We've known for a while that CBS was going to be rebooting MacGyver. The decision was made to move forward to series this past spring, and the brand new CBS drama starring Lucas Till and George Eads just started shooting last week. While the cast and creative team are adamant that the new MacGyver will stand on its own as a beloved drama, the show will be incorporating aspects from the original series, including the hacks, the leather jacket, and hopefully, original cast members like Richard Dean Anderson.
When asked during a San Diego Comic-Con panel about whether or not any cast members could return, executive producer Peter Lenkov told the audience that the show is currently in talks with some of the original cast members to see if they might be willing to pop up in the new series:
We're hoping to get the original cast members on the show. This really started with James' passion for the original show. We're hoping they'll be a part of this new incarnation, as well. We're reaching out to them.
CBS' MacGyver is just getting into production at this point. Provided CBS signs on for a 22-episode order for its new drama, there should be plenty of opportunities for original cast members to pop in, should they want to, especially as the new MacGyver takes on different sorts of cases. Richard Dean Anderson hasn't popped up in a project since he played himself in an episode of Don't Trust The B---- In Apartment 23 back in 2013, but a guest stint on the revised version of the show he is most famous for (sorry Stargate SG-1) would give him an easy, fun way to return to television.
Obviously, "reaching out" doesn't mean that the likes of Richard Dean Anderson will say "yes" to coming back for the reboot, but it's a hopeful sign for fans of the franchise, at least, knowing that CBS, James Wan, Peter Lenkov and co. are putting together a series that pays homage to the original while it still does its own thing.
And man, what a thing it sounds like it will be. The cast and crew also showed a segment where Lucas Till and George Eads' characters will get to escape into the night on a speedboat. There will be high speed chases, and at one point Eads' alluded to getting to play with Uzis. It's clear that CBS has put a lot of budget and support behind the reboot, but the cast and crew seem to be having a hell of a lot of fun shooting the series.
Fans who watched the original will hopefully get to see their favorite cast members for a cameo or more. (It worked for Fuller House after all.) But even if they don't, MacGyver is certainly promising plenty of other reasons to watch.
MacGyver hits the schedule on Friday, September 23 at 8 p.m. ET, only on CBS. You can check out what other shows are coming up this fall with our TV premiere schedule.
