Looking Back at Season 3 (V) – The Official Stills (Part 5)

It’s been 6 weeks for the Fall shows on CBS. Not for MacGyver, sadly. So let’s (finally!) finish another blog post to help easing the pain of having to wait for Season 4, no?

As with Seasons 1 and 2, I’m looking back at the Official Stills for each episode of Season 3; picking my favorites and writing down some of my thoughts. (Because I just can’t keep quiet, as you all know.)

Episode 3×22: Mason + Cable + Choices (Official Still via Getty Images)

If you missed Part 1 (Episodes 3×01 to 3×05), you can read the post here. For Part 2 (Episodes 3×06 to 3×10), you can visit there. Part 3 (Episodes 3×11 to 3×15) is to be found here. And there you can read Part 4 (Episodes 3×16 to 3×19).

 

Episode 3×20: No Go + High Voltage + Rescue (Still Photographer: Jace Downs)
For Episode 3×20, we got 11 Official Stills by Still Photographer Jace Downs. Most of them are not all that interesting, but there is a nice team shot that already has been used for a lot of Season 4 fan art.

Episode 3×20: No Go + High Voltage + Rescue (Official Still via CBS)

MY FAVORITE: The walking team shot one, of course.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: Nothing downright disappointing. Four Stills of the cast sitting in a car just aren’t all that good for getting people interested in the episode beforehand.

 

Episode 3×21: Treason + Heartbreak + Gum (Erik Voake)
For Episode 3×21, we got 11 photos. Sadly, the Official Stills were never released on SpoilerTV in good quality. Some of the Stills aren’t even available anyhwere but on Getty Images.

Episode 3×21: Treason + Heartbreak + Gum (via MacGyverCBS)

MY FAVORITE: Pretty people doing obscure things. A longer scene with Desi and Oversight could have been very interesting – considering she’s now taking over the role of Jack (who Oversight kind of chose to be put together with Mac to watch his back while he didn’t with Desi).

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: Not much to choose from. Only one Still with the main character – and it’s watermarked. To be honest, I don’t really like this episode that much and I think the BtS photos are way more interesting. It had originally been intended to be the Season Finale and I’m really glad they didn’t go with it.

 

Episode 3×22: Mason + Cable + Choices (Jace Downs)
The Season Finale delivered 12 Official Stills. Weirdly, CBS later deleted 4 of them from their official press release page before SpoilerTV got a hand on them. As with Episode 3×21, these Stills are only available via Getty Images and therefore watermarked.

Episode 3×22: Mason + Cable + Choices (Official Still via TV Insider)

MY FAVORITE: It’s Mac doing his thing while the others don’t really know what’s going on.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: With the press release, it wasn’t a secret anymore that Peter Weller would be guest-starring as the big bad in this episode. A Still with him would have been nice. Also, for a Season Finale, the Stills aren’t all that exciting – but the same can be said about the finale episodes for the previous seasons. On the other hand, they had released the first Still for the Season 2 Finale as a First Look Still of Oversight via TV Line. Nothing like that this time.

Looking Back at Season 3 (IV) – The Official Stills (Part 4)

It’s promotion time for the Fall shows on CBS. Not for MacGyver, sadly. So let’s finish another blog post to help easing the pain of having to wait for Season 4, no?

As with Seasons 1 and 2, I’m looking back at the Official Stills for each episode of Season 3; picking my favorites and writing down some of my thoughts. (Because I just can’t keep quiet, as you all know.)

Episode 3×18: Murdoc + Helman + Hit (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

If you missed Part 1 (Episodes 3×01 to 3×05), you can read the post here. For Part 2 (Episodes 3×06 to 3×10), you can visit here. Part 3 (Episodes 3×11 to 3×15) is to be found here.

