The Story So Far...
Angus MacGyver (Richard Dean Anderson, "Stargate SG-1") is the ultimate Boy Scout, using his mind (and sometimes his fists) to defeat the enemies he encounters as an agent of the Phoenix Foundation. His best weapons are his "MacGyverisms," the improvised tools he creates out of what he can find lying around during his missions. The show didn't really have any continuing storyline, instead focusing on a new adventure each week. The series aired on ABC from 1985 to 1992, followed by two TV movies.

Paramount released the first season on DVD in January of 2005, and followed it in rapid order, with Season Two in June and Season Three in September of the same year. DVDTalk has reviews of the sets here:
Season One | Season Two | Season Three.

The Show
It seems like the fourth season was something of a turning point for the series, as the writers attempted to keep the concept fresh. Picking up on themes seen the year before, the show began straying from the espionage that made MacGyver such a popular hero and turning him into a wandering crime-fighter who finds trouble wherever he goes, instead of picking up assignments from the Phoenix Foundation. His organization is still a big part of the show, but they certainly didn't send him to defend the Amish from being forced from their homes.

In the late '80s, times had changed, and the Cold War no longer provided the threat that powered earlier adventures. The opening episode illustrated that point vividly, as instead of fighting terrorists or saving a kidnapped nuclear scientist, he accompanied Penny Parker (Teri Hatcher) to a haunted house, to solve the mystery of her relatives. High adventure it isn't, through the ending utilizes one of the most classic MacGyverisms ever.

In addition to two welcome appearances by Penny Parker, this season was very heavy on Jack Dalton adventures and dramatic stories involving Mac's friend Pete. Four Jack appearances delve into his history, turn him into an unwitting assassin and even force MacGyver to ask for a favor of his perpetual indebted pal. While Jack's always good for a better-than-average story, the Pete adventures are rather overdone. In just one season, he finds himself on the verge of death, risking retirement and dealing with a traitorous son. You just know if he's around, something bad is going to happen to him.

Smack dab in the middle of all these stories are a trio of episodes that are ranked as the number one "jump the shark" moment. Listed affectionately on that site as "MacGyver: Social Worker," these three episodes are not your usual adventures, as Mac helps a runaway, an urban youth group (watch for Cuba Gooding Jr.!) and a kid stuck in the middle of a custody battle. Perhaps its the fact that these episodes are back to back to back, but they stick out like a sore thumb in what is otherwise a rather strong season.

In addition to the great Jack episode, "On a Wing and a Prayer," which gets the guys back where they belong, dealing with foreign threats, if you only see one episode from Season Four though, it must be "Cleo Rocks," an insane Penny Parker episode that not only revolves around a musical, but also has an appearance by fan-favorite villain Murdoc. There's so much end-of-the-'80s cheese at work in this episode that you might need to break out the acid-wash denim and a mullet to watch it. A highly recommended MacGyver episode.

The DVDs
Season Four is shorter than the previous three, clocking in at 19 episodes, which are spread across five DVDs. The discs are packed in three ThinkPak cases, two of which hold two discs each. The cases are packed in a cardboard slipcase. On the discs, the menus are essentially the same as the first three sets, once again static and full-frame, showing only episode titles. There's no play-all feature, no language choices and no subtitle options. Each episode does feature closed captioning though.

The Quality
The full-frame video remains a sore spot for this series, as it's still extremely soft and loaded with video noise. On the plus side, this season does look better than the third collection. Dirt is still evident in many episodes, and some edge enhancement and pixilation on hard edges can be seen in places, but the colors are bright, with a modicum of smearing. The softness is the most aggravating part of the set, as it limits the detail and makes the show look very old.

This was the first season the show featured the famous line "In Stereo Where Available," and the show sounds strong. There's nothing that really takes advantage of the Dolby Digital 2.0 mix, but it does sound better than it has in previous seasons, while maintaining clear dialogue and music, and effective sound effects.

The Extras
Paramount went 4-for-4 when it comes to disappointing "MacGyver" fans, once again delivering no extras on this set, aside from more commercials.

The Bottom Line
The fourth season of the show, the shortest one yet, offers some decent episodes, including a pair of Penny Parker stories. The series got away a bit from MacGyver as an agent of the Phoenix Foundation, and made him into something of a wandering paladin, though he still finds time to fight terrorists and other '80s enemies of peace. At this point in the series, if you're reading this review, you're probably going to buy this set, as you're likely a pretty big fan of the show and have invested yourself in the first three seasons. Otherwise, this is not the place to jump in.

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*The Reviewer's Bias section is an attempt to help readers use the review to its best effect. By knowing where the reviewer's biases lie on the film's subject matter, one can read the review with the right mindset.