MacGyver

I used to watch the original series back in the 80s so it is unavoidable to compare that series with its 2016 reboot.

80s Macgyver was a secret agent with a difference! He was quiet, modest, mild mannered, deeply principled and refused to carry a gun on his missions.

2016's MacGyver is more like a caricature of 007 and Mission Impossible.

The pilot episode starts ridiculously: "Here's my assistant Nikki. She has 156 science awards from MIT and NASA. 50 companies including Google, Apple, SpaceX, Samsung and PepsiCo offered her a gazillion dollars to work for them but she refused, so to work for $200/week in my secret organization. Did I mention she is 25 y.o. and smokin' hot? Oh, Yes she is! and I bone her over some fake computers we have in this series as props!".

"And here is my other friend Johnny Rambo. He saved my life in Algeria, Angola, Liberia, Djibouti, Burundi, Malaysia, Bangladesh but please...please DO NOT talk to him about that time in Cairo."

"And this other smoking hot woman, tall and exotic and super-duper top secret spy, that you never heard of, is my ...boss".

"And who am I, you ask? Well, most certainly I'M NOT Angus Macgyver."

Honestly, I can't believe the writers. Are they idiots? Have they ever saw the original series?

And what about the Cast. I'm thinking of the charismatic Richard Dean Anderson with nostalgia right now.

Overall: A totally generic sub-par TV series for its own shake, but a total disgrace for baring the name of one of the most iconic heroes on TV.

It's not as bad as the reviews says. It's a funny cool silly action show. Fun to watch

Most of the reviews here compare this version (inevitably) to the one starring Richard Dean Anderson. Now I've seen only a few episodes of the original and, although there are a few differences, the character itself hasn't changed much. It's like Smallville rather than Superman, a much younger version of the same character.

RDA's MacGyver was quiet and modest and mild-manner, but so is this one. He is as staunchly loyal to his friends as RDA's version. Granted, he frequently breaks the fourth wall, but that only makes the show more believable (at least, to me). Most of the actual 'macgyverings' too are almost equally surprising and awesome. This version does use more chemicals, but then there are more chemicals around us nowadays.

So, for all those comparing this version with the old, just relax and give in to the fun! This is entertainment, after all. My rating: 7 stars.

I believe this could have been a great reboot. Lucas Till had the potential to pull off the modern day MacGyver for this generation. However with all the other senseless drama surrounding MacGyver with his team and relationships and poor story telling, "MacGyver" never had a chance. The original was so much better by far and Richard Dean Anderson set the bar high. Honestly surprised it lasted 5 seasons.

Did they really need to name it MacGyver?

I caught the pilot episode via Roku TV and I thought it was well written and well executed. It had story and action and that's what I look for, especially the story.

I get it that the Richard Dean Anderson iteration has come and gone, so no need to compare. The new guy really has his own qualities, but it's really nothing MacGyver like.

Too many rehashing of old ideas in Hollywood of late. While again, I thought Lucas Till brought his own charm and qualities to the role, couldn't the creators think of another name?

Sure, "Name Recognition" most will say, but it's hit or miss using old names and titles. The advertising, writing the execution will determine its popularity and if it goes on.

Five seasons wasn't bad considering it was a remake. But creators these days need to try to come up with catchier names/titles so they don't face the stigma of remakes and be compared to them.