‘MacGyver’ episode 7 review: The closest thing to a ‘Prison Break’ revival you’ll get until March
When we first heard via CBS that Friday night’s new episode of “MacGyver” was going to feature the title hero behind bars, results were mixed. Let’s start with the negative: Why tread on this ground again? Every single crime / action show under the sun does an episode where the main character goes undercover behind bars in order to befriend and extract information from an inmate, while his partner is working around the prison in some facility to watch him. There was absolutely nothing about the idea that was original. Then again, we’re talking about a remake of a show that was unofficially remade in some ways by “Burn Notice” already.
Yet, after watching the episode, sometimes we’re reminded that an entertaining take on an unoriginal idea is better than an original idea that’s a terrible one. There’s a reason why these prison stories work; they’re compelling. You are taking an established character and taking away most of their faculties, surrounding them with dangerous people, and bringing in a wide array of new characters at the same time. It’s a dramatic shift from the norm, and the challenge for the writers comes in figuring out the right way to tap into the soul of the show.
For “MacGyver” and “Can Opener,” they did just that. First and foremost, establishing Riley’s history with prison presented an opportunity to flesh out that character beyond the “confident hacker” archetype that’s become common across many shows. (Also, seeing her alongside Bozer is hysterical.) She was the one who appointed to help properly determine a way for Mac to get out of prison was successful, but a problem quickly surfaced: The Prison reconfiguring its security, rendering it impossible for her to help. All of a sudden, Angus and Jack had to figure out a way to do this more on their own, without compromising their cover and still achieving their mission.
Luckily, Mac was able to do most of his necessary bonding with El Noche in the midst of an escape, showing off his skills and proving himself as a regular Houdini opportunity with such tools as a mop and a diversion of tied-together blankets. Here was the problem: Mac’s still a good guy. He wasn’t going to kill a guard when give proper opportunity, so it was easy to blow his cover. This led him being kidnapped! The escape happened (success), but the downside was facing the possibility of horrible death.
Was Mac’s last-ditch effort to make Riley, Jack, and the rest of the crew aware of his position a stretch? Absolutely, but at the same time, that’s the kind of show this is. No human being would be alive after five minutes doing most of the stuff that happens here, so you just gotta go along for the ride. He was about to be tortured at the El Noche compound when he heard sound of helicopters, and was then able to make his escape. There’s your happy ending! Mac got a chance to head back home in one piece, hopefully realizing that prison is the last place he ever wants to go for an undercover mission again.
As for Riley, the final moments served as a reminder of not only how valuable she was in the end to located MacGyver after the kidnapping, but also how tough she was for surviving in there for two years.
Episode Grade: B. Some of the poignancy that was there with MacGyver speaking of his father or other matters of the heart in recent weeks was gone here, and this episode was largely prison-escape fluff. It’s not altogether memorable and failed to add much to the prison-escape action blueprint — let alone some of the larger mythologies of the show. At the same time, though, you have to praise the show for giving consistent action and entertainment that kept things moving along.
Next week – Bozer’s getting involved! Find out more over at this link. (Photo: CBS.)