I've taken an odd liking to this show - mainly because it has gotten universally hammered, and while this reboot leaves a lot to be desired... I still really want this show to improve and succeed.
This weeks opening (pre-title sequence) is way less cliché. There is a real sense of danger and how and a how heck are they going to get out? type of scenario.
The bulk of the episode is a complex story involving a super criminal (the ghost), flashbacks and an interesting look into Macgyver's past. Nearly everything about this episode improves upon the previous four. While there are entertaining sequences in the first few episodes, this is the first that has a level of quality throughout.
This episode also adds more to a series arc, or content that extends beyond individual episodes. Previously the only running story of note was Mac's ex-girlfriend, her treachery, and trying to locate her. This episode adds a revenge factor, not only for Mac, but his team...
His team... what's funny about this vastly improved episode is it makes the glaring weaknesses stand out even further. Of the surrounding cast and the characters they play, only the boss is slightly interesting. This is probably because we see her the least, and there is a ton of mystery there. The three others are terrible characters, and no amount of writing is going to make them work. At the rock bottom of this list is Mac's roommate, whose token appearances in this ep. fall flat as usual, feel completely out of place and seem to serve no other purpose than to take up some time. They all need work, but I think the roommate character simply needs to be removed from the show.
Regardless, still enjoyed the episode as a whole, and hope to see continued improvement.