• Netflix
  check
• DVD player
  check
• An appreciation for Richard Dean Anderson
  *drool* I mean, check! (Wow, he looks so YOUNG!!!)
• Tolerance for 80s-style kitch
  Yeah, I guess. I mean, I loved watching the first couple of seasons of Moonlighting (and hope they will release the rest on DVD asap!) So I should be able to handle this.
• A degree in physics
  not quite, but close enough
• A degree in chemistry
  check! But I think I needed another class or two in applied chemistry, especially applied organic chemistry.
• Willing suspension of disbelief
  Sure. I mean, why wouldn't there be a pole just the right size be in that pile of rubble? And just because the building is half-destroyed, it's not like the power or water should be affected, neh?

(No spoilers past the second episode, please!)
 

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Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
 
What, you haven't watched MacGyver before? Spoilers would ruin it for you? Wow.

Huh. Maybe I watched them all because
a. it's a Canadian show and
b. I lived in Canada.

Happy MacGyvering! *drool*
 

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Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
 
You should also have a roll of duct tape on hand.

I've seen a few episodes of MacGyver, and it's very weird seeing someone who looks an awful lot like Jack O'Neill doing all those smart, resourceful things.
 

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Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
 
Duct tape. Nah, that's more of a Red Green Show kind of thing.
 

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Posted by Miro (Member # 1178) on :
 
Me too.
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by quidscribis:
What, you haven't watched MacGyver before? Spoilers would ruin it for you? Wow.

Huh. Maybe I watched them all because
a. it's a Canadian show and
b. I lived in Canada.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Shigosei:
You should also have a roll of duct tape on hand.

---

Well, but that's true IRL too.

quote:

---

I've seen a few episodes of MacGyver, and it's very weird seeing someone who looks an awful lot like Jack O'Neill doing all those smart, resourceful things.

---

Was that a slam at Jack? *glare*

Actually, the fascinating thing to me is the fact that RDA's faint Texas (I think) accent as MacGyver is utterly convincing -- and quite subtle -- despite the fact that his actual Minnesota accent is quite audible when he is O'Neill. That there is great acting.


I am also impressed with myself. I recognized James Saito. Not only that, I was sure he had been on ST and . . . something else. (Well, several something elses, clearly. I suspect MASH was what my brain had in mind.)
 

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Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 

quote:

---

A degree in physics
not quite, but close enough

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Um, no.

IIRC, the first season was OK the after that his concoctions were so ludicrous that it was insulting to the viewer's intelligence.

I loved this show as a kid.

I should have never watched it as an adult. I spoiled half my childhood by ruining MacGyver.
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 
mph, so far I've only watched two and a half episodes. So far we've had the Law of Reflection, clever uses of water pressure (mimicking osmotic pressure in tree roots) and air pressure, and some more.

It's not surprising the believability went downhill (and as I indicated, it was stretched a bit even in the pilot). It must have been HARD to think up this stuff!
 

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Posted by IanO (Member # 186) on :
 
I, too, loved MacGyver as a kid. I even tried (unsuccessfully) to do some of his stunts.

Then, a friend and I were fooling around with a video camera and decided to make "Young MacGyver" show. The episode we came up with centered on Young Mac trying to get into his locked out house in time to watch Tiny Toons.

First, there was some scheme about using current to magnetize the lock plate to the same polarity of the locking mechanism, so that it would shoot it out and the door would unlike. In the story, it failed (duh.)

Then, he got a friend's garage door opener (the ones with the dip switches on the back). He used the dip switches to set the transmitted code to the one his garage door used. If I recall correctly, this worked (as I know it did in real life. My brother and I had to do this once to get in the house and he happened to remember the code.)

Once in the house, the climax was that the show wasn't on- wrong day or pre-empted or something (this was about 16 years ago.)

MacGyver was cool. But I can't watch it anymore. Same with Dukes of Hazzard, which I couldn't stand after I turned 13.
 

