Mac won’t be back for missions in the 2021-22 television season. The CBS network has announced that the MacGyver action-adventure series has been cancelled and won’t reach a sixth season.
Airing on Friday nights, the MacGyver TV series stars Lucas Till, Tristin Mays, Justin Hires, Meredith Eaton, Levy Tran, and Henry Ian Cusick. A reimagining of the 1985 TV series, this show centers on Angus “Mac” MacGyver (Till), a 20-something adventurer. Mac is an operative in a secret organization within the US government called the Phoenix Foundation. There, he uses his vast scientific knowledge and an extraordinary talent for unconventional problem-solving to save lives. In his high-risk missions, Mac is aided by hacker Riley Davis (Mays); Mac’s best friend, prosthetics expert Wilt Bozer (Hires); Director of Operations Matty Weber (Eaton); the team’s protector, Desi Nguyen (Tran); and Russ Taylor (Cusick), a quick-witted former military operative and manipulator. Under the aegis of the Phoenix Foundation, MacGyver takes on the responsibility of saving the world, armed to the teeth with resourcefulness and little more than bubble gum and a paper clip.
The fifth season of MacGyver averages a 0.52 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 7.80 million viewers. Compared to season four, that’s down by 23% in the demo and down by 21% in viewership.
“All of us at CBS are extremely grateful for the incredible work and dedication from Lucas and the rest of the cast, as well as Monica, the writers, and the entire crew,” said Kelly Kahl, President, CBS Entertainment. “The MacGyver team traveled far and wide to repeatedly save the world with little more than bubble gum and a paper clip and made this show distinctly their own. We’re gratified we get to give this dedicated and loyal fan base the opportunity to say goodbye to their favorite characters in the thoughtful manner this series deserves.”
In response to the announcement, Till wrote, “Where to begin? The past five years have been what I will look on later as THE most formative years of my life. Lots of tough, lots of love. I made lifelong friends, actually no, family. I learned to push myself to new limits, breaking through and through and through. Was nervous to take up the mantle of an icon and you guys allowed me into your homes and accepted me. I’m like the Roger Moore of MacGyvers now thanks to your support. Lol. But this is also a love letter to my cast and crew, to those who have been with us since day 1 or day 1000, through those oppressive summer days in the Georgia heat, where the humidity envelopes you like a warm sweater to the below-freezing winter days where the worst part about it is that no one believes you when you say it gets cold in Georgia. Lol. Through all the people who said we wouldn’t make it past the first 13, through all the tough times you guys always somehow brought so much joy into my life, helped me grow exponentially and you’ve shown me what it means to be a real cinema team. This format just doesn’t do enough justice for all that I want to say, so maybe this is the first of many blubbering messages, but thank you, my new family, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. All of you.”
Director Danny Davila responded this way:
A kid, some referred to me as MacGyver for the crazy stuff I would come up with. Usually with duct tape and anything I could get my hands on. To be able to design the show as an adult was a dream come true. I wi truly miss the MacGyver family and the home we made away from home.
— 🦋 Danny Dávila 🦋 🇺🇸🇨🇺🇵🇷 (@DanielitoDavila) April 8, 2021
The series finale of MacGyver airs Friday, April 30th and is titled “Abduction + Memory + Time + Fireworks + Dispersal”. It’s already been filmed. The reboot wraps with 94 episodes.
What do you think? Do you enjoy the MacGyver TV series? Are you sorry to hear it won’t be been renewed for a sixth season on CBS?
I was shocked and disappointed Macgyver is canceled from the show. Rip Macgyver.
Time to stop.
This is bad. There are not enough shows like this on tv. I have seen every episode of the original show ore than once and haven’t missed an episode of this one. To bad tv has lost track of entertainment to replace it with politics. Sometime we just like to escape from reality and enter the world of TV land. Sometimes its nice to sit back smile, relax and enjoy a good outcome. Reconsider your decision and renew the show.
My reaction is sadness mostly. I mean, I’ll survive without my weekly Lucas Till fix, but I’m certainly not happy about it. Overall I think the shows writing began to slip and some of the episode story-lines showed a lack of effort. Was I the only one who cringed when both MacGyver’s dad and aunt died from an explosion because of a broken timer? Where’s the originality? I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the show, because I did; I tuned in every week. I’m saying that I can maybe see the reason for the cancellation. Side note, I think ALL… Read more »
I have noticed over the last season that the storylines were starting to stretch pretty thin. I have been a faithful viewer, just as I was with the original show in the 80s. Its too bad that a show that inspired some free thinking gets cancelled instead of the shows that tell you what to think by Hollywood’s unveiled political views. I have almost stopped watching all television, anymore. MacGyver was one of only four I would still watch. Hollywood arrogantly believes it can tell people what to think, in its programming, and thats why viewership is flagging. I have… Read more »
Very poor choice in your part CBS. This is one of the best shows on TV.
I have to agree with the comments below. I grew up with the original MacGyver, and was happy to see the reboot. It showed people could use their brains, think of alternative solutions, not just violence. It made science cool. I guess that is no longer popular. Who wants people who can think for themselves. A very sad day indeed.
A great show always looked forward to watching on Friday ifht. Hoped it would continue to see if rileyandmacgyer would fall in love.
I really loved this show and grew up watching the original with Richard Dean Anderson as the original MacGyver and loved it then as a kid. I was skeptical at first and with some of the changes they made I didn’t think it was going to make it but everything began to blend and work. Even with some of the stories lines seemed so far fetched but when you compared them with what has really been going on, they didn’t seem out of sync with reality. This is a great show and love all the characters on it. Don’t lose… Read more »
I am deeply saddened that MacGyver is cancelled. I truly looked forward to watching it every week. This gets added to a long list of great shows that I invested myself in, just to have them taken away. I will be sad about this for a long time.
What is wrong with you. This is one of the best shows on public tv. Bring it back
This was one of the few shows we enjoyed. We are sick and tired of loosing the good shows while some really stupid ones are left on. CBS sickens us.
I think this sucks it’s a show we watch as a family.
This is why this county has problems because we take shows off tv that require an IQ to understand and leave on shows that are for people with an IQ of a gerbil to watch reality TV. I am 60 years old and this show is one of the only shows in the history of TV that the reboot was better than the original. Hopefully another station will pick this show up.
Why they think rating all got be about age from 18 and to older .i am 47 I watched tv show all 4 season never miss a show.now only real reason I think why they want cancel it sirpose of lawsuit about someone making a claim that tv show basied on old tv show from 80 era.now I watched old version from 80 loved it .new version is good .mac from old version never had hacker who knew computer stuff or did mcguyver had deal with code x I think he had fight against something else mostly merknock if I… Read more »
You need keep this show on the tv in cancel this show and keep it on the tv. People need this show to stay on tv. .it give a reason to keep going on with life. We as fans need this show. .get of your buts and keep it on tv don’t cancel this show you jerks its just wrong .I need this show to stay on tv. Listen to the fans. For first in your lives fans need this show bleh of you keep on the tv. Now. Fans demand it. Get off your ass and keep this show… Read more »