Before I start, I just want to preface this piece by saying what I always say. This is my personal opinion only. It is in no way any attempt to tell others how they should feel nor to suggest that what they are feeling is wrong. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and no one can tell anyone else how they should feel. In that spirit, and since this is my blog and I can say whatever I want, this is how I feel.
For the last couple of weeks, I have been watching many H50 fans getting their knickers in a twist because Peter Lenkov was Instagramming a ton of pictures from the set of his new show, MacGyver. Then he went to San Diego ComicCon to sit on the MacGyver panel and posted even more pictures and videos. Through all of this, he didn’t post one thing about H50. Many expressed their displeasure with this, seeing it as evidence that Peter has abandoned H50 for MacGyver. There were a couple of people who said they would refuse to watch MacGyver because, obviously, Peter doesn’t care about H50 anymore.
Now, I know there are those who will accuse me of kissing ass again. And while I freely admit that I am very fond of Peter, I don’t see how looking at this in a logical manner equates to ass kissing. But, once again, as much as I may disagree, they are entitled to their opinion. And while it is easy and completely understandable to react in an emotional manner, I’d like to try to look at the last couple of weeks from a logical angle instead of an emotional one.
Peter was in Hawaii for the Blessing of the new H50 season, just like he has always been over the years. What was different this year was that instead of staying for the entire first week of filming as he has done for the last 6 years, he had to leave to oversee the filming of the MacGyver pilot in Atlanta. In my opinion, this was not a slap at H50 nor an indication that MacGyver is more important to him.
I think back to 2010 and the start of H50. In July 2010, H50 was filming the first (or rather second) episode of the first season, the Pilot having been filmed in the Spring (April, I believe). It took a couple of weeks to get the H50 pilot filmed, much longer than the usual 8 or so days for a regular episode and Peter was there the entire time. Now flash forward to 2016. The original MacGyver Pilot, also filmed in the Spring was scrapped. It was at that point that Peter was brought in to be one of the Executive Producers. The Pilot was re-written, I believe there were some recasts, and the Pilot needed to be filmed again. So, come July, when the show should have been filming it’s second episode, they are only filming the Pilot. And because it’s July and not April, they are filming it in the same time frame as a regular episode, instead of the weeks it would normally take. Also by filming the Pilot when they should be filming the first regular episode, it throws the entire production behind schedule before they’ve actually really started.
Of course, this is supposition on my part, just observations from what I’ve read about the production on line. (Enews, TVLine, SpoilerTV, etc.) But, if what I’ve read is all true, then it is perfectly logical Peter would want to be there, on site, to make sure everything ran smoothly since time would be of the essence. They wouldn’t want the production to get even further behind.
I had no problem with him not being in Hawaii for the 7.01 filming. By now, H50 is a well-oiled machine that pretty much runs along like clockwork. There are also several other producers who can monitor and make sure things go smoothly. It was more important that the rookie get Peter’s attention than the seasoned veteran for that week.
So that covers Peter’s physical presence on set but what about all those pictures and videos? How dare he bombard his followers with dozens of MacGyver posts and totally ignore the H50 fans? Really? Again, what people feel is what they feel but I just don’t get this at all. Perhaps Peter is under the misguided belief that people who follow him do so because they follow him and not because of a specific project. I would agree, if that’s the case, it may be a foolish notion. Personally, like many others, I only began following Peter because of H50 but, as time went on, I came to genuinely like the guy and I will probably continue to follow him even after H50 ends (hopefully many years from now). I also wish him all the best of luck with his other projects and am excited to see this new MacGyver and see if he can capture lightning in a bottle once again like he did with H50. But it seems others don’t all feel that way. They follow Peter for H50 and only H50 and resent when he spends time doing anything else. To each his own, of course.
Peter was in Atlanta, giving 110% to get MacGyver off the ground and running. He did the exact same thing in 2010 for H50. In 2010 Instagram was in its infancy but I’m willing to bet my TeamLenkov hat that if IG was then what it is now, he would have bombarded his followers with H50 pictures and videos from that set too. In the last couple of weeks, we’ve been blessed with dozens of pictures and behind-the-scenes videos from Hawaii. So what if they weren’t from Peter. I think this fandom has gotten a bit spoiled and there is a feeling of entitlement that may be just a bit over the top. I try to remember that everything we get is a gift. Whether it’s from other fans who generously post their pictures and videos for the rest of us to enjoy or from the actors who IG personal set pictures or from Peter himself. I’m extremely thankful for whatever I’m lucky enough to get. It seems a bit ingracious to me to complain it’s not enough, or not good enough or not from the right person. Maybe the better response would be to just say “thank you”.
So yeah, Peter posted a ton of pictures from the MacGyver set and ComicCon and nothing about H50 for over a week. I’m looking at it like this; When a family welcomes a second child, they are, of course, over the moon with the new arrival. The parents go to work, and begin to show picture upon picture of the new baby to anyone and everyone who gets within eye-shot. Probably to the point that the people in the office might just want them to go away. They are thrilled for their co-worker and happy about their new addition but they really don’t need to see a million pictures of the baby. But the new parent is just so thrilled with their new baby all they want to do is share the excitement and enthusiasm.
