MacGyver (1985–1992): Season 2, Episode 8 - Eagles - full transcript

( Theme music playing )

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

( Theme ends )

MacGyver: The golden
eagle is not just a bird.

( Eagle screeches )

It's a natural wonder.

But now it's on the
endangered species list,

so the Phoenix foundation
came up with a project

To ensure its survival.

I was going to follow a pair
of eagles that had mated,



and, hopefully, find their nest.

It was called the dead
horse point project.

The idea was to make
sure the eagle eggs,

if there were any,
were protected

from their natural enemies
like hawks, mountain lions,

And, of course, man.

It was a job

Pete Thornton didn't have
to twist my arm to accept.

And to track an eagle,
you've got to sort of...

Become one.

Get up there with 'em.

Now, if you don't like height,

climbing a mountain while
you're carrying a container

with a hang glider
inside it might seem



like a strange thing to do,

especially when the weather
starts to get very cold...

very fast.

( Eagle screeches )

Golden eagles mate for life,

and if Pete Thornton's
information was correct,

there was only
one pair in the area.

I was hoping the bird
I'd seen was one of them.

The climb up to look
for those eagles took me

From summer to
winter in the same day.

And there they were...

( Screeching )

sitting on the most
inaccessible roost

I had ever seen.

Of course it didn't seem
inaccessible to them.

It may seem cruel,

But one animal's death
means another will live.

All a part of nature's
balancing act.

Civilization had thrown
that balance out of whack,

and when it came
to those two eagles,

it was my job to see

if they could stick
around long enough

to put the scales back in order.

When you're hang
gliding, you feel like

you're part of the sky.

( Eagle screeching )

Maybe that's why I can fly
hundreds of feet off the ground

without the sweaty palms I get

When I look down
from a stepladder.

I guess the way
you look at the world

depends on where you are.

From up here, it looked
like a pretty nice place.

( Screeching )

( Chirping )

They say imitation's the
sincerest form of flattery.

That's why I was copying
the eagles' flight path,

so they'd feel comfortable
with me around

and let me follow
them long enough

To find their nest...
Wherever it was.

( Screeching )

( Birds singing )

Apparently, I wasn't
alone with the eagles.

There was somebody else
just as hooked on 'em as I was.

( Wind whistling )

( Whooshing )

( Helicopter whirring )

Gas is gettin' low.

We better head in.

You said we'd bag some game.

What about that ram?

Everyone has a
bighorn on the wall.

I want something

special.

Watch it, will ya?

Oh, sorry, Mr. Nystrom.

Nystrom: Couple
of birds over there.

Move in on them!

( Gunfire, eagle cries )

You missed.

Hey, those are golden eagles!

I know what they are!

I'd be the first one in the club

to hang one on the wall.

It's against the law!

( Fires twice )

Missed again.

Ah, this thing is jammed!

You couldn't hit 'em anyway.

Why don't you
just fly this thing?

If you're so good, why
don't you try my crossbow?

Give me!

You don't have a prayer.

( Eagle screeching )

- Got him!
- Pretty good shot.

- ( Eagle crying )
- You just winged him.

( Barking )

( Screeching )

I always wanted a matched pair.

( Screeching )

MacGyver: Sometimes, the
best way to distract a guy is

To make him see the light.

What's that?

That guy wants to
play games with me,

I'll knock him
right out of the sky!

Ghant, watch it!

( Screeches )

Gant: What happened?

Eagle hit the skid.

( Screeching )

You happy now? He's hurt.

Nystrom: Let's get out of here.

( Screeching )

( Screeches )

MacGyver: It
looked like the eagle

that flew towards the
north face of the mountain

was in shock.

I didn't have enough
lift to get up to it,

so I figured helping the
boy with the wounded one

was my next best choice.

It's okay, Fred, stay still.

( Barking )

( Twittering )

- Stay, Fred.
- ( Barking )

Stay here. Calm down.

( Fred barking )

( Twittering )

( Fred barking )

Stay. Okay?

Stay.

Keep him here, all right?

Mm-hmm.

It might distract the bird.

( Fred whines )

( Chirps )

( Fred barks )

( Peeping )

( Barking )

MacGyver: Easy, baby.

Come on, come on.

