MacGyver (1985–1992): Season 2, Episode 4 - The Wish Child - full transcript

I grew up
in northern Minnesota,

and I remember snowdrifts

that would Bury
whole parking lots,

icicles longer than
a hockey stick,

and bein' stuck with
three layers of clothing.

My favorite, though, was when

they announced
exposed flesh warnings

on the radio to
prevent frostbite.

When I came to California,

I found out it's
really a small world.

They had exposed
flesh warnings, too,



called beach parties.

The type of party that
did away with frostbite.

Did away with most
of the clothing, too.

But the beach isn't the
only place for a party.

And I had some friends

who really knew
how to party down.

You know, it took me a while

To perfect the
basket trick, but, uh...

There is absolutely

no defense.

I
can read your body.

You're telegraphing your moves.

Too much tension.

I think it's the mask.



It's just to help you
forget I'm a woman.

Fat chance.

A mask isn't gonna do it.

Tent maybe.

Hello.

It's yours.

Lisa chan. Hello.

Sure I'm still interested.

Um, I could fly up right away.

I'll be there by noon.

Ha!

Bad news?

That was a guy
up in San Francisco

interested in financing
my karate studio.

He wants me to
catch a 10:30 flight.

That's terrific.

You need a ride to the airport?

No, I'm okay.

But I could use a small favor.

Name it.

Uh, Paul... He's
at a birthday party,

and somebody's
got to pick him up.

No problem.

Mac, he's changed
since last year.

He's a grown man of 14,

And I'm his mean big sister.

Well, now that's just
because he's a teenager.

Mac, he's started talking

about our parents' death again,

and that was seven years ago.

I don't know what
he's thinking anymore,

What he's doing,
who his friends are.

- All right.
- I just can't

Get through to him anymore!

All right, all right, all
right. Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Relax a little, will
ya? I'll talk to him.

Where is this party?

- Well, here's the address...

But Paul's changed like
crazy since you last saw him.

Yeah? Does he still have
that patch of white in his hair?

Yeah.

I'll recognize him.

She gave me an address,

but what I really
needed was a road map.

In Chinatown,

It helps to have some
guidance from a local expert.

I first saw him a month ago,

and I believe he
is the wish child.

Perhaps.

We are honored,

Dr. Shen.

The legend is 1200 years old,

and I have lived
to see his return!

I sense the spirit of disbelief.

We have never met.

No.

Yet you are a man of history.

A cultural historian, yes.

And you have brought me a test.

This is the rock of shin tze

from the dynasty
of the wish child.

The legend states

That the true wish child will
bring a sign from the rock.

I think

you will know this.

The sign of the wish child.

Hi. How are ya?

Can't go in there.

Private party.

Yeah, I know.

Um, I'm meetin'
one of the kids here.

Paul chan?

His sister, Lisa,
can't pick him up.

Neither can you.

No problem.

I remember the age when
it was cool to be bad.

Dumb age.

Somehow I didn't think

they were serving
ice cream and cake

at this birthday party,

but it'd be rude not
to bring a present.

Now, it just needed
some gift wrapping.

Perfect.

Hey!

Oh, look at this!

Oh!

Yeah, I was right.

Where did this come from?

Dumb age.

Oh, between my legs!

Oh!

Oh, there it goes!

Whose is it?

Teenage party?

Whatever happened
to spin-the-bottle?

Hey, Paul!

What's goin' on?

MacGyver!

Who is he?

Name's MacGyver.

Uh-huh.

The sign of the wish child.

Dr. Shen, we must go!

A nice quiet neighborhood,

But not as loud as
the ringing in my ears.

I had no idea how I got here..

Or even where here was,

But I had definitely run
into some party animals.

It's funny.

Gunpowder smells the same
no matter how you write it.

I was sittin' on a
pile of fireworks,

And some joker's outside
playin' shake, rattle and roll.

I'd had enough of this party.

It was definitely time to leave.

So I figured

a small directional explosive
would make a door...

Hopefully without
blowin' up the whole box.

Anyway, it'd just be
a matter of seconds

Before light became a
match, and I'd either blow out...

Or up.

No one told me the
party'd moved upstairs.

Uh, excuse me!

Uh... down, please!

That's it!

I changed my mind.

I'm not taking that cruise.

It'd just take me forever
to get the police to believe

a story about being
shanghaied in Chinatown,

and that was too long to wait

when I had to find a kid
who was in real trouble.

Man :
Mr. Lee, Dr. Shen is here.

Have him wait.

Mr. Lee, I have news.

Not here.

Ot-su, no one is
to enter this area.

Mr. Lee...

Your collection brings
honor to our ancestors.

Thank you, Dr. Shen.

I have spent 40
years and some wealth

to preserve the
truth of the wish child,

to make the legend reality.

