Mission: Impossible (1966–1973) User Reviews

One of the greatest drama shows

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 24 June 2005]

To all the "younguns" out there, please take note: this show has NOTHING to do with the Tom Cruise movies! This was a thinking man's show--complete with intricate plots, action and decent acting. The movies, in contrast, are designed for dumb people--people who don't care that the action and stunts make no sense or don't fit into the general plot. And, people who don't mind that the hero from the TV series is now the villain! Avoid the movies like the plague and seek out the series! They are on video but have not been shown on TV for quite a long time. Perhaps Paramount Studios is keeping them under wraps, as they would show up the recent crap they have packaged as "Mission: Impossible".

Now on to the show. The quality of the programs is not uniform. Early on, the baddies were mostly communist nations with funny made up names- -and the episodes were amazing. Later, however, the network pushed the folks at Paramount to make shows that were less anti-Soviet and instead they began making episodes involving criminals...which usually were poor compared to the older ones. Still, a poor "Mission: Impossible" is still enjoyable!

One of the best series ever

[sherryhowell50 · 9/10 · 28 October 2015]

I really love this show. It's fascinating that it was produced by Desilu, at the same time as Star Trek -- also produced by Desilu. You would be able to tell, even if you didn't look at the credits. Many of the guest actors are in both shows, and of course, even some of the stars from Trek can be seen in Mission Impossible. I was able to find the entire series on disc recently, and have been working my way through it. Honestly, I've not found a lemon yet. Some are better than others of course, but none are disappointing. I highly recommend it, and recommend giving the movies a miss. They aren't anywhere near the quality of the original.

Watching Mission Impossible is like entering a time machine. You can see many actors who were just getting started, many who would become big stars as time went by. Carroll O'Connor, long before All in the Family. Ricardo Montalbon, before he became big. George Takei in a role other than Sulu, and of course Leonard Nimoy in a non-Spockian role. Dozens of other actors make their mark that you are sure to recognize if you enjoy TV from the 40's through the 80's or so. Enjoy.

Landmark TV Spy Series

[P_Cornelius · 9/10 · 8 August 2007]

While not my favorite spy series from the 1960s and early 1970s, Mission Impossible is certainly on the Top Ten list. Ranking a bit below I Spy, The Saint, Danger Man, and The Persuaders, MI nonetheless deserves a place at the table, especially the Bain/Landau episodes. Like all the great spy/thriller dramas from the 1960s, MI excelled with its storyline. The producers, writers, and directors knew the value of constantly advancing the story, a skill in short supply for current TV fare, as anyone who has watched 24 over the past few seasons can testify. Mix in an acting ensemble capable of top level performances, instead of cartoon caricatures, and you had, in MI, a rare and wonderful treat for TV.

Two other things, however, deserve mention. First, I personally found the first year with Steven Hill to be my favorite. While I liked the Peter Graves episodes, somehow, he will always be "the new guy" in my book. Maybe it's because the entire MI experience is impressed on my memory by context. Namely, I remember how during that first season, following the weekly visit my parents took to see my grandparents, my father would then race back across town just in time for us all to tune in. I seem to remember that was on Saturdays--early. We never had that experience with subsequent years, as, I believe, MI moved to late Sundays in 1967.

Second, there is the issue of the set design and costuming. Granted, this is only something I've become sensitive too since the initial run of the series back in the 1960s. But the studio shoots, the sometimes too artificial set designs, and the generic uniforms used for East bloc guards and soldiers cause the series to suffer a bit, especially in comparison to the exotic locations of the other great American spy drama from the Sixties, I Spy.

Finally, about Bain and Landau. There was a tremendous amount of buzz about this couple while the series aired. Barbara Bain, in particular, exemplified an allure that is timeless. What a disappointment, then, when, after leaving MI, they finally re-appeared together on TV in the dreadful Space: 1999. Both had faded as stars. But worse, both let their reputations suffer by placing themselves under the direction of one of the worst schlock profiteers in TV at the time, Gerry Anderson. Thus, what a joy it is to see them both on DVD editions of Mission Impossible, in their prime, when it seemed they would conquer television as thoroughly as any couple in its, then, relatively short history.

