Thanks for the ride.
Well, now, wait a minute. Hold it.
- We're not through talking yet. - I am.
Listen, what about Project Earthquake?
I don't think you realize just how important it really is.
So was the last one, and the one before that. They're all important.
Listen, MacGyver, I told the board we would do it.
I gave them my word. I made a commitment!
You committed me!
Without asking me.
Without giving me a chance to say yes or no.
Now, come on, Pete. Look at me.
I'm a hurtin' guy! I'm beat up,
I need a month's worth of sleep.
And I need a haircut!
I thought I could count on you!
You're really gonna do this, aren't you?
- You're gonna say no! - Yes!
Put it on ice, Pete. Call me next week.
Well, what am I supposed to do?
What am I going to tell the board?
Tell 'em you made a big mistake.
Mistake? What mistake?
You forgot to ask me!
Hey, old buddy. This is joyous Jack Dalton,
Seekin' to make a little contact. Where are you?
Why is this man not responding?
Never mind. I'll tell you the good news.
Babe, I found the deal of the century and I'm letting you in.
I knew you'd be excited. It's land.
Spelled G-O-L-D. A ranch.
A piece of western history, and it's ours, buddy boy,
for just a few bucks down. I know you're excited,
So call me the minute you set down.
No.
Hi, MacGyver.
Jack told me you're coming back from vacation or something.
Oh, it's Penny.
Anyway, I know you're feeling great,
which is important, because you know I'd do anything for you,
and I was wondering if you could do me a little favor.
Well, maybe it's a big favor.
You remember my singing lessons?
Well, they paid off.
I've been hired to star in...
Well, be in this show at Frontier World
and I wanted you to hear my big number.
So, sit down. You're really gonna love this.
♪ I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee ♪
♪ I'm going to Louisiana, my true love for to see ♪
♪ Oh, Susanna now don't... ♪
Yah! Giddyup!
Giddyup, there, go on.
We are almost there. The town is over that hill.
Do you have, uh, friends, uh, in Serenity, soldier?
Nope. Just picked the name off a map,
'cause it sounded peaceful.
I'm lookin' to settle some land that hasn't been fought over.
Someplace quiet.
Whoa!
Well, this is as far as I go.
Serenity's up and around the bend.
I'm grateful for the ride.
Oh, 'Tis nothing.
Out here, we must be neighbors to each other.
I'd like you to have this.
Sort of a thanks for takin' me here.
That is much too valuable.
Oh, not to me.
I carried it four years.
That's over.
I'm done with guns.
But a... a man needs a gun.
You know, I can't figure why.
I wasn't born with one.
I surely don't plan on dying with one.
My friend, you will die much quicker without one.
You will be the only man in Montana without a gun.
How will you defend yourself?
Well, I'll just have to think of somethin'.
You take the gun, friend.
It'll do all right, and I thank you, soldier.
But you, you must have something from me.
I made this myself, back in my old country, in Switzerland.
It has two blades, a corkscrew,
a pry, and an awl.
'Tis very useful.
And you will give me great pleasure by accepting it.
It's a fine piece of work.
Thank you.
Hey!
Giddyup. Come on. Hey.
Next time, bring more money.
What's your pleasure, stranger?
I'd like to buy somethin' to eat.
Free lunch with every drink.
Take as much as your belly can hold.
Well, the problem there is I'm not much of a drinker.
But I'd be willin' to pay for the food, and settle for a bottle of milk.
Milk?
What kind, pilgrim?
Cow, horse, goat,
Or mother's?
You got the touch of a spavined mule, Milt Bozer.
Whoo!
Thanks.
Uh, there's no milk here, stranger.
And eatin' my food's gonna cost you, I gotta say, 15 cents cash.
You stock sarsaparilla, don't you, Wyatt?
If that suits your palate, friend.
That'd be just fine.
- Mister, uh... - Dalton.
Andrew Jackson Dalton, no relation to the Dalton gang.
Call me Jack.
MacGyver.
First or last?
Yep.
My name's Penny.
Yeah, and cheap at twice the price.
Come on, you're sitting with me.
I'd sooner kiss a hog!
'Scuse me.
Why don't we just let the lady be?
I figure this is none of your business.
But I'm a friendly sort of fella.
Ain't I, Wilt?
Sure you are, Milt.
And to prove it,
I'm gonna buy you a drink.
He said he doesn't drink.
Wyatt,
why don't you pour a shot of that Mex rotgut?
And drop a spider in it.