( Eagle chirping, Fred barking )

That's it.

You better tie
the legs together.

The talons are very dangerous.

Here, you can use this.

You got a place I
can work on his wing?

Yeah, my grandpa's cabin.

( Engine grinding )

Oh, come on...

( Engine grinding )

Mom!

Mom!

Someone shot one of the eagles!

What?!

( Gasps )

How bad is it?

I think his wing
might be broken.

I'm gonna need some help.

Come on.

We can use the shed.

( Door squeaking )

I'll put a blanket on the table.

Here, Darin, let me get that.

That's great.

You got any rags we
could use for bandages?

I'm gonna have to set this wing.

Yeah, we got tons of 'em.

( Keening )

That's great.

There's a knife in my pocket.

Get it.

Darin, no!

- But I can do it.
- Honey,

You're gonna cut yourself.

Darin!

He's only

Ten years old.

I don't know he expects.

Okay, how much
of this do you need?

Uh, just a couple of strips.

Long strips, please.

( Grunts with effort )

My name's MacGyver.

Oh, hi.

Susan Cooper.

Hi, Susan.

Listen, I'm really gonna
need your help here.

You're gonna
have to hold the bird

while I wrap the wing.

Um...

Look, I've never done
this before, either,

but it's got to be done.

Okay.

All right, here we go.

Easy does it.

( Susan sighs )

( Quietly ): Easy, baby.

( Susan sniffles )

Susan ( Quietly ): Careful.

Here we go.

( Eagle cries, Susan whimpers )

Easy. Come on.

( Eagle cries, Susan gasps )

Oh, I know, I know, I know.

( Eagle cries)

All right.

Oh, good.

Keep ahold of her.

I'm gonna have to
make a splint here.

Hang onto it real tight.

All right, when we're
finished up here,

we'll soak the
rags in antiseptic.

You're sure you
never done this before?

Well, I had a parakeet one time

that went ten rounds with a cat.

I patched him up, and
he lived to fight again.

I didn't think anybody
was living up here.

Oh, this was my dad's place.

Darin and I came
out a few weeks ago.

Oh, it's a nice
place for a vacation.

Well, I'm trying
to fix some things.

Yeah, these old cabins
can sure use a lot of work.

Oh, I wouldn't know a
hammer from a chain saw.

No, I mean fix some things:

Darin... me...

Darin?

Darin!

I thought he would
have stuck around

to see some of our handiwork.

No. There's a rocky
point just beyond

that Ridge up there.
That's where he goes

when we have an argument.

He's there a lot lately.

( Helicopter powering down )

Nystrom: Be
careful with that ram.

When do we pick up
that eagle? Tomorrow?

Ghant: There'll be
nothing but feathers left

after the coyotes get through.

What's the point of killing it

if I can't put it in my den?

There is a $5,000 fine
for killing golden eagles.

It is a protected species.

So is the bighorn, but
I bagged one of them.

You know, I'm really worried

About that guy
in the hang glider.

He saw us shoot that eagle.

Now, if he goes
to the park rangers

and tells them what
he saw, we could...

Listen, maybe
he's got a soft spot.

Everybody does.

Women, booze, he
owes the bookies...

Something he doesn't
want out of the bag.

Find him and buy him.

Yeah, but...

That guy on the
hang glider talks,

we could lose the business.

"Business"?

That guy talks,

there'll be federal agents
crawling all over here.

Why do you think I
busted out of prison

and moved to the
middle of nowhere?

They want to put me
back on death row.

I ain't going to
let that happen.

Your mom and I got the
arrow out of the bird's wing.

I think he's going
to be all right.

( Sighing )

He's a she.

Oh.

You know about eagles?

I've been studying
them for a few years.

My dad sends me books on them.

Did you see where
the male eagle went?

He landed on the
mountain, I think.

If they don't get
back together...

They have one
mate their whole life.

There could be a nest
out there with eggs in it,

Or young eagles, maybe.

If one of the adults
dies, or something,

the young will die too,

'Cause one adult can't
take care of them alone.

They aren't going to die.

Not if we have
anything to say about it.

( Chuckles )

Name's MacGyver.

I know; I heard you tell mom.