The theater of the manipulation

[urick · 24 April 1999]

"Mission : impossible" is the most complex espionage series ever conceived. What makes this show so unique ? It is its storyline, its characters, its visual style and its music : a real trade mark. What I like the most is first the ritual : the tape, the dossier and the apartment briefing, then the fast-paced clips as credits, the character of Martin Landau with his masks and gimmicks, the cinematography (very quick cuts, extreme close ups as inserts, the use of special lenses, pan-and-tilt shots, upside-down camera shots, hand-held camera shots, optical zoom shots as dramatic effects), the skillful montage, and finally, the music and its various themes. The show is an impeccable and Machiavellian play. Every details are planned in advance to fool and get rid of the enemy. Each scheming is tight and shocking. I like the use of the time warp concept in "Operation Rogosh" and the role of Fritz Weaver as the paranoid Soviet Union spy trapped in a fake Russian prison which is in California. I like the tension and the suspense created by silent actions. Anyway, the whole show is about simulacrum. The devious methods of the IMF agents are always delightful and clever. Don't miss the best episodes : "The mind of Stephan Miklos", "Live bait" and "The interrogator". This tape will self-destruct in five seconds, good luck. !

Best dramatic spy television series

[Jal4950 · 10/10 · 27 April 2007]

I am 57 years old. I purchased the season one DVD set of MI when it came out and have season 2 ordered upon release. After all these years, MI is just as great as I remember it. I have purchased other TV series I enjoyed as a kid, but upon watching them, although they brought back wonderful memories, I did not experience the same excitement I felt 40 years ago.

Not so with Mission Impossible. Every episode is just as exciting as I remembered it. Even my grown children, who grew up in the "action every second" generation, love this series. It is indeed a "thinking person's" series.

How are they going to trick the villain? How will they break the person out of prison? How does Dan Briggs/Jim Phelps out think their counter part from the enemy side? This show was about using your brains, not your brawn.

And which red blooded teen wasn't in love with Barbara Bain? Like many young men, I developed a huge crush on her.

When I retire, I know I'll be watching this series over and over many times. I am already doing that now.

If you haven't tried this series, try it. You will enjoy it!

Little Desilu had the 2 best TV series of all time!

[JJC-3 · 10/10 · 14 September 2004]

Not counting Lucy's own I Love Lucy, Desilu had the 2 best shows of the 60's "Mission" & "Star Trek". Both shows in their own style kept you coming back for more each week. When Lucille Ball sold Desilu to Paramount in the 60's there could not have been anyone in the Paramount board room who could have envisioned the amount of money they would make from these 2 TV icons. Certainly the steal of the century for Paramount. Now if Paramount would only release "Mission" on DVD, that would make it complete. And as an aside to the reviewer who stated that Greg Morris was the only actor to be on the show from start to end, Peter Lupus was also on from start to end.

THE show of shows!

[Dan Briggs · 10/10 · 20 January 2001]

I used to think Star Trek:TOS was the best show ever made, but I now think M:I is. No other show makes me Think like M:I does. Briggs, Phelps, Hand, Carter, Armitage and the ever present Collier were the back bone of the show, among others. Episodes such as "Operation Rogosh", " The Photographer", " The Exchange", "The Town" and " The Carriers" are some of the best written in TV history. Subtle subversion and the art of the con are two of the trademarks of this explosive series that proved that spies need not be Maxwell Smart, James Bond or John Steed to be effective; Although each is in their own way.I think of M:I as a thinking man's " Gaslight". If you think TV shows are written for morons, Watch "The Mind Of Stephan Miklos" and get back to me if you can understand the plot.

Mission: POSSIBLE!

[Enrique-Sanchez-56 · 10/10 · 27 February 2007]

Growing up in the 60s and 70s makes me feel rather smug about certain things. I really DO think I live in the best times for a lot of things. Mission: Impossible was one of those things.

How many kids watched this and dreamed of participating in one of these IMF missions when we grew up! They were so were planned. No stone in any possible angle was left unturned. Of course, as a kid, we didn't realize that these were carefully scripted to delight the most complicated recesses of our minds! The IMF teams may have changed a bit through the years, but the utter fascination with their ploys never let up.

Of course, at the center of this was the impossibly wonderful LALO SCHIFRIN theme! Ever since I can remember high school bands have kept this in their repertoire.

It really is kind of sad that the whole IMF thing transformed itself into the Tom Cruise vehicle it has. Sure, it's an homage of sorts. But I challenge any of you to compare the original with the Cruise aberrations (sorry, I meant "franchises"....) One of the finer things about this series was the utter prestige of the guest list who visited us in our homes weekly. Where are there any actors like these nowadays? I dare say they are nowhere. Actors of this caliber are no longer sought after. They can hardly make a living while abominations like Tom Cruise wallow in the wild excesses of the most unimaginable luxuries.

Why do I have anything against Tom Cruise? Probably like everyone else I am rather tired of the guy and his bombastic publicity machine or is it machines? He also practically runs the whole phony cult nowadays doesn't he? Anyway, enough of my rants!

