JackGywer wrote:
One of the adventure-charged episodes of the first season. I loved these types of episodes a lot.
Later, the episodes changed and sometimes I missed the "old" MacGyver very much.
I've always been fond of the "old" MacGyver, so I'm enjoying the nostalgia factor of these earlier episodes.
My strong memory of Golden Triangle is that I think it was the only MacGyver episode that was never rerun. Back in those days, series ran new episodes until about April or May and then they ran reruns through the summer. I had taped the episodes from the beginning, but I wasn't sure I was going to keep them all, and since Golden Triangle didn't stand out as a favorite for me, I had taped over it. Later, when I decided I was going to keep a complete set, I planned to rerecord it, but it never reran - don't know why.
In fact, as I recall, it didn't show up until the USA network started rerunning them in the 90s, and then they showed versions with scenes edited out to make room for more commercials. My favorite line in the whole episode is "My mom used to make a great broiled chicken. One of my favorites. Funny, I'm starting to feel real sympathetic towards them chickens." And that was the line that was cut out on USA!
When they FINALLY released the DVDs, we were all excited because we would finally have the complete and restored version, but believe it or not, when the season 1 DVDs came out, the version of The Golden Triangle was the same as the edited USA version.
Some of you may remember back then when online fans complained and Paramount finally released season one again with the complete episodes. So I had to buy the season 1 DVDs twice.
Anyway, glad to finally have it now!
BTW, we had a fun conversation at chat last night. We were talking about the MacGyver Drinking Game. Do others remember that far back? It was originally written by Carrie Chin back when about the only MacGyver group online was the MacList. Then in 1996, one of the talk shows RDA did found the game online and showed it to RDA. That interview is in the Video Gallery here - The Daily Show from November 7, 1996. It was fun for all of us to see his reaction to something that had come from our fan group.
Anyway, at chat we were talking about having fun with the game while rewatching these episodes. Whether you do the drinks or the chocolate or just keep score, or whether we use the original version or create one of our own, it's just a fun little way to keep track of some of the details.
For reference, here was the original game:
The MacGyver Drinking Game, written by Carrie Chin
Note: this drinking game is intended to be FUN. In keeping with Our Hero's abstention from the consumption of alcoholic beverages, I recommend chocolate candies (e.g. M&Ms) or similar foodstuffs as a substitute, especially if you'd like to be coherent afterward. Enjoy!
Someone asks MacGyver what he does for a living - One drink
MacGyver wears a tie - Two drinks
MacGyver wears a suit along with the tie - Three drinks
MacGyver isn't just wearing a suit and tie; he's wearing a tuxedo - Chug
Pete isn't wearing his usual suit and tie - Two drinks
Someone asks MacGyver his first name - Two drinks
Mac's first name is spoken aloud - Three drinks
Pete says "DSX" instead of "DXS" - Two drinks
One of MacGyver's friends dies, setting up the story - One drink
Someone asks MacGyver, "Are you a cop or something?" - One drink
A guest actor from a previous episode appears, but as a different character
- One drink
MacGyver dreams of the Old West - Two drinks
MacGyver remembers an incident from his childhood - One drink
MacGyver discusses commitment - Three drinks
MacGyver sets a clever trap to catch the bad guys - One drink
MacGyver bluffs - One drink
MacGyver bluffs successfully - Two drinks
Someone parks really, really badly in order to get a good camera angle - One drink
Someone calls MacGyver "Mac" - One drink
Harry calls MacGyver "Bud" - One drink
MacGyver calls Harry "Harry" - One drink
MacGyver calls Harry "Grandpa" or anything other than "Harry" - Two drinks
Jack Dalton's left eye twitches - One drink
Murdoc escapes a gruesome fiery/falling/crushing/drowning death, only to come back and make MacGyver's life a living hell - One drink
Some other villain/villainess returns to make Mac's life a living hell - Two drinks
Jack Dalton sucks MacGyver into another one of his get-rich-quick schemes - One drink
MacGyver is wounded - One drink (Be careful when watching sixth-season episodes in succession.)
MacGyver performs physically impossible acts (e.g. cable-car acrobatics) after being wounded - One drink for every physically impossible act
MacGyver uses his Dexter alias - Two drinks
MacGyver hotwires a car - One drink
MacGyver gets that "deer facing headlights" look on his face - One drink
MacGyver uses a gun as a tool - One drink
MacGyver uses a gun as a weapon - Chug
MacGyver meets a former high-school/college sweetheart/old flame - One drink
That sweetheart/old flame gets him in trouble - One drink
Jack Dalton gets MacGyver into trouble - One drink
Penny Parker gets MacGyver into trouble - One drink
Pete Thornton gets MacGyver into trouble - Two drinks
Pete arrives on the scene just as things are wrapping up - One drink
Pete arrives on the scene before things wrap up - Two drinks
MacGyver goes on a search for ancient treasure - One drink
Pete tries to talk MacGyver into getting a haircut - Two drinks
MacGyver and Harry reminisce about the old days - One drink
Mac has trouble with any of his cars (engine problems, burnt-out generator, brake failure, bullet holes, etc.) - One drink
Mac rides his own motorcycle or one he's "borrowed" - One drink
Mac wears a helmet while riding - Three drinks
A visiting foreign dignitary/ambassador/corporate magnate has something up his sleeve - One drink
MacGyver disguises himself as one of the bad guys to infiltrate a villain's compound - One drink
Nikki and MacGyver argue/snipe at one another - One drink
MacGyver falls down after delivering the knockout punch - One drink
MacGyver shakes his aching hand after punching someone out - One drink
MacGyver says, "Oh, man" - One drink
Jack Dalton says, "Don't worry - I have a plan" - One drink
MacGyver moves, Zenlike, without making a sound, even on rough terrain - One drink
MacGyver curses - One drink if it's in a first-season episode; otherwise, chug
MacGyver creates a diversion - One drink
MacGyver uses his Swiss Army knife - One drink
MacGyver loses his Swiss Army knife - Three drinks
MacGyver has a roll of duct tape with him - Two drinks
MacGyver plays hockey - One drink
Pete plays hockey with MacGyver - Two drinks
The actors' breaths frost when the show's supposed to be set in balmy Los Angeles - One drink
There's snow on the ground when the show's supposed to be set in balmy Los Angeles - Two drinks
Someone mispronounces MacGyver's name - Two drinks
MacGyver tells someone to stay put - One drink
That person actually stays put and doesn't cause any trouble - Three drinks
Suddenly, there are doors on the Jeep where there were none in the previous scene - Chug
The writers try to explain away one of RDA's many injuries - Two drinks
The episode focuses on an environmental issue - One drink
The episode focuses on a social issue - One drink
The episode's plot appears to have been torn from the current headlines - One drink
The episode includes clips from previous shows - Two drinks
We see MacGyver shirtless - Three drinks
MacGyver expresses a discomfort with/fear of heights - Two drinks
MacGyver displays a skill we haven't seen before (e.g. logging) - Two drinks
MacGyver kisses a woman - One drink if it's in a first-season episode; otherwise, three drinks
MacGyver goes to bed with a woman - Chug heartily.
Kate