You know, when I was your age,

I'd have given anything

to spend time in
a place like this.

Ah, this place is okay.

Darin...

I think your mom's
worried about you.

It's, uh, it's a
good kind of worry,

if you know what I mean.

She just doesn't want
to see you hurt yourself.

Neither do I.

I just want to do things.

She won't let me.

Have you talked to her about it?

Have you tried?

She doesn't listen.

Well, if you don't talk,
what's she going to listen to?

Just a thought.

( Wind whistling )

( Eagle cries plaintively )

Susan: Any change, Darin?

Darin: I think she's
getting weaker.

Hey!

MacGyver: Anybody home?

It's MacGyver!

Hey. How's our patient?

She doesn't like
being in that box.

Wow, it must be great
flying on this hang glider!

Yeah, it is.

So when are we going up, huh?

You kidding?

My mom'd never let me go.

You going to stay over?

Well, um...

He can, can't he?

Sure, if he wants to.

Okay, it's after 9:00, honey.

But I was talking to MacGyver.

Well, you can talk in
the morning; Let's go.

I want to sleep in the shed.

Oh, Darin, please.

That way I could keep
an eye on the eagle.

The eagle is going
to sleep in her bed.

You're going to
sleep in your bed.

I'm not a baby anymore.

You know, the only arguments

I ever had with my
mother were about bedtime.

I finally had to let
her stay up till 10:00.

I wish you hadn't
given him that.

I'm sorry.

I should have asked.

( Eagle cries plaintively )

( Eagle cry echoing
from distance )

nature gives people
and animals instincts

that help them to survive,
but up on the mountain,

a part of nature was in
danger of disappearing,

And instinct alone
wasn't going to save it.

Sugar cubes are a
great source of energy.

I figured the eagle on
the mountain might need it.

Morning.

How you doing?

Hmm?

Will you let me touch you?

I bet you miss your
mate, don't you?

( Chirps weakly )

Yeah.

If you're going to
scale a mountain,

You need the right
things to do it with.

Susan's dad had been a climbe,

And some of the equipment
was still there: Rope...

carabiners...

Climber's hammer...

and a ice ax.

But after that, the pickin's

Started getting mighty slim...
Tent stakes instead of pitons.

And if Darin's dog didn't
mind, his leash clips

were going to be
my extra carabiners.

They looked good,

If you didn't look too close.

Susan: Good morning.

Morning.

How's she doing?

Not so good.

Oh.

- What's that?
- Oh, it's

A little trick.

Take the inside out of a
pen, you know what you got?

Bird feeder.

Darin said she won't
eat when she's hurt.

Yeah, it's for the male eagle.

Hit that helicopter yesterday;
I figure he's in shock.

Little sugar water
will bring him out of it.

And I could use this
climbing equipment too,

but you don't have half
enough carabiners or pitons.

You wouldn't happen to
know if you got any more?

You're going to look
for the male eagle

on the mountain?

You don't even
know if he's up there.

I saw him fall.

I heard him last night.

I figure he's on the
north face somewhere.

The north face is sheer granite.

Look, Darin said if the
eagles are separated,

They'll never be able to hatch
their eggs or raise their young.

I'm just going to bring the
two of them together, that's all.

Hey, you know what
my dad used this for?

- No.
- A hat.

It'll help us keep track
of you when you're on

- The mountain.
- Thanks.

Ghant: Well, looky, looky,
looky, looky, looky, looky.

( Snide chuckle )

Curry: Wonder who
belongs to that Jeep?

Ghant: One way to find out.

Look at this stuff.

This must be the guy.

What's that?

Jeep registration.

MacGyver.

Uh, we're not asking
for any trouble.

Listen, why don't
you let me talk to him?

I mean, you're not going to
do anything stupid, are you,

like killing that bank
guard for no reason?

Curry, when you've
already killed one man,

killing another one
don't really matter.

Especially when it means
staying out of the chair.

Some people think of a
mountain as just a big rock.

Well, this one wasn't.

And it's not very often

that you can get
an eagle's-eye view

of your own personal waterfal.

It took a little doing,

but I found out in a hurry

the things a climber
really needs...

A pair of strong hands,
a set of steady nerves,

and a paid-up insurance polic.

