MacGyver (1985–1992): Season 3, Episode 8 - The Widowmaker - full transcript

MacGyver: "What are you
doing up here?" He asked himself.

Don't you remember?
You hate heights.

Or is it that heights hate yo?

I could never figure
out which was which,

but either way,

I was determined that today
I was going to overcome it all.

I had a sizable rock face
called the widowmaker to climb,

and an expert to show me

How to do it.

Wishful thinking.

There's an old climber's saying.



"It's not the fall
that kills you.

It's the sudden stop."

Mike?

Yes, MacGyver, what is it?

What do you suggest I do now?

Is there a problem?

Oh, no.

Just hanging around down here.

Not a foothold in sight.

That's because you've narrowed
your sights to the ground below.

Think up.

Now check yourself, waist high,

Over to your left
about three feet.

There's a good hold.



See it?

Yeah, I see it.

How the heck...?

Don't look down.

Just pull yourself up.

You're really enjoying
this, aren't you?

Having the time of my life.

But hurry up.

My arms are getting tired.

( Grunting )

Mike: Your hands
are probably sweaty.

Use your chalk bag.

( Grunting )

That's it. Good.

Keep going.

Good!

Very nice, MacGyver.

Executed with pure finesse.

Not to mention panic.

Come on over here.

We'll do lunch.

I hate this stuff.

Chalk isn't one of my
favorite condiments.

Have a bout of
vertigo down there?

Yeah.

You know, it's weird, not
knowing up from down.

Well, you straightened
yourself out just fine.

Thanks for hanging on to me.

Oh, come on, MacGyver.

I've spent half my
life hanging on to you.

Uh-oh, she's getting suggestive

And he's getting
uncomfortable...

Come on, Mike. We've
been friends a long time.

Maybe too long.

I didn't mean it
like that, I mean...

I just want more.

And not from someone else.

From you.

But then you're
hopeless and I'm hapless.

No, you're not.

You're my best friend.

Mike, we've always
been there for each other.

Isn't that the most
important thing?

All those women in your life

And you never learned
a thing, did you?

Look uh... just forget about it.

No sense ruining a
beautiful friendship, right?

Mike...

We'd better get jamming.

We've got to make widow's
ledge and broomstick crack

before we lose our light.

Clip in...

I'm on belay.

Wait a minute.

Belay on.

Climbing.

Climb on.

Mike?

( Grunting )

Mike, you okay?

( Gasps )

Mike... you all right?

Oh... oh...

Falling!

Mike!

Mike!

Mac...

Mike!

Mike!

( Screaming )

Thornton: Did MacGyver call?

Nikki: No. Wasn't
he at the funeral?

Thornton: No.

And he's not at his
houseboat either.

For all we know, he's probably
still holed up in my cabin.

Eh... well, I guess I've got
to give him a few more days.

This is serious, huh?

Yeah, it's serious.

MacGyver is running.

The funny thing
about running is,

You always end up
taking yourself with you.

Listen, it took a
chopper rescue team

to get him off that mountain.

He must have been
paralyzed with fear.

Maybe.

And he's probably blaming
himself for what happened.

And god knows what did happen.

I can't explain it.

Mike was an expert.

You know, she climbed the
widowmaker twice before?

She and MacGyver went way back,

didn't they?

Well... they were,
uh... The best of friends.

MacGyver?

Kind of thought
I'd find you here.

You want to talk?

No, Pete, I don't.

All right, I'll talk.

You may not want to
hear this right now, but...

I'm going to tell you anyway.

I went to the service for Mike.

And it was very special.

There was a good feeling there.

A lot of love.

I want you to know that...

Everyone understood
why you weren't there.

Thanks.

Well...

You've been up here over a week.

Don't you think it's
time you came home?

To what?

Oh, well, I don't know.

Your life... friends...
Work... the foundation.

I've got a couple of cases
that have your name on them.

No, thanks.

You know, that may be
exactly what you need right now.

Forget it.

Okay.

So what are you going to do?

Sit around up here,
beating your brains out?

Over something you
can do nothing about?

Something that's
already happened?

Punishing yourself is not
going to bring Mike back.

Neither is working for
you, so get off my case.

Look... i know nothing's
going to bring her back.

It was my fault.

Do you understand that?

You want to know what I think?

I think Mike fell.

And there was nothing
you could do about it.

Pete, I want you to
understand something.

I want to be left alone.

Away from everybody...
Away from everything.

Okay?

Okay.

You got it.

Take care of yourself.

Nikki: Hello.
MacGyver, you home?

This is Nikki.

You've been gone for,
uh, what, two weeks now?

Gone?

- I hope you're doing okay.
- Gone where?