M:I (1966) remains to this day one of the most engaging, intelligent programs every conceived and produced.

The new DVD release is a wonderful, welcome trip back into that fascinating world of espionage and international Cold War politics. I cannot wait for the entire run to be released!

A Top TV Spy Show

[strong-122-478885 · 7/10 · 12 March 2018]

(*Familiar "Mission: Impossible" quote*) - "Good morning, Mr. Phelps."

From its distinctive theme music, to its high-energy dramatics, to its tight, clockwork-precision plots - TV's Mission: Impossible (from the mid/late-1960s) showcased some of the coolest, most daring special agents imaginable.

And with each exciting, thrill-packed episode these specially trained agents took us on some of the most bold and daredevil-like adventures, right around the world, and beyond.

So fasten your seat-belts and prepare yourself for TV's top-notch spy show, Mission: Impossible.

This classic series featured a first-rate cast, headlined by actor, Peter Graves (as IMF's leader, Jim Phelps), Martin Landau (as the master of disguise, Rollin Hand), and Greg Morris (as the electronics whiz, Barney Collier).

The Best of Television!

[annie-231 · 10/10 · 17 May 2006]

This was a groundbreaking series, brilliantly crafted, written and acted. Nowhere does it clunk along uncomfortably and after 40 years it's still a sharp, clever watch. I'm sorry they were allowed to call the Tom Cruise movies after it, because they have nothing to do with the original series and shouldn't be allowed to ride on the back of it. This was truly the birth of edge-of-the-chair television! Steven Hill was excellent as Dan Briggs in the first series, but I'm given to understand could not adjust his religious beliefs to successfully accommodate filming schedules, and Peter Graves, as his replacement, has gone on to be the famous face of the series. The team of Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Greg Morris and Peter Lupus were, for my money, the best, and to them should go the honours for creating such a memorable programme.

Ultra-Cool Espionage Series, Repetitive but Entertaining

[verbusen · 7/10 · 7 November 2009]

I know Mission Impossible is one of the best loved adventure series of all time, so I'm sure not giving this show a perfect 10 will turn many off. I would always find it on in my house weekly as I was growing up. Who could forget as a young kid that slow burn fuse introduction? I don't actually remember any one episode from my childhood days (unlike many other shows like Star Trek and Get Smart where I do remember from watching when they originally aired), maybe it was shown at a later time when I was going into semi-sleepy time land, I remember only that they would use cool gadgets and do the ultimate double cross in the end, ......and no IM team members would die. The show as forward looking as it was, was dated by the constraints of 1960's TV styles, in that none of the primary actors were ever killed. That along with the many seasons it lasted produced many episodes doing the same thing, or worse yet, the IM team would be chasing after "bad-guys" that did not rise to the IM team's urgency level. I got a set of all the episodes and have randomly been re-watching them (I of course also watched the series in reruns over the decades because I am a fan). You can randomly watch the series since there is no continuum character development from show to show, another drawback. The biggest thing that struck me after recently watching three episodes is this: The best episodes are when they are against the Red's, or a rogue nuclear dictatorship, thats really where this kind of team's creation is based upon. The worst episodes are when they are going after drug dealers or embezzlers or the mafia. Although they are entertaining, you may ask yourself (and it took me 30 years to get to this stage so you may not ask yourself), why couldn't they have just called the police? Still a great show, if you get the DVD's it's best to look at the story lines and start off with the international black ops episodes and hold off on the domestic mob/drug dealer/charity embezzler/tax cheat/etc etc ones. Mission Impossible had a formula so that if you are in the mood for good guy USA wins every time with no good guys killed ever, you can't go wrong thats what you'll get. 7 of 10. Another series you may want to try thats played more so with comedy but still has some dramatic tension is It Takes A Thief, not saying that it comes close to Mission Impossible but it's rarely shown and may actually be fresher to watch then this series which has been played out since it first ran 40 years ago. Also, Danger Man (AKA Secret Agent) the British 1960's spy show had some seriously good episodes with a lot of realistic dramatic tension and highly recommended when your looking for a similar Mission Impossible fix.

Still enjoyable even in this modern age

[mattsmith-21755 · 10/10 · 25 March 2018]

Like many people I watched this show back when I was a child, this was one of my favorite shows on TV along side MASH and Star Trek TOS. Mission Impossible was simply fantastic to watch as a small child, it had it all, action, adventure and some very fine looking women. The missions amazed me, especially ones which used technology. Now in 2018 I'm watching the show on DVD, in 2017 I was lucky to see the very first season which shocked me because there was NO Mr Phelps, we had this Briggs guy.. The first couple of episodes were a bit shaky but after that the format began to take shape. Now I'm enjoying the dvd boxset which will give me hours of entertainment. As we live in a world full of technology it's great to watch this show made back when life was simple and very low tech. It brings back so many memories of those simple times. This show is not for the youth of today, they wouldn't understand or enjoy this.