Ghant: There it
is... the hang glider.

At least this guy, uh...

MacGyver...

MacGyver... ain't flying
around somewhere.

Well, let's just wait
for him here, then.

Well, who knows if
he's going to show?

He could be down in that cabin

talking to the ranger
on the shortwave.

Well, we're just going to
buy him off anyway, right?

Hey, look, i'm warning
you, don't you do anything...

What makes you think
he wants to be bought?!

He goes right to the cops,

it's my life on the line, curry!

I'll take him out if I got to...

And anyone else, too.

Now, let's stash the rover
and walk on down there.

I see MacGyver!

He's climbing the mountain!

Yeah, he went up to
look for the other eagle.

Darin: He's almost
up to the top!

( Grunting )

In a way, mountains
are kind of two-faced.

From a distance, they
can look pretty smooth,

but up close, you
see all the cracks...

Places where you
can hammer in a piton,

or, if you've run
out, tent stakes.

( Fred barks )

Fred! Fred, stop it!

( Barking )

That's some
watchdog you got there.

( Barking continues )

That hang glider
wouldn't happen to belong

to a man named
MacGyver, would it?

Yes.

Well, I hate to be the
one to bring bad news,

but, well, his Jeep was crushed

by a big tree at the
entrance to the park.

Where is he?

Whoa! Is that him up there?

Susan: Yep.

( Chuckling )

Ghant: What some
folks'll do for fun.

Well, we'll wait
right here for him,

if it's okay with you.

( Grunts )

MacGyver: Climbing a mountain's
tough enough when your hands

and feet have something
solid to grab onto.

It's another story altogether
when you're hanging in midair

from a tent stake
and a dog leash clip.

( Stake clanking )

watching that tent stake fall

gave me a funny
kind of feeling...

A feeling that could keep a guy
from making long-range plans.

( Grunting )

Oh... oh...

They say drowning men see
their lives flash before them.

Falling men do, too.

At least this man did.

And what I saw was
about 50 years too short.

( Grunting )

I knew it was possible
that the eagle would take

one look at me and decide
to fly someplace else,

but that was a possibility
I tried not to think about.

That kid's getting on my nerves.

I don't like the way
he looks at me...

Like he knows something.

How could he
possibly know anyth...?

I don't know how.

He just bugs me.

( Eagle cries plaintively )

Your ears can play tricks
on you up in the mountains.

( eagle screeches )

Sound bounces off rocks and ice,

and even though you hear it,

You don't really know
where it's coming from.

I personally don't know
which is more dangerous...

Falling off a wedge of ice
down the side of a mountain

Or falling into a
thousand-foot crevice.

( Grunts )

And I really don't want to know.

( Eagle cries )

( Eagle keening )

( Screeching )

an animal that's in shock

can be completely unpredictable,

and when you're out
on a mountain ledge

with a snowstorm coming up,

surprises are the
last thing you want.

( Screeching )

( Wind whistling )

I really wanted to get that
eagle down to the cabin,

but then I remembered
there's only one kind of climber

who tries to get down a mountain

in the middle of a snowstorm...

The kind you never
hear from again.

( Wind whistling )

How's the boy? Is he asleep?

Yeah, he is.

Oh, MacGyver could
get caught in this storm.

I'm going to call
the park rangers.

You ain't calling anyone, honey.

Susan: You cut my radio?!

( Wind whistling )

MacGyver: My instinct told me

To do whatever I could
to keep that eagle alive.

I guess his instinct
told him to let me.

- ( Screeching )
- Feeling a little better, are we?

What do you say we
get off this mountain?

Getting down a mountain
should be easier than climbing it,

But not necessarily.

( Cries )

♪ ♪

I'd seen an arrow
like this one before.

( Cries )

♪ ♪

The man with the cigar.

I remember now.

He was flying the helicopter

when the eagle was shot.

Darin, are you sure

that man is the s...

What I wanted to do was
get that guy's attention...

And there was enough
stuff in the shed to do it.

A gas stove, an old inner
tube, a bicycle, a grindstone.

The problem was thinking
of what to do with them.

I was right about the kid.

He knows.

Well, then, let's
just get out of here...

I said the kid knows.

Well, what are we gonna...?

