Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 27th, 1986 —
MacGyver protects a group of juvenile delinquents from rattlesnakes, mountain lions, and each other
MISSION: MacGyver is assigned to take over as scout leader for a group of teenaged gang members sent on a wilderness hike for rehabilitation. Can they learn to work together to survive in the wild?
This week’s highlights include:
Theodolite (Topography)
A theodolite is a precision instrument for measuring angles in the horizontal and vertical planes. Theodolites are used mainly for surveying applications, and have been adapted for specialized purposes in fields like meteorology and rocket launch technology.
Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodolite
Watch S2E5: “Final Approach” on CBS’s website or check the alternative streamability of this episode here.
In this episode, MacGyver does a fantastic job turning the youngsters around by being a true leader: someone followed because he knows what he’s doing, not because of an “or else”, and indeed, even these control freak kids start to listen to him instead of feeling like they’re just being bossed around, start to reciprocate his compassion instead of seeing it as a weakness, and eventually they are able to work together as a team. MacGyver doesn’t harass Luther for refusing to help: he understands that the inner transformation cannot be forced or rushed. The lost knife is a great story. I remembered it almost word by word and MacGyver made his general disapproval of honour killing clear enough by then that it doesn’t look like he was suggesting that killing Ramón would only be immoral if Luther was wrong about him.