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Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
 

quote:

---

A degree in physics
not quite, but close enough
A degree in chemistry
check! But I think I needed another class or two in applied chemistry, especially applied organic chemistry.

---

I'd say that a degree in chemistry, physics or engineering is more likely to spoil watching MacGyver than anything. I think the requirement should be

A High School Physics and Chemistry class.

This will give you enough knowledge to make MacGyverisms seem plausible but not enough to understand why they actually wouldn't work.
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
I never watched it as a kid, but they show it on Spike TV. If I'm feeling sick and have nothing else to do, I watch it just to watch RDA run around in those tight jeans.
 

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Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
 
On a related note, I watched the first few episodes of the second season of 21 Jumpstreet this weekend.

It was not very good. The star of the show is the soundtrack.

Also, Johnny Depp is twenty years older and barely looks it. He has clearly been bathing in virgin's blood.
 

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Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
 
"...enough knowledge to make MacGyverisms seem plausible but not enough to understand why they actually wouldn't work."

Which is a good thing. The last thing this country needs is accuracy in action/adventure movies and television. Already got more than enough pipe-bombing weirdos running around, thankyouverymuch.

[ October 10, 2005, 03:03 PM: Message edited by: aspectre ]
 

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Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 

quote:

---

I'd say that a degree in chemistry, physics or engineering is more likely to spoil watching MacGyver than anything. I think the requirement should be

A High School Physics and Chemistry class.

This will give you enough knowledge to make MacGyverisms seem plausible but not enough to understand why they actually wouldn't work.

---

Exactly.
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 
*sad* The ones in the first couple episodes were not all that implausible (ok, so a sodium reaction would look very different than what was shown, but if I can cope with Star Trek physics . . .). And I love the concept. In fact, I put the rest of the three seasons available on DVD in my Netflix queue.

*sticks ears in fingers and sings*
 

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Posted by Sopwith (Member # 4640) on :
 
You've got to have a Swiss Army knife...
 

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Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
...and two paperclips, a rubber band, and some nail polish.
 

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Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by ketchupqueen:
...and two paperclips, a rubber band, and some nail polish.

---

No, no. That's what you need to have with you if you are going to be a contestant on "Let's Make a Deal".
 

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Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
 
Hey, compared to the "A-Team" McGyver was down right realistic.
 

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Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
 
I pity da fool who compares "McGyver" to "A-Team".

You might as well compare "All My Children" to "The Guiding Light".
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sopwith:
You've got to have a Swiss Army knife...

---

quote:

---

Was that a slam at Jack? *glare*

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by rivka:
*sticks ears in fingers and sings*

---

You seem to be doing that a lot lately. It's nice that you enjoy MacGyver, though. But when you grow up, Firefly will be waiting.
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Shigosei:
Jack has his own type of intelligence--he's good with tactics, and he's witty. Also, he knows a lot about astronomy, which is extremely cool. But I can just imagine him in the same room with MacGyver, with the same blank look he has when Carter starts talking about wormhole physics. He's just not that much of a technical guy, it seems to me.

---

Ok. That makes sense.

Sorry if I'm overly defensive about Jack. I think I'm feeling slightly guilty about drooling over RDA's earlier incarnation. (He's just so YOUNG!)
 

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Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
 
Nah, I like Jack as a character. Actually, I like the whole team. I think Carter's probably my favorite, but Jack's a close second. His sense of humor makes Stargate fun. Sort of like Wash and Firefly.

Funny characters are awesome.
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jon Boy:

quote:

---

Originally posted by rivka:
*sticks ears in fingers and sings*

---

You seem to be doing that a lot lately.

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Twice! Just twice!

. . . in five minutes.
 

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Posted by Treason (Member # 7587) on :
 
a toothpick, some chewed gum, a tack and some bellybutton lint.
 

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Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
 
..and a book of matches..
 

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Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
 
Don't forget the bag of ice! And carrots!
 

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