( Quietly ): You
want to kill him?

The woman, too.

Well, you're out of your mind!

Then we wait for MacGyver
at the base of the mountain.

( Quietly ): Look, I'm a businessman,
and I'm not going to do this!

Listen, curry, if it weren't
for the take on that bank job

That put me on death row,
you wouldn't have a business.

Now, understand something.

If I go down again, you
go down with me this time.

Ball bearings are sort
of like steel marbles.

If you strike 'em hard enough
against a rough surface

of a grindstone,
they'll spark...

Just like the flint in
a cigarette lighter.

Add to that a portable
stove with a propane tank

and align it at
just the right angle

With the grindstone
and a nearby window.

Then, after you've
armed yourself

With as many ball bearings
as you happen to have...

you just switch on the gas,

And that'll give you a
very explosive combination.

( Gas hissing )

( Eagle screeches )

I remember using a bicycle
to deliver newspapers,

Go to the movies, ride
to little league games...

but I never thought

I'd be using one as a slingshot.

Leave her alone!

Ghant, come on...

What do you want?

I'm just being friendly.

Ghant: Last chance she'll have.

Run, Darin!

Get him!

- Come on.
- ( Yells )

Let me go! Let me go!

Let me go!

What was that?

I'll take a look.

That grindstone seemed

like a pretty easy target...

till I tried to hit it.

( Hissing )

( Whoosh )

No!

I got no choice.

Susan: Please don't!

Ow! Ow!

Ow. Ow!

That was great!

( Groans ) You guys okay?

Yeah.

! How'd you blow up the shed?

MacGyver: Well, it wasn't easy.

( Engine starts )

Well, that's three
less predators

we have to worry about.

Three?!

Yeah, the guy
who shot the eagle.

Troopers have his name.

They're issuing a
warrant for his arrest.

MacGyver: How's she doing?

( Weepy ): She's dead.

Susan: Oh, Darin, oh.

She's dead.

Oh, hon.

And now the whole family'll die.

Nope.

What do you mean?

If there's a nest,

There's a chance
we can save them.

Susan: You really think
there are eggs out there?

MacGyver: If there are, I
couldn't ask for a better guide.

This guy's got an
instinct for survival.

Sure hope he knows
we're on his side.

Maybe he'll lead me to the nest.

What do you think?

Yeah. If the eggs
are ready to hatch,

They can last four or five
days without their mother.

Okay.

Hey, do me a favor, will you?

Signal before you turn.

( Screeching )

I better hurry.

Susan: Good luck.

Darin: Good luck.

( Screeching )

( Screeching )

I don't think he'll
find that nest.

It could be all the way
over in monument valley.

Yeah, maybe you're right.

But he's doing something you
and I haven't done for a while.

He's trying.

You know, I didn't tell you,
before, how proud I was of you;

The way you
handled things today.

Thanks.

( Screeching )

( Screeching )

monument valley's
a perfect place

for golden eagles who
want to raise a family.

The nest could
have been anywhere.

But he led me

straight to the tallest
butte of them all.

( Screeching )

Landing a hang glider

On a slab of rock the size
of a coffee table isn't easy.

And knowing it's a 500-foot
drop to the desert floor

Doesn't make it any easier.

( Screeching )

( Screeching )

( Screeching )

Landing and finding the
eggs was only half the job.

Getting them back in
one piece was the other.

No sign of him yet?

Nope.

Darin, this was your grandpa's.

I thought you might like it.

Wow.

It's almost like MacGyver's.

I know.

Darin: Hey, MacGyver!

Did you find the nest?

Uh-huh.

Darin: Are there any eggs?

Three of 'em.

( Softly ): Wow.

How did you do that?!

Birds of a feather...

The padding from this chair

Makes good nesting material.

And vegetable oil.

What does that do?

The oil combines

with the fibers of the padding

to create a low-level

Spontaneous combustion.

No flame... hopefully, just
the right amount of heat.

Now we've got an Incubator.

And we wait.

- ( Crackling )
- Darin.

- Hmm?
- Wake up.

Shh, shh, shh.

They're alive.

( Chirping )

It worked.

MacGyver, you saved them.

I had a little help
from a friend.

( Chirping )

( Screeching )

( Screeching )