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What do we think of "MacGyver"?
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Casuls_Die_Thrice lemmy.zip Casuls_Die_Thrice@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-06-14
(edited) Quote

Given Lemmy’s leftward sociopolitical skew, the appreciation for Star Trek makes perfect sense, but what do we think of “MacGyver”? I specifically refer to the 85-92 Richard Dean Anderson show; I know there’s a reboot but I haven’t seen it yet.

Let’s see…

-Leftward socio-political commentary, including environmental activism and anti-authoritarianism

-Male protagonist with actual outward sensitivity & feelings

-“Open-source”; makes his own tools/gadgets from whatever’s available instead of relying on a corporate supply chain.

Sounds right up this platform’s alley.

I’m halfway through season 2 and it’s pretty damn good; it’s basically James Bond as an overgrown Boy Scout and that’s actually rather endearing.

74   Original
csolisr hub.azkware.net csolisr@hub.azkware.net
Joined: 2026-02-16
#2 · Quote Reply

In my country, MacGyver became the synonym par excellence of crafty bricolage/DIY, so, at least there was a durable cultural impact.

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expatriado lemmy.world expatriado@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-18
#3 · Quote Reply

it was my favorite show when i was 8-10 years old, it has been 35+ years since last watched, glad it holds

30
Skyrmir lemmy.world Skyrmir@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-02
#4 · Quote Reply

Next show in the genre would be Burn Notice. The reboot of MacGyver never seemed to hit like the original to me.

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TribblesBestFriend startrek.website TribblesBestFriend@startrek.website
Joined: 2025-01-30
#5 · Quote Reply

Didn’t had the willpower to finish the first, does it become better ?

My only reference are Patty and Selma

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schipelblorp sh.itjust.works schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2026-05-16
#6 · Quote Reply

It's kind of annoying when you post the same subject across multiple lemmys.

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Casuls_Die_Thrice lemmy.zip Casuls_Die_Thrice@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-06-14
#7 · (edited) Quote Reply

Didn’t had the willpower to finish the first, does it become better ? My only reference are Patty and Selma

As I recall, there’s more focus on the NGO spy group he was working with in the first season. Also the season premiere involves AI, so there’s relevance to reality.

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ChristerMLB piefed.social ChristerMLB@piefed.social
Joined: 2026-02-04
#8 · Quote Reply

Yep. The science isn't always accurate, but the values are good.

Back when it ran, environmentalism and anti-authoritarianism weren't as clearly tied to the left as it is today.

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ScientifficDoggo lemmy.zip ScientifficDoggo@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2024-07-17
#9 · Quote Reply

I actually really liked the series. It was perfectly campy and got me through some depression. Got the DVD set for my bday.

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KoboldCoterie pawb.social KoboldCoterie@pawb.social
Joined: 2023-06-05
#10 · Quote Reply

In my country, MacGyver became the synonym par excellence of crafty bricolage/DIY, so, at least there was a durable cultural impact.

Definitely a thing here, too. If you're going to put together some crazy DIY workaround to a problem, you can say you're going to MacGyver that shit and everyone knows exactly what you mean.

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ultranaut lemmy.world ultranaut@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-15
#11 · Quote Reply

I watched it for the first time in decades last year, it was a lot better than I expected.

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Apeman42 lemmy.world Apeman42@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-01
#12 · Quote Reply

He's essentially a low-level superhero whose power is creativity and inventiveness, what's not to love? I kinda always wanted to see a one-shot comic crossover where MacGyver temporarily gets a Green Lantern ring to help an incapacitated Hal Jordan or something.

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LowJacK604 lemmy.ml LowJacK604@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2026-08-17
#13 · Quote Reply

I loved it when I was younger. A lot of it filmed locally in Vancouver. The Phoenix Foundation, where he works, is on Georgia Street, not far from Stanley Park.

Still remember him stopping a nuclear reactor leak with chocolate and baking scones along a rock face while camping with dysfunctional youth.

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GrayBackgroundMusic lemmy.zip GrayBackgroundMusic@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2025-06-30
#14 · Quote Reply

Yep. The science isn't always accurate, but the values are good. Back when it ran, environmentalism and anti-authoritarianism weren't as clearly tied to the left as it is today.

I have no evidence on this, but the rumor was that early on the science and tech was accurate and caused irl problems so they made it more goofy to avoid causing trouble. Again no source for this.

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GrayBackgroundMusic lemmy.zip GrayBackgroundMusic@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2025-06-30
#15 · Quote Reply

It's kind of annoying when you post the same subject across multiple lemmys.

