|
This article is a stub. You can help the MacGyver Wiki by expanding it. |
|---|
| Final Approach | |
| Season 2, Episode 5 | |
 | |
| Airdate | October 27, 1986 |
| Episode Guide | |
| Previous The Wish Child |
Next Jack Of Lies |
Final Approach is the 5th episode of Season 2 in the original version of MacGyver.
Summery[]
MacGyver is stranded in the wilderness with a group of teenage gang members; he must get them to put aside their differences long enough to survive the ordeal.
Plot[]
Act One[]
At an airfield while planes are touching down on the runway and others take off, MacGyver appears to be flying in an ice storm when he'd rather take a train or bus and the curburetor freezes. He is unable to get the flying stick to respond in time. He is greeted by a buzzer and a computer voice telling him he has crashed the plane. Peter Thornton helps his friend out of the simulator which he failed to pass and the former rigged the test to fail. When MacGyver wants to walk off, Pete assures it is impossible to happen on a real plane and informs him he only gets to ride one.
Outside, Pete briefs MacGyver on the pilot program Phoenix arranged with the National Youth Authority researching gang violence and of how kids are roughing it out in the wilderness. A social scientist without gang experience is running the field test although MacGyver wanted that job. With very little money involved, MacGyver is to depart for his mission the next day and Pete is willing to offer additional payment as reward. MacGyver wants him and Pete to partake in the Colorado River Kayak Race as a bonus.
Meanwhile in the wilderness, the situation is dire for the teenagers as the social scientist Cavanaugh warns Ramon against a cigarette. One gang leader named Luther also warns about the fire-area and gets into a fight with Ramon which the scientist is unable to stop; This causes him to threaten the gang with prison. Eventually, Luther and Ramon cease their scuffle for the moment. MacGyver arrives via plane piloted by Carl Jenkins who warns how dangerous the gangs could be since he took a chance in carrying them to the wilderness area.
Tommy complains to Cavanaugh about the porridge-like food he has to eat and frantically wants to drop out. Gina spots smoke thinking it to be brownies and the teenagers go walking for it, followed by the social scientist. MacGyver has been using a small heated opening in a cliff to heat some brownies and offers them to the teenagers when they show up. They exchange introductions and Cavanaugh considers his skills poorly wants to leave MacGyver to take charge of the gangs although the Phoenix agent wants to work with Cavanaugh.
That night Gina admires how MacGyver made the campfire and Tommy denies her being his girl. With the fire getting low, MacGyver carefully re-arranges it. Gina tells of how sister is serving a five year prison sentence which if she behaves well will be reduced. Luther chucks rocks and provokes Ramon into another fight which MacGyver using his take charge measures stops. MacGyver is irked he has to handle the kids for two more days.
Eventually the two days pass, and MacGyver and the gangs are on the plane home. Ramon offers to take the controls but Jenkins rebuffs him back to his seat and complains about the misadventure. Ramon unceremoniously unbuckles his seat belt convinced the seat belt and no smoking lights are off. Just as MacGyver tries to stop Ramon from making another scene, Jenkins has a heart attack and the plane begins a dangerous nose dive towards the ground leaving the gang members to plea to MacGyver for help.
Act Two[]
MacGyver takes the controls for the plane and narrowly dodges some trees and barely manages to touch the ground without serious injuries to the others, but the wrong wheel cuts on a rock and fails. The radio catches fire and MacGyver quickly puts it out. Jenkins is dead from his coronary and the gangs exit the downed plane with MacGyver getting out a jar of nitroglycerin. Luther and Tommy blame Ramon for the disaster he has caused.
But MacGyver informs the gang that Jenkins' heart condition worsened when he flew; Luther still wants to get back at Ramon. Ramon speaks up that everyone in the gang has problems.
After burying Jenkins, MacGyver advises to Ramon to try and find food and shelter for the time being until a search party finds them. He also advises the gangs to ease up their tensions and make a tent for the cold night. Gina compliments on how the parachute is made into a makeshift tent and while Luther comments about love, MacGyver offers to fish for trout and hunt for mushrooms and pine nuts. That night, while everyone has dinner, Gina wants to proposition herself to MacGyver but he cuts the act short since Tommy's gang won the argument. Reluctantly, Gina tells of how Ramon killed Luther's younger brother a year ago and the elder brother had a drunk mother who abused him. Ramon was never tried and he became El Pachuco. Tommy is furious over MacGyver's attempts to get the gangs rescued and wants to take off.
The next morning, MacGyver is relieved when Ramon wakes up from a good night's sleep but then finds a snake has snuck into the tent for warmth. Luther tries to wake up but the Phoenix agent tells him and everyone else not to move a muscle lest the snake greets him as a danger. Grabbing a sock for a glove, a burnt wood and a stick, MacGyver lures the snake away from Luther, knocks it out and carefully takes it outside. But Tommy has deserted the tent leaving hay in his sleeping bag. MacGyver wants assurance nothing bad will happen while he is away even has Gina is not confident Luther and Ramon will believe him.
