In Review: MacGyver (S5 – E4) Banh Bao + Sterno + Drill + Burner + Mason

Synopsis: This week on MacGyver. Mac’s meeting with Desi’s parents goes sideways when her brother finds himself in trouble and desperately needs their help. Russ and Matty must ask an old nemesis Elliot Mason for assistance when their new recruitment candidate is kidnapped.

The Story

This week on MacGyver you get two stories for the price of one. Mac’s main storyline sees him visiting Desi’s parents which, inadvertently becomes the most awkward meet the parent’s story ever. To begin with, Desi’s brother is in some serious trouble and it needs both MacGyver and Desi to help him. The lives of her parents are literally on the line due to some real estate scam, which Desi’s brother has found himself linked with.

The B-Story, which I think was the more compelling of the two sees Russ and Matty trying to recruit some new talent. However, when that new talent. A teenage technology wizard turns out to be wanted by the FBI due to his dead parents having hidden a valuable cell phone. Russ and Matty have to seek the help of former FBI agent Elliot Mason. Of course given past dealings. Mason wants nothing to do with it.

The Acting

It was nice to see Peter Weller reprise the role of Elliot Mason who is one of this shows saving graces when it comes to its recurring characters. This episode if anything provides us with a bit more backstory about Mason. It may even clue us into why he left the FBI. Weller’s scenes with Henry Ian Cusick’s Russ Taylor were filled with an understandable degree of tension. But once on the mission, the two worked pretty well off of each other. The highlight was really Weller’s scenes with Ben Wang who plays young Eli. The scene where they try to help Eli remember was particularly harrowing and well-acted.

The main story of Desi taking MacGyver to meet her parents had those fun elements of the dysfunctional family that are often fun to play with. Both Lucas Till and Levy Tran do a pretty good job of playing with the storyline of domestic life being disturbed via a real estate scam. Furthermore, Michael Paul Chan and Page Leong were brilliant as Desi’s parents.

Overall

A fun episode even though. The B – Story with Peter Weller was the stronger part of it. In fact, that storyline would have worked well as the main plotline. Mac and Desi going to meet the folks were fun. But seemed rather gratuitous.

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