Phoenix Foundation - A Macgyver Podcast

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: February 16th, 1987 --- After accidentally intercepting a microfilm on vacation, MacGyver and Pete are targeted by mobsters. MISSION: A spy hands off a microfilm to MacGyver seconds before an avalanche nearly kills him. A team of mafia hitmen, hellbent on getting the evidence back, kidnap Pete to get to Mac. This week's highlights include: Monosodium glutamate (Chemistry) Monosodium glutamate (MSG, also known as sodium glutamate) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, one of the most abundant naturally occurring non-essential amino acids. Glutamate is found in tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, potatoes, mushrooms, and other vegetables and fruits. Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate Watch S2E16: "Out In The Cold" on CBS's website or check the alternative streamability of this episode here.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: February 9th, 1987 --- MacGyver must rescue a treasure hunter and her sunken prize from modern day pirates. MISSION: A treasure hunter is robbed at sea and MacGyver is enlisted to bring the murderous pirates to justice. This week's highlights include: Goat Island (Geography) Goat Island (previously called Iris Island) is a small island in the Niagara River, located in the middle of Niagara Falls between the Bridal Veil Falls and the Horseshoe Falls. The island is at the southwest corner of the City of Niagara Falls (and of Niagara County), New York, in the United States and is part of Niagara Falls State Park. Check out the article on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goat_Island_(New_York) Watch S2E15: "Pirates" on CBS's website or check the alternative streamability of this episode here.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: February 2nd, 1987 --- MacGyver's fishing plans are derailed by a pregnant woman running for her life from ex-cons. MISSION: MacGyver and a pregnant stranger are on the run from her abusive husband and find themselves trapped in a warehouse. This week's highlights include: Here is a clip of Rob Garrison's "body bag" line from The Karate Kid. You can find "Carikazes" amongst other Key Terms Mr. Nihcolas Sweedo has tracked on the MacGyver Project website here. Long Beach Assembly (Manufacturing) Long Beach Assembly was a Ford Motor Company assembly plant located in Long Beach, California that operated from 1930 until 1957. The address was 700 Henry Ford Avenue, Long Beach, in a region called Cerritos Channel on Terminal Island. A bridge called the Henry Ford Bridge is still located at the former plant site. The Ford Model A was the first vehicle to be built, with operations beginning March 1930. The location was closed when the Los Angeles Assembly in Pico Rivera opened in 1958. Check

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: January 19th, 1987 --- Penny interrupts an assassination being planned by an FBI mole [SPECIAL GUEST: Michael Ensign!] MISSION: Using accidental intelligence gathered by Penny Parker, MacGyver must prevent the assassination of an informant in a major drug trial. This week's highlights include: SPECIAL GUEST: MICHAEL ENSIGN! Michael Ensign has played some of your favorite snooty film characters. Not the least of which was a popular turn as the hotel manager in Ghostbusters pictured above. He also played the self-sacrificing Guggenheim in James Cameron's Titanic. We'll chat about how he got started acting and the Ghostbusters role he initially auditioned for. Here's that Chips Ahoy! commercial we were both reminded of. Estevez family (Pop Culture) The Estevez family (also known by the stage surname Sheen) is an American acting family of Spanish and Irish descent. Check out the article on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estevez_family Watch S2E13: "Soft Touch" on CBS's web