 

Episode 3×16: Lidar + Rogues + Duty (Still Photographer: Guy D’Alema)
For Episode 3×16, we got 9 Official Stills by Still Photographer Guy D’Alema. They all feature Riley, Bozer and/or Desi in the lab with Sparky. Later, CBS added 4 screenshots of Mac and Desi out on the main mission as additional Stills.

Episode 3×16: Lidar + Rogues + Duty (Official Still via CBS)

MY FAVORITE: It might be a rather blurry screenshot, but I still prefer Mac out in the wild over a lab photo. Sorry, Guy.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: Nothing downright disappointing. I still think it’s an interesting choice to get the Still Photographer to a certain location on the day the main character isn’t there. Especially since for this episode, not much happens in the lab. Maybe there had been a schedule change.

 

Episode 3×17: Seeds + Permafrost + Feather (Jace Downs)
For Episode 3×17, we got 13 Stills of the team either in the lab or on the main mission. Besides in one photo, there’s not much action going on.

Episode 3×17: Seeds + Permafrost + Feather (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

MY FAVORITE: Pretty people standing around and looking dangerous.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: Not much to choose from besides pretty people standing around and looking pretty. I guess it could be worse.

 

Episode 3×18: Murdoc + Helman + HIT (Jace Downs)
Episode 3×18 delivered 19 Official Stills; 18 of them featuring one or more members of Team Phoenix staring down Murdoc.

Episode 3×18: Murdoc + Helman + Hit (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

MY FAVORITE: It’s Mac and MacDaddy confronting Murdoc. With James seemingly holding MacGyver back or trying to protect him, the Still allows speculations into different directions.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: 18 Stills of Team Phoenix staring down Murdoc. They could have at least provided one with Murdoc’s nemesis Helman. I mean, it’s Michael Des Barres, everyone. And with all the BtS photos and the trailer, it wasn’t a secret anymore that MDB would be guest-starring in this episode.

 

Episode 3×19: Friends + Enemies + Border (Jace Downs)
We got 8 Stills for this episode; all of them of Mac and/or Desi on the main mission.

Episode 3×19: Friends + Enemies + Border (Official Still via CBS)

MY FAVORITE: Mac and Desi in a tense conversation. This might get interesting.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: I think the episode would have provided better opportunities at Stills. But the Still Photographer is scheduled for a specific timeslot and has to take photos of what he can. I felt some of the BtS photos were more interesting, though.

 

(More coming soon.)

Looking Back at Season 3 (III) – The Official Stills (Part 3)

As with Seasons 1 and 2, I’m looking back at the Official Stills for each episode of Season 3; picking my favorites and writing down some of my thoughts. (Because I just can’t keep quiet, as you all know by now.)

Episode 3×14: Father + Bride + Betrayal (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

If you missed Part 1 (Episodes 3×01 to 3×05), you can find the post here. For Part 2 (Episodes 3×06 to 3×10), you can visit here.

 

Episode 3×11: Mac + Fallout + Jack (Still Photographer: Guy D’Alema)
For Episode 3×11, we got 11 Official Stills. They all feature the main mission – or rather the memory of a main mission – with Mac and Jack.

Episode 3×11: Mac + Fallout + Jack (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

MY FAVORITE: To me, Guy D’Alema is the best of the bunch of Still Photographers they have been using for Official Stills. My favorite Still of this episode is the perfect example – he chooses interesting angles. Even when he takes photos of the same scene, they don’t all look the same.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: Nothing downright disappointing. I wouldn’t have minded an additional Still of the B-storyline with Riley, Leanna and Bozer, though. Or of the current storyline of Mac and Jack being held prisoner.

 

Episode 3×12: Fence + Suitcase + Americium-241 (Richard DuCree)
For Episode 3×12, we got 13 Stills of the team involved in the main mission. For once, the photos featured the team in different constellations.

Episode 3×12: Fence + Suitcase + Americium-241 (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

MY FAVORITE: The one with Bozer, Mac and Riley. We didn’t get many Stills of the “core” team this season. The cast appears usually in pairs or alone in the Still photos; not as a group.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: Not having a Still with Jack to choose from is always disappointing.