Did you see this boy, Paul chan?

Yes, I did.

And?

The boy...

Drew this

out of the rock of shin tze.

But how?

You x-rayed the stone

And found no
markings, nothing inside.

The legend states that
the wish child shall find

The soul of the stone.

That is correct.

Then perhaps finally...

Finally, he has returned.

Lisa was out of touch.

Paul was out of reach,
and the only place

To start looking for him
was where I'd lost him.

As agreed, Dr. Shen.

I feel...

That I must mention one thing.

This man, stone...

Is a petty criminal,

dishonest... By preference,

A thief and swindler by trade...

With several
murders to his credit.

Then you knew.

I always know, Dr. Shen,

and I'm always prepared.

I have found a
most useful friend

among stone's people.

Your research has
been most helpful.

Thank you, Dr. Shen.

Our lives...

Shall soon be joined.

Guess the party was over.

Pretty neat.

When the guests went home,

They took the
furniture with 'em.

Sometimes you got to
read between the lines.

Whatever Paul was
into had something to do

with the wish child business.

And this impression in the
floor was the only lead I had.

And, of course, it
was in Chinese...

So I had two choices.

I could bring the
interpreter to the floor

Or take the floor
to the interpreter.

The problem is, how
do you move a floor?

First thing you
need is a chisel...

And a chisel's no
good without a hammer.

Well... I got the message.

Ah, this I think you'll
really like.

Oh, see the natural grain there?

Yeah, it's $30.

Oh, an honorable gift
all the way from China.

Brought it right from the dock.

Uh, a real collector's item.

See you.

Hey, Sam!

Hey, MacGyver! What do you know?

Good to see you, guy.

So... hey, look.

No more painted parrots, huh?

These are authentic fakes
all the way from Taiwan.

Straight off the boat?

Cheap, too.

Not in the market,
Sammy. Thank you.

I'm looking for anything
you can tell me about this.

Oh, wow!

It's the wish child.

The what?

A lot of noise on the street

about this kid doing
the wish child hustle,

so I am currently offering

these real, genuine copies

Of a certified replica in
the golden era museum.

Now, you can't get
more honest than that.

Hey, Mac, the museum's doing

a heavy research thing
on the wish child legend.

Mucho hot item.

Hey, on me.

Thank you.

I'm looking for the kid
who's playing this wish child.

Right. That's his symbol.

See, a lot of
people are fighting

To put good money
down on the kid.

It's a great gig.

You mean hustle?

Well... most
people don't buy it,

but enough do.

We're talking old time
Chinese legends here.

I mean ancient.

A lot of people believe
that 400 years ago,

the wish child was
reborn as a warlord's son,

and after a battle, the
whole family's knocked off,

while the wish child's
just wandering around

in the mountains
totally zonked out

with no memory of the attack,

except that a patch of
his hair has turned white.

A white patch?

Yeah, snow white. And no memory.

Then a bandit nabs him,

recognizes him
as the wish child,

tries to sell him.

Sell him because
he grants wishes?

Better. Heavier.

The legend says you
link your soul to his,

you got immortality.

Oh, if I could only
bottle it, I'd be rich.

Sammy, I'm talking
about a 14-year-old kid

From Santa Monica, not
the "mists of antiquity."

Who's bottling him?

Guy named stone, half-Chinese,
half sewer rat out of Hong Kong.

He tries to play legit.

Owns a restaurant

In the lower district.

This a... Hustler type,

About six feet,
real fashion plate?

Yeah, but, MacGyver, stone
comes on like Mr. Clean,

but he's really down and dirty.

And there's a lot of people here

that still believe the legend,

so stone'll keep selling
the kid as long as he can.

But when it's
over, so's the kid,

you know what I mean?

Yeah.

The kid's my responsibility.

He's also my friend.

You know what I mean?

Good luck, pal.

You were quite a pro, kid.

Did a hell of a job
on shen wei today.

It was easy
switching those rocks.

I wonder if this
rock of his is real.

Who knows?

Maybe I really
am the wish child.

Yeah, maybe you are at that.

Just got to keep it
going a little while longer.

Sit tight.

How did you handle
that MacGyver guy?

He shipped out to New Zealand.

Hmm, nice touch.

No body, no cops, no noise.

Diplomatic.

Make out everything

to Mr. Lee?

No.

Now Dr. Shen
will confirm to us.

Did the old man,
Dr. Shen, buy the scam?

Lock, stock and phony rock.

Kid was great.

Mr. Lee made contact.

He's interested.

I'll meet him, set up the deal.

We'll have the money
and be rid of a kid.

How?

He won't be coming back.

Got something
special for you, kid.

Whoa!

I told you, good
things are coming.

