THE ESCAPE

01.20 Episode 20 (#40191-020)
Airdate: April 16, 1986

In North Africa MacGyver is hired by a woman to spring her brother, a missionary, from prison. But the scheme turns out to be different from what MacGyver expected.

Written by: Fred McKnight & Stephen Kandel
Directed by: Don Chaffey

Guest Starring: Kristina Wayborn as Sarah Ashford, Paul Verdier as François Villars, John De Lancie as Brian Ashford, Miguel Fernandes as Khan, Vic Polizos as Commandant, Mike Moroff as Fuad, Jeanne Hepple as Sister Ann, Gary Krakower as Warder, Eric Fleeks as First Officer

Nielsen Ratings: 15.7 rating / 25 share / 1st (21st overall)

Reference: Africa, Brian Ashford, Sara Ashford, Commandant, Fuad, Harosh Prison, Khan, Sister Ann, François Villars

MACGYVERISMS

Assaulted police officers by spraying soda as a "weapon."

Made a hot air balloon from a soccer ball, newspaper, olive oil, and cotton ball.

Fixed Khan's stereo speakers using a knife as a screwdriver.

Used chalk to write a secret message on his hand.

Used a spatula and a ceiling fan to simulate the sound of helicopters.

Made an explosive from PCP and a volatile liquid.

Made a timer using an electrical circuit and a block of ice.

Used a tape recorder, timer, and PA system to simulate an aerial assault.

Made a fuse by laying a trail of gunpowder from a grenade.

NOTES OF INTEREST

• MacGyver plays soccer, but by his own admission he plays badly.
• The first men to fly over Paris were the French Montgolfier brothers in the first hot air balloon.
• The series frequently used a hand double for Richard Dean Anderson during second unit work and close-up scenes. The hand double is especially noticeable in this and future episodes during the close-up scenes of MacGyverisms.
• Although not indicated in the episode, the captions identify the terrorists who came to buy the weapons as Nigerian.
• MacGyver wears a fabric jacket with a red lining.
• Familiar Faces:
  • John De Lancie, who portrays Brian Ashford, also played Janos Christophe Bartok in multiple episodes of Legend, and Colonel Frank Simmons in multiple episodes of Stargate SG-1.
  • Miguel Fernandes, who portrays Khan, also played Commander Kalfas in the Stargate SG-1 episode "Memento."

MEMORABLE REMARKS

• Well, like the man said, no good deed goes unpunished. [MacGyver]
• You may be right, François, but they can only lock me up, not my mind. [MacGyver]
• MacGyver, the great risk in this ugly little prison world is that we forget to be human. We forget we have pride, feelings, courage. I would like to remember those things. [François Villars]
• Fuad, you are one miserable son of a diseased camel. [MacGyver]
• Let me tell you something, comrade. I've never hit a woman before, but you've come darn close. [MacGyver]

FOR THE RECORD

• Duct Tape Count: (1)
  • Used duct tape to tape the spatula to the ceiling fan.
• Injury Scorecard:
  • MacGyver is beat up by police officers that he accosted with sprayed soda.
  • MacGyver is beat up by Fuad.

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