Peter Weller has been cast in the upcoming season 3 finale of CBS’s MacGyver. Weller is best known for his role as the title character in Robocop and Robocop 2.
CBS’s MacGyver is a reboot of the hit series from the 1980s and 1990s of the same name. Starring Lucas Till (X-Men: Apocalypse), MacGyver follows young Angus “Mac” MacGyver on his adventures working for a secret government agency. Following the fashion of the original – which starred Richard Dean Anderson – MacGyver is often thrust into bizarre situations and must save the lives of others only armed with unconventional thinking, limited resources, and problem-solving skills. Despite mixed reviews for the re-imagined series, CBS picked up MacGyver for a full order, and the show is almost upon the end of its third season. The season 3 ending of MacGyver should prove an exciting one – especially now with the addition of Weller.
According to TV Line, Weller has been tapped to play the antithesis of Macgyver. Film and TV vet Weller is set to take on the role of a clever villain named Mason, who rivals Macgyver’s brain power. Following the storyline of a recent bombing attempt and a slew of trouble for Mac, Mason will no doubt cause quite a stir in next month’s season finale. Showrunner Peter M. Lenkov gave his thoughts on Macgyver’s newest – and perhaps most deadly – villain:
“Ultimately, all roads are going to lead to Peter Weller being his Big Bad who – and I think it was Lucas Till who came up with this – is basically a ‘bad MacGyver’. He’s someone who has the same head as Macgyver, the same skills but he uses it for nefarious purposes.”
Weller may be most recognized as Robocop, but he’s a veteran TV actor and director, having played roles in shows such as Dexter, 24 and Star Trek: Enterprise. Weller is also well versed with Lenkov’s CBS reboot trilogy, and has directed episodes of MacGyver and Magnum P.I. Along with Till, Weller joins cast members Riley Davis (The Vampire Diaries), Justin Hires (Rush Hour) and Meredith Eaton (Battle Creek). The show faced an upset last year when George Eads – who played the pivotal role of Mac’s partner – exited the series due to conflicts on set.
Even though Weller has a history with MacGyver’s showrunner, any project would fare well in bringing Weller onboard. Weller has a knack for playing dark, nefarious characters and will broaden the talent base and storyline of the MacGyver series. It’s still unclear if MacGyver will be renewed for a season 4, but after the appearance of Weller as Mason, it may leave the audience thirsty for more, and CBS inclined to renew MacGyver for another season.