But what of the older child in the family? The first born? If the parent isn’t showing an equal number of photos of their first child at the same time as the dozens of photos of the new baby, does that mean they love their first child any less? Does it mean they have lost interest in that child? Well, of course not. They are simply overwhelmed with excitement for the new arrival. It will all even out soon enough.
As a matter of fact, it has started already. Peter wasn’t back from ComicCon more than a few hours when he began to post all kinds of H50 goodies for us to enjoy. It promises to be another great H50 season full of all kinds of stuff for us to enjoy and debate together. I’m looking forward to it very much. And I hope with all my heart that MacGyver can capture that lightening like H50 did. Not only for the sake of Peter and all the cast and crew of MacGyver but for H50 as well. It’s about time we had a strong lead in for our show on Friday nights. For those who refuse to watch, that’s up to you, of course. But biting off your nose to spite your face isn’t usually a good idea. I, for one, hope MacGyver is a huge success.
Ok.. off my soap box for today. Have a wonderful week my friends. Aloha. Malama Pono.
Hawaii Five-0 Kool-Aid 
I totally agree with you. It is his new baby but I don’t think he had forgotten H5O at all. I see nothing wrong with posting all the McGyver pic. Either, I will watch MG, and hope it boosts the ratings for H5O, I want H5O to continue for at least 2 more years. I personally am not a PL fan, i don’t like the storyline he has with Steve & Cathrine, she should be written out for good. She’s like a recurring downer now & ratings drop we she’s on air & we don’t need that. But all in all I like seeing every thing we get, and I thank him for that.
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It’s ok not to be a fan… everyone has their own yardstick they use to decide what they like and don’t like. Like I said, I am very fond of the man but I too don’t like the idea of Catherine coming back and I also don’t like the turn that has taken Steve and Danny away from goodnatured banter into hurtful bickering. But, I can like him and dislike some of the paths he takes with the show at the same time. Thanks for reading and commenting! ♥
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Totally agree with everything you wrote here Linda. I don’t have IG, so can’t comment on what people post there. I’m looking forward to the new MacGyver show, loved the old one.
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Five-0 totally shocked me back in 2010 when I fell in love because I had no intention of watching more than the Pilot. I never cared for the original, didn’t like Jack Lord all that much and only tuned in to watch because I was incredibly sad that LOST had ended and I wanted to see Daniel again. What a shock when this show hit me right between the eyes and I fell in love instantaneously.
I’m coming at MacGyver for a totally different direction. I LOVED the original. It was a weekly show I never missed, like Five-0 now. I’m afraid MacGyver has a harder hill to climb with me because I did love the original so much. But I’m willing to give it the same shot I have Five-0, and I hope I can love it as much as Five-0. Just can’t wait for Friday’s this fall.
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I totally agree with you-H50 has been around long enough,Peter doesn’t need to be there all the time to see that things get done. There are other producers who can do that. Macgyver,on the other hand, is the newbie and needs Peter’s guidance to find its way. I loved the original series,it was one of my favorites and I am very interested to see if CBS can strike success lightening with another reboot the way it did with H50 and will be the good lead-in that Five-o needs so desperately.
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Agreed Rhonda. It’s not like he needs to be there to oversee a bunch of actors who are just starting to get to know each other and the material. Especially when the material has chanced in a short period of time. The Five-0 cast all know each other so well and they are so familiar with, if not the actual material, the tone and logistics of how the show works. I’m sure Peter would love to have been there like he had been for years, but this time, MacGyver needed him more.
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Love your “new baby” analogy, Linda! This is a very accurate and sensible response to the question of “where has the H50 love gone?”
You’re right! It hasn’t “gone” anywhere! It’s just been relegated to the back burner for the time being while the new kid on the block is being introduced to the world. It makes perfect sense to me — why doesn’t it make sense to others?
It shouldn’t matter at all if you like, or dislike Peter. He’s doing his job promoting his new baby to the world. It’s CBS’ child as well, and the Network is going to want it’s EP to get as much hype and anticipation going between now and Sept. 23rd as possible. I intend to give the guy some slack on the 5-0 front. I have been noticing some CBS promos for MacGyver and H50 showing up onscreen, so looks as if the network is starting to promote the shows together. I also read where it’s not out of the question to have a MacGyver/H50 crossover at some point!
And like you noted, Linda — as soon as the first week of shooting in Atlanta was completed and the day at Comic Con was over, Peter was back in the H50 editing room sending out little tidbits of video for the H50 fans to enjoy — the older child no longer out of the picture. He’s going to have quite a time handling both children this season – negotiating flights between LA, HI, and Atlanta is not going to be fun – but he is a seasoned pro, after all, and knows what he is doing.
