?New Mac series from creator Lee Zlotoff

[yolie]

Hi everyone, I just read in my newspaper today in the Sacramento Bee, that the creator of our old Mac series, Lee Zlotoff will be teaming up to bring a new series which may star a woman. According to the article, his MacGyver Foundation will team up with the the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and USC"s Viterbi School of Engineering for a new contest. It also it may be sponsored by the United Engineering Foundation.
The contest seeks ideas for a new TV series in which a female engineer is the star. Five winners will receive cash prizes and work with a panel of mentors. The contest's goal is not so much to discover new television talent. but to get a show on the air that will inspire a new generation of women to pursue science and engineering degrees, according to the contest website.
The articles did mention Rick's role in the series which ran from 1985-1992. Would like to ask what you think of this and do you think it will come to be a good idea? For me the original series can never be replaced because I think Rick was perfect for that role. He was so humble in that role as MacGyver.
Also sorry this was so long but typed this from the article. No mentioned as to the author of the article but it was on the Name and Faces part of today's Sunday edition.

[Anne]

http://thenextmacgyver.com/

Here's the link

It says on the website "Can you imagine that next female hero that will inspire a generation of young women to see themselves as engineers?"

I think basically this is a cool idea to encourage girls and women to find their inner MacGyver and become engineers etc. So this is great and I hope that lots of great ideas will come out of it. RDA won't be back as MacGyver no matter how much we want him to be, so if this is their way to do it... great.

For me personally - as a viewer - this doesn't hold my interest because I already have a MacGyver on DVD and he's the only one I want. Plus, I'm not really into female lead roles on TV. Not because I think there shouldn't be strong, leading women on TV but because personally I'm not interested in watching shows like that. I watch for pure entertainment and I love buddy shows and I need at least one guy in a leading role. I don't mind pairs like Castle or Lois and Clark or X-Files (Mulder and Scully) but there has to be a guy for me to be interested So I wouldn't watch it for the same reasons I wouldn't watch the all-female Ghostbusters.

[tvero80]

I totally agree with Anne.I know that today women may (are) equal to men (and could /can replace them) but I prefer a series based on a male character. Mac is a man ,not a woman.And I think ,for lack of imagination,people (Lee Zlotoff) want to be successful again thanks to a great (though old) idea.Simplistic.I don't buy it,sorry.
V

[Djaïpur]

If ever they want to "reload" it, they have to change many things, and woman would be a better idea to my point of view. 'cause MacGyver is Rick, and no one else!

[yolie]

Thanks everyone and was very surprised to see that article. Agree that Rick made the role what it is and is irreplacable in that part. Although I agree women can play strong roles, there can only be one Mac, right, indeed!! Thanks for all your thoughts on this.

[nicolemj@otenet.gr]

I agree with all of you ladies. Rick is THE ONE AND ONLY MAC and can never be replaced. There's no doubt about it. Now if they want to turn Mac into a female role, that's fine, but I don't think I would be interested either. I might watch an episode, simply out of curiosity, just to see the differences, but other than that, no thanks. Rick was absolutely perfect as MacGyver, and everyone who loves the original show, wouldn't like a re-make. Besides, I believe that when they try to create new series, based on a hit series of the past, never got to be as successful as the original. MacGyver is Richard Dean Anderson and he will remain in our minds and our hearts as the most adorable character ever.

[Annelies]

I had this really strange fantasy coming up today thinking of the new MacGyver series, if they come, with a female Lead..
I saw this 65 year old grandpa, i wont use names, sitting on the dock fishing with the lines from his grandfather Harry, while suddenly his granddaughter visites him and they got in to trouble.. Sam is on his way to the cabin also where the three meet.. I cracked when I thought of it but could be I'm the only one

[EileenR]

From what I've read about it I don't think they're looking to reboot or remake the series, but they're using the 'MacGyver' name as a point of reference to get people thinking about the type of character they're looking for. A hero who uses they're brain (in this case engineering skills) to solve problems...on a weekly basis in under 60 minutes and is female

The writer in me is intrigued by the competition side of it and the more I move away from the idea of not trying to remake such a classic show, the more I'm interested. But you're right they would need a male role as one of the key supports as shows work best with that type of character chemistry.

But there will only ever be one MacGyver.

[Anne]

Yes, that's what I'm thinking too - that they are not creating a new MacGyver, they are just using the idea and the basics to create a new heroine. It's better than a remake, that's for sure. However, there is more and more MacGyverism on TV these days anyway in almost every show I watch. I wish them luck and success even though I'm most likely not gonna watch it.

[Karyyl]

As a software engineer, I'd like to see this. Women from all over the world are having NO trouble with this, it seems to be a European and North American view that women can't do this. I'd like more company.