See, the idea is to swallow down the spider
'fore he stops kicking.
If he bites ya, the booze will cure ya.
You gonna like it.
Or...
You can try to draw.
Don't carry a gun.
He don't drink, he don't fight, and he don't carry a gun.
I bet he's wearin' lace underwear, Milt.
Well, after he finishes drinkin',
maybe we'll just pull down them pants and find out.
Now, gents, we don't want any trouble.
Shut your flap, tinhorn.
Drink up.
Oh, that's real brave, Milt Bozer,
drawin' down on an unarmed man.
It's a lot safer that way.
Mr. Dalton,
might I borrow your cigar?
All right, Wilt.
Wilt!
Just put it on the table.
All right, you two boys, out.
They won't be back for a while.
I'm real grateful, MacGyver.
Care to join me, friend?
You just passin' through, or lookin' to find work?
Fact is, I was lookin' to buy a place of my own.
Now, that is an amazing coincidence.
If I were a superstitious man, I'd be downright nervous.
You're losin' me.
No, my friend, I am in a position to find you the answer
to your hopes and dreams.
Big Springs Ranch.
I'm a gambler, not a rancher.
I won it in a poker game from Dave Nye.
But I'm prepared to part with it for $2,500 hard cash.
Most I could go would be $1,700.
Well, I don't know.
- Gold coin. - Done.
Didn't I hear Dave Nye was afraid of
hangin' on to his place for some reason?
Droughts. Floods.
He was a fearful man, but he's gone and you are in luck.
Now, there may be some resentment
over your securing a bargain such as this, but it's yours.
Just as soon as I hear the heartwarming clink of gold coin.
Sure, as soon as I see the property.
We can be there in an hour.
Need a horse.
The livery's next door.
I'll change and be right along.
Oh, that is if you don't mind.
I would like to see your new ranch.
It'd be my pleasure, Miss Penny.
Did you hear that, Wyatt?
He's buyin' Big Springs Ranch.
How long do you think he'll last?
Maybe a week.
But I wouldn't bet on it.
There she is! Big Springs Ranch.
It's beautiful.
Whoa, whoa, now.
'Scuse me, gentlemen, but Mr. Nye is gone.
We know that. This here's the new owner.
Name's MacGyver.
Oh, yes, sir, Mr. MacGyver, sir.
He don't speak much, the chinee.
Name of Lee Sing.
I'm Billy Colton, sir.
Gentlemen.
Anybody else work on this place?
Oh, no, sir, we all that's left.
Everybody else, they went on.
All they scared.
- Scared of what? - Nothing, I assure you.
He's undoubtedly suffering the effects of his own bad cooking.
This little gem's a paradise.
Your name MacGyver?
That's right.
May I ask who I are addressin'?
Yeah, Pete Thornton.
I own the Fire Eagle Ranch.
Well, that'll make us neighbors, then.
No. No, it doesn't.
Because you're gettin' off this land in the next five minutes,
and out of this territory in the next 24 hours.
Now, why might that be?
Because I made a handshake deal with Dave Nye
that if he was ever gonna sell this land, I'd buy it.
Well, actually, Mr. Thornton, Dave didn't sell it.
He lost it in a card game.
Dalton?
Tinhorn that works out of the Red Dog Saloon?
Well, that's putting it a trifle harshly.
But essentially correct, sir.
I acquired this place honestly and sold it legally.
And I made an agreement with Dave Nye.
I need this land. I want the water.
And I want you off.
If you don't, pilgrim,
you could hang around a long, long time.
MacGyver doesn't even carry a gun.
What?
I thought you boys told me he drew on you.
Well, he kinda...
He pulled a trick on us!
No gun, eh?
I don't think I've ever seen a grown man
walkin' around naked before.
I just don't prefer guns.
Oh.
Well, then, you'll probably leave, uh,
nice and quiet.
And politely.
'Cause you're a peaceful sort of fella, ain't you?
Yep.
Some might even say gutless.
Might.
Well, then, why don't you just, uh, pack up your stuff
and, uh,
ask my pardon
and then git.
Nope.
Next one's gonna be head-level!
Mr. Thornton,
I would appreciate it if your men would drop their weapons.
Hey.
Oh, you!
I got one more barrel.
Do it!
I meant what I said, Mr. Thornton.
I don't want any more trouble.
I meant what I said, too.
Without water next summer, I'll lose my entire herd.
I'm not gonna let that happen.
You take my warning.
Get out.
I would like to thank you for what you did.
