History Series / MissionImpossible

There was a two-season ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Next Generation]]''-style continuation of the original series filmed in UsefulNotes/{{Australia}} in the [[TheEighties 1980s]]; Peter Graves returned as Jim Phelps, mentoring an all-new team (including Barney Collier's son, Grant, played by Greg Morris's real son, Creator/PhilMorris); originally conceived as a straight-out remake in order to fill a hole in Creator/{{ABC}}'s schedule created by a [[UsefulNotes/TVStrikes Hollywood writer's strike]], the series ended up being a continuation of the original (though the strike still forced them to remake a couple of original series episodes), while Greg Morris and Lynda Day George made guest appearances as their original characters. The [[VideoGame/MissionImpossibleKonami NES game]] and [[VideoGame/MissionImpossibleDOS DOS game]] developed and/or published by Creator/{{Konami}} is based on this revival series.

There was a two-season ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Next Generation]]''-style continuation of the original series filmed in UsefulNotes/{{Australia}} in the [[TheEighties 1980s]]; Peter Graves returned as Jim Phelps, mentoring an all-new team (including Barney Collier's son, Grant, played by Greg Morris's real son, Creator/PhilMorris); originally conceived as a straight-out remake in order to fill a hole in Creator/{{ABC}}'s schedule created by a [[UsefulNotes/TVStrikes Hollywood writer's strike]], the series ended up being a continuation of the original (though the strike still forced them to remake a couple of original series episodes), while Greg Morris and Lynda Day George made guest appearances as their original characters. The [[VideoGame/MissionImpossibleKonami NES game]] developed by Creator/{{Konami}} is based on this revival series.

* FiveManBand: Jim as the Leader, Rollin as the Lancer, Barney as the Smart Guy, Willy as the Big Guy, and Cinnamon as the Chick.

* CompilationMovie: Although the series had several two-part stories (plus one ''three''-parter, season four's "The Falcon"), there was only one such movie - ''Mission: Impossible Versus The Mob'' (from "The Council").

* First, the team leader goes to a DeadDrop location to pick up a pre-recorded message, usually with a packet of one or more photos. The leader listens to the message, where his government contact gives him a quick rundown of who the target (or targets) are, what they've done, and what the government needs the team to do about it. Every time, this is followed by a warning that if the team is captured or unsuccessful, "the Secretary" [[note]]It's never specified exactly which Secretary that would be - one would assume either the Secretary of State (who is in charge of foreign relations) or the Secretary of Defense (who oversees the Defense Intelligence Agency) - or if Secretary is just a codename for whoever's in charge.[[/note]] will 'disavow' knowledge of their actions (implying they won't be rescued or ransomed) then a warning that [[ThisPageWillSelfDestruct this message will self-destruct.]] Which it does, seconds later. [[note]]Rarely, the contact will instead ask the leader to "destroy the tape in the usual manner." Someplace close by will be a place to safely burn the message.[[/note]]

A successful revival occurred with the ''Film/MissionImpossibleFilmSeries'' starring Creator/TomCruise. The film series differed from its original counterpart with a YoungerAndHipper vibe, a far-smaller IMF team (reflecting the AllStarCast of one that is, apparently, just Tom Cruise), and most especially with a ''big'' boost in action at the expense of strategy (at least after the first film). Rumors of a TV series based on the movies have been bandied about for some time, but ultimately no solid plans for a revival have surfaced.

* TheCon: The heart of the series.

* MassiveMultiplayerScam: The series is basically ''Massive Multiplayer Scam: The Series''. In "Encore" they make their target think he's back in 1937 on the day he carried out a hit.

* ScoobyDooHoax: Some, like "The Sands of Seth" from the 1988 series. Given the show's gimmick of tricking the villains into defeating themselves with elaborate charades, though, when one does show up it's almost always an example of ''the good guys'' doing it.

** "The Double Circle" has one to ''Casablanca'', via a character named [[NamestheSame Viktor Laszlo]].

* ThisPageWillSelfDestruct: Most probably the {{Trope Maker|s}}, using a reel-to-reel tape player in most episodes of the original series and an optical disc player in the revival. In some of the original episodes, though, the briefing tape had be manually destroyed.

* ThrowingTheFight: "The Contender" had the team take down a crooked promoter by having Barney impersonate an up and coming boxer whose career had been put on hold by a tour of duty in Vietnam. The person Barney impersonated (Who had ruined his hands during an act of heroism in the war and could never box again) only gave the team permission to impersonate him if they promised that they wouldn't stain his professional reputation by having Barney cheat in an official match.
* ThisPageWillSelfDestruct: Most probably the {{Trope Maker|s}}, though in some episodes the briefing tape had to be destroyed manually.

* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Throughout the series, when cast members departed, their characters' departures were never explained. Averted, however, by the revival series with regards to the character of Casey Randall who [[spoiler: becomes the only regular IMF agent to be "disavowed"]].

** {{Lampshaded}} in the pilot of the remake. Phelps takes a moment to marvel at the mini optical disc player that replaced the trademark tape recorder of the original series, remarking to himself "Time does march on". A few moments later he is similarly impressed when he uses a computer instead of the traditional printed dossier to choose his agents.