*****The truth about M.I.*****

[A_Different_Drummer · 7/10 · 10 January 2021]

The truth about MI --> 1. It was a phenom at the time. Clever plotting. Amazing characters. There was a formula to the show but it was new so viewers could not anticipate. Color TV was new then too and this show was believe it or not one of the reasons many reached for their wallets and made the plunge. 2. Steven Hill was fired because he was religious and made the crew work around his schedule. The producers were furious and went with a "famous" Hollywood name (family) to replace him, ensuring no more problems. 3. Bain and Laindau were married in real life. Hollywood had not seen that before in an espionage drama. 4. Lupus had virtually no speaking lines. Today no agent on the planet would let his client into that sort of deal. 5. For viewers of the present it will not hold up. Too much new technology has raised the bar. Even at that, it was a "budget" show in its day and many of the tropes simply will not stand the test of time.

Scams R US... not a spy show

[midge56 · 5/10 · 5 September 2015]

I was in high school when this series came out. I found it extremely dragged out and boring so I only watched a few episodes until now. I have since bought the entire series and have watched every show.

Everyone thought this was a spy thriller series. James Bond was a big hit at the time. But there is nothing "Spy" associated with this show. This show turned into a group of Scam artists as the IMF team who stole money, kidnapped & tortured people, lied, falsely arrested, impersonated authorities and deprived their targets of their constitutional & human rights. The audience began rooting for the bad guys because the supposed good guys were so rotten, setting up people to be killed, blatantly abusing authority and smiling at their own cold blooded acts of violence. The only saving grace was the intro format of the instructions and the technology and cosmetic expertise. But even the taped directives are left in ridiculous, unsecured locations.

The first 4 seasons, all of the shows were either Nazi organizations trying to rebuild the Nazi regime or some nameless East European or UPC gov't seeking world domination or WMD or some nameless Hispanic country with dictators & internal rebellions or drug cartels.

Season 5 turned into a ridiculous hippy protest season. They hired Lesley Ann Warren who clearly fit the role of a hippy. She was a terrible actress with a deadpan expression and no discernible acting skills; lacking any class or beauty for the role. Fortunately, they stopped these Atypical violent hippy protest themes after season 5. Unfortunately, they exchanged hippy for mafia.

Seasons 6 and 7 were nearly all syndicate and mafia episodes with IMF team stealing from the syndicate and setting them against each other. There were multiple casino and gambling story lines, drugs and stealing money from their vaults in at least a dozen different episodes. The IMF team even resorted to drugging and hypnotizing victims to commit crimes or setting them up to believe they had killed or committed a crime as in "Crackup". The only bright side of these last two seasons was the addition of Lynda Day George to the cast, until she poorly chose season 7 to have a child.

There were few impersonations after season 4. They used their own faces for 6 & 7. The idea that no one would notice substitutions without cosmetic alterations was too absurd to be believable. Season 6 & 7 technology consisted of transmitter tone boxes and a phone number translator. Mostly just scams, lies, stealing, kidnapping, false arrests and elaborate hoaxes. The MI scam team were quite cold blooded about getting their targets killed. The things they did to the "bad guys" was so awful and hateful and totally in contradiction with constitutional rights, that the audience was sympathizing with the criminals. Phelps role became cold blooded, hateful and merciless exceeding any criminality of the targets. Willy also became cruel & cold blooded and their female counterpart would do a spine chilling grin as they heard one of their targets being shot.

Most of the scenes were overly long, drawn out and boring. Especially those "pursuit" scenes which spent nearly 5 minutes watching someone run, crawl, drive or swim from point A to B. There was an episode "Ultimatum" where Phelps acting as a thief on the run was holding a scientist hostage with less than 2 hours to disarm a nuclear bomb in LA. It made no sense as Phelps deliberately delayed the scientist from disarming the bomb until the last minute.

There were also too many duplicate stories with Casino, Chess matches, breaking into vaults, Syndicates, kidnapping, imprisonment, torture, drugging & stealing themes, etc.

Of the entire series, there were only a half dozen truly fresh stories. But even those were laced with cruelty such as "Two Thousand". "Crack up" was one where they tormented the victim into believing he had committed murders.