Meanwhile Tommy attempts to get back to civilization on his own cutting his jacket on a branch which MacGyver finds. Tommy spots MacGyver and attempts to flee but slips with his gear into the den of a nearby cougar.
Act Three[]
Concerned the puma is preventing Tommy from stealing her food, MacGyver advises to keep him from looking her in the eye or he will be the cougar's breakfast main course. Taking a half-pipe shaped log, MacGyver removes a rock for the small stream to flow like a waterfall deluging enough to scare off the cougar. He then rappels down to Tommy and apologizes since he wanted to test a theory. On the way back to the shelter, Tommy said he was trying to find a rescue party but wound up being reckless. MacGyver simply admires his skill. Gina would have thought that before she and Tommy's gangs divided.
At the shelter, Gina ties up a band to her left thigh, while Luther prepares his knife to avenge his dead brother and warns Gina not to get involved. Ramon with a stain engulfing his chest tries to flee from a vengeful Luther. Gina tells that MacGyver that Luther is trying to kill Ramon then the agent gives chase. Just as Luther corners a downed and injured Ramon, MacGyver warns him that killing the latino will not bring his brother back. Luther relents with the knife inches from Ramon's carotid artery. Ramon warns the crash opened his injury. Luther tells Tommy and Gina they shouldn't have gotten involved.
Ramon says he doesn't need help but MacGyver know with the injury he's suffered the latino won't last too long. With insufficient time to wait for a search party, MacGyver advises getting rubber tubing two-foot lengths and the radio headset. While getting the equipment Gina was right about Tommy trying to get help and Tommy offers to reconcile their friendship. MacGyver believes Ramon's innocence in the death of Luther's brother and with the rubber tubing and radio headset, he hopes to make a stethoscope to ascertain what's wrong with Ramon. He finds his spleen was ruptured and is holding on by a thread.
Meanwhile, Pete is concerned MacGyver and the gangs are overdue. The authorities promise to start their search-and-rescue in the northwest sector of the wilderness area and calls a chopper.
If MacGyver and the teenagers can't get Ramon to a hospital soon, the latino will surely die which Luther claims will do him justice. MacGyver hopes to get the plane back off the ground and back to civilization. The only problem is they need to fix or replace the front wheel.
Act Four[]
Clearing out the rocks that punctured the front wheel, MacGyver wants a three-foot long log and they will need to lighten their load with a headwind to counteract the weight. MacGyver proposes to Gina to replace the wheel with a front ski and use the mud to make a runway but Luther refuses to helpt. Tommy is to clear the brush and rocks while Gina is to get straight and six-foot long branches. With the field as clear to make a runway as possible MacGyver borrows one of Gina's earrings for a theodolite on one of the branches and Tommy happens to know an expert on such. He then loans Tommy his compass for three-hundred yards due west and Gina carries her branch pile across.
Clinging to life, Ramon accepts MacGyver's offer for another plane ride. MacGyver lectures Luther about his time with Andy Jarrett a junior safecracker from years ago. While Andy stole from the lockers, there was no evidence to convict him until MacGyver found his knife was not in his locker. When he slugged Andy in the nose, he returned home and found his pocketknife on his desk right where he left it. Confronting Ramon again, Luther demands the whole truth on what happened to his brother. Ramon says the year before, he came around the alley to find the brother doing a drug purchase. The dealer shanked the brother with his knife and fled, leaving Ramon to see the blade and Lorenzo to hide the fact. If they make it back to civilization, Luther is to find Lorenzo. While MacGyver prepares his ski and the runway is prepared, Luther is left to question his own thoughts.
With the chopper having trouble finding the stranded MacGyver and teenagers, Pete is calling to do everything he can to find them.
For the next step in their escape plan, MacGyver wants the two gang members to dig a foot-deep trough. As work continues, Luther begins to wonder if Ramon is innocent. Gina tied her thigh band to Tommy's left wrist. While Gina has trouble with her pack, Luther against his better judgement decides to help and the runway is completed.
Since the flight plan is over civilization the authorities fear for the worst case scenario, but Pete continues to hope.
MacGyver then applies the wooden ski to where the wheel used to be and place the plane in proper position for take off. While Tommy hopes their luck holds out, Gina uses a sleeping back to keep Ramon warm. MacGyver promises he'll send the plane back when he gets Ramon back to civilization. MacGyver taxis the plane down the muddy runway with the gangs cheering him on for a miracle. Eventually, MacGyver succeeds where he failed on the simulator, learning to fly the plane and carrying Ramon to safety.. Now MacGyver needs to find and airport and call for emergency foam. Ramon comments how if he puts his mind to it, the agent can take the plane to the Moon.
Epilogue[]
In due time, the three remaining gang members are rescued; Tommy says he's bene through worse, and Ramon is going to be fine. MacGyver tells Pete with the help of the teenagers, they made it back to civilization since they found something worth going for.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
Recurring Cast Others