For those of us not subbed to everything, it's fine. Even if I see things multiple times, I vote and move on. It's fine.

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DagwoodIII piefed.social DagwoodIII@piefed.social
Joined: 2025-06-17
#16 · Quote Reply

If it's good enough for Patty and Selma, it's good enough for me!

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tacosanonymous mander.xyz tacosanonymous@mander.xyz
Joined: 2025-06-30
#17 · Quote Reply

Next show in the genre would be Burn Notice. The reboot of MacGyver never seemed to hit like the original to me.

Anwar and Donovan were amazing in that. Having Bruce Campbell as comedic relief was chef’s kiss

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dontbelievethis sh.itjust.works dontbelievethis@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2025-06-07
#18 · Quote Reply

We?

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csolisr hub.azkware.net csolisr@hub.azkware.net
Joined: 2026-02-16
#19 · Quote Reply

In my country, MacGyver became the synonym par excellence of crafty bricolage/DIY, so, at least there was a durable cultural impact.

Also, before I forget: peak opening theme, nailed the "action/mystery" vibes

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Vanth reddthat.com Vanth@reddthat.com
Joined: 2023-06-22
#20 · Quote Reply

I never watched it, so I mostly know of the character through SNL spoof MacGruber.

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Mucki feddit.org Mucki@feddit.org
Joined: 2024-06-24
#21 · Quote Reply

Whenever I touch a paper clip I have to think about him and get the feeling that I can build anything I want rightaway. Loved the series. Gonna rewatch it soon, that's for sure. Good old TV stuff. Maybe also some A-Team later on.

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Malyca lemmy.zip Malyca@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-04-13
#22 · Quote Reply

I loved watching it as a kid. I loved his ingenuity.

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white_nrdy programming.dev white_nrdy@programming.dev
Joined: 2024-08-16
#23 · Quote Reply

Next show in the genre would be Burn Notice. The reboot of MacGyver never seemed to hit like the original to me.

I love Burn Notice. I should rewatch it...

1
csolisr hub.azkware.net csolisr@hub.azkware.net
Joined: 2026-02-16
#24 · Quote Reply

It's kind of annoying when you post the same subject across multiple lemmys.

Lemmy added the option to natively cross-post to multiple communities for a good reason - sometimes a topic is relevant to multiple communities, sometimes multiple servers have a similar community. I don't mind it much, as long as the client can filter things out.

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csolisr hub.azkware.net csolisr@hub.azkware.net
Joined: 2026-02-16
#25 · Quote Reply

He's essentially a low-level superhero whose power is creativity and inventiveness, what's not to love? I kinda always wanted to see a one-shot comic crossover where MacGyver temporarily gets a Green Lantern ring to help an incapacitated Hal Jordan or something.

MacGyver with a Green Lantern ring would get inducted in the Corps faster than you could recite the oath

2
NauticalNoodle lemmy.ml NauticalNoodle@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2024-03-13
#26 · (edited) Quote Reply

McGyver so to say went on a lot of fun adventures. I had a good time watching him even though I knew most of his solutions weren't realistic.

Did I mention that most of his solutions weren't realistic?

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ripcord lemmy.world ripcord@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-10
#27 · Quote Reply

It's good

4
boonhet lemmy.zip boonhet@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-08-12
#28 · Quote Reply

In my country, MacGyver became the synonym par excellence of crafty bricolage/DIY, so, at least there was a durable cultural impact.

"Just fix it with some mcgyver tape" is also absolutely something you hear in my country

3
Kuadhual lemmy.world kuadhual@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-04
#29 · Quote Reply

I have no evidence on this, but the rumor was that early on the science and tech was accurate and caused irl problems so they made it more goofy to avoid causing trouble. Again no source for this.

I remembered some one was trying to make a bomb or a gun based on the series.

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100_kg_90_de_belin feddit.it 100_kg_90_de_belin@feddit.it
Joined: 2023-06-10
#30 · Quote Reply

You bad-mouthed MacGyver, didn't you?

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Count042 lemmy.ml Count042@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2021-11-09
#31 · Quote Reply

I remembered some one was trying to make a bomb or a gun based on the series.

The first episode had the ingredients of thermite accurately, and they got sued.

Thermite is incredibly simple and even kids can make it, if they know how.

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ChristerMLB piefed.social ChristerMLB@piefed.social
Joined: 2026-02-04
#32 · Quote Reply

I have no evidence on this, but the rumor was that early on the science and tech was accurate and caused irl problems so they made it more goofy to avoid causing trouble. Again no source for this.

ah, yeah that makes sense

2
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