But I guess if
you're hearing this,

you've gotten tired of playing
old man of the mountain.

Pete and I left messages
for you at ellard's store...

But I suppose you don't

get out much.

Anyway...

I know this is tough for you,

and I want you to know I'm
here if you want to talk, okay?

Call me.

We miss you.

But I only miss once.

Dalton: Mac, how you doing?

It's your old
buddy, Jack Dalton.

I missed you at the funeral.

Everybody did.

Listen, I want you to hang tough
and call me, will you, partner?

( Beeping )

Thornton: MacGyver, it's Pete...

Hi, Pete. How's tricks?

All right, I know.

You want to be left alone.

But I'm starting to get worried.

You know me:
I'm just that way...

I'll see that he
gets the message.

If you don't mind,

give your old pal a call
when you're ready, huh?

I hope you're all right.

Just take care of yourself.

Oh, I'll take care
of him all right.

And I'll be back
to take care of you.

Carpenter: How was he?

Not good at all.

There was no life in him.

Can you imagine
MacGyver with no smile?

No light behind the eyes?

In fact, he wouldn't
even talk to me really.

Maybe somebody else should try.

Nikki, I've known
MacGyver for eight years.

I don't think I know
anyone close enough

To get through to him right now.

Pete, is it possible
that you're too close?

What do you mean by that?

Well, maybe what he needs

is someone that he
doesn't know so well...

Someone that he can open up to.

Someone like you, maybe?

Nikki, you and MacGyver
have never agreed on anything.

Yeah, that's true, but
I was just thinking...

You're really worried
about him, aren't you?

Well, like you said...

No smile, no light
behind the eyes.

Somebody's got to try.

Hmm.

Well, maybe I've been
going at it the wrong way.

Maybe you're exactly
what he does need.

Thornton: Stop at the
general store in ridgemont.

Talk to a man named ellard.

He'll give you
whatever you need,

and point you in
the right direction.

( Phone rings )

Man: Hello. Ellard's grocery.

Hi there, Roy. Hang on a sec.

As I was saying,
these rock climbers

are a crazy bunch...
A breed apart.

But Mike, she was one
of the sensible ones.

Oh, not that climbing
the widowmaker

makes any sense to me at all.

But Mike, she didn't have
no death wish, you know?

She knew what she was doing,

or she wouldn't have
taken MacGyver up there

in the first place.

Has MacGyver come down here?

Nope. He's just been
keeping to himself.

Oh, some of the locals have
seen him now and then...

Hiking, fishing, whatnot.

I know what he's going through.

I was on a destroyer went
down in the battle of midway.

Lost some good buddies.

Well, you put them to bed,
but you never forget them.

Know what I mean?

Yeah. Oh, listen, no need
to keep your friend waiting.

Go on. I can take it from here.

You sure?

I'm sure. Thanks, ellard.

And I'll be sure to tell
Pete you said hello.

( Engine grinding )

Terrific!

Man: You want to
pop your hood, lady?

Let me see what the problem is.

I know there's plenty of gas.

You want to try her now, ma'am?

( Engine starts )

Looks like you got some frayed
spark plug wires there, ma'am.

You going to be
traveling far today?

Well, not right away.

I'm heading up to the
end of widow canyon.

Visiting a friend.

Widow canyon?

It's mighty beautiful
up there, ma'am.

Your friend... he'd be,
uh... Mechanically inclined?

Oh, yes. Most definitely.

Well, I'd have him strip and
clean those wires real good.

I will. Thank you.

Hello!

MacGyver?

Anybody home?

( Door creaks )

Hi, stranger.

I was going to ask you

how you're keeping yourself,

but the answer's pretty obvious.

You look awful.

You came all the way up here

to give a critique?

It's a start.

How did you find me?

Pete.

I told him to leave me alone.

And he has.

So what are you doing here?

Trying to help.

Don't need any.

So... that's it?

Over and out, huh?

Listen, MacGyver, time
to get back with the living.

Nikki...

Go home.

Oh, I will, soon as you
get your act together.

Did you hear me?

Yeah. Now, I'm going to be
running you a hot bath in there

while I put the supplies away.

Figured you'd be tired of
eating fish by now, huh?

Look! I don't want you here!

I don't need you!

I can take care of myself!

Boy, you sure know how to make
a girl feel welcome, don't you?

You invited yourself.

I came here because

I care about you, you jerk.

Now, MacGyver, we
are friends, aren't we?

Spare yourself.

Friends of mine
end up getting hurt.

Oh, I'd sure like to see you

scrub some of that self-pity off

along with the rest of the dirt.

To hear you talk, it's as if you
pushed Mike off the mountain.