***SPOILER***
And those editing room clips have been awesome! Dear Steve, competitive much? The wheel chair scene is priceless! Then Kono – that woman would look glorious in a potato sack, darn her, anyway! And what in the world are Steve and Danny doing dressed to the nines receiving a medal from the mysterious lady…
I really can’t wait for this season to start. I hope MacGyver is good and as you say, Linda, that Peter can work his magic again. I honestly believe his success with rebooting H50 has made Peter CBS’ go to guy for producing successful reboots.
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Yes…those little sneak peeks from Peter were a lot of fun. But, dear Lord, Steve is already out there SuperSEALing all over the place. Danny is going to have a coronary and I can’t wait to see it. LOL
I’m also certain the wheelchair race came about because Steve was putting up a fuss about using the chair to leave the hospital. I can see it now… “I don’t need to use that thing, Danny, I’m good walking out on my own”. And I wouldn’t put it past Danny to challenge Steve to a wheelchair race just to get his ass in the damn thing. You know Steve can never turn down a challenge. It reminded me of that season 2 episode when Steve and Danny were bidding on the Football tickets at the Governor’s ball. “You know what you are? You are a topper, my friend, that’s what you are”. ROFL I can’t wait to hear Danny bitching about how Steve cheated to win the race! LOL
I don’t know for sure, of course, if the lady in that one picture is supposed to be The Queen but if it is, it’s a pretty sure bet she didn’t fly to Hawaii to present those medals. You know what that means, right?? ROAD TRIP! Our boys are heading for England!
Well, at least I hope so! 🙂
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Oh…and with regard to any H50/MacGyver crossover…. Peter responded to that question with his tried and true response of… “it’s something we hope for” which, of course, means who the hell knows if it will happen. I have no idea, of course, but when you just think about the logistics of it, it’s nowhere near the same as the H50/NCIS:LA crossover. It takes a lot less time to fly from Hawaii to LA than it does all the way to Atlanta and vice versa. The odds of either production taking two days off from filming simply for travel time is a bit remote so I personally don’t think it’s something that will happen. But then, who really knows for sure.
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I totally agree with you. Peter is very busy with his new project and I am sure he doesn’t forget H5O. Hope he will be successfull with MacGyver too. And I don’t mind him posting pics from it. I am convinced he is still a part of H5O and he can’t be on 2 places in the same time !!! I am looking forward to the new H5O season in september and I hope they will broadcast MacGyver in Europe too. Thanks for your good review 😊😊😋
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LOL Not really a review.. more like an annoyed rant.. Thanks for reading anyway and for your comment! 🙂
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I agree with you. It makes perfect sense for Lenkov to make MacGyver top priority – he’s been brought in to fix it. Not only has he had to re-make the pilot, but he has to combat all the negative feedback those first promos got. I wasn’t impressed and I loved the original! With it being H50’s lead in it’s even more critical…..if he fails it will hurt both shows. I’m sure H50 crew is doing just fine – the pics coming out look fantastic and we’re in for a another great season ……and OK, i’m gonna show my snarky side a bit – when I heard about this my first thought was that the longer he spent focused over there the less he’d be plotting how to get Cath back……probably gonna happen eventually, but hoping this will push it off for a while. Friday’s is going to be the night to watch.
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I have zero doubt that Catherine is coming back. I don’t like it either but, as I’ve said before, I will make the best of it. I just hope it’s written well and gives Alex tons of emotional scenes to play. He always rocks at those. Yes…Friday’s is not going to be a night to go out anymore. In my house, it’s always been must see TV at 9pm. Now, hopefully, that will start at 8!
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It’s only right that PL does give his attention to MacGyver and to promote it as it did get off to a rocky start with the original pilot. I do like your liking it to a newborn baby. I watched the original here in the UK but I think it finished here long before it ended in the US. It is currently being shown Monday to Friday but the quality is poor. If the new series is done right I may become a fan again.
As regards to H50 it is a well oiled machine and what PL has given us in spoilers and pictures from filming I am already hooked. Can’t wait and I’m lucky the 1st episode to be shown I’ll be in Hawaii. I might even be lucky enough to go to SOTB.
My one wish I think is like most people not to bring Cath back.There has been too many endings and Steve does deserve better. I do feel Lynn won’t be returning. I did like her. Also the new character Alicia sounds interesting. Role on the new season
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Late to the party AGAIN! Very good and valid points! I’m not a big PL fan but I will give the man credit for his creative genius. If MacGyver is 1/2 as good as Hawaii 5-0 Friday nights are going to explode the ratings!!
I do feel that Alex lost a very strong and supportive ally when Nina Tassler left. She kept an ear to the ground and watched/listened/heeded what was going on with the cast (particularly him) and crew, and with the fans as well. Time will tell what will happen but I’m hoping for the best.
Right now I’m enjoying all the sneak peeks of our guys in action. As for MacGyver, I’ll definitely give it a shot. Have to say 8pm is tough hour for me to start watching tv (yep, even on a Friday!) – the only show that I make sure to watch at that time is NCIS – but I do love the person that invented the dvr!!
Have a great week!
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