The ever-resourceful MacGyver is coming back to TV, but he won’t be quite as experienced at making great escapes. A reboot of the ’80s series following the adventures of problem-solving secret agent Angus MacGyver is in development for CBS TV Studios, according to Variety.
Like the original, MacGyver will be the focus of the show, but this time around, the series is expected to focus on his early career. He’ll be shown as a new recruit to a covert agency who is developing his unique talents and innovative brain. Presumably, the series will feature just as many narrow escapes as its predecessor did, and as much out-of-the-box thinking.
On the original MacGyver, which ran for seven seasons, the title character was played by Richard Dean Anderson. MacGyver wasn’t your typical covert operative; unlike Jason Bourne and James Bond, he didn’t spend much time firing guns or beating down bad guys. Instead, his biggest weapons were his brain and his trusty Swiss Army Knife. It’s no coincidence that his name is now used as a verb that means coming up with a creative fix when you don’t have the ideal tools available to you.
The MacGyver reboot comes at a time when remakes and revivals are everywhere. Charlie’s Angels, originally a ’70s TV show, is set to get yet another film reboot; late ’80s family sitcom Full House is getting a sequel series; a new take on the Ghostbusters series is coming; and the list goes on. It will be interesting, though, to see how MacGyver is altered when he’s brought into the 21st century. Technology has changed so much since the show aired that he might need a background in computer science to keep up.
One of the original producers, Henry Winkler, is back for the reboot, and he’ll work with fellow exec producers Scott Gemmill (NCIS: Los Angeles), James Wan (Furious 7), and Michael Clear.
