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The lit dynamite fuse burning across the screen. The driving theme music. The snappy images of bits of “this week’s” episode. You know what it is right away. It’s the original Mission: Impossible.
Looking at the show across the distance of time, wherein television film technology has improved and the visual style has gotten more and more cinematic, you realize the series is an element of its time. But once you step beyond those visual reminders, you are right in the middle of fast-paced intrigue, well written and well acted.
Mission: Impossible cast from Season 1
Tops worth noting is Barbara Bain, the quintessence of elegant cool and sophistication. I wracked my brains to think of an actress now in her 30s who had the same presentation of classy smarts, and it’s just not there. That she’s a terrific actress as well puts the spice to the show – in this case, Cinnamon. The rest of the cast settles into their parts easily. Back in the day, the casting of Greg Harris as the technology whiz was notable in that the show never made a deal out of his race: he’s presented as the best in his craft and that was the end of it. It might seem like a small thing today, but it had its impact.
For most who know the series, they think of Peter Graves as the team leader, but Graves didn’t take on that role until Season 2. In Season 1, the M: I team was led by the laconic, dry-humored Steven Hill (who years later would appear as Adam Schiff DA of NYC on Law & Order).
Anyway, how can you not like the prototype for fast paced intrigue with surprising twists along the way. After all, the missions don’t always go according to the original plan.
It definitely holds up after all this time. Well worth watching.