 

Episode 3×13: Wilderness + Training + Survival (Guy D’Alema)
Episode 3×13 delivered 9 Official Stills; all of them featuring MacGyver and the main mission.

Episode 3×13: Wilderness + Training + Survival (Official Still via CBS Press Express)

MY FAVORITE: It’s Mac doing some MacGyvering. What else do you need?

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: It’s nice to see Mac doing his thing out in the wild, so nothing disappointing here.

 

Episode 3×14: Father + Bride + Betrayal (Guy D’Alema)
We got 9 Stills for this episode; all of them of the main cast.

Episode 3×14: Father + Bride + Betrayal (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

MY FAVORITE: MacRiley! As a runner-up, we have Mac and Jack contemplating food at the top of this post.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: Pretty people in pretty clothes looking pretty. But it’s the last episode with Jack *sniff*. And there’s not even a group photo of them all dolled up.

 

Episode 3×15: K9 + Smugglers + New Recruit (Jace Downs)
This episode delivered 12 Official Stills. The new recurring cast member got 2 Stills all for herself and the guest star is in several of them as well.

Episode 3×15: K9 + Smugglers + New Recruit (Official Still via CBS)

MY FAVORITE: Pretty people looking fierce.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: No close-up Still of the canine guest star. He’s cute and deserves to have his own portrait.

 

(More coming soon.)

Looking Back at Season 3 (II) – The Official Stills (Part 2)

As with Seasons 1 and 2, I’m looking back at the Official Stills for each episode of Season 3; picking my favorites and writing down some of my thoughts. (Because I just can’t keep quiet, as you all know by now.)

BtS photo of Season 3 (via David Dastmalchian)

If you missed Part 1 (Episodes 3×01 to 3×05), you can find the post here. For now, I’m keeping up the rhythm of writing bi-weekly Update posts, so these posts looking back at the Official Stills will be peppered in between.

 

Episode 3×06: Murdoc + MacGyver + Murdoc (Still Photographer: Jace Downs)
For Epsisode 3×06, we got 13 Official Stills. They all feature the main mission with Mac and Murdoc, but we also got the guest-stars in several of the Stills.

Episode 3×06: Murdoc + MacGyver + Murdoc (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

MY FAVORITE: The one with Mac and Murdoc, of course. This already teases a similar storyline like in the Original Show. And there is a fun BtS video by David Dastmalchian from filming this scene; a screenshot shown at the top of this post.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: Nothing downright disappointing. I wouldn’t have minded one of the B-storyline with Jack and Bozer. Maybe even one of Nasha?

 

Episode 3×07: Scavengers + Hard Drive + Dragonfly (Annette Brown)
For the seventh episode of Season 3, we got 7 Stills of the team involved in the main mission.

Episode 3×07: Scavengers + Hard Drive + Dragonfly (via SpoilerTV)

MY FAVORITE: For the first two seasons, it was rare for the show to actually feature the guest-star in several of the Official Stills, so I chose one of them.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: The Stills look a bit different in quality. Also, all of them show pretty people looking confused. Overall, it’s not very exciting for teasing an episode.

 

Episode 3×08: Revenge + Cagacombs + Le Fantome (Jace Downs)
Episode 3×08 delivered 13 Official Stills, consisting of 10 “normal” Stills and 3 additional Screenshots.

Episode 3×08: Revenge + Catacombs + Le Fantome (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

MY FAVORITE: All these pretty people in fancy clothing. And in some of the Stills, they’re even happy.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: Jack is missing.

 

Episode 3×09: Specimen 234 + PAPR + Outbreak (Jace Downs)
We got 10 Stills for this episode. Eight them feature Mac, Jack and a dog in the Opening Gambit.

Episode 3×09: Specimen 234 + PAPR + Outbreak (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

MY FAVORITE: Mac and Jack in a cage. And with Jack holding a bone, this setting already screams for an interesting storyline. Too bad the scene was only the Opening Gambit.

