The Phoenix Foundation
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — MacGyver
slackersmom — 9 years ago(February 04, 2017 01:30 PM)
Another difference between this iteration and the original is the concept of the Phoenix Foundation. First of all, in this current series, why was MacGyver the one who was commissioned to come up with the name of it? That whole "let's form a secret club and instantly have a huge building and all sorts of technology and resources at our disposal and hey, Mac, why don't YOU come up with the name?" thing. What was that about???
And now, somehow, the Phoenix Foundation seems to be primarily a law enforcement agency. They get bad guys, bust up drug rings, solve murders, etc. In the original show the Phoenix Foundation was a true think tank, and involved in a lot of scientific experiments (to improve the environment, promote education etc.). Mac did end up getting bad guys, busting up drug rings, and solving murders, but those were mainly peripheral to some other issue. I've been watching the old series on MeTV during the week, and a lot of his adventures weren't official missions. They were more like the episode of 2.0 when Mac & Bozer went back to their old high school. (ALthough why Riley & Jack went along on that one..
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In other words, I'd rather some of their missions or whatever not be based on a Crime of the Week. There are enough procedurals on TV already; they could certainly find other reasons for Mac to get in trouble. (Although if they were more like the original show, there wouldn't be a need for him to have an armed sidekick tagging along.
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I_Guard_Tanelorn — 9 years ago(February 04, 2017 05:13 PM)
One of the hurdles facing this reboot is the show Scorpion basically already is the Phoenix Foundation. Phoenix Foundation is definitely not some rogue MI6 super spy guild the way it's shown here. I know they're sort of making this crap up as they go along while they work out the kinks, but they need to start establishing some precedents for what exactly the structure of the show is. We've now exchanged one vague shifty powerful boss for another and we still don't really know anything about anything. Characters always wait in weird rooms away from briefings, but then suddenly have full access to computers and active missions. It's all over the place. Introducing a new boss with new rules was the perfect opportunity to explain Phoenix Foundation, what it does and how it operates, and how much of a leash Mac and Jack have, directly to the viewer, and yet they continue with these half threats of some sort of discipline if they go too far. While the individual episodes may be a lot of fun, the cohesive world building is sorely missing.
"I said no camels, that's five camels, can't you count?" -
blackflag01609 — 9 years ago(February 04, 2017 08:25 PM)
why was MacGyver the one who was commissioned to come up with the name of it? That whole "let's form a secret club and instantly have a huge building and all sorts of technology and resources at our disposal and hey, Mac, why don't YOU come up with the name?" thing. What was that about???
MacGyver wasn't "commissioned" to come up with the name. They had to move locations and change names from the DXS because at that point Nikki was branded a traitor, she knew were they were and what they were called. MacGyver just happened to come up with the name they chose. In this show the Phoenix Foundation is the DXS, it just changed names. I believe throughout season 1 both MacGyver and Pete were agents for the DXS. I don't think that changed until season 2. This is just a TV show. Things like this happen all the time, kinda like how in every police procedural on TV officers/agents are working cases that they are personally involved in even though in the real world they wouldn't be.
By the end of it's 7 year run the Phoenix Foundation was basically nothing more than MacGyver's personal bank there to fund any endeavor he felt was worth while. They forgot that there were other operatives running around the world.
Watch the ep where Mac & Bozer go back home again. If you actually watch it, it answers your question!
Mac did end up getting bad guys, busting up drug rings, and solving murders, but those were mainly peripheral to some other issue. I've been watching the old series on MeTV during the week, and a lot of his adventures weren't official missions. They were more like the episode of 2.0 when Mac & Bozer went back to their old high school.
Yah, his adventures weren't "missions" they were just MacGyver getting in trouble, again. Sounds kinda monotonous to me and maybe that's why I just have no interest in watching those old episodes anymore. As a kid it was appealing, as an adult it's monotonous.
Remember this is just a TV show. They took the name, characters and the basic concept and made it new for 2016. And it's still just a TV show.