Introduction
After watching 7 seasons of MacGyver, I can safely say that this is one of the more entertaining series in the 80's. I am also very tired. The first seasons had everything from spy stories, danger and adventure.
Does it hold up?
The answer to this is yes and no. It is a product of its time. A time where the internet did not exist and computers were not the mainstream. It was at a time where science was still what held people's interest. I will review the new series in a later part but, I do agree with the below video from Richard Dean Anderson, about if a new series would work today.
Modern MacGyver
I would agree with that assessment. Although he did use technology in the show, it was more of a background tool and times have changed. Obviously the show would have to change a bit in order to modernize it.
The one thing that has stood the test of time is the charisma of Richard Dean Anderson on screen. He has a way of making everything that he does on screen believable. It did not seem rehearsed and did seem genuine. Any MacGyver fan will say "Duh". The rest of the cast was strong as well. Jack Dalton, which appeared less in the later episodes, was liked by audiences. I have said this already but the chemistry between Dana Elcar and Richard Dean Anderson, truly felt real. This is in part due to the fact they were real friends.
It would take big shoes to fill the role of MacGyver as not everyone can play it. They would need to find someone that has that level of charisma and likability.
Should the show have been rebooted?
I think that Hollywood is in a rut with movies and TV shows. I do not think that creativity is lacking. I think that it is the studio heads, not willing to take chances on new ideas. They want to go with what is sure to work and make money. What they fail to understand is that without an idea, MacGyver would have never been made.
Having said that, I think that they wanted to have a new show with a bankable name and they chose MacGyver. They could have picked any other 80's show. They already tried with Knight Rider. Although, it did not get a proper chance, I do think that it was too different from the original for it to work. They went for the nostalgia crowd while trying to make it modern but it did not work. This could be the fate of the new MacGyver series. We will see after I watch the whole first season.
Bottomline
I think that this is one of the best series on TV. Even though the later seasons were not the best, it is still enjoyable. Yes there are gaps and not everything is believable but that is entertainment. It was refreshing at the time and they picked a really great cast. The key to a great show, is wanting to be that character. Many people wish that they could be a MacGyver. They want to solve problems on a dime and get out of jams. I periodically need to get my MacGyver fix and a few episodes from the first seasons are enough.
Rating: 8 MacGyverisms out of 10
What did you guys think? Let me know below.
Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/corporategamer9
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/corporategamer/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CorporateGamer9
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/123corporate
Site: https://aroundtable.ca