# Identify MacGyver episode
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-macgyver-episode/511663
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [September 26, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-macgyver-episode/511663 "2009-09-26T18:34:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-macgyver-episode/511663/1 "2009-09-26T18:34:19Z")
I remember 3 or 4 groups geniuses hs/college age. They were to invent difficult MacGyver-like challenges to stump the other teams and also try to figure out the solution to the other challenges.
I think MacGyver was one of the judges. IIRC correctly the challenges involved locked rooms. One was on a timer and the solution was to increase the frequency of the 60Hz signal to the clock thereby increasing the speed of the clock and beating the deadline.
Another challenge had you looking in a peephole but you were actually looking at a model of the room instead of the room itself which threw the other teams off the solution.
IIRC the climax of the episode one of the kids defuses a bomb that he himself built.
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### Author:  [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-macgyver-episode/511663/2 "2009-09-26T18:41:50Z")
Ahh!! A question about my favorite show ever! The episode is called “Hell Week” and is from the third season.
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### Author:  [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-macgyver-episode/511663/3 "2009-09-26T19:12:57Z")
Wow! SDMB is the shit! Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-macgyver-episode/511663/4 "2009-09-26T19:22:18Z")
Another MacGyver question. In which episode did he disarm a nuclear bomb with a tennis racquet?
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### Author:  [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2009, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-macgyver-episode/511663/5 "2009-09-26T19:33:21Z")
> [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](#):
>
> Another MacGyver question. In which episode did he disarm a nuclear bomb with a tennis racquet?
It was in the made-for-tv movie “Trail to Doomsday”.
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### Author:  [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-macgyver-episode/511663/6 "2009-09-26T20:09:22Z")
infinitii do you have a top 5 that you’d recommend? “Hell week” is the only episode I remember specific details of.
Found “Hell week” on [cbs.com](http://cbs.com). Good as I remembered.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-macgyver-episode/511663/7 "2009-09-26T20:14:09Z")
BTW, I believe that competition is based on a [real one](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caltech#Annual_events) at Caltech (which was clearly the model for the school in the episode).
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### Author:  [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-macgyver-episode/511663/8 "2009-09-26T21:14:14Z")
> [@enomaj](#):
>
> infinitii do you have a top 5 that you’d recommend? “Hell week” is the only episode I remember specific details of.
>
> Found “Hell week” on [cbs.com](http://cbs.com). Good as I remembered.
MacGyver is, as I mentioned, probably my favorite show of all time (perhaps only rivaled by The Pretender, but that’s another story entirely). I heard a story once (I haven’t been able to locate it since, so no cite, but it seems logical enough) that Paramount wanted a show made to take advantage of their increasingly diverse film library, and so MacGyver was born (this would explain why wholesale plots and stock footage from such movies as “The Italian Job”, “The Naked Jungle”, “Juggernaut”, “Sorcerer” and “Salvador” can be found in Season 1, as well as the fact that this lessened as the show went on), a show which went on to provide 7 full seasons and two tv movies, as well as being a staple of 80s television and I think sort of made it cool to like science.
I could also get into how I think the first season sort of resembles a Robert Bresson in its use of actors and focus on Richard Dean Anderson’s hands as he works, and the fact that the science advisor was a fascinating gemologist (!?) named John Koivula, and that it was he who inspired the Swiss Army Knife and etc., but you didn’t ask that. You asked for episodes I would recommend. The best episodes are definitely among the first few seasons, because the last seasons became more heavy-handed, but there are also gems to be found there as well. My favorite episodes would definitely include:
Pilot – The first episode – directed by Alan Smithee!
The Human Factor – MacGyver vs. a computerized security system
Phoenix Under Siege – Mac and his grandpa saving The Phoenix Foundation
Deadly Dreams – Introduces the Hannibal Lecter like Dr. Zito
Cleo Rocks – Just a fun episode – with Teri Hatcher playing Cleopatra in a musical
Serenity – Another fun one – MacGyver dreams he’s in the Old West
Honest Abe – Possibly my favorite episode, based on the movie “In-Laws”
Twice Stung – A con-man episode, and if I’m not mistaken it coins the term macgyverism
Fraternity of Thieves – Has one of my favorite macgyverisms-- countering a poison with photo fixer
Strictly Business – My favorite Murdoc (MacGyver’s arch-enemy) episode
Also: if anyone knows where the stock footage of the marathon being run on a bridge from the episode “Ugly Duckling” comes from, I would be greatful for any help locating it.
Please let me know of any other questions.
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### Author:  [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-macgyver-episode/511663/9 "2009-09-27T02:05:32Z")
One of my favorites was the one with the aging virus. I was a kid when I saw it, and I was so scared for MacGyver and Pete. Luckily, they got away, but the dying woman gave me nightmares.
> [@infinitii](#):
>
> It was in the made-for-tv movie “Trail to Doomsday”.
Thanks. I recall one of the movies had something with planets aligning, which was pretty silly.