Critics seem to hate the new MacGyver remake, likening watching it to getting a lobotomy

Here's what the critics are saying about the new MacGyver TV show - and it's ruthless.

The new series, based on the original MacGyver series - which ran between 1985 and 1992 - stars Lucas Till (X-Men: Apocalypse) as the handy hero.

The main difference is that Mac seems to be a lot younger, lighthearted and mischievous than Richard Dean Anderson's take on the character.

But where the reboot's tried to distance itself from the original, the critics have found it - and more specifically, Till - wanting.

The show got a 38 per cent on Metacritic and a lousy 22 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.

Maureen Ryan from Variety says "Till's delivery is wooden and clunky. The writing doesn't help - the pilot script is full of silly plot shortcuts and painfully cheesy lines."

MacGyver, a reimagining of the classic series, is an action-adventure drama. Photo / Getty

Washington Post's Hank Stuever says "some of us won't be able to watch MacGyver without feeling like we're getting a lobotomy with an unwound paper clip; others will be delighted by this energetic, easygoing update."

"The new MacGyver lacks [USA's Burn Notice's] creativity and wit. It's clumsy and forgettable, and it'll probably end up lasting seven seasons without anybody really noticing" says Josh Bell from Las Vegas Weekly.

Matthew Gilbert from Boston Globe says "the slick action is soulless, the voice-over is awkward, and Till isn't faceted enough to add a human dimension."

A new TV show re-imagining of the classic series, is an action-adventure drama about 20-something Angus MacGyver. Photo / Getty

Ken Tucker from Yahoo TV says "if I were 10 years old, I'd probably love the new version of MacGyver ... As I am not 10 years old, alas, I have to say that the MacGyver reboot is that rare thing: a likable bore."

That's got to hurt.