MacGyver Marathon 17: The First on DVD

I'm nearly two weeks into the 17th annual MacGyver Marathon, the first where I'll be viewing the majority of episodes on DVD. Despite the fact that I've seen these shows multiple times already, this year's marathon is especially exciting since the DVD's contain anywhere from 30 seconds to three minutes worth of scenes that were deleted from the episodes I recorded from cable, which were edited to make room for more commercials. I haven't seen these deleted scenes in more than 20 years since they originally aired on ABC.

The verdict on the scenes: mixed. There's a reason why these scenes were chosen for deletion by the cable network. They are generally the weakest from the episode. A few have stood out as more impressive than others, but in general they suffer from the same bad acting and amateurish dialogue that plagued the series all too often in its first season. On the other hand, sometimes they add a key element to the continuity of the plot that helps put together pieces in regards to the rest of the episode. I expect that in seasons two, three, and four, the quality of the deleted scenes will likely improve. Either way, it's exciting to watch these eagerly anticipating the deleted scenes. In some cases, I remember the deleted scene from 20 years ago, but in most cases I do not, which really makes it fun.

Expect a review of MacGyver's sixth season on this board next week as it is scheduled for release on Tuesday, June 13.