The Everett Collection

Nowadays it seems that every TV show is getting its own reboot treatment, giving our favorite heroes and stars another chance to shine on the screen. MacGyver is certainly no stranger to this, with long-time fans of the series hoping to see Mac in action once again.

Back in the early 2000s, fans almost got their wish with a MacGyver spin-off series, Young MacGyver. Taking place years after the end of the original series, Supernatural’s Jared Padalecki was to star as Mac’s nephew Clay MacGyver.

Only a pilot episode was ever made. The story revolved around Clay dropping out of school and following in his uncle's footsteps by joining the Phoenix Foundation. In the aired pilot episode, Clay’s first mission was to infiltrate an anti-American African terrorist organization.

While not involved in the creation of the would-be series, Richard Dean Anderson's MacGyver does make an appearance in the episode. During a scene where Clay walks out of an elevator in the Phoenix Foundation, a picture of Angus MacGyver and Dana Elcar (Pete Thornton) can be seen on the wall.

With the plan to air sometime in 2003, the WB execs ultimately decided to pass on the project. Long-time fans of the series also had strong objections to the project, primarily with Clay being MacGyver’s nephew when all throughout the original series it was stated that Mac had no living relatives.

Though the series broke a bit of MacGyver continuity, the idea of exploring Mac’s family tree would have been interesting to explore. While we’ll never see Clay’s adventures, the un-aired pilot is still available to watch here.

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