Rich things.

Yeah!

Wait'll Lisa sees
the karate studio

I'm going to buy her.

She'll stop thinking
I'm some kind of loser.

Hey, everybody's going to
respect you, Paul, everybody.

You are the wish child.

You know, sometimes I
think maybe what if I was!

We both know
you're special, Paul.

That's why it's going to
be great from now on, right?

Right!

See you a minute?

Now go to the back
room and start rehearsing.

I'll be right there.

Okay.

- MacGyver...!
- Paul,

I need to talk to you
just for a few minutes,

away from here, okay?

- Okay.
- All right, come on.

What are you sneaking
around like this for?!

So your friends back
there don't cream me again.

Stone? He wouldn't do that.

He would.

He did, and he will again
if I give him half a chance.

Ji! The kid's missing.

Find him!

Aw, you're just saying that
just to get me to go home.

Well, I'm not; You can
just tell Lisa that, too.

I've got a real big
appointment today, MacGyver,

And you're not going
to blow it for me.

Paul, if that
appointment is with stone,

it's dangerous to you.

He's bad news.

Mac, that man is my friend.

You never spent time with him.

Of course you don't trust him.

Hey, he really
watches out for me.

Look, look, he gave me this.

Ooh, neat.

Is that how you
measure friendship?

Stone talks to me
about my future.

He understands me
better than Lisa or you.

Your future... as
part of a scam?

Terrific.

We're not hurting anybody.

People really believe
I'm this wish child,

and it makes them happy.

They even give me money.

It's a rip-off, Paul,
and you know it!

Or do you really believe
you're this wish child?

Look, that car accident
killed my mom and dad,

And I wasn't even
touched, except for this.

Just like in the legend.

You don't believe it, do you?

Believe this, Paul.

I care about you.

I consider us friends.

I'm not a kid anymore.

All right... let's
talk, man to man.

Let's get out of here first,
what do you say, huh?

Mac, what are you doing?

Paul, they're hunting for us.

The only way out
is over that wall.

With an umbrella?

No, a grappling hook.

Paul, get that rope.

That a boy.

All right, come on!

Paul!

Come on! Paul!

They won't hurt me, Mac.

They work for stone.

Yeah, right.

Don't worry about it, Mac.

I know what I'm doing.

Paul!

Don't worry.

You heard what he said.

Be nice.

well, there went
Paul, on his way

to that important appointment.

And all I had for a road map

was a postcard I
didn't understand

in a language I couldn't read.

But I remembered one thing.

Sammy had lifted this
from the golden era museum

Where I might find something
more about the wish child.

I used to love museums
when I was a kid.

You never knew
what you'd find inside.

I liked mysteries back then.

Surprising... To find
a Caucasian scholar

of the wish child legend.

Well, the name's MacGyver,
and I was looking for a...

Didn't I see you at a
ceremony with Paul chan?

The wish child, yes.

I am Dr. Shen wei.

Yeah. I am here
because of the legend,

and because of Paul.

His family asked
me to look after him.

Look after the wish child?

Let me show you something,

- Mr. MacGyver.
- MacGyver.

It was a violent
time, 400 years ago.

The child was attacked,

But while his
protectors were killed...

He survived, miraculously.

And wandered into the mountains.

You know.

I've heard.

And you have doubts.

Understandable,

but we have records
four centuries old.

He was taken by
a bandit chieftain

and sold for a fortune in gold.

Paul.

He is the wish child.

He is a 14-year-old
kid from Santa Monica

who's in a lot of trouble.

Now, what does this
stone want to do with Paul?

Good to have you back, kid.

MacGyver just doesn't
understand, that's all.

I mean, we're not really
cheating this Mr. Lee, are we?

Paul, Mr. Lee asked to meet us.

And he's a very rich man.

If it makes him happy
to see the wish child,

that's great.

And if it's worth money to
him, that's up to him, isn't it?

We're not really
twisting his arms.

You know, I feel like it's real.

Paul,

It's $1 million worth of real.

For you and me.

Right.

Mr. Stone.

Welcome.

I do not know
Mr. Stone's business.

I'm a scholar, Mr. MacGyver.

Whose?

Come on, Dr. Shen,
who's paying for all this?

Who's the money source so hooked

on the wish child, huh?

His name is Lee wenying,

but he is only interested

in the wish child as a scholar.

As the legend come alive.

I have always felt... special.

Always?

Or since the day of your
parents' tragic death?

Tell me.

I don't want to bring
back an old pain,

but it is necessary.

We were going to visit Lisa,

my sister, at her college.

It was a mountain
road, real twisty.

There were rocks on the road.

And the car... slipped,

And dad yelled...

And...

The car hit the
fence, and it went over

And down, and...

And I heard mom, I heard...