The loss of Martin Landau and Barbara Bain after the 3rd season really hurt the show. Clearly, the show producers failed to honor the actor's contracts such as Landau's guarantee that no other actor's salary should be higher than his or Hill's contract which stated he would never work past the Sabbath which is very important for his Jewish religion with strict rules about being at home before dusk on Friday for this weekly observance. When the actors complained, their careers suffered from being blackballed.

Greg Morris actually carried the entire series as the genius engineer. He was very likable as the technology genius until the last two seasons where his role changed from hiding in false file cabinets, under cars or in some HVAC duct using impressive technologies to impersonating a variety of nationalities, police officers, thugs, pilots, doctors, etc. While it gave him a chance to show off his skills as an actor and the variety of colorful personalities he could provide, his attitude in these roles became very snide and quite unlikeable. Where his genius key role was an opportunity seldom available to ethnics in a prime time series of that era, the last two seasons served to undo the achievements accomplished by degrading his likable character into a stereotype tough hood attitude for the final 2 seasons.

While I love the cast of Star Trek, I found it very disturbing to see Nimoy (Spock) with these scary grins and bizarre roles or Shatner as a mafia kingpin.

Most of these reviewers are remembering the recorded directives, impersonations and technology with some impressive trickery, particularly in the first 4 seasons, but have not seen the show recently.

I recommend rewatching all 7 seasons. It should have been a spy series. Not a bunch of scammers, thieves, kidnappers and cold blooded liars. If you rewatch the series, you will see how much different it was from what you remember 45 years ago.

one of my all-time favorite series

[blanche-2 · 19 April 2005]

I grew up watching this series and enjoyed it throughout its run. It was, of course, completely outrageous, but that was what made it fun. In the first years of the show, the MI team concentrated on espionage in foreign countries; later, they turned to the USA.

Although I loved Peter Graves in the show, I think Steven Hill brought an air of mystery to his character. I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for the original cast of Hill, Landau, Bain, Morris, and Lupus. Bain was ahead of her time, an older woman playing a glamor girl. Lupus, whom I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing a few years ago, played a character of few words - in fact, people used to have contests counting his lines. He was quoted as saying if he ended up in one more tight space with Greg Morris, he was going to wind up engaged! This was a show where the cast changes seemed to work pretty well, Graves, Leonard Nimoy, and Linda Day George especially.

I have so many favorite episodes. One was Cinnamon's involvement with Eric Braedon in the days when he was Hans Gundegast, the psychic one about the bees, the William Shatner back in time episode, the episode with Robert Conrad - there were so many. Later on in the show, the missions would go wrong and Graves or one of the others would have to improvise - that was great.

As far as I'm concerned, the movies had nothing to do with this show. Very disappointing what they did with the Jim Phelps character. He was furious, and I don't blame him. Some things are sacred!

Which episodes are the best? IMPOSSIBLE to say!

[lima-2 · 10/10 · 11 July 2006]

I have complained so bitterly in other IMDb venues about the recent Tom Cruise film versions of this franchise, I thought it was time to add my comments about the REAL "Mission: Impossible." Everyone knows the premise of the show, or they wouldn't be reading this, so I won't re-hash the details. After nearly forty years, I can vividly remember sitting in my living room at 7:30 on a Saturday night in September of 1966, by chance watching the local CBS affiliate. I had no idea what to expect when I saw a disembodied hand, holding a match, light a fast-burning fuse. What followed was a collage of previews for the coming sixty-minute adventure. So superb was the plotting, dialog, and characterization, I was hooked for the next seven years! This series was such an intellectual exercise, it was like watching a fast-paced chess match, if you can imagine such a thing. Three of my favorite episodes come immediately to mind. "The Mind Of Stefan Miklos" was Peter Graves' personal favorite, and mine. It was the the true epitome of this series. To the uninitiated, it may have appeared confusing, but this was quality television. Unlike so many current television shows and movies, this episode, and the entire series, credited viewers with having a brain. If you were paying attention, you could actually follow the supremely intricate plotting. Next was "The Glass Cage" with guest villain Lloyd Bochner as the warden of a high-tech Iron Curtain prison. IMF scammed Bochner's character into releasing a high-profile prisoner after convincingly planting false evidence of mistaken identity. Finally, there was "Doomsday" with Alf Kjellin as the incumbent "baddie" auctioning off a stolen atomic weapon to the highest bidder. IMF cleverly rendered the weapon inert just as the Kjellin was being paid for his now-useless goods. I can name at least five other episodes that are, far and above, superior to the three big-screen versions recently released. Perhaps Paramount is listening. For the next big-screen venture, I suggest a retro-cold-war plot set in the 1950's or 1960's when IMF was first formed, tied to contemporary headlines like the Suez Crisis, Berlin Wall, or Cuban Missile Crisis complete with Peter Graves or Martin Landau look-alike actors. Any others suggestions out there?