Hey! You know nothing about it.

That's why I came here.

Tell me about it.

You're staying, I'm leaving.

That's right. Go ahead.

Let it make a basket
case out of you.

That way, you don't have
to be any good to anybody...

Not even yourself.

Look at me. You've
got one hell of a nerve

thinking you're responsible
for what happened.

Mike was the expert
climber, not you.

Mike made the mistake. Not you.

You don't understand.

No, I don't.

I don't understand how you
can go on blaming yourself.

You didn't push her, did you?

Yes! Yes, I did.

I pushed her away when she
needed something from me.

I hurt her... And she fell.

And there wasn't anything you
could do to save her, was there?

It's not as simple as that.

You know something?

The funny thing
about running away

is that you've got to
take yourself with you.

Look, Nikki, there's something
I want you to understand.

What?

What is it?

What are those?

Woman's voice: I have it
arranged... Just in case.

Male voice: And you
cooperated so beautifully.

She's a man.

He's a killer.

Murdoc.

His pictures.

His calling card.

That's impossible.

He's dead.

Murdoc's dead.

Murdoc: Not quite, MacGyver!

It's your turn to
burn, MacGyver!

MacGyver!

Remember me, MacGyver?

When last we parted, I had
a couple of broken bones

And you left me with a
whole lot of burnt flesh!

I saw that maniac
at ellard's store.

That's murdoc.

He's not your normal
professional killer.

Get ready to break for the door.

Where are you going?

Nikki: Look out!

Oh...!

( Screams ): No!

Get the door!

Go, run!

Get in the Jeep!

Your car or mine?

Mine.

- Oh, no.
- We'll take yours.

Keys.

That fire won't keep
him stalled for long.

( Beeping )

This guy's a nut case.

Yeah, no kidding.

Oh, god.

( Muted beeping )

Wait a minute.

Quiet. Quiet!

( Muted beeping )

What's that noise?

( Muted beeps )

( Beeping )

That's bad news.

( Beeping )

Come on.

( Beeping )

That jerk.

He's nuts!

Wait a minute.

Come on!

- He's probably halfway down the trail by now.
- Look.

He's mined the
whole road going out.

Mines?

He carries around
mines with him?

How on earth did you
get mixed up with this guy?

Wrong place, wrong time...

It's a long story.

What now?

MacGyver, he's
going to be on us.

Get with it.

There's no telling
how many mines

He set down the road there.

The only way to go is up.

The last thing we
need is some madman

With a flame-thrower
on our backs.

Grab the jumper cables.
They're in the back.

What are you going
to do with these?

Hook them to this battery.

Then I'll wire the whole
thing to that radio antenna

And make a kind of, arc welder.

Nikki: Hurry, MacGyver.

I hear him coming.

( Yells )

Go!

It's not over.

So we've knocked
out his flame thrower.

But something tells me

this guy doesn't give up easily.

No, he doesn't.

We're gonna need some help.

Oh, really?

Brilliant deduction.

You know, unless you're close

personal friends
of smokey the bear,

we're not going
to find much help

between here and the
top of this mountain.

Come on. I've got
to make a phone call.

A phone call?!

How do you plan
on making this call?

Well, two to one ellard's
gabbing to somebody

down at the store.

Uh, lend me your
bracelet and your belt.

What for?

I'm gonna climb up and
tap an sos into the line.

Ellard's a Navy man.

Hopefully, he'll pick up on it.

If he's on the line.

Well, it's the best I can do.

With any luck,
he'll call for help.

What can I do to help?

Cross your fingers.

( Tapping )

( Chuckling )

Oh, buzz is a
lady-killer, you know that.

Buzz?! Are you chipped?

Have a good day, Margaret.

Well, I bet you my bottom dollar

he's over at Helen's
place right now.

- Think so?
- Yeah.

And I don't mean for tea.

( Clicking )

What's that confounded
clicking going on?

- Huh?
- Do you hear that?

( Clicking )

Wait...

Wait, that's an sos.

Son of a gun.

That's an sos!

- Naw...
- Don't you tell me.

I was a signal man, 20
years active service, bub.

Now hush up.

W-i...

( Clicking )

Widowmaker.

M-a...

( Clicking )

Oh, MacGyver!

Is it working?

There's no way to tell yet.

( Gun cocks )

MacGyver...

You're about to be disconnected.

( Gunshot )

( Gun cocks )

( Gunshot )

Nikki: MacGyver! Get down!

All right, let's go.

There's no place else to run.

Yes, there is: Up.

( Quietly ): Oh, no.

Helen, Pete here.

Call the dsx.

Tell them murdoc is alive.

That's right.

A what?