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: January 12th, 1987 --- Mac heads to the bayou to help rescue Pete's estranged ex-wife and son from terrorists. MISSION: Pete's family is held ransom by a figure from his past and MacGyver enlists himself to join the rescue mission. This week's highlights include: Pete's son stayed in class when Bueller took the day off. Dead reckoning (Navigation) In navigation, dead reckoning or dead-reckoning (also ded for deduced reckoning or DR) is the process of calculating one's current position by using a previously determined position, or fix, and advancing that position based upon known or estimated speeds over elapsed time and course. The corresponding term in biology, used to describe the processes by which animals update their estimates of position or heading, is path integration. Check out the article on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_reckoning Watch S2E12: "Family Matter" on CBS's website or check the alternative streamability of this episode here.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: January 5th, 1987 --- Mac and Harry encounter a Die Hard situation on the way to a hockey game MISSION: When a team of terrorists set their sites on the Phoenix Foundation building, MacGyver and Harry throw a wrench into their plans by showing up in search of missing hockey tickets. This week's highlights include: The Bizarre Scene from 'Die Hard' You Never Saw -- powered by Cracked.com Sam Hill (Etymology) Sam Hill is an American English slang phrase, a euphemism or minced oath for "the devil" or "hell" personified (as in, "What in the Sam Hill is that?"). Etymologist Michael Quinion and others date the expression back to the late 1830s; they and others consider the expression to have been a simple bowdlerization, with, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, an unknown origin. Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Hill_(euphemism) Watch S2E11: "Phoenix Under Siege" on CBS's website or check the alternative streamability of this episode here.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: December 15th, 1986 --- MacGyver hitches a ride with an old Hollywood couple being pursued by angry counterfeiters MISSION: When his contact is suddenly killed, MacGyver is left clueless and carless somewhere in the American southwest. After hitching a ride with a retired actor and his wife, an unexpected chase ensues. This week's highlights include: Here's another link to The MacGyver Project's interview with Kerry Lenhart.     If you haven't already seen this. Please find it.   Brodie knob (Automotive) A brodie knob (alternate spelling brody knob) is a knob that attaches to the steering wheel of an automobile. The knob swivels, and is intended to make steering with one hand less difficult. Brodie knobs are also known as "necker knobs", because they allow steering with one hand while necking with the passenger. One disadvantage of the knob is that after letting go of the steering wheel after going around a corner, the steering wheel spins rapidly and the knob can hit the us

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 24th, 1986 --- MacGyver prevents the theft of military equipment that benefits a school for the deaf MISSION: MacGyver helps perfect a voice-activated tracking system, which quickly becomes the prize of a team of terrorists. A teacher at a school for the deaf describes her surprisingly psychic dreams to help Mac track down the culprits. This week's highlights include: Here's that trailer we mentioned for Evald Johnson's High and Outside... And I was wrong about those submarine ashtrays. They cost $400.     2GAT123 (Automotive) 2GAT123 is a fictional license plate number that has appeared in a number of television shows and movies. It is used to prevent difficulties for a real person who might coincidentally have the same license plate number as one appearing in a movie. Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2GAT123 Watch S2E9: "Silent World" on CBS's website or check the alternative streamability of this episode here.

In this week's Twofer Tuesday edition of Phoenix Foundation, we chat with MacGyver's Little Brother, Reggie! [SPECIAL GUEST: Shavar Ross!] SPECIAL GUEST: SHAVAR ROSS! This week, we chat with Shavar Ross, Reggie from the Pilot episode. He tells us all about his work helping to pitch the series with Richard Dean Anderson and Henry Winkler. Mr. Ross can also be seen as Reggie (I have decided, the SAME Reggie) in Friday the 13th: A New Beginning, also from 1985. His acting career spans decades including major roles on the 1982 Little Rascals reboot, Diff'rent Strokes, Magnum P.I. and Family Matters!

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 17th, 1986 --- The eagle has landed. MacGyver saves a pair of protected birds from evil poachers MISSION: While checking on a pair of protected golden eagles, MacGyver encounters a team of poachers and joins forces with a young boy to sneak the birds to safety. This week's highlights include: Enjoy this trailer for Rescuers Down Under... then watch it on Netflix.   Golden eagle (Ornithology) The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is one of the best-known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. These birds are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their napes. Immature eagles of this species typically have white on the tail and often have white markings on the wings. Golden eagles use their agility and speed combined with powerful feet and massive, sharp talons to snatch up a variety of prey (mainly hares, rabbits, marmots and other ground squirrels). Ch

