, give me ‘not great’ on a scale of one to ten?”
“Minus three.”
- “Is he really taking the time for a smoke?” – Andy Colson
- (Spencer to MacGyver)
“Don’t tell me you know how to make a bomb out of a stick of chewing gum?”
“Why, you got some?”
- “Spencer, gosh darn it, I told you to wait outside!” – MacGyver
- “That was dumb, Spencer, very, very dumb.” – MacGyver
Retro Returns 