MacGyver – The Complete Fourth Season
Picture: C
Sound: C+ Extras: D Episodes: C+
After taking a break from looking at a few seasons, we now
look at MacGyver - The Complete Fourth Season, thinking all the while
why and how this show was a hit. Taking
the jump we have, it is obvious the show got smoother and more comfortable with
itself and built a younger audience who got a kick out of it. Still haunted by being aged by its Cold War
storylines, these show from the 1988 – 1989 season are listed as if you were
watching the series non-stop, including key stars and directors, plus airdates:
65) The Secret Of Parker
House (10/21/88; Teri Hatcher)
66) Blood Brothers (11/21/88)
67) The Outsiders (11/28/88)
68) On A Wing And A Prayer (12/5/88)
69) Collision Course (12/12/88; G Gordon Liddy)
70) The Survivors (1/9/89)
71) Deadly Dreams (1/16/89)
72) Ma Dalton (1/25/89; Constance Towers)
73) Cleo Rocks (2/6/89; Michael Des Barres, Teri Hatcher)
74) Fraternity Of Thieves (1/13/89; Don Galloway)
75) The Battle Of Tommy Giordano (2/20/89)
76) The Challenge (2/27/89; Cuba Goodings, Jr.)
77) Runners (3/13/89)
78) Gold Rush (3/27/89; Walter Gotell from the James Bond films)
79) The Invisible Killer (4/10/89; Adam Arkin)
80) Brainwashed (4/24/89; Raymond St. Jacques)
81) Easy Target (5/1/89)
82) Renegade (5/8/89; Don Stroud)
83) Unfinished Business (5/15/89)
This time, Michael Caffey was the veteran who mad the
difference, directing many of the better shows here. Once again, a veteran saved the show from catastrophe. Caffey has directed episodes of classics
like Wild, Wild West, Mannix, Ironside, Hawaii Five-O,
Cannon, The Rookies, The Streets Of San Francisco,
Barnaby Jones, Wonder Woman, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries,
CHiPs, Logan’s Run, The Amazing Spider-Man, Dukes Of
Hazzard, Buck Rogers In The 25th Century, Trapper John
M.D. and the Horror In The Heights episode of Kolchak: The Night
Stalker (reviewed elsewhere on this site) and is considered one of the best
shows they did. With that kind of amazing
track record, even when the series listed were not always great, you can see
why Paramount and ABC signed him on. He
is the prime factor that makes this particular season hold up. Richard Dean Anderson got better in the
role, though.
The shows are again here in full frame 1.33 X 1, but there
is a sense of heavy digititis and lack of clarity that is very disappointing,
down to the color, even though the shows were never very colorful. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is not bad though
and on par with The Complete First Season. The Randy Edelman theme is unchanged and still cheesier than
ever, though maybe that is part of the appeal of this show to fans. There are no extras again, which makes no sense. Somebody must have something to say about
the show now! Otherwise, except for
that poor picture, fans should be happy.
- Nicholas Sheffo