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 10th, 1986 --- Mac and Pete escort lost loves from the path of a foreign armed force MISSION: When an army in Southeast Asia takes aim at a nun and a pack of orphans MacGyver and Pete step in to rescue them. Pete's potentially romantic history with nun is further complicated when they find an old flame of MacGyver's working there as a missionary. This week's highlights include: Please enjoy this episode of The Super Mario Brothers Super Show featuring Arsenio 'Sonny' Trinidad as Obi-Wan Cannoli. Also if you haven't had a chance, take a listen to our appearance on the Dudes Brunch podcast, where we preach the word of MacGyver to some new converts. (P.S. I get my microphone issues under control around 3:45). The Anarchist Cookbook (Literature) The Anarchist Cookbook, first published in 1971, is a book that contains instructions for the manufacture of explosives, rudimentary telecommunications phreaking devices, and other items. The book also includes instructions for home manuf

In this week's Twofer Tuesday edition of Phoenix Foundation, we chat with teen hacker Kate Lafferty! [SPECIAL GUEST: Darcy Marta!] SPECIAL GUEST: DARCY MARTA! This week, we chat with Darcy Marta who played Kate Lafferty in this episode. Since her MacGyver days, Darcy has taught acting for stage and screen. In this podcast, she'll share her many entertaining memories of the shoot.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 3rd, 1986 --- Jack Dalton shows up out of the blue to drag MacGyver into harm's way MISSION: MacGyver is lured to Dinoto in Central America, to rescue a team of botanists held captive by terrorists, or so he is led to believe by lifelong friend and pathological liar Jack Dalton. This week's highlights include: Bruce McGill as D-Day in Animal House. The MacGyver Project interview I mentioned with Kerry Lenhart can be found here. Phragmipedium besseae (Botany) Phragmipedium besseae (Pronunciation:fraig-mi-PEE-dee-um BESS-ee-ay) is an orchid species of the genus Phragmipedium. It is a terrestrial orchid native to the wet montane forests on the eastern slope of the Andes in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Typically orange, not purple as they appear in this episode. Check out the article on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phragmipedium_besseae Watch S2E6: "Jack of Lies" on CBS's website or check the alternative streamability of this episode here.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 27th, 1986 --- MacGyver protects a group of juvenile delinquents from rattlesnakes, mountain lions, and each other MISSION: MacGyver is assigned to take over as scout leader for a group of teenaged gang members sent on a wilderness hike for rehabilitation. Can they learn to work together to survive in the wild? This week's highlights include:   Theodolite (Topography) A theodolite is a precision instrument for measuring angles in the horizontal and vertical planes. Theodolites are used mainly for surveying applications, and have been adapted for specialized purposes in fields like meteorology and rocket launch technology. Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodolite Watch S2E5: "Final Approach" on CBS's website or check the alternative streamability of this episode here.

In our first Twofer Tuesday edition of Phoenix Foundation, we chat with Piedra the Assassin! [SPECIAL GUEST: Anthony De Longis!] SPECIAL GUEST: ANTHONY DE LONGIS! Anthony De Longis is more than just the awesome villain of MacGyver's first season finale (not to mention his reappearance in season 3). He's a weapons specialist and all-around nice guy. Hear us chat about his experiences on the set of MacGyver, acting and helping to choreograph fight scenes. We also discuss his various weapon skills and his experiences teaching iconic characters like Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones and Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman how to properly use a whip on set. If you're interested in checking out the website he mentioned in our interview, you can find it here: http://www.delongis.com. Also keep an eye on the latest updates for the Blood Trail trilogy by following their facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blood-Trail/144024102308207. Mr. De Longis's awesome whip demo can be seen below.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 20th, 1986 --- MacGyver is asked to babysit a 14-year-old boy from Santa Monica, not the mists of antiquity! MISSION: When MacGyver offers to pick up Lisa's little brother from a birthday party, he probably doesn't suspect he'll be interrupting a Wish Child hustle. This week's highlights include: This cost Threshold Entertainment $45 million dollars to make... think about that. Here is a link to James Hong's Acting Workshop as mentioned on the podcast. Relic Hunter (Television) Relic Hunter is an anglophone Canadian television series, starring Tia Carrere and Christien Anholt. It centers on Sydney Fox who is a professor but primarily a globe-trotting "relic hunter", looking for ancient artifacts to return to museums and/or the descendants of the original owner. She is aided by her linguistic assistant Nigel and occasionally by her somewhat air-headed secretary Claudia. She often ends up battling rival hunters seeking out artifacts for the money. The series includes fantasy

