The Impossibles

What’s the Story?

THE IMPOSSIBLES are a Monkees-like pop group that transforms into an unlikely team of superheroes, including Coil-Man (Hal Smith), who becomes powerful, stretchy coils; Fluid-Man (Paul Frees), who can turn to liquid; and Multi-Man (Don Messick), who creates multiples of himself. When these "secret fighters for justice" get a call from their boss, Big D., through a TV screen on Coil Man's guitar, they give the tunes a rest and set off to catch the bad guys, zooming around in their Impossicar, which morphs into a flying craft, and shouting "Rally-Ho!" as their battle cry. Their comical enemies are Fero the Fiendish Fiddler, who can crash an ocean liner with some mean music, and the Diabolical Dauber, who can turn pictures of weapons to life with a trick paintbrush. In one episode, the Perilous Paper Doll folds himself up and slips into the Pentagon to steal top-secret plans. He threatens Fluid-Man with "I'll staple you to the wall with my sonic speed stapler," but Fluid-Man simply turns to liquid to save himself.

Is It Any Good?

The fight scenes are silly, brief, and not especially violent. But guns are prevalent, and sometimes explosives blow up in a villain's face. And while there's great camaraderie among the group, this show doesn't pretend to impart any lessons, moral or otherwise. Gender and racial diversity are nonexistent. This is pure fun, circa 1966.

When the heroes prevail (they always do), justice is served up with a little humor. For example, when the Diabolical Dauber is caught, he is sentenced to hang…on the wall for 20 years (flash to the villain caught in a picture frame). "I've been framed!" he complains.