Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Classic spy show has smoking, sexism, stereotypes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Mission: Impossible (1966)
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
The classic series MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE (1966-1973) chronicles the sophisticated work of a covert team of spies assigned to stop threats to the United States and the rest of the world. The Mission Impossible Force (IMF), headed up by Dan Briggs (Steven Hill, 1966-67) and later Jim Phelps (Peter Graves, 1967-73) is responsible for stopping non-democratic governments, third-world dictators, and other criminal entities. After receiving a self-destructing secret message that offers obscure details about a new mission, a team of part-time secret agents consisting of model and actress Cinnamon Carter (Barbara Bain), actor and makeup artist Rollin Hand (Martin Landau), body builder Willy Armitage (Peter Lupus), and electronics expert Barney Collier (Greg Morris) is assembled. Together they develop a plan to stop each enemy from continuing their hostile operations. What they do is dangerous, and if any of them are caught, they're on their own.
Is It Any Good?
It inspired a 1988 revival and entire movie franchise starring Tom Cruise, but the original Mission: Impossible offers more fun adventure that classic TV fans will appreciate. Produced by Lucille Ball's Desilu Productions, Mission: Impossible uses the Cold War politics of the time to create spy adventures that are filled with lots of tense moments and creative problem solving as the team enters fictional countries to manipulates their leaders or other criminal entities. Adding to this are the different personalities and talents of the individual spies, who have successful (and sometimes very public) lives when they are not involved in covert espionage. The ensemble cast makes it more interesting, and also allows for actors to depart and join the series with ease. As a result, over the years viewers saw actors like Leonard Nimoy, Sam Elliott, and Lesley Ann Warren join the team for periods of time. Granted, Mission: Impossible also features content that is characterized as sexist and stereotypical today.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the Mission: Impossible franchise. Why do you think its stories continue to get told? Does this series have much to do with the more recent movies?
What skills are Cinnamon Carter and other female spies' expected to use in the original Mission: Impossible? Is this problematic? Why?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 17, 1966
- Cast : Steven Hill , Peter Graves , Greg Morris
- Network : Paramount+
- Genre : Action
- Topics : Adventures
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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