An sos from who?

Ellard?

Oh, no.

Listen, I want a
chopper waiting for me

at the heliport in ten minutes.

That's right. I'm going
up to widow canyon.

Murdoc's up there!

He's after MacGyver.

( Nikki sighs )

So, what do you think?

MacGyver, what's
the matter with you?

Nothing.

I'm all right.

Somehow we got to
find a way down there.

MacGyver: That's
1,200 feet of vertical face.

Look, if we don't find a way,

Our only other alternative
is murdoc and his rifle.

There's one chance.

There's cover below widow ledge.

But we'd have to free climb
broomstick crack to get to it.

Free climb?

I know.

I'm not looking
forward to it, either.

( Birds chirping )

MacGyver: All right.

Keep coming, Nikki.
You're doing good.

Come on.

That's it.

Nikki: Okay. Hold me. Hold me.

MacGyver: No, no, no, come on.

Nikki, you're doing fine.

Just take it easy,
an inch at a time.

Sorry I got you into this.

( Chuckles ): That's what I
get for crashing your party.

You all right?

Falling!

( Grunting )

( Grunts )

Yeah.

It was Mike's.

This is where she fell.

Wait here.

Nikki: MacGyver?

( Grunting )

MacGyver!

( Grunts )

( Panting ): Stay put!

Don't move.

I'm all right.

I got Mike's rope.

Nikki: MacGyver...
you all right?

All right, stick this
around your waist.

Go ahead. Toss it. I'm ready.

Okay, here I come.

That's it, Nikki.

Keep coming. Come on.

( Sighing )

Oh, finally.

That wasn't so bad, was it?

Sit down, will you? Stay back.

What's this?

It's a chalk bag.

It was Mike's, too.

Climbers use it to
keep their hands dry.

What's this?

It's part of her harness.

Nikki: You mean
it just came off?

So that's what happened,
isn't it, MacGyver?

Something like that.

So it wasn't your fault.

Is that all I have
to tell myself?

No, more. The truth.

You were her friend. You
did all that you could do.

It wasn't enough, was it?

MacGyver, you
can't bring her back.

Even if you could
relive the moment,

Mike still would have fallen.

Please, come
back to the present.

Murdoc is still after us.

There's a ledge
right below us...

Where we can hide out of sight.

Put some of this on your hands.

Then we stay put, right?

Right.

( Birds chirping )

That's it, Nikki.

Keep coming.

Come on.

You're all right. I got you.

Oh, the things I
get into with you.

Thanks, friend.

Anytime.

Now what?

We're gonna need
climbing harnesses.

We can make it out of this rope.

Are you kidding me?

I thought we were
just gonna wait this out.

Well, we are, but
we're still gonna have

to climb up after
they nail murdoc.

Up? You never said
anything about up.

You're expecting a sky hook?

( Sighs )

That might be nice.

Mind if I drop in?

Nikki: Oh, no, no...

( Roars )

( Nikki screams )

( Nikki screams )

Nikki?

MacGyver!

( Murdoc roars, grunts )

( Yelling )

- I gotcha.
- ( Gasping )

( Roars )

Say good-bye, MacGyver!

MacGyver...!

I got you!

I can't...

Just hold on.

( Panting )

( Grunting )

All right, now, hold on.

Hold on? You hold on.

MacGyver, you can't!

Just grab on to my wrists.

Go ahead. Do it!

- That's it.
- ( Gasping )

Now the other one.

I can't!

Walk!

Now, press your
feet into the rock.

Just walk yourself up.

Walk!

( Grunts )

You okay?

( Panting )

How about yourself?

Good.

Real good.

Nikki: No way,

MacGyver, forget it.

Come on, you got
down here, didn't you?

We'll have these
harnesses on the way up.

You go up. I'm staying
put till the cavalry arrives.

Look, I don't know if
the sos got through.

And even if it did, it'll take
them hours to De-mine that road.

I can wait.

Come on, Nikki. Where's
your spirit of adventure?

I left it back at Pete's cabin.

Okay.

What are you doing?

I told you, I'm
not climbing out.

I heard you.

This'll keep you from
rolling off the ledge,

if you happen to
fall asleep tonight.

Tonight? MacGyver, you...

You are not gonna leave me here.

Oh, I'll be back with a
chopper in the morning.

One minute you can't even
look down the mountain,

And the next minute
you're a mountain goat.

( Sighs loudly )

I'm glad that you're
back among the living.

Really, I am.

I only wish you could
do it with a little balance.

These extreme
changes are not good.

I'll work on it.

( Sighs )

Now, like I taught
you: By the numbers.

All right.

Belay on.

Climbing.

Climb on.