The original MacGyver TV series that aired in the 1980s starred Richard Dean Anderson. The reboot of this popular action adventure show has not managed to bring it home with regard to the cool and calculated handling of crisis situations that Anderson was famous for. Devoted fans of the former long running series will find that there isn’t a great deal of content in the new series that even comes close to mimicking the former glory that kept us on the edges of our seats. Here are 10 reasons why the old MacGyver was way better than the new one.
1. The Absence of Richard Dean Anderson
Fans expect to see Richard Dean Anderson and he’s not even making a cameo appearance on the show. Sure, his trademark mullet may be out of style today, but it was something that we can identify with. Loyal fans would appreciate just a glimpse of him now and then as a mentor or in some other capacity because those of us who faithfully watched the series fell in love with Richard Dean Anderson and we can relate to him as the original who set the bar high for anyone who would follow.
2. Superior Problem Solving
The old MacGyver was more innovative in his solutions to problems. Although the new one has a few cool tricks up his sleeve, his solutions are more on the mediocre side. We’d truly like to see a little more creativity here. So far, the content for Houdini like escapes just hasn’t reached the true MacGyver standards that we’ve come to expect.
3. The Allure of the Lone Wolf
Part of Anderson’s appeal was the fact that he was somewhat of a loner. Lucas Till surrounds himself with a group of cohorts and it sort of detracts from the solo hero features that we had become accustomed to with the first Mac. This takes the focus off of MacGyver as the main character and spreads the glory around. We liked the lone wolf aspect of the first MacGyver.
4. Independence and Ingenuity
The Original MacGyver was more independent. The new one has more people at his disposal to help him out of the jams that he gets in to. Richard Dean Anderson was not surrounded by an entourage of friends and family. He depended on his brilliant mind to figure out how to free himself or escape from many harrowing situations. In the reboot, Mac has plenty of people around to help him figure things out and it lacks the necessity for ingenuity that the previous version offered fans.
5. The Mystery of Inner Pain
The new MacGyver faces plenty of challenges but he lacks the deep seated pain that we grew accustomed to seeing in Anderson. It was as though he was trying to to survive on the inside as much as physically. We watched Anderson make his journey through life while carrying a heavy burden and it was difficult to tell what he was thinking, you just had to assume it. The Mystery of the first Mac drove fans wild, particularly the women. It made you wonder if he would ever find happiness again.
6. Unmatched Sex Appeal
The old MacGyver had more sex appeal. His cool and calm demeanor gave the show personality. You felt like you could count on him to think his way out of any situation that would arise. He was far more collected and a bit on the introverted side, but his intellect was always to the fore. It was more his quiet manner than drew fans in because when the chips were down, the old Mac performed with excellence.
7. The Art of Improvisation
More improvisation is needed. While the new series has a few slick tricks alright, the old one cannot be beat in terms of Macs use of basic principles of science and any common items that he found in near proximity to rig up a device. Mac frequently explained how he got things to work, especially if there was someone else nearby who wondered what he was doing to help the situation.
We enjoyed how he used his Swiss army knife, some tape, a pine cone or a hair pin to create some pretty impressive devices for the time. It was cool to see him think on his feet and use the resources that were around him.
8. The Wisdom of Life Experience
The younger Mac lacks the life experience that the old Mac had. Anderson’s occasional lecture and teaching built the character into a phenomenal intellectual who didn’t feel the need to prove his mettle. That is until it was required to save his skin, or someone else’s skin for that matter. The older Mac was still young, but he had a distinct maturity that we see lacking in the newer version. This is a bit of a disappointment for those of us who were looking for the same quiet and strong persona of the man that emulated the perfect package in masculinity and coolness.
9. The Power of Understatement
The old Mac was more understated with regard to personality. It was as though the writers kept him as a more reserved individual and built crescendos into the script that allowed Mac to shine through at just the right moments in time. The more recent character is more outgoing and has a decidedly different personality that is not close to the original at all. There is a lack of mystery about the current Mac that just doesn’t satisfy the older generation who expect to see at least some of the personality traits that we came to know and love in Richard Dean Anderson’s character.
10. A Compassionate Hero
The torture scene in the new MacGyver shows us that the newer guy lacks the compassion for humanity that we came to love in the old Mac. He looks on approvingly as a terrorist is tortured with a staple gun. Anderson’s character was opposed to any form of unnecessary violence or human suffering and this was part of his magnetic attraction and charm. The old Mac didn’t say a lot that would lead you to this assumption.
No, the power was in his actions and the expressions he would get on his face. He was more a man of compassionate action and although the reboot is not a bad show, it doesn’t even come close to bringing satisfaction for dyed in the wool MacGyver fans, Anderson style.
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