** "The Double Circle" has one to {{''Film/Casablanca''}}, via a character named [[NamestheSame Viktor Laszlo]].

** "The Double Circle" has a character named [[Film/Casablanca Viktor Laszlo]].

* SimulatedUrbancombatArea: In "The Carriers", in order to stop an expert in American traditions, slang, and customs from conducting his plan of bacteriological warfare against the U.S. and to put him permanently out of business, the IMF team infiltrates a mock-up of an American town located behind the Iron Curtain where enemy agents learn to act as Americans.

* LicensedGame: One for the NES. Notable because it apparently used a modified version of the NES ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' engine. It had little to do with the series other than characters' names, instead opting to create its own story. There was also a "text adventure" game called Mission Impossible developed for the Commodore 64 and similar computers; its licensing status is unknown.

''Mission: Impossible'' was a thinking man's espionage program. Gunplay was kept to a minimum (with a few notable [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness early-series exceptions]] when the series was still finding its rhythm), and the focus was always on outwitting and outmaneuvering the foe, who usually didn't know he was being targeted at all. The IMF were never dispatched for ''ordinary'' tasks that a simple Film/JamesBond type could handle with a couple of explosions and a chase scene - they were called upon to accomplish their goals by outplanning and outthinking their opposition, often by playing mind games with them on such a scale that more than one may have been driven into madness. After the first season IMF operatives rarely killed anybody directly, but their targets didn't always survive as a favored outcome was usually the target being killed by his own organization; one episode established that IMF did not go in for assassinations, however there was nothing saying they couldn't arrange assassination by proxy.

* Greg Morris as Barney Collier, a mechanical and electronic genius and reverse AirVentPassageway escape artist -- the casting of a black actor as this highly accomplished character in 1966 was revolutionary, although the producers insisted race had nothing to do with their decision. While no one appears in each episode, he appears more often than anyone else. Oh, and he was no slouch as a fighter, either.

When Hill became increasingly difficult to work with,[[note]]The main point of contention was that Hill was an Orthodox Jew, and as such he refused to work during the traditional Jewish Sabbath - sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.[[/note]] he was gradually written out of the series; he was replaced by Creator/PeterGraves as stern-faced Jim Phelps in season two and the classic cast was set. Other cast changes followed; when Landau and Bain left at the end of season three over a contract dispute[[note]] Landau had a clause written into his contact that required him to be the highest paid regular on the series - if any regular asked for and was given more than his rate, the producers would have to increase his salary to match. Landau learned that for Season 3, Peter Graves was receiving more that he was, but the producers refused to honor the clause, so he left, taking his wife Bain with him.[[/note]], Landau was replaced by Creator/LeonardNimoy, fresh from the recently cancelled ''[[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Star Trek]]'', playing master of disguise The Great Paris, and Bain by an assortment of leading ladies, culminating in Creator/LesleyAnnWarren as the waif-like Dana. There was an ill-advised attempt made at writing out Peter Lupus in favor of a medical doctor team member played by a pre-cowboy-stardom Creator/SamElliott, until the producers realized how popular Willy was. An attempt was eventually made to invigorate the leading lady role by casting Lynda Day George as Casey, who was both the leading lady and the MasterOfDisguise, but by then the series was on its last legs. One final cast tweak in the final season saw George temporarily replaced by ''Series/{{Ironside 1967}}'' veteran Barbara Anderson as ex-convict Mimi while George was on maternity leave.

Unlike most [=IPs=] owned by Creator/{{Paramount}} that originated on TV at the time of the 2006 CBS/Viacom split, the ''Mission: Impossible'' franchise remained under Paramount ownership despite CBS acquiring the rights to the two TV series; this may have been a result of the third film still being in production at the time.

* MasterOfDisguise: Rollin Hand, Paris, Casey and Nicholas Black, though with the assistance of one of these four, any IMF member qualifies. Casey was unusual for this trope in that she usually just made disguises for the rest of the team rather than for herself. In the season seven episodes where she didn't appear due to her actresses' pregnancy, Casey still managed to make and ship masks to the team offscreen.
** Inverted by Phelps, Willy, Barney, etc. Barney in particular - ''The Complete Mission: Impossible Dossier'' notes that Barney's apparent ability to blend in, even in countries where a black man would stand out, was occasionally criticized.

** ''Imitation''. The target of the team has a safe concealed behind a painting in her office. Barney uses an electronic device to read the safe's combination while she's opening it.

There was a two-season ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Next Generation]]''-style continuation of the original series filmed in UsefulNotes/{{Australia}} in the [[TheEighties 1980s]]; Peter Graves returned as Jim Phelps, mentoring an all-new team (including Barney Collier's son, Grant, played by Greg Morris's real son, Creator/PhilMorris); originally conceived as a straight-out remake in order to fill a hole in Creator/{{ABC}}'s schedule created by a [[UsefulNotes/TVStrikes Hollywood writer's strike]], the series ended up being a continuation of the original (though the strike still forced them to remake a couple of original series episodes), while Greg Morris and Lynda Day George made guest appearances as their original characters. The UsefulNotes/{{NES}} game developed by Creator/{{Konami}} is based on this revival series.

* ScoobyDooHoax: Some, like "The Sands of Seth" from the 1988 series. Given the show's gimmick of tricking the villains into defeating themselves with elaborate charades, though, when one does show up it's almost always a rare example of ''the good guys'' doing it.