Phoenix Foundation - A MacGyver Podcast

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: December 17th, 1990 —

When sports memorabilia is stolen from the Coltons, MacGyver uncovers a local counterfeiting ring.

MISSION: A ring of counterfeit card makers have their sights on a collection donated by Reggie Jackson and blackmail an aging athlete to steal it for them. MacGyver tracks them down as he attempts to return a box of cards stolen from the Coltons.

This week’s highlights include:

Dual-tone multi-frequency signaling (P)

Dual-tone multi-frequency signaling (DTMF) is an in-band telecommunication signaling system using the voice-frequency band over telephone lines between telephone equipment and other communications devices and switching centers. DTMF was first developed in the Bell System in the United States, and became known under the trademark Touch-Tone for use in push-button telephones supplied to telephone customers, starting in 1963. DTMF is standardized by ITU-T Recommendation Q.23. It is also known in the UK as MF4.

Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual-tone_multi-frequency_signaling.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: December 3rd, 1990 —

MacGyver visits a small town plagued by suspicious alien sightings and helps a struggling family

MISSION: After a close encounter with an alleged alien ship, MacGyver meets the child of a family seeking otherworldly assistance for their very real problems. He begins investigating the visitors and runs into trouble with the local law.

This week’s highlights include:

Here is a link to the MacGyver Project interviews with Musser, Gaze, and Eriksen.

Uranium (Chemistry)

Uranium is a chemical element with symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-white metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Uranium is weakly radioactive because all its isotopes are unstable (with half-lives of the six naturally known isotopes, uranium-233 to uranium-238, varying between 69 years and 4.5 billion years). The most common isotopes in natural uranium are uranium-238 (which has 146 neutrons and accounts for over 99%) and uranium-235 (which has 143 neutrons). Uranium has the second highest atomic weight of the primordially occurring elements, lighter only than plutonium. Its density is about 70% higher than that of lead, and slightly lower than that of gold or tungsten. It occurs naturally in low concentrations of a few parts per million in soil, rock and water, and is commercially extracted from uranium-bearing minerals such as uraninite.

Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 19th, 1990 —

MacGyver learns about the use of unsafe pesticides and intends to set the record straight.

MISSION: When MacGyver gets arrested defending protesters, they explain that the owners of a big farm have been using unsafe pesticides and the employees have been paying the price. MacGyver intends to investigate the allegations on his own.

This week’s highlights include:

Thalidomide (Drug)

Thalidomide sold under the brand names Immunoprin, among others, is an immunomodulatory drug and the prototype of the thalidomide class of drugs. Today, thalidomide is used mainly as a treatment of certain cancers (multiple myeloma) and of a complication of leprosy.

Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalidomide.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 12th, 1990 —

MacGyver heads back to the wild west to face his fear of commitment head on.

MISSION: MacGyver has a brief disagreement with girlfriend Maria and is suddenly confronted by the many women in his life. In a day dream of the wild west, MacGyver must rescue the same women from a gang of outlaws.

This week’s highlights include:

The two greatest banjo solos played simultaneously!

Here is a 3d representation of a magnetic field.

Snake oil (Schemery)

Snake oil, originally a fraudulent liniment without snake extract, has come to refer to any product with questionable or unverifiable quality or benefit. By extension, a snake oil salesman is someone who knowingly sells fraudulent goods or who is themselves a fraud, quack, or charlatan.

Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_oil.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 5th, 1990 —

Harry’s Will sends MacGyver and friends on a cameo-infested adventure all throughout the city.

MISSION: Harry’s bizarrely specific will sends MacGyver and an assorted cast of characters on a mad mad mad mad quest for some stolen jewels.

This week’s highlights include:

Koopalings (Videogames)

The Koopalings (コクッパ Kokuppa?) (also known as Bowser’s minions (クッパの手下 Kuppa no Teshita?) in Japan and Europe) or 7 Bowser Team (クッパ7人衆 Kuppa Nana Ninshū?) in Japan) are a group of seven fictional, childlike characters in the Mario video game franchise by Nintendo. Their individual names are Iggy, Larry, Lemmy, Ludwig, Morton, Roy, and Wendy. Originally depicted as the children of the series antagonist Bowser, they first appeared as boss characters in the 1988 game Super Mario Bros. 3. They have since appeared in subsequent Super Mario games and spin-off Mario titles.

Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koopalings.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 29th, 1990 —

A villain from MacGyver’s past makes a dramatic return and orchestrates a city-wide panic.

MISSION: Dr. Zito is back and crazier than ever. This time he breaks out of police custody and sets his riddler-esque traps all over the city.

This week’s highlights include:

Zachitniki (Film)

Zaschitniki (In Russian: «Защитники»; The Defenders or The Guardians) is a Russian neo-noir superhero film directed by Armenian director Sarik Andreasyan and starring Sebastien Sisak, Anton Pampuchniy, Sanzhar Madiev, Alina Lanina, Valeria Shkirando and Stanislav Shirin.

Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaschitniki.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 22nd, 1990 —

MacGyver helps to reunite an old man with his beautiful estranged granddaughter… or so he thinks

MISSION: In reuniting supposed long lost family members separated by the Berlin wall, he uncovers a whole conspiracy involving a stockpile of stolen gold. Classic Uncle Fester gambit.

This week’s highlights include:

Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog (Comedy)

Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog is a character puppet puppeteered and voiced by Robert Smigel, best known for mocking celebrities. Triumph was identified in the early appearances as a Yugoslavian Mountain Hound, hence his distinct Eastern European accent. As his name indicates, Triumph’s comedic style is almost exclusively insult comedy. Triumph often puffs a cigar, which usually falls out of his mouth when he starts talking. He debuted in 1997 on NBC’s Late Night with Conan O’Brien and also appeared on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien from time to time, as well as the short-lived TV Funhouse, TBS’s Conan, and Adult Swim’s The Jack and Triumph Show. Smigel and Triumph have been ejected from several events for Triumph’s antics, including Westminster (three times), the Honolulu line for auditions for American Idol, and the 2004 Democratic National Convention (while shooting an aborted movie project).

Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph,_the_Insult_Comic_Dog.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 8th, 1990 —

Lisa Woodman makes her final appearance, this time as an intoxicated accessory to murder

MISSION: Lisa tries and fails to cover up a drinking problem while MacGyver and the local police investigate a murder that took place in a home she recently broke into with friends.

This week’s highlights include:

Bling Ring (Crime)

The Bling Ring (also known as Hollywood Hills Burglar Bunch, The Burglar Bunch, and the Hollywood Hills Burglars) were a group of convicted thieves consisting of eight teenagers and young adults based in and around Calabasas, California. They burgled the homes of several celebrities over a period believed to have been between October 2008 through August 2009. Their activities resulted in the theft of about $3 million in cash and belongings. Much of the stolen property belonged to Paris Hilton, whose house had been burgled several times, though over fifty homes were reportedly targeted for potential burglary.

Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bling_Ring.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 1st, 1990 —

A gun with a tragic past re-enters circulation; MacGyver must end its killing spree.

MISSION: A drug addict sells a piece of his father’s gun collection and it is immediately put to use. MacGyver follows the trail to get the gun out of the wrong hands and off the streets for good.

This week’s highlights include:

Nick Sweedo’s Jerry Wasserman interview…

The Rifle (Book)

The Rifle is a 1995 novel by American writer Gary Paulsen. The novel is a work of historical fiction, written for a young adult audience. The story focuses on the history of a rifle crafted prior to the American Revolution, and on the lives of its various owners until the present day. Although Paulsen romanticizes the creation and the uniqueness of the rifle, the novel provides a sober reminder the importance of handling guns responsibly.

Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rifle.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: September 24th, 1990 —

MacGyver saves the life of an enemy soldier and tries to earn his captor’s friendship.

MISSION: MacGyver finds himself the hostage of an enemy combatant. Rather than plan an escape, MacGyver does his best to keep his kidnapper alive as Stockholm syndrome slowly takes hold.

This week’s highlights include:

Here is that JonTron review of “A Talking Cat!?!” we mentioned.

Battle Royale (Film)

Battle Royale (バトル・ロワイアル Batoru Rowaiaru?) is a 2000 Japanese action thriller film adapted from the 1999 novel of the same name by Koushun Takami. It is the final film directed by Kinji Fukasaku, the screenplay written by his son Kenta, and stars Takeshi Kitano. The film tells the story of Shuya Nanahara, a junior high-school student who is struggling with the suicide of his father and who is forced by the government to compete in a deadly game where the students in his class must fight to the death, with only the sole survivor being allowed to live.

Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Royale_(film).