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TVLine already schooled MacGyver fans on what Season 6 would have looked like with its final showrunner, Monica Macer, at the helm. But now we have been given a peek at how Season 5 might have ended under the CBS procedural’s original boss — and how it set up a major time jump for Season 6.
Peter M. Lenkov, who also sired CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I. reboots, lorded over the network’s MacGyver redo for the first four seasons. (CBS ended its relationship with Lenkov in July 2020, following an investigation into claims that the producer created an unhealthy work environment. In a statement, Lenkov responded, “Now is the time to listen and I am listening…. I accept responsibility for what I am hearing and am committed to doing the work that is required to do better and be better.”)
BAck in June 2020, a month prior to said exit, Lenkov worked up an outline for how Season 5 was going to end — with a teaser set in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, where we meet an 11-year-old named Jimmy. We soon realize that the lad is MacGyver’s son… and that the year is 2035. A moment later, it is revealed that Jimmy’s mom is Riley.
“[O]ur audience goes wild as they see the happy family our heroes have created,” reads the outline. “No laptops, no screens, no life or death missions — just a family in love, at peace….”
“It’s just a rough scriptment, but a clear direction that would have given fans something new in Season 6 — a Mac/Riley romance,” Lenkov wrote on Instagram Friday evening, alongside screenshots of the outline from June 2020. “Sure, this story gave us a glimpse of the endgame, but knowing that, watching their romance ignite in a new season woulda been some ride.”
When a new threat suddenly rocks the family’s idyllic world, Mac and Riley seek help from the Phoenix Foundation, where Bozer, Matty and Russ (currently on house arrest) still work. We also see that Eli Brown, the young inventor/new recruit that would be introduced early in Season 5 (played by Ben Wang), has blossomed into the team’s “new MacGyver,” while Desi is revealed to have left Phoenix six months prior, to start a private security firm.
Season 6 would have continued that story while also catching viewers up on the time-jumped early years of the Mac/Riley romance.
The Mac/Riley romantic endgame is an element that was also present in showrunner Monica Macer’s plan for a sixth season that would never be (read mich more here). As detailed by TVLine in multiple exclusive stories, the nefarious group behind the nanobots from Season 5 would have used that tech to turn the infected — Mac himself possibly included — into Manchurian Candidate-style operatives. To stop them, Matty would have sent Riley and her Brink buds undercover with the baddies, leading to a heated argument between Mac and Riley… and then an outpouring of feelings and a first kiss. (An early Season 6 episode would have revealed that Desi’s fiance was in fact alive, and the two would have reunited.)
Also in Macer’s vision, Bozer’s mom would have run for Congress/moved to L.A., and Russ and Sofia would have had a baby together following a Romancing the Stone-style treasure hunt.
What do you think of the original Season 5 finale time jump idea?
That sounds uninteresting. The show really fell off when Jack left. Hard to watch after that. Didn’t make it through the final season.
Ugh. Dodged a bullet there.
Watching the show back and especially Mac and Jack’s relationship i am actually surprised they were friends. They had absolutely nothing in common and Jack long with Riley manipulated Mac to look for his father, he seemed to think just because he liked something so should Mac but anything Mac liked bored him and he was downright rude to him most of the time. Remind you of anyone else?Probably why he picked Desi as his replacement.The ony plus is he actually trusted Mac and he would have had his back during Codex unlike Desi.
I’m fine with MacRiley but a time jump and them having a kid? I don’t think anyone would’ve wanted that.
I was sad to see the show end. I thought Jack was so good with Mac, and I hated it when they killed him off. I liked the actors and how they interacted with each other. I wish it would get picked up by another station.
They didn’t kill jack off he left for a different show or movie
They did kill Jack, it was just in offscreensville a while after the actor left.
George Eads (Jack) left cuz he had an argument with production & he was being an asshole so he left to spend more time with his young daughter. He pulled the same dick move with CSI. He basically was sent packing cuz of his lousy attitude & the fact he was a winer and so hard to work with.
He left because they signed him up with a promise of filming in LA and then moved production to Atlanta. He could have bailed right then.
On paper it looks like a disaster.
Just bring the damn show back
Yes. I mean, what’s the purpose of talking what the finale or the 6th season was supposed to be when the show ended already? Loved the show and was so disappointed when it ended and them talking about what ifs is just rubbing salt on a wound.
Yes, I miss it..the story should continue
Agreed!
This show was awful.
.
Jack was a childish idiot. Their Murdoc was wholly unintimidating. I had more hope for the show once Desi came aboard, so of course they had to blow that up with a Mac/Riley romance completely out of left field and unearned.