Oh,
I didn't figure on hurtin' nobody.
You did just right.
I can't be sure what's gonna happen around here.
I don't want either of you gettin' hurt. Can't ask you to stay.
I make coffee.
He says he's stayin'.
So I might as well.
Well, I guess we can have some coffee.
Try and figure out a way to handle Mr. Thornton's problems.
I still say we don't need any outside help.
After the way you two handled yourselves yesterday,
I think we do.
Besides,
This man has a reputation for taking care of problems.
Peter Thornton?
I'm Murdoc.
I understand you have work for me.
I hear you're good.
To be precise,
I'm the best.
Boss, he's some kind of light-in-the-boots englishman.
Ain't he sweet?
I do hope we can all be friends now.
Can't we?
The man I want moved out is named MacGyver.
Big Springs Ranch.
I'll find him.
And I don't want him killed. Just moved out.
Them the only shoes you got?
They plumb worn out, sir.
I... I was gonna fix 'em so I could handle my work, sir.
Uh, I got your horse all saddled and ready for town, sir.
Mr. Colton,
you are a ranch hand, not a servant.
I do not want you waitin' on me.
I just does what's proper, sir.
And that gumbo accent.
Why are you hidin' behind it?
I don't understand, sir. I's a field hand.
That's how's I's talks.
Yesterday you told me Lee Sing was stayin' on.
Yeah, that's what he said, sir.
Well, he said it in Cantonese.
Now, I served under Sherman,
then with the 9th Calvary in Texas.
And you are the first field hand I ever met that spoke Chinese.
I take your point.
Just askin'.
You got a right to privacy.
I am...
I... I was a slave down at, uh, Dixon Holding, Alabama.
I escaped in '62 and came out here.
And how'd you escape bein' captured?
I was a schoolteacher.
I wrote myself the necessary papers.
A runaway slave is rarely suspected of literacy.
But now emancipation's the law.
Why still play ignorant?
The law has changed. My color didn't.
I take your point, sir.
Mr. Colton,
people can change.
The world's changed.
Why, out here, any man can reinvent himself.
I'd like to believe that.
See, I came out here 'cause I wanted my life to be different.
I believe that's the way the world gets better,
one person at a time.
Those boots would be about a size 9, I believe.
They'll do just fine. What do I owe you?
$3.20.
MacGyver, we've been lookin' for you.
On account of I was goin' for a ride,
and by the station I heard it straight from the railroad agent.
Thornton's hired himself a gunman.
A man named Murdoc.
They say he's killed more than a dozen men, not countin' Indians.
- Hired him to go after you. - What are you gonna do?
Gonna talk to Mr. Thornton.
There's just no reason for a war.
I got more water than I need.
I can share it with him.
You're lookin' to help him after what he tried?
Well, sometimes a desperate man does dumb things.
I do believe Mr. Thornton and myself can settle this reasonably.
Excuse me.
He just don't understand how things are.
Hard to figure, ain't he?
MacGyver.
Not here.
Well, get him here.
Just hold it right there!
Drop the gun, boy.
Tell MacGyver I dropped by.
He... He dead.
Murdoc! Why?
Get out.
Why did you have to kill him?
Well, I didn't have to, Thornton, I chose to as a calling card.
I told you I didn't want anyone killed.
Come, come, Thornton. A black is hardly worth the fuss.
Here. This is what I promised you, plus some extra.
I'm calling you off.
I haven't finished with MacGyver.
You're finished with me. Take your money.
Well, it's not really that simple.
You see, I have a reputation
for always completing my professional assignments, and I...
I rather treasure that reputation.
With any luck,
that's what they'll carve on your tombstone.
Don't even think about it.
Don't worry, Thornton.
It's not you I'm interested in.
You hear any of that?
Yeah. We heard you ain't goin' after MacGyver.
Well, you heard right.
Well, why not, boss? That Murdoc?
MacGyver wouldn't last five minutes.
No! It's not a game I wanna play.
I've done too much already.
Boss.
He shamed us and he shamed you.
And I had a man killed.
Now, which do you think is worse?
He's gone soft.
I need a drink.
About all I can think to say is...
He died a free man.
Where's your hired gun?
I'm sorry.
You're sorry. He's dead.
If there was any family, any need for money...
Look, I'm responsible. Can we talk?
Your timing's a bit irregular.
I fired Murdoc. I paid him off and told him to git.
I didn't want any killing.
I didn't.
As for Big Springs,
I'm backing off.
