Mission Impossible - The Fourth TV Season (1966)

Not only actors got flushed

Many fans will miss the presence of Martin Landau and Barbara Bain in this fourth season. They both added a very distinctive flavor to the show.

Replacing them were Mr. Spock... sorry, Leonard Nimoy... and a stream of guest actresses, some good, others very much of "guest star" stature or worse.

Nimoy starts out rough. His acting for the first handful of episodes is flat and insipid. Later, he starts to show more range and variety and it becomes interesting to see different sides of him. I suspect that this is at least in part due to bad directing in the early episodes. It doesn't take long for Nimoy to relinquish the title of worst actor among the regulars to Peter Graves.

Once the new cast hits its stride, it's back to being enjoyable, but Landau and Bain weren't the only ones who got dumped. So was plausibility.

In the first three seasons, the scenarios mostly tended to be built around highly improbable situations and confluences of favorable events, but while extremely unlikely, they were still plausible. In the fourth season, plausibility is thrown to the wind and you find our happy-go-lucky crew instantly writing 200-page books that pass muster when experts in the field read them and wielding sci-fi gadgets like holographic projectors. Sticking to the plausible made the first 3 seasons seem clever. Gone is the cleverness, replaced by cheap theatrics and so much divine intervention that the ancient Greek thespians themselves would cringe at the abuse.

It's still fun to watch, but it's a lower form of art than the previous seasons. August 6, 2008

M I the t-v series

Interesting to see dial phones, lots of smoking and occasional drinking and of course all vehicles had no seat belts. But the extremely dated technology was overshadowed by the clever plots and were geographically usually in places you can't find on a map, Polonia? Costa Verde? looked like California to me July 22, 2008

Mission Imp Seas IV

As with the other 3 seasons, this DVD set arrived in perfect condition and played every episode with out a glitch. One thing I wish -- a commentary on a few of the episodes, I realize it has been nearly 40 years, but most of the crew is still alive. Unlike Hogan's Heroes, where only Helga and LeBeau are able to discuss their memories of making the show. Even without, it is a great series to watch and watch again. July 20, 2008

Definately some diamonds in the rough

Having been spoiled by the great Martin Landou the first three seasons, Leonard Nimoy doesn't bring that same wonderment to the show. Barbara Bains is definately missed as well.
The writing also seems to get a little sloppy as the writers try and think of new and creative ways to merely open a safe or to expose to coup.
However, some episodes do remain clever and holds my suspension just for a little while, such as "Submarine, "Numbers Game," and "Timebomb."
I still am the biggest fan of the first season, so you may not like my review! July 8, 2008

Not bad at all

Quality season...I think the first that has Leonard Nimoy (Dr. Spok from the old Star Treks) therein. June 28, 2008

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