OW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: As I said: Too bad the scene was only the Opening Gambit. Also interesting they chose to show so many Stills from a scene that isn’t even five minutes long.

 

Episode 3×10: Matty + Ethan + Fidelity (Jace Downs)
This episode delivered 10 Official Stills. For once, the guest-star got a Still all by himself.

Episode 3×10: Matty + Ethan + Fidelity (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

MY FAVORITE: I’ts Matty and Mac and they look good.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: The guest-star got a Still all by himself. Too bad I can’t stand the character… I’d rather had some more with Jack or with Riley. Or a Team Phoenix Photo.

 

(More coming soon.)

Looking Back at Season 3 (I) – The Official Stills (Part 1)

I’ve always been a bit puzzled about the release of the Official Stills. Maybe that’s just how it works with TV shows in general, but: Sometimes we get 12 Official Stills for an episode – another time only 5 or none. Sometimes all of them look very similar, sometimes the main cast seems missing.

Episode 3×04: Guts + Fuel + Hope (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

As with Seasons 1 and 2, I’m looking back at the Official Stills for each episode of Season 3; picking my favorites and writing down some of my thoughts. (Because I just can’t keep quiet, as you all know by now.)

 

Episode 3×01: Improvise (Still Photographer: Guy D’Alema)
For the Premiere of Season 3, we got 6 Official Stills. Taken together, they feature all the agents on the main mission.

Episode 3×01: Improvise (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

MY FAVORITE: The one with Mac and Jack, of course.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: Pretty people in nice colors, so nothing downright disappointing. A few more Stills for the Season Premiere would have been nice, but we got at least one more than back for the Season 2 Premiere.

 

Episode 3×02: Bravo Lead + Loyalty + Friendship (Jace Downs)
For the second episode of Season 3, we got 8 Stills of the people involved in the main mission.

Episode 3×02: Bravo Lead + Loyalty + Friendship (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

MY FAVORITE: Definitely the “Dalton’s Heroes” shot.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: Pretty looking people at an airport. While that’s not bad per se, it isn’t the most exciting scene to sell an action-adventure show – especially not an episode featuring an A storyline with military guys and firefights.

 

Episode 3×03: Bozer + Booze + Back to School (Jace Downs/Annette Brown)
The third episode delivered the Official Stills in two servings. The first bunch consisted of 6 Stills. Later, they added 8 more that showed a bit more action.

Episode 3×03: Bozer + Booze + Back to School (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

MY FAVORITE: Mac in the midst of a MacGyverism, of course. It’s nice to see the “youngsters” together on a mission for once.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: 14 Stills of good-looking people could be worse, but it would have been nice to see a teaser photo of the B storyline with Jack and Billy Colton.

 

Episode 3×04: Guts + Fuel + Hope (Guy D’Alema)
We got 10 Stills for this episode,. All of them feature Mac and Riley on the road with the guest-star.

Episode 3×04: Guts + Fuel + Hope (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

MY FAVORITE: MacGyver looking all competent can never be wrong.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: Pretty people in color-coordinated clothes on a color-coordinated outdoor set. For me, not disappointing at all.

 

Episode 3×05: Dia de Muertos + Sicarios + Family (CBS)
Apparently, they had no extra Still Photographer on set for the Halloween Episode. I’ve always wondered why the Still photos looked so different in quality and why the colors looked washed out. I’m assuming they took screenshots while editing.

Episode 3×05: Dia de Muertos + Sicarios + Family (Official Still via SpoilerTV)

MY FAVORITE: Riley and Bozer trying to look all innocent. Even without knowing anything about the B storyline, you know they’re anything but innocent.

NOW THAT’S DISAPPOINTING: It’s a Halloween Episode and no Still Photographer and no scary costumes. Though there IS at least a kid in costume and he’s cute.

 

(More coming soon.)