TV Review: Mission Impossible

The very cool packaging of my DVDs. (They are not in the wrong order, I just don't have it folded out all the way. (I promise I can count.)

Possibly the most instantly recognizable theme song is from Mission Impossible. This could be because spy theme songs are required by law to be awesome (I passed this law by executive order) and because Mission Impossible is the most awesome spy show. (It’s been a busy legislative session.)

The 1960s are my favorite decade for TV, and Mission Impossible is one of my favorite series. Everything about it is great. Acting, stories, sets, music, even the directing is incredible on most episodes. There’s a lot to break down about this show, and this tape will self-destruct in five seconds, so let’s get started.

Mission Impossible ran for seven seasons. As of writing this, I’m about halfway into season six. So far, I’d divide the series into four eras.

Era I: Season 1

We meet the Impossible Mission Force (IMF) team with Dan Briggs at the helm. He receives the assignments, chooses the team, and instructs them on the plan in his beautiful midcentury modern apartment. The team usually consists of Rollin Hand, a master of disguise and sleight of hand; Cinnamon Carter, a smart and chic fashion model; Barney Collier, a tech savvy engineer; and Willy Armitage, the strong arm of the group. The first season is a great start for the series and includes some of my favorite episodes, but the next era is my favorite overall.

Era II: Seasons 2 & 3

Dan Briggs is replaced by Jim Phelps, and the rest of the team remains the same. I think Jim is a better lead with a stronger presence than Dan. That’s part of the reason I like this era, but Jim is in the rest of the series, so there’s another reason too. Actually, two reasons: Rollin and Cinnamon. Played by the husband-and-wife team of Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, they bring so much depth, talent, and style to the show. Landau is a very talented actor, and this character allows him to use the full range of his skills. When he’s not playing a role in one of the schemes, Rollin has a laid-back yet mysterious sort of suaveness that I really like. Bain is beautiful in a more chic and mature way than a 20-something bombshell would have been. Elegance and class account for as much of Cinnamon’s appeal as natural looks do. She is not just the pretty distraction; she is a valuable member of the team for her brain and skill as well.

This season is also a favorite from a story perspective. It has strong cold-war-esque conflicts and themes. That is one of my favorite historical eras to study at the moment, especially when it comes to espionage, so a spy show in that setting can’t be beat.

Era III: Seasons 4 & 5

Sadly, some behind-the-scenes conflict caused Landau and Bain to part ways with the series. Rollin was replaced by Mr. Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy, as a character known as Paris. He is a magician and the new master of disguise. Cinnamon was replaced by various female guest stars in season four and by a character named Dana in season five.

Over the course of this era, there were other noticeable changes in the show. The focus of the episodes began to move away from cold-war-like concerns with dictators and foreign governments and started addressing more domestic concerns like drugs or organized crime.

Nimoy does a great job as Paris. Landau’s performance as Rollin left big shoes to fill, and I think he just about fills them. Plus, if you’re a Start Trek fan like me, it’s always fun to see him in roles that don’t require Spock’s hair and makeup. Here, he got to sport some sideburns and colorful scarves as a stylish late sixties guy.

Dana was clearly chosen to bring some youth to the show, a goal that has harmed some series. However, I think Dana comes across as very authentic, making some of the youth-centric issues the show started tackling more impactful.  Any of the other female characters would not have been believable in the situations and roles Dana was tasked with.

Era IV: Seasons 6 & 7

I haven’t seen season seven yet, but I’m guessing it will be like season six. Dana and Paris are replaced by just one new regular, Casey, combining the female and master of disguise characters into one. I think I liked Dana a bit more, but Lynda Day George always delivers great performances as Casey. She is more sophisticated than Dana, yet more down to earth than Cinnamon. She brings a sweeter type of femininity to the show that is invaluable in some missions.

By this era, we’ve entered the 1970s. This means that the midcentury sets and fashions of the first two eras are gone, which is unfortunate as I absolutely loved the feel they gave the show. It also means that the episode topics are pretty much exclusively focused on organized crime and drug smuggling, usually represented by “The Syndicate.” There are still many great story lines and missions, but, as I said, I found the cold war era more interesting.

General Observations and Likes

One of my favorite things in this series is the amazingly detailed apartment sets. Dan and Jim both have very stylish apartments in which the team gathers to discuss the mission. They are both midcentury modern and use subdued color schemes, yet the attention to detail is impressive considering they are only seen for a few minutes of each episode. Dan’s apartment is particularly modern and sophisticated and features a unique fish tank. Jim’s apartment has a nautical theme with paintings of sailboats and ship figurines. When it comes to home décor, midcentury modern and nautical are firmly on my list of favorites.

Another great part of the show is the fashion, especially Cinnamon’s wardrobe. Dana also had some striking outfits that were often a classier take on the “hippie” fashions of the late 60s and early 70s. The show could also be used as a History of Men’s Suits textbook. Whether it was Dan, Rollin, Jim, Barney, or Willy, the leading men were all very stylish, and it’s fun to see how those styles change. It’s also a great way to see what the 60s and 70s looked like for people who weren’t into the “mod” (think Twiggy and the Beatles) or hippie styles. Nowadays, our stereotypes have been reduced to miniskirts and bell bottoms. Mission Impossible shows the more mature, classic side of fashion from that era.

I’m not usually one to talk about how a show is directed. I’ve rolled my eyes at the film buffs who rave about their favorite directors. However, even I was struck by the cinematography, and directing of Mission Impossible. Actors would be framed by set pieces in interesting compositions. A similar sound or visual would be used to connect scene changes, such as an abrupt cut from someone in one scene firing a gun to someone in another scene closing a door. I like the way these choices are creative and have an impact yet are not distracting or “artsy” like some modern movies seem to me.

Of course, the most important part of Mission Impossible is the missions! The assignment is clearly laid out at the beginning of the show when Dan or Jim listens to the self-destructing tape at some secret location. (Whoever was responsible for coming up with these locations was very creative. In an episode I watched recently, Jim picks up the tape in a rug-making shop.) The tape gives a summary of the key adversaries and the plot that must be thwarted. Stop the coup. Expose the smuggling ring. From there, we get the rudiments of the plan in the apartment scene. However, plenty of episodes don’t fill us in completely, letting you piece together the mission as it unfolds. This creates suspense and requires some mental engagement, which is refreshing in a TV show from time to time.

Some of the missions are more far-fetched than others, but never enough to diminish my enjoyment (of course, I like the 1970s Doctor Who, so maybe I’m not one to trust on this). The only mission I felt pushed believability a bit too far was one where they took gold from the bad guys by cutting a hole in the floor and melting the gold so it flowed out of the vault (S3 E4 “The Mercenaries").

For me, Mission impossible is the perfect package. It has all the best – from décor to fashion to history – of a significant and just plain cool era. It has mystery, intrigue, and espionage. It has great actors, both regulars and guest stars. The attention to detail is incredible. Even the very way it’s filmed adds to the experience. If you like spy stories or are a 60s TV lover like me, this is a series to add to your list if you haven’t seen it yet.

And, if you don’t like it, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions.

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