.
The original MacGyver was far superior.
While I agree Mac/Riley was random (and clearly fanservice, since there had been no romantic teases whatsoever until S5), the show did not get better with Desi. She was awful and pairing her with Mac was clearly due to the actors’ offscreen relationship. The show actually got worse when she was added to the show.
Jack was great, and the show went downhill as soon as George Eads left. I actually didn’t mind the idea of Mac/Riley. They just needed to be built up longer than a few episodes.
Honestly, I liked Mac best with Nikki. Once Nikki was revealed to be CIA and not a traitor, I was intrigued by the tease of a return. Then, Tracy Spiridakos booked Chicago P.D. And now, I can’t see her as anyone but Hailey Upton. I also liked Mac with Ashley Tisdale’s character. Mac/Desi was toxic.
“was clearly due to the actors’ offscreen relationship.”
????
What offscreen relationship??
My opinion is that macgyver should still stay with the one he’s with now. I think being with Ridley sucks. The one he’s with now is more exciting. Being with Ridley would be boring
Talking about “what may have happened if”is pointless. This feels like fan service from a fired EP who is simply trying to hold on to whatever fans he has left. He is doing the same with Hawaii Five-0. Both shows ended how they ended. There is no what if.
So you like abusive relationships because that’s what Mac and Desi was??
Mac an Jack were annoying…..Lenkov’s lame attempt at recreating the magic Alex & Scott brought to Steve & Danny.
MacGruber is his son I thought
Okay….Give us the movie then…I loved Mac and Riley so I love this idea.
I miss the show
Bring MacGyver back!!!!! The show needs Jack, Mac, Riley, Bozer, Cage, Matty at the helm, and a dedicated, creative team. It’s been one of the few television dramas worth viewers’ investment each week. It’s a big mistake to let the show end!!
I wish there would have been a season six..
I’m probably not objective as I was a massive fan of the original MacGyver, but I would have preferred the original premise of Mac being solo most of the time and working with whoever as well as whatever he found along the way.
.
Riley and Bozer could have been part of the cast, they’d just have been based in the lab rather than the field. Whilst George Eads was OK as Jack having a character who was rather gun happy alongside the very much anti-gun Mac never sat right.
I liked the new show but I agree that it didn’t line up with original. The original point was Mac could survive without guns. He only needed his brain. The original was also anti big corporations and pro environment.
I love the idea! Through out the entire series I always wanted Mac and Riley to be together. It would be a total bonus to think of how to bring Jack back and Murdock! I’ve watched MacGyver from day one. Sad to see it go.
Wish the next season would have happened to find out how well anything played out. I miss this show.
I just want the series to return. It was honestly one of the best on TV. It was the perfect start to my Friday night TV viewing.
I think it would have been cool to see Mac and Riley finally get their feelings towards each other out in the open and start a family
Great season 5 would have been. They need to bring MacGyver back. They take off good stuff and keep crap.
Ah, yes. Because adding a child character around season 5-6 is always a sign that a TV show is thriving creatively and nowhere near jumping the shark. They pulled the plug at the right time.
Riley is so HOT, and Desi is so NOT. And Russ is a goofus that needs to go back to his homeland and take Desi with him. I thought there should be a MacRiley from the first show and then for some strange reason they brought in that tatted up hoe. Bring it back and do it this time.
I totally agree with you!! Mac & Riley had chemistry from the Beginning, they wasted too much time on other Distractions!!
Tatted up hoe? Are you ten? Just because you don’t like a character doesn’t mean you have to insult the actress
I would’ve definitely been down for this season 6 storyline. Mac and Riley were my faves. They had chemistry from the start but I think they wanted to explore it because Jack was a father figure to her and could’ve caused all kinds of problems.
Usually when a TV show reaches the bottom of the creative barrel they introduce a child. Just think how dry it was on MacGyver they would have had two kids on the show.
Nope. I think they just missed the whole point of the show
We had the old mcgiver for heaps of seasons why cant we have the same for the new mcgiver. Please keep it going and dont make it boring so it ends because no one wants to watch it. Thats what some tv organisations fo to end it. Dont just have what youve written, have more stories as well.
I wish Macgyver will renew, because I miss it so much, I looked forward every week to watch it.
I personally think that this would have been the perfect storyline…because if anyone truly remembers there has been chemistry between Riley and Mac from the beginning. She was the opposite of him and that’s why it worked. So this first director’s idea for season 6 was perfect and I would have watched just to see where it went.
Great, let’s just give the “Save MacGyver” fans another thing to cry over! :(
Russ romancing the Stone!!yes please!