These are the
original episode synopses which are listed with the Background
Bible document. This document has circulated on the internet and been sold on Ebay.
We can't prove that these are authentic, but it seems reasonable that they could
have been first drafts for the episodes. One copy of this document seen on Ebay had
an issue date of April 1986, which would have been around the time season 2 was in
planning.
Episode Name: Labyrinth
MacGyver finds himself in reluctant partner-ship with a brilliant, beautiful and
infuriatingly stubborn female physicist -- fighting a desperate time lock as they attempt
to fight through the death trap of a top-secret security system -- opposed by a
sophisticated computer, which regards them as an enemy to be destroyed.
The story will take us to a top secret, military facility beneath a ghost town in the
Arizona desert. MacGyverisms in this episode will include:
1) The use of a cutting torch made by combining hairspray and a pack of matches ..2)
Blasting through an obstacle via Xerox toning powder and a half-dozen flashlight batteries
..3) Crossing an electrifed grid safely with the aid of two cans of talcum powder and a
discarded wet suit ..and 4) Immobilizing the computer nemesis with a shower of freon
"rain".
The story begins at:
Rattlesnake Gulch. On the surface, a run-of-the-mill Arizona ghost town -- but buried
beneath its inconspicuous sand is perhaps the most modern, elaborate, top-secret
military facility in the country. It is here where genius scientific minds break
new frontiers, where the latest defense systems are developed and tested.
To protect this cradle of technology, JILL KENDALL, a brilliant, young MIT designer, has
been contracted to create an invincible security system. Recently installed, the system is
controlled by an ultra-sophisticated, fifth generation computer which Jill named Medusa.
With heat sensors, drones and electronic surveillance devices, Medusa monitors its miles
of endless corridors and laboratories much like a brain monitoring its body. To test and
confirm the system's effectiveness, the government has hired PETER THORNTON and his group
of consultants -- much to the annoyance of Ms. Kendall, who arrogantly claims Medusa is
flawless. So far, Medusa has been checked and re-checked by every security expert Thornton
can find -- no hitches. Deciding it's time for the real acid test, Thornton brings in
MacGyver.
Our story opens as Thornton and MacGyver arrive at the hidden entrance to the facility.
But before they even step inside, they trip the security system and set off a major alert
-- which turns out to be a prank, courtesy of Jill, who, tired of having her
"baby" poked and prodded, is out to discredit MacGyver.
Despite MacGyver's attempts to break the ice, Jill remains hostile and condescending. She
gives him a tour of the facility, pointing out all of Medusa's features, and assuring
MacGyver there's absolutely no way he can get around the system. Eager to show off some of
the more exotic bells and whistles, Jill simulates a security leak. A little game she
plays with Medusa to keep it on its toes ...but this time Medusa doesn't think it's a
game! In the blink of an eye, Medusa goes on red alert and "locks down",
trapping everyone inside. MacGyver's pretty sure this is just another of Jill's little
jokes -- but it's no joke. Try as she might, Jill can't convince Medusa that her security
drill was merely a simulation. The only way to correct the malfunction is to get to the
main computer terminal and override the program. But it won't be easy- the system is
designed to protect itself from intruders. Oh, and there's one last wrinkle, Jill adds. It
has a response-learning capacity -- and because it thinks it's under attack, it'll go
through three very specific states: analysis identification of attacking force, with a
demand to cease and desist. If that doesn' work, Medusa will activate concealed attack
units. If they fail -- Medusa will proceed to order destruction of areas of Medusa's own
outlying system.
And if we get through all that? MacGyver's fascinated. Jill shrugs. If we do -- Medusa is
programmed to face defeat -- by locking into an irreversible self-destruct countdown.
Medusa, the support system -- and a goodly portion of surrounding acreage. Including Jill,
MacGyver and the other people locked into the facility.
MacGyver wryly gives Jill credit -- at least she designed a thorough system.
Trapped in an underground maze by a super-intelligent computer programmed for
destruction is less than an ideal situation for two people to get to know one
another. If the sparks fly between MacGyver and Jill when they meet, the feelings
intensify exponentially as the tension builds. Jill's life has been dominated by
intellectual pursuits, and she prides herself on her steely objectivity -- maybe because
she's afraid of emotion. She's always been a solo act and in control, believing in her own
intelligence above all others. She dismisses MacGyver's suggestions as worthless, his
techniques juvenile. For his part, MacGyver is soon pushed to the limit by Jill's attitude
and becomes less effective as she slowly gets to him. If we ever see an end to his
easy-going patience, we see it with Jill. Their predicament becomes a battle of
one-upmanship until both realize that each has to give a little; each has to relinquish
some control. Their survival -- and the survival of the others trapped in the facility --
rides on their ability to work together.
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Click to view the other synopseses:
The Cure
(never made)
The Eraser (made, but
modified)
Labyrinth (made as The Human Factor)
Blood Money (never made)
Fire Mountain (made as Final
Approach, but modified)
The Hard Way (never made) |