If you're willing to sell,
I'll pay you twice what you paid.
No, in fact, you name the price.
Mr. Thornton,
I'm no speculator.
I wanna live on my land, not profit by it.
Fair enough.
I won't bother you anymore.
There is another way.
You drill on my land.
You find water, you own it.
Just guarantee me enough for my needs.
Well, that's crazy.
If I own the water, I own you.
You'd have to rely on nothing but...
Your word. That's right.
Why would you trust me that far?
Because there's enough for both of us if we don't fight over it.
We got a deal.
And you got my word.
I guess we're partners.
I guess so.
There's one last thing, though.
Murdoc.
He killed a man.
He's gonna have to answer for that.
To the law.
I just left him back in town.
I guess that's where I'll be headin'.
We'll be headin'.
He's in the barber shop.
The boy says you wanted to see us, Mr. Murdoc?
Your boss.
He folded like a busted flush.
I wanted to know where you two stand.
Well, it's like Milt said.
He shamed us.
I have a plan.
Well, if it has to do with MacGyver,
I'd go a long way to see him dead.
We don't have to go anywhere.
We can manage everything quite nicely...
right here in town.
You think the marshal in Serenity will stand up to Murdoc?
Wyatt?
He's about as tough as a bucket of warm spit.
Nobody in town's gonna help us.
They're all scared of Murdoc.
That's reasonable. So am I.
Well, what do you plan to do?
Don't know yet.
You've got to take some responsibility.
Or Murdoc will kill MacGyver.
You know MacGyver doesn't even carry a gun.
- That's his choice. - And what's yours?
Come be a man. You're the town marshal.
Not no more, I ain't.
Now, that was a wise decision.
You know, most volunteers die young.
Would you be interested?
I never... I never touch the stuff.
You know, friendship is a wonderful thing.
How would you know?
Tinhorn,
why don't you tell your friend MacGyver
that I'll be waiting here for him,
in the lady's company?
Mr. Thornton!
MacGyver!
Murdoc. He's holdin' Penny.
The Bozers, they threw in with him. They're waitin' for you to ride in.
- Well, what about Wyatt? - Tossed in his badge.
And the rest of the town's holed up behind locked doors.
Well, that doesn't leave much choice, does it?
You hide yourself over there.
- And Wilt? - Yeah?
Don't shoot until you got him in your sights!
Milt, don't you tell me how to set up an ambush.
Oh...
We can cut through the old part of town.
I hear 'em comin'. Do you see 'em, Wilt?
There they are!
Look out! Let's go!
Why the devil didn't you let 'em clear the building?
- How many were there? - There's three of them.
Stay put. They'll be back.
That was Wilt Bozer.
- How do you know? - Because he missed.
But that means Milt is nearby.
Lucky for me it wasn't Murdoc.
He'd have plugged more than my hat.
You know, I think Murdoc is waitin' in town
to see if you get past the Bozers.
Well, I'll be headin' to town then.
Good idea.
Jack and I will stay here and take care of the Bozers.
We will?
We will!
Who's doin' that?
Doin' what?
Throwin' these.
Wilt!
Do you see 'em?
Wilt!
Answer me.
Wilt!
Where are ya?
Wilt, will you answer me?
Gotcha.
Got you.
Boss!
Boss, let me explain!
Boss!
Miss Penny?
Murdoc!
Goodbye, MacGyver.
Oh, my God! Somebody!
Help!
Oh, my God.
Is he dead?
- MacGyver! - Where'd he hit you?
I'd treasure that knife for the rest of your life if I were you.
We'll get Murdoc one day.
Be sure of that.
Sorry.
I just wanted a drink of water. I didn't mean to wake you up.
Wow.
I must have been out of it.
No.
I'm the one who's out of it.
I've been driving around for hours.
I had to come back to...
to apologize.
- Oh, hey, Pete. - No.
I was out of line.
Sometimes you get on a track,
and you just can't get off it.
I was pushing too hard.
Maybe I was trying to impress the board, I don't know, but...
I had no right to speak for you.
I'm trying to tell you I'm sorry.
Hey, come on, Pete.
We got no problems.
We're friends.
Right?
That's what I wanted to hear.
Whoa.
So...
So what's wrong with you?
I don't know, I... I think I just had the weirdest dream
I've ever had in my life.
It was all about Murdoc and Jack and Penny and Billy.
You were in it. I'm talkin' weird.
What's this?
Wow, look at that.
Well, you don't want to lose that.
Looks like it's 100 years old.