Mission was the best show on television

[nooshadaha · 10/10 · 23 July 2006]

I have watched Mission Impossible since I was a child. I used to watch it with my parents and had no idea what was going on. As an adult, when I watch the reruns, I regret that we no longer have such shows on television. Mission demanded the audience's full attention, and that attracted people with some intellect. The manipulation, teamwork, ingenuity were all central to the show. You never heard any of them nag, never talked about their personal life, or need to provided eye candy such as violence; explosives and other visual but empty effects to keep the audience glued to the screen. The agents were rarely vulnerable, weak and always in control (most of the time). More importantly, all of them were always professional. How many cop shows do you see like that today? Mission used skill. It forced the audience to be patient. It assumed that the viewer does not have ADHD and can patiently watch a well written movie. A broader question arises when viewing the show.... has the viewing audience gotten dumber, or are networks insulting our intelligence by feeding us TV junk food; fast, flashy, cookie cutter junk?

Ah the memories!

[ringa46 · 10/10 · 20 December 2020]

My father's favorite show. When Mission Impossible came on, the popcorn was popped, the lights would go out, and we children were not allowed to say anything until the show was over. My Dad sat in his favorite recliner and we children sat happily on the floor. It was always an exciting show. It still holds up after all these years, even if the cold war themes seem dated by now. It's not a show that can be copied and I don't think the movies come close. Watch it for yourself and see, but don't forget to turn out the lights and pop the popcorn!

Desilu's classic TV Series Mission Impossible"

[adventure-21903 · 9/10 · 14 November 2020]

Lucille Ball had an option to buy out Desi Arnz and Lucy exercised that option and became the first and up to now only Woman to run a Hollywood studio. To be exact Desilu had 3 studio lots: Desilu Gower which was where the HQ of Desilu were located; Desilu Cahuenga where the original I Love Lucy shows were filmed and Desilu Culver which was the site of Selznick International which still had standing Gone With The Wind sets and th fabled. Tara

Miss Ball was CBS biggest star and Lucy extracted from CBS a Pilot Development fund $600,000. Per year to fund CBS TV pilots*. One of the piots was for Mission Impossible, This was a ground breaking brilliant executed and cast Series. Steven Hill, Martin Landau, Peter Lupus and Greg Morris starred along with sexy smoky voiced Barbara Bain who was in real life Mrs. Landau! Note that Lucy wanted to meet Ms. Bain and approved of Ms. Bain's casting. Greg Morris was a very important cast member as the was one of the first racially Integrated shows. Herbert F. Solow Head of Progrsmming at Desilu and Executive Producer Bruce Geller created many wonderful stories for this series. It was an expensive show to produce with many backlot scenes at Desilu Culver. A highlight of the show was the opening theme which is one of the most famous of. All time and used the Tom Cruise Mission Impossible films..

This TV series would win major Awards and today stands the time as a brilliant TV show from a great studio Desilu run by Lucille Ball who overuled her Desilu Board of Directors to produce this classic show. Without Lucille Ball whose career as a madcap comedienne who in real life was a very intelligent, serious woman there would not be Mission Impossible. Lucy's Board voted to forego Mission Impossible and Star Trek but Lucy bet her fortune and overruled her Board. Hindsight is always 20/20 but I feel Lucy sold out to Paramount a year too early. With Mannix a smash hit tv show Desilu had 3 great show: Mannix and Mission Impossibleand Star Trek. The 3 Desilu studios were rented 100% and Desilu's smash hit Yours Mine and Ours made a profit of $20 million dollars and Desilu got 25% or $4 million which would have erased all debt from Desilu. PS. Lucy while her studio was producing Star Trek and Mission Impossible was in Europe doing her brilliant "Lucy In London" specia. Lucy looked great Desilu's only International Production.

The Emmy's of 1968 saw Ms. Ball win Best Comedy Show for Desilu's comedy series The Lucy Show, and Desilu's Mission Impossible best dramatic show. It was a triumphant night for Desilu.

When Lucy handed over "the keys " to Desilu to Paramount the studio was at its peak. Merriwell" based on the famous character.

Special Agents With An Impossible Mission To Tackle

[StrictlyConfidential · 6/10 · 22 September 2020]

"Mission: Impossible" lasted for 7 seasons (1966-1973). (IMO) - This vintage TV series had both its fair share of good moments, as well as its not-so-good moments, too.