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 6th, 1986 --- MacGyver, Pete, Joanne, and their swindled friend Kelly conspire to out-bunco Mr. Bunco himself! MISSION: When Phoenix Foundation employee Kelly is tricked out of his life savings by a confidence man, MacGyver and Pete set about scamming the money right back. This week's highlights include:   Watch Pete lecturing Johnny Hooker in the film that inspired this episode.   Metrication in the United States (Law) Illegal drugs and controlled substances are often measured in metric quantities. The federal law prohibiting them defines the penalties in metric masses. In everyday use within its subculture, marijuana is sold using a combination of metric and American customary units. At small scales the basic unit is the gram (or fractions thereof), but for larger orders fractions of ounces and pounds are used generally starting at ⅛ ounce, which is often defined in turn as 3.5 grams and referred to simply as "an eighth." The term "kilo" is used quite commonly by t

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: September 29th, 1986 --- MacGyver thinks reuniting gangster Jimmy with his son will be a hit... he's right MISSION: MacGyver is tasked with tracking down an American spy running an East German technology pipeline. Unfortunately for him, mafia hitman Jimmy "The Eraser" Kendall has the same orders. This week's highlights include:   Here's a trailer for that Wes Craven movie Richard recommended. Apparently Papa Chuck Banning's granddaughter plays some small part in this. NavCom-24 (technology) NavCom-24 is not just any piece of hardware. Once valued at three-quarters of a million dollars, it is perhaps the most sophisticated navigation system ever developed. Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NavCom-24 Watch S2E2: "The Eraser" on CBS's website or check the alternative streamability of this episode here.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: September 22nd, 1986 --- Once again, MacGyver must rescue a scientist from an underground lab in a season premiere MISSION: MacGyver is invited to test an underground lab's automated security program. An unfortunate glitch in the system makes things a bit more difficult. This week's highlights include: Here is a trailer for The Eraser, which we mentioned on the show. I miss Don LaFontaine. Dalek (Science Fiction) The Daleks are a fictional extraterrestrial race of mutants principally portrayed in the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. The Daleks were conceived by science-fiction writer Terry Nation and first appeared in the 1963 Doctor Who serial The Daleks, in the shells designed by Raymond Cusick. Check out the article on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalek Watch S2E1: "The Human Factor" on CBS's website or check the alternative streamability of this episode here.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: May 7th, 1986 --- MacGyver must protect an archbishop from a new arch-nemesis [SPECIAL GUEST: Anthony De Longis!] MISSION: DXS has uncovered an assassin's plot to kill an archbishop and MacGyver is tasked with interrupting the attempt with the help of a call girl out for vengeance. This week's highlights include: SPECIAL GUEST: ANTHONY DE LONGIS! Anthony De Longis is more than just the awesome villain of MacGyver's first season finale (not to mention his reappearance in season 3). He's a weapons specialist and all-around nice guy. Hear us chat about his experiences on the set of MacGyver, acting and helping to choreograph fight scenes. We also discuss his various weapon skills and his experiences teaching iconic characters like Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones and Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman how to properly use a whip on set. If you're interested in checking out the website he mentioned in our interview, you can find it here: http://www.delongis.com. Also keep an eye on the latest update