"MacGyver" (1985) TV series 1985-1992

Creator:

Lee David Zlotoff

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Release Date:

6 October 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

His mind is the ultimate weapon.

Plot:

The adventures of a secret agent armed with almost infinite scientific resourcefulness.

Plot Keywords:

Science | Gadget | Brains Over Brawn | Sobriety | Famous Theme

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

 (Series Cast Summary - 2 of 216)

Richard Dean Anderson	...	MacGyver (139 episodes, 1985-1992)
Dana Elcar	...	Pete Thornton / ... (123 episodes, 1985-1992)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

45 min (139 episodes) | USA:60 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (seasons 1-3) | Stereo (seasons 4-7)

Certification:

Brazil:12 (DVD rating) | Netherlands:12 | Finland:K-18 (2005) (DVD) (self applied) | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, California, USA

Company:

Henry Winkler/John Rich Productions

Trivia:

Throughout the entire run of the series, MacGyver states many times his opposition to using guns because of a childhood event. However, in the pilot episode, "Pilot", he does in fact fire a gun, an AK-47, and then quickly hands it to the pilot he's rescuing to provide cover fire. This aspect of his character was probably added after the pilot as he makes no mention of his distaste for guns.

Quotes:

MacGyver:For the past seven years I have done nothing but travel around the world getting shot up, locked up, blown up... and all I have to show for it are a couple of empty rolls of duct tape.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Tangents (1994)

The best TV show of all time!

MacGyver has to be my all-time favorite show of all time. Why do you ask? Because MacGyver actually uses his brain to solve problems instead of using brute force, a total difference from most action-oriented shows. I used to watch this on USA everyday at 4:00 after school. I couldn't miss a single one!

Each episode has MacGyver (Richard Dean Anderson) from the Phoenix Foundation in very uncomfortable positions. He uses his wits to escape, rescue, or disarm, depending on the situation. MacGyver continued it's greatness until the last season, I believe. Then it was more focused on city/community issues...very boring! One of my favorites is one where MacGyver and an old buddy are sent to a cruise ship that is laden with bombs by an evil character named Viking. "It's a vacuum, Mac!"

Dana Elcar, who played Pete Thorton, one of the bosses of the Phoenix Foundation and MacGyver's best friend, lost his vision so that changed his role on the series greatly.

Murdoc is MacGyver's greatest villain. He has been in more episodes than any other evil character. He is a trained assassin and has always attempted to kill MacGyver. How many times has Murdoc actually been killed?? It's one of the weirdest aspects of the show. The inability of MacGyver to actually kill Murdoc.

Richard Dean Anderson is a great actor and went on to do two MacGyver movies: Lost Treasure of Atlantis and Trail to Doomsday. He also went on to do UPN's Legend and Showtime's Stargate SG-1 (SG-1 Season One available on DVD).

Overall, MacGyver is one action show you can watch with your family and enjoy it to the max as well. Seeing somebody create something out of midair is fantastic. It's very well done and is still on television today. Check your local listings.