A year or so ago the complete series of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE was released on DVD. At that time I wrote about it and gave it high praise. Now that box set has been released on blu-ray. The question becomes is it worth investing in the new set if you own the old one? That will have to be determined by each person on their own. I can report that this version offers you the cleanest, sharpest version of the series you will find and for me that makes it worthwhile.
I know there the odds of many not knowing what the series is are small but I’ll go ahead and provide one anyway. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE is a series about an elite group of individuals pulled together each week to form a team sent on missions the government feels are so sensitive that if they group is caught they will receive no help and will be disavowed by the US. The first season the team was assembled by Dan Briggs (Steven Hill) who was replaced the second season by Jim Phelps (Peter Graves).
Each episode opened with Briggs/Phelps walking into a normal location and picking up a package to listen to and read. Documents showing the assignment were accompanied by a recorded voice describing the person they were targeting, the mission itself and warning that the team is on their own, followed by the tape disintegrating itself. Fortunately for viewers no mission was ever turned down.
From their Briggs/Phelps would select the member of his team, almost always the same people, and they would gather together so he could explain more of why this mission was taking place. The team would come up with a plan for their mission to succeed and they were off and running for the rest of the episode.
The regular members of the team always seemed to be tech expert Barney Collier (Greg Morris), master of disguise Rollin Hand (Martin Landau), muscle Willy Armitage (Peter Lupus) and female agent Cinnamon Carter (Barbara Bain). On a side note Landau and Bain were married in real life. Other rotating agents included Dana Lambert (Leslie Ann Warren), Paris (Leonard Nimoy) and Dr. Doug Robert (Sam Elliott). Some of these characters were in separate episodes but most came in to replace outgoing cast members.
Keeping in mind the series took place during the cold war era they often found themselves in spy type situations in countries that the US looked unfavorably upon. It also began in 1966 at the height of the love of all things spies like James Bond and the MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. Unlike that series this one ran for 7 years though from September 1966 to March 1973. It was later revived for a short run that wasn’t as successful. It rose from the ashes once more when director Brian De Palma teamed with star Tom Cruise to create a successful film series that continues to this day.
The question is does this series stand up to the test of time? The answer is a resounding yes. The tension in each episode as the team works to achieve their goals is there each and every episode. The different methods used to reach those goals are explored in glorious TV time detail and we accept that every one of those methods and gadget actually work and exist. That was always the fun of the show.
Speaking of fun how can anyone not recognize the theme song that opened the series each week by the incomparable Lalo Schifrin? That match striking and lighting a fuse behind which scenes from that week’s episode unfolded behind it giving us a glimpse of what to expect. It has become an iconic image and theme song that now over 50 years later is still recognizable.
This new box set not only provides
the best looking image of this classic series it’s a little more compact than
the DVD release. If your shelf space is limited that’s a plus. For me I just
found that I fell in love with the series all over again. The only downside to
this box set is having enough time to watch it all among the other things
coming out. Then again that could be a plus as in between the new movies and
series coming out one can pop in a disc and get through some more of this one.
It’s a welcome addition to fans around the world.
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