Child!

I don't remember!

I was crying and
running all night.

I... just don't remember!

That's all right.

Neither did the wish child.

He wandered into the mountains

Becoming what he was to be.

You see, I was paid
to verify a possibility.

That the legend, the wish
child, had reappeared.

Mr. Lee contacted stone
so he could talk to Paul.

Where do I find him?

I'm sorry.

Dr. Shen, I have been slugged,

dumped, shanghaied

and shot at.

And I think the reason
is because of Paul.

Now why?

What does Mr. Lee want with him?

Some believe

that a man can
achieve immortality

By linking his soul
with that of the child.

And Mr. Lee wenying is old.

He will Cherish the boy,

protect him.

As long as the child is
alive, Mr. Lee will live.

Protect him?

Don't you mean keep him?

You helped sell
a 14-year-old boy

into slavery for life.

No.

Oh, yeah!

The legend says a bandit
sold the child for gold.

Now stone may
have done the selling,

but you okayed the sale.

Nobody but you.

Now where's Paul?

Paul...

Paul is...

Dr. Shen?

Mr. Lee did not believe me.

Dr. Shen,

you must tell me
where Paul is. Please!

In the freighter.

Pier... k-63.

Forward hold.

Steel door.

Child inside that door.

I felt this in the stone.

Proof, Mr. Lee, he is the child.

Proof?

Come, I will test you.

The handprint of the child.

400 years ago

in the temple wall.

Place your hand
in the impression.

You are the child.

You are.

Come!

How did you do that?

I don't know. It just fit.

This was the child,
as you are the child.

It looks just like me.

Of course.

Mr. Stone...

The money is yours,
the child is mine.

Stone, what's he talking about?

Sorry, kid. Good-bye.

Stone!

Hey, let me out!

I'm not this wish
child. It was a fake.

Stone!

Stone.

Mr. Lee's boat ran
about 50,000 tons.

A little bit smaller
than fort Knox,

but about as hard to bust int.

I could make an
official complaint,

and something might happen

about six days
after the ship sailed.

So I'll just have to put
something together.

You did a fine job, Mr. Stone.

Thank you.

Now if you leave over
this side of the ship,

no one will see you.

Good.

As agreed, $1 million

in gold.

Is that satisfactory,

Mr. Stone?

Yes, indeed.

Good.

Teng?

An honorable bargain, Mr. Stone.

The gold is yours forever.

Old Minnesota wisdom:

if you don't want to be touched,

look downright untouchable.

I will set the course
once we're at sea, captain.

Yes, sir!

I expect to cast
off in 37 minutes.

Okay! Stand clear, mate.

Just got this fixed.

Steady up!

You, there!

Where are you going?

Nobody allowed in this section.

Oh yeah?

You want to tell Mr. Lee

he's not getting his
auxiliary fixed? Huh?

I didn't think so.

Don't touch that.
It's important.

Hey, what are you doing here?

This is the forward
hold, isn't it?

- Yeah.
- I got work to do down here.

Hold that, will ya?

Ow!

Let go of me!

Wait a minute!
What are you doing?

Give me back my gun...

I'll just hold this
for ya, all right?

Get me down!

I said get me down!

Get me down! Get me down!

Get back here!

Get me down!

Aah!

Try to shoot
the lock out of a steel door,

and bullets'd just bounce off.

Besides, I hate guns.

Now, teng, call me
when we cast off.

I'll be below.

Now if you get the gunpowder
inside the lock...

And rig a cartridge
as kind of a fuse...

Then use the
gun the right way...

- Bingo!

- Mac!
- What?!

Am I glad to see you!

You were right about stone!

- They were gonna...
- All right, all right.

Tell me along the way. Come on.

What are you doing?

Hold that up.

Mr. Lee?

Child?

What?

Ta-ya!

Is that you?

- Paul, let's move!

Child, come back!

Come back, child!

Come back!

Hold it!

Child!

Let's try this way!

Guard! Guard!

Open the door.

Guard!

Let me out!

The child escaped.

He must not leave the ship!

Up the ladder.

Come on.

Aah!

Mac!

Come on.

Child!

Come back!

Child! Child!

No!

Come back!

You must stay with me!

You must stay with me.

Our lives are one!

Oh!

Somebody help him.

How?

Grab the lifeboat?

Maybe he believed in
the legend too much.

Come on.

Hmm.

Mmm, good.

Come in.

Hi.

Oh, hi, Lisa.

Hey, Lisa,
how was San Francisco?

Oh, don't ask.

Oh, yeah?

Well, you're just in time

for pizza à la MacGyver.

I need it.

I had a day like a curse.

That good, huh?

Anyway, I see you found him.

No problem.

So, was the birthday party fun?

Outstanding!