# Mission: Impossible (1966)

> A covert American Impossible Missions Force team uses disguises and staged deceptions to complete dangerous assignments abroad.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/4141

## Facts

- Seasons: 7
- Episodes: 171
- Episode runtime: 45 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: action, drama, crime
- Created by: Bruce Geller
- Network: CBS
- Cast: Peter Graves, Greg Morris, Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, Peter Lupus, Lynda Day George, Martin Landau, Bob Johnson
- TMDB rating: 7.9/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060009/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: brisk, playful, suspenseful, polished, witty

## What critics say

Viewers broadly regard Mission: Impossible as a well-crafted, clever espionage series whose team-based caper formula and disguise work remain engaging across its run.

## Synopsis

Mission: Impossible (1966-1973) is an American spy adventure series created by Bruce Geller for CBS. Steven Hill and later Peter Graves lead the Impossible Missions Force, a covert team of government agents who take on dangerous assignments abroad. Graves plays Jim Phelps, the leader for most of the run, alongside Greg Morris as the tech expert Barney Collier, Barbara Bain as the disguise artist Cinnamon Carter, and Martin Landau as the master of impersonation Rollin Hand. Each week the team receives instructions on a recording that destroys itself, then builds an elaborate scheme of disguises, forged identities and staged deceptions to outwit a foreign target. The format is a self-contained case of the week, with a seven-season run of episodic missions that rewards viewers who enjoy clever planning and tight teamwork. The tone is brisk and playful, with suspense resolved through ingenuity rather than gore. Set during the cold war era of American television, it has a retro glamour and a sense of polished confidence. Fans of The Avengers and later caper shows such as Burn Notice and Leverage will find the same pleasure in ingenious teams pulling off impossible plans.

## Shows like Mission: Impossible

- [It Takes a Thief (1968)](https://ember.film/tv/9755)
- [The A-Team (1983)](https://ember.film/tv/1430)
- [Get Smart (1965)](https://ember.film/tv/4236)
- [The Champions (1968)](https://ember.film/tv/4358)
- [Banacek (1972)](https://ember.film/tv/1258)
- [The Wild Wild West (1965)](https://ember.film/tv/10166)
- [The Invisible Man (1975)](https://ember.film/tv/10688)
- [The Mod Squad (1968)](https://ember.film/tv/3806)
- [Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983)](https://ember.film/tv/3249)
- [Police Story (1973)](https://ember.film/tv/9147)

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