"Mission: Impossible" (1966)TV series 1966-1973

"Mission : impossible" is the most complex espionage series ever conceived. What makes this show so unique ? It is its storyline, its characters, its visual style and its music : a real trade mark. What I like the most is first the ritual : the tape, the dossier and the apartment briefing, then the fast-paced clips as credits, the character of Martin Landau with his masks and gimmicks, the cinematography (very quick cuts, extreme close ups as inserts, the use of special lenses, pan-and-tilt shots, upside-down camera shots, hand-held camera shots, optical zoom shots as dramatic effects), the skillful montage, and finally, the music and its various themes. The show is an impeccable and Machiavellian play. Every details are planned in advance to fool and get rid of the enemy. Each scheming is tight and shocking. I like the use of the time warp concept in "Operation Rogosh" and the role of Fritz Weaver as the paranoid Soviet Union spy trapped in a fake Russian prison which is in California. I like the tension and the suspense created by silent actions. Anyway, the whole show is about simulacrum. The devious methods of the IMF agents are always delightful and clever. Don't miss the best episodes : "The mind of Stephan Miklos", "Live bait" and "The interrogator". This tape will self-destruct in five seconds, good luck. !