Considering the time-frame when "Mission: Impossible" was made - I found that the only way for me to get any real entertainment value out of watching this program was to cut it some serious slack and forgive it for all of its obvious faults and flaws.

Outstanding and innovative espionage series...Remembering the original Mission:Impossible television series on its 50th anniversary

[raysond · 10/10 · 16 September 2016]

As we commemorate the 50th anniversary of one of the most innovative if not successful espionage television series of all time the original "Mission:Impossible" for the seven seasons it was on the air for 171 episodes held the record for the longest running espionage series in television history for over 35 years(about 10 more episodes than its nearest rival, the British-produced "The Avengers" with 161 episodes)until its astounding record was broken in 2010 by Kiefer Sutherland's "24" that surpassed it with 195 episodes. But what makes "Mission:Impossible" one of the greatest shows of all time? It was well- written with more intrigue and excitement if not suspenseful than any other show of its era with superb production, big-time guest stars and explosive action and high adventure each week that kept viewers tuned in(that was in an era loaded with a ton of espionage theme series but "Mission:Impossible" went beyond the norm of the regular "spy" show and took it to heights never before seen during its run).

"Mission:Impossible" was the created brainchild of Bruce Geller who was also the executive producer of the series along with producers Barry Crane, Joseph Gantman, Bruce Lansbury, Stanley Kallis, Laurence Heath, Allan Balter along with Robert E. Thompson and William Read Woodfield, that became one of the biggest hits of the mid-1960's and remained on the air as a CBS-TV staple throughout the early-1970's. The series chronicles the missions of a team of secret government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force that went after ruthless dictators, evil organizations in foreign lands and in later episodes taking on organized crime with the strictest attention to detail and timing in order to save the world.

About the cast...out of the 171 episodes of this series only actors Greg Morris(Barney Collier),and Peter Lupus(Willy Armitage)were the only main cast members that were with the series throughout its entire seven-year run. Steven Hill(Dan Briggs)appeared in 28 episodes of Season One only. Steven Hill was replaced by Peter Graves(Jim Phelps)from Seasons 2 through 7 for 143 episodes. Martin Landau(Rollin Hand)was in the first three seasons of the series for 76 episodes. Barbara Bain(Cinnamon Carter) was also in the first three seasons of the series for 78 episodes. Landau and Bain left at the end of the Season 3 and were replaced by Leonard Nimoy(Paris)in Season 4 for 49 episodes of the series. Nimoy left at the end of Season 6. Lesley Anne-Warren(Dana Lambert)came on board in Season 5 for 23 episodes and left at the end of its fifth season. Sam Elliott(Doug Roberts)join the cast in Season 5 for 13 episodes. Other IMF agents were Lynda Day-George(Lisa Casey) in Seasons 6 and 7 for 44 episodes,and Barbara Anderson(Mimi Davis)in seven episodes of Season 6.

The series was produced during the first two seasons by Desilu Productions from September,1966 to January,1968. From January,1968 until March,1973 the series was produced solely through Paramount Television. The original broadcast history of the series aired on CBS-TV from September 17,1966 until March 30,1973 producing 171 episodes all in color. Season 1 was on Saturday nights at the 9:00-10:00 time slot from September 17,1966 until January 7,1967. On January 14,1967 it moved to the 8:30-9:30 time slot until April 22,1967. From Seasons 2 through 4 aired on Sunday nights at the 10:00-11:00 time slot from September 10,1967 until March 29,1970. Season 5 saw the show move back to Saturday nights at the 7:30-8:30 time slot from September 19,1970 until March 17,1971. Season 6 also move the show to a later time slot on Saturday nights at the 10:00-11:00 time slot from September 18,1971 to December 9,1972 and again until February 26,1972 with repeats airing until August 30,1972. The seventh and final season of the series saw the show moved from Saturday nights to Friday nights in an earlier time slot from 8:00-9:00 in prime time from September 16,1972 until the final episode of the series on March 30,1973.

During its run the series was nominated for an impressive 15 Prime-Time Emmys winning 7 of them for Outstanding Acting, Outstanding Direction, and Outstanding Writing and won 3 Golden Globes for Best Television Series,Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series,and Best Actor in a Television Series and won the Edgar Award for Best Episode in a Television Series. "Mission:Impossible" was without a doubt a series with big time writers from Bruce Geller, Allan Balter, Paul Playdon, Kenneth Pettus, Stephen Kandel, Jackson Gillis and top-notch directors from Barry Crane, Paul Krasny, Lee H. Katzin, Leonard Horn, Alexander Singer,Virgil W. Vogel, Joesph Pevney, Marc Daniels,to Leslie H. Martinson, Sutton Roley, Paul Stanley and Alf Kjellin.

