This is one of my favorite episodes. For one thing, it demonstrates two decent MacGyverisms: MacGyver using a neon tube to defuse the phosphorous trigger on the bomb, and then low-fat milk and oven cleaner to defuse an acid trigger.
Yes, it's preposterous. Both that Viking somehow planted three airtight bombs, (how did he put the loose phosphorous powder on the trays?) and managed to somehow trigger them a month later. And that nobody found them, despite the fact they had been on the liner for a month each. And yet search crews found them in a matter of an hour or so. And the physics of how the neon pulls out the phosphorous is wonky.
And it's no surprise who Viking really is. Mostly because there's only one likely suspect.
But we get Dana Elcar for the first time as MacGyver's supervisor in a Phoenix-like organization, DXS. Elcar previously played a different character in the pilot. And we get Charlie Robinson, even if he doesn't last long. But the character proved popular enough that they brought him back for the new series.
You also get a minor MacGyverism, with MacGyver rigging a rappel line out of a cargo net and a carbiner. And there's a fair amount of suspense. The bombs may not make sense, physics-wise, but they demonstrate the cleverness of the writers that pervaded the best episodes of the series. And Viking makes a decent nemesis, no matter how unlikely his bombs are.
Richard Dean Anderson is his usual likable stuff. He also handles the drama stuff, mostly after Charlie's death. Yes, there's a certain amount of tropishness, with Charlie having a family and then dying. Sadly, he doens't have three more months until retirement. But Steven Williams is always a class act, and he does a lot with a little.
The treatment of Carole is also kind of chauvinistic. With MacGyver commenting that he's surprised to see she's a woman and *gasp* a liner captain. But overall, it's still a good suspense-filled episode that shows off MacGyver at his best.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Yes, it's preposterous. Both that Viking somehow planted three airtight bombs, (how did he put the loose phosphorous powder on the trays?) and managed to somehow trigger them a month later. And that nobody found them, despite the fact they had been on the liner for a month each. And yet search crews found them in a matter of an hour or so. And the physics of how the neon pulls out the phosphorous is wonky.
And it's no surprise who Viking really is. Mostly because there's only one likely suspect.
But we get Dana Elcar for the first time as MacGyver's supervisor in a Phoenix-like organization, DXS. Elcar previously played a different character in the pilot. And we get Charlie Robinson, even if he doesn't last long. But the character proved popular enough that they brought him back for the new series.
You also get a minor MacGyverism, with MacGyver rigging a rappel line out of a cargo net and a carbiner. And there's a fair amount of suspense. The bombs may not make sense, physics-wise, but they demonstrate the cleverness of the writers that pervaded the best episodes of the series. And Viking makes a decent nemesis, no matter how unlikely his bombs are.
Richard Dean Anderson is his usual likable stuff. He also handles the drama stuff, mostly after Charlie's death. Yes, there's a certain amount of tropishness, with Charlie having a family and then dying. Sadly, he doens't have three more months until retirement. But Steven Williams is always a class act, and he does a lot with a little.
The treatment of Carole is also kind of chauvinistic. With MacGyver commenting that he's surprised to see she's a woman and *gasp* a liner captain. But overall, it's still a good suspense-filled episode that shows off MacGyver at his best.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
