Posted on 09/30/2016 12:54:22 PM PDT by Kaslin
CBS’ Friday night staple Hawaii Five-0 is currently in its seventh season and is still delivering strong ratings for the network. Considering that the show is a long-running remake of the 1960s drama of the same name, it’s no wonder that CBS would replicate that winning formula. The latest addition to the network’s Friday night schedule does just that. MacGyver, the new remake starring Lucas Till in the lead role, successfully reboots the concept that made the original so watchable.
In the original show (which aired from 1985-1992), Richard Dean Anderson played the American secret agent. The agent was known more for his brains than his brawn. Here was a character who avoided guns and used his brain and the tools surrounding him at any given moment to work his way out of trouble. He was a brilliant agent who fought to protect his country.
On the new show, Till commendably takes up the leading role. It’s a tricky task for any actor but Till — best known for his work in the recent X-Men trilogy — plays the character as a charming and humble young man who hides his genius from even his own roommate (who doesn’t suspect MacGyver’s true occupation). That roommate is Wilt Bozer (Justin Hires), a witty side character who often provides laughs at the bookends of the episodes.
MacGyver’s truest partner on the show is Jack Dalton (George Eads), a fellow agent who works alongside MacGyver on their undercover missions under the tutelage of the tough-minded Patricia Thornton (Sandrine Holt). In the first episode (after a betrayal is revealed), Riley Davis (Tristin Mays) joins the crew as a tech-savvy agent with a criminal past.
While the title character is quietly brilliant, Dalton is outgoing and more accustomed to traditional battles and gunfights. In many ways, MacGyver is both his inexperienced apprentice and his imaginative guide. The relationship between the duo is a budding bromance that allows both characters to flourish with their own unique talents.
There are a few expected changes to the formula here. In this series, MacGyver is more of an action hero. In the series premiere, the action — which features the character climbing onto a moving plane as it’s about to take off — takes a prominent place alongside MacGyver’s intuitive smarts. The original had action sequences but that element seems to be more integral to the concept here.
In terms of MacGyver’s ability to craft gadgets out of household items, that quality still nicely takes center stage. In voice-overs, the character oftentimes tells the audience what he’s using to craft elaborate tools that help him survive. The voice-overs don’t work as well as the idea in the original show, which often featured MacGyver explaining his techniques to his fellow onscreen characters.
It will likely take a while for MacGyver to find its comfort zone but there’s a lot to like in the first two episodes of the show. Like other procedurals, some of the villains here aren’t that memorable (no one has stood out so far) but it’s the main characters who keep the concept thriving. One of the unique aspects about this show is its tendency to feature light-hearted moments even in the midst of the action. Its tone is more welcoming for viewers and even the look of the show (with even secretive offices being filled with natural light) feels different.
MacGyver may be disappointing to die-hard fans of the original but it takes advantage of its patriotic concept and shows that brilliant footwork never goes out of style.
Too young looking for the part.
It was one of the worst shows I’ve ever seen.
Every trope and cliche in the book you could find was used in the first episode. We were honestly shouting them out as they happened, forgetting how bad the plot was.
And honestly it made it far more enjoyable to watch.
But this is so not MacGyver at all.
When I was a kid I loved Hawaii Five-0. The remake? Not so much.
Never watched MacGyver. I was in college the first two years it was on, and more interested in the fairer sex and drinking cheap beer. The last couple years I was in the Army and was very selective on what I did with my free time.
All of that being said, thanks for posting this, I will check out the MacGyver reboot.
Its just a cartoon with real people watched by Big bang therory type kids
So which one will be a tranny?
Enough to give it another episode try out at least.
He is young but so was RDA in the original.
Love Hawaii 50 but, won’t again, until the real Hawaii changes its gun laws
Epic failure, as I was sure it would be.
I wasn’t able to watch the original often but it’s one I’ll have to go find online or somewhere. This just proves there is zip zero nada creativity in entertainment anymore. Pop songs are based on samples of actual music and warbled-to via autotunes, and movies and TV are either reality trash or copies.
I halfway watched the pilot. Had hoped it would be good due to George Eads. Sadly, it was a bore.
Fail
The only thing worse than crappy movie CGI physics defying stunts are crappy network TV CGI physics defying stunts
MacGuyver looked McGuy-ish enough that he STILL looks manly in a mullet. The new guy looks too metrosexual and nerdy. The reason MacGuyver worked was that being such a “dexter” was a bit of a twist: you expect machine guns and get contraptions instead. This guy makes you expect computer viruses.
Agreed. Lasted about 10 minutes.
Justin Hartley was up for the role but didnt get it. He is now on another show called ....this is us
They only ordered 10 of it. Amazing race replaces it
“In terms of MacGyver’s ability to craft gadgets out of household items, that quality still nicely takes center stage.”
Hardly one of those gadgets was actually capable of working in the real world where the laws of physics actually applies.
That is why it was a BS show.
MacGyver was an example of the mindset of pure liberalism where things pretend to work only because it feels good. When with just a few facts it can be shown that those things don’t work.
Yes, in the world of MacGyver, guns are unnecessary.
Nothing at all like the original. Too silly. High school wise cracking all the time. Better improve quickly or its toast.
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