That's the kind of thing that makes younger people (especially younger people of color) not want to watch shows as old as these, and why many younger people of color (Asians in particular) are pissed off at the industry for not having more diversity on TV. This recent video did a humorous take on it: [yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSwhRZwFjfY&hd=1[/yt] This is also why the current series, IMHO, is better. You watched that crappy season? I warned Christopher about it myself a while back. When I rented the shows from a local store in Toronto, I only saw seasons 1, 2 and 4; I'd read Jon Heitland's book about the show beforehand, and remembered how crappy that season was (and The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.), and so I acted accordingly. I might download the 3rd season episodes from Bittorrent, but that's it (the only good one is the one about a presidential candidate and his wife probably being a THRUSH agent.)
No, I refer to fellow bboard member and Trek author Margaret Wander Bonano, who posts here under to screen name Garamet.
Thank you. I just used it. I'm looking forward to more M:I reviews from you. Thanks for the hard work!
Watched a Girl From UNCLE yesterday just 'cause the thread reminded me. I'm on the first disk of season 2. I wouldn't say it was as bad as Man got in the 3rd season, but it's definitely in the camp camp. Tolerance depends on how much you like looking at Stephanie Powers in groovy 60s fashions. I can take it.
I love Mission Impossible. I watched it as a kid in the 70s and didn't understand a gorram word! Rediscovered it a few years back and really enjoyed it again. My favourite episode is the one where Cinnamon is kidnapped and Phelps makes up the rescue plan on the back of a fag packet.
Out of curiosity, Christopher, are you not a Netflix subscriber? I believe all the episodes available on DVD are available for streaming (mostly in HD, no less). There's no need to buy the DVDs.
As I said, I'm renting the season 1 DVDs through Netflix, but they don't have season 2. And they only have the original series on streaming video, not the revival. Anyway, I've already bought the season 2 set thanks to M's kind donation.
An episode that particularly stood out to me lately is "The Miracle." Not only is Lynda Day George looking beautiful, but we have a young Billy Dee Williams as an enforcer for a "syndicate" leader. (Note: M:I tends to call all mobsters "The Syndicate"). We also have Lawrence Montaigne as an IMF agent, who seems like a more livelier version of Leonard Nimoy's Paris. The episode also features Joe Don Baker as part of said syndicate. It's interesting that Mission: Impossible features actors who would become famous, or were known actors (not necessarily 'famous') at the time...but are later known for certain contemporary roles. Ex: Billy Dee Williams as Lando (and Colt 45 and "Lady Sings the Blues")...Joe Don Baker in the Bond pictures (and even MST3K's "Mitchell")... *** Something else that stood out was the steak and potatoes that Baker orders at the restaurant. (That steak was huge! Even Outback Steakhouse doesn't have steaks that big. You have to go to an independently owned place to get something that big). I also like the lingo (some of which is still around today): *Joe Don Baker's character tells Lynda Day George, "Can you dig it?" (Of course, we hear that in a lot of 70s films). *George's character says one time, "Sounds groovy." *And, using the lingo for money (e.g. "bread") turns up in the 70s every now and then. *** I have one more in the 6th season to watch, then I'm done for that particular season. I've already finished the 7th season. The latest episode I've watched was "The Brothers." I think I saw it while I was in Singapore 3 years ago, so this is my second time watching it. While it's an interesting episode, I feel it's one of those that is a bit too confusing if you don't pay attention. For instance, for those who have seen the episode, Joseph Ruskin's general wanting to get both brothers out of the way so he can attain some power isn't entirely clear...(I feel for those viewers who watched this episode on its first showing!)
I have seen both series, agree with your assessment so far, but disagree on one thing; I think that the later seasons were weaker by far, and that the series should have ended in the 1969-1970 season rather than continue to have the IMF investigate the mob and crooked drug dealers. Or, the producers and writers should have invented an ongoing enemy similar to THRUSH and SPECTRE and have the IMF fight that organization (and sometimes even get revealed!) BTW, did you notice Brock Peters playing a antagonist in episode eight of season two, 'The Money Machine'? Of course, we all know his as Joseph Sisko on Deep Space Nine.
You have to consider it in the context of the times. As the Vietnam War was starting to become unpopular, public faith in the government was eroding and stories about American spies committing crimes and dirty tricks against foreign governments were losing their popularity. Changing them to a crimebusting organization was less controversial. Also -- perhaps more importantly -- it was a matter of budget. The longer a show stays on the air, the more its budget has to be cut in order to keep on the air, both because the cast's and crew's salaries go up every season and because of viewer attrition. (Note that the main cast in the last two seasons was only four people instead of five, because they couldn't afford five anymore.) It was cheaper to tell stories set entirely in America than it was to fake foreign locations on a regular basis. And before that as Admiral Cartwright in ST IV & VI. And before that as Tom in To Kill a Mockingbird, Hatcher in Soylent Green, Darth Vader in the Star Wars radio serial, Lucius Fox in Batman: The Animated Series, etc.
It’s interesting as a year or so ago I bought the season 2 boxset and didn’t really notice her teeth being that bad. What I did notice was how nicotine stained some of the actors fingers were, in particular Landau’s. Comes with the territory for that era I guess.
Which is why I said that they should have changed the focus to the busting of an evil organization similar to SPECTRE, HYDRA, AIM, or THRUSH; weather it's set domestically or in a foreign nation really doesn't matter, so long as it's not the stupid and implausible idea of an organization like the IMF going against the mob when the FBI was already doing the same thing in real life and without gimmicks like changing the present into the past in order to solve a cold case or going after a common convict with a nerve gas canister. Or, they could have just ended the show. AFAIK, the wrong TV show continued at Desilu/Paramount when it shouldn't have and the right show was ended too soon; I'll leave you to guess what show I mean.