Big time guest stars from Ricardo Montalban, Cicely Tyson, William Marshall, Eartha Kitt, Fritz Weaver, Anthony Zerbe, John Vernon, Lloyd Bridges, Pernell Roberts, Lee Meriwether, Joan Collins, Edward Asner, Robert Conrad, Carl Betz, William Shatner, Bradford Dillman, Barbara Luna, to Malachi Throne, Antoinette Bower, William Windom, Wally Cox, Ed Nelson and James Daly just to name a few whose performances were both convincing and enjoyable during the show's seven season run on CBS.

"Mission:Impossible" also saw a remake of the TV-series in the late- 1980's with Peter Graves(that was on ABC from 1988-1990) in the cast and spun a series of seven theatrical films starring Tom Cruise beginning in 1996. Even 50 years later it was one of the best ever conceived for its era.

I accept it

[Lejink · 9/10 · 16 September 2012]

Weren't the 60's great for escapist entertainment? I mean on both sides of the Atlantic. Here in the UK we had "The Avengers", "Department S", "The Champions" and many others from the ITC stable, while imported from the States we had "Star Trek", "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." and this, perhaps my most favourite.

Blame it on the delectable Barbara Bain as agent Cinammon Carter, or on the best TV theme tune ever, but most of all blame it on the ingenious plotting and cohesive acting of the whole cast.

I take great pleasure from being able to re-watch such great TV from my childhood in the here and now and spend more time watching re-runs of classic series like this than from most current TV.

Mission accomplished!

Beyond Terrible

[QueenoftheGoons · 1/10 · 21 June 2022]

This was 1 of the worst series i have ever watched. I watched it for the gorgeous guest stars; Sid Haig, Joseph Ruskin, Sawaya etc and it was not just beyond stupid but a dirty shame. This series was so pathetic it makes you wonder what the writer was drinking!

The Cleverest TV Show Ever

[Big Movie Fan · 1 June 2002]

I have got to hand it to the people behind the original Mission Impossible series. Their pilot episode was bound to hook people. Mission Impossible was a winner from the start.

The Impossible Missions Force were a team of agents with no emotional attachments who went on secret missions usually against organized crime or rogue nations. They did not go in and use guns or fists to fight a problem-the name of the game was manipulation, deception, trickery, fraud, you name it. The agents were in fact anti-heroes who stooped to the level of the bad guys themselves. But I still loved them for it.

It would be unfair to reveal any of the intricate details of the plots for the series but let's just say they were clever. Mission Impossible was a show that required a viewer's full attention-you simply couldn't switch onto an episode halfway through and expect to know what's going on. Mission Impossible was clever throughout it's entire run. The IMF always had a plan which had to be strictly adhered to for it to be a success. They used every mean trick in the book to bring the bad guys down and they always slipped away at the end without the bad guys ever finding out who they were. In fact, quite a few episodes involved the bad guys falling out with each other after believing the other one was out to get him when in fact it was the IMF who had set it all up.

A clever show indeed-highly recommended.

Classic Desilu Espionage Series

[williwaw · 9/10 · 9 August 2011]

Desilu had hit a dry patch in the mid 60's and some thought the fabled studio was on its way out. I recall an Interview that Lucille Ball gave to a paper wherein Ms. Ball said she wanted Desilu to be more than a collector of residuals and rentals from others using Desilu stages. The fall of 1966 saw Desilu come roaring back with Mission Impossible on CBS, Star Trek on NBC and Lucille Ball's Lucy Show on CBS. To top it off Lucy also starred in Lucy in London on CBS. (Another series The Long Hunt of April Savage starring Robert Lansing was announced by ABC but pulled by that network soon after the announcement).

Herb Solow Programming Chief at Desilu and Executive in Charge of Production for Mission Impossible gave Bruce Geller the line Producer a wide berth and while the show was enormously expensive, Desilu, Lucille Ball and Herb Solow gave Geller free rein. A brilliant ensemble cast with Steven Hill, Martin Landau, Peter Lupus and Greg Morris with the added flavor of Barbara Bain as the immortal Cinnamon Carter made this show a classic. Lalo Schrfrin created a score that is now considered one of the greatest themes of all time. It is fun to see some of the great Desilu back lots scenes in some of the episodes.

Desilu won Emmy's for Mission Impossible, Star Trek and to top it all off Ms. Ball got an Emmy for best comedic performance!

Bravo Desilu, Lucille Ball, Herb Solow, and Bruce Geller for Mission Impossible