# Mission: Impossible! (TV version) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 26, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857 "2012-03-26T17:23:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/21 "2012-03-27T00:28:04Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Oh, and they totally butchered the theme song for the movies. The original was fantastic. The original theme is in 5/4 time. The hack band they got for the movie couldn’t handle the meter so they played it in 4/4. > [@Voyager](#): > > I loved the sound effects lifted from Star Trek (they were both originally made by Desilu)… The sound effects aren’t the only thing lifted from Star Trek. You’ll also see a lot of actors shared between the two series. Leonard Nimoy, of course, took a turn as an IMF team member. William Shatner guest starred, as did George Takei. You’ll also see various Klingons, technicians, and red shirts from Star Trek as the villains du jour in Mission: Impossible. They’ve even had an inside joke once: Arlene Martel, who played [T’Pring](http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/File:TPring.jpg) (Spock’s fiance) in Star Trek, guested on M:I as their native contact. Paris (i.e., Leonard Nimoy), upon being presented with her picture, dryly remarked, “Interesting face.” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/22 "2012-03-27T00:58:13Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > The dog actually upstaged Fernando Lamas. Guys, does it smell like a dog in here? Hey! What the hell is all this slobber on my stamp?!? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/23 "2012-03-27T01:44:53Z")
I’ve been DVRing them for a while and when they started working in the US against “The Syndicate”, the plots got so needlessly complex that it’s not even entertaining. I love that Maj. Burnz was in a couple of episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/24 "2012-03-27T01:55:53Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > The original theme is in 5/4 time. The hack band they got for the movie couldn’t handle the meter so they played it in 4/4. Was it a hack band, or did some suit say “you can’t dance to 5/4. Change it.”" ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/25 "2012-03-27T04:54:59Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > The sound effects aren’t the only thing lifted from Star Trek. You’ll also see a lot of actors shared between the two series. Leonard Nimoy, of course, took a turn as an IMF team member. William Shatner guest starred, as did George Takei. You’ll also see various Klingons, technicians, and red shirts from Star Trek as the villains du jour in Mission: Impossible. They’ve even had an inside joke once: Arlene Martel, who played [T’Pring](http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/File:TPring.jpg) (Spock’s fiance) in Star Trek, guested on M:I as their native contact. Paris (i.e., Leonard Nimoy), upon being presented with her picture, dryly remarked, “Interesting face.” One ROTFLMAO moment I recall: College days, sitting in TV room at the rooming house with 6 other Trekkies, watching re-runs for the umpteenth time, 5 days a week. Same crowd, mostly, hung around to watch M:I re-runs immediately following. One scene: Phelps & crew at sidewalk cafe, inobtrusively “observing”. Suddenly, car drives by, sticks gun out window, bang bang, guy is bleeding on the ground at the cafe as other patrons scream and dive for cover. Phelps just stands there, looking somber. Paris (Leonard Nimoy) rushes to victim, takes his pulse. Phelps just stands there, looking somber. Paris looks up to Phelps and says “He’s DEAD, Jim!” TV audience in college rooming house TV room is ROTFLMAO. (ETA: Wonder how many times they had to shoot that scene until they all got it with straight faces.) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/26 "2012-03-27T05:15:56Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > I watched all of the first three seasons a few years ago. I remember being struck by how often the same sets were re-used. In particular, if an ornate sitting room was required they trotted out the same walls with a different color paint over and over again. Watching the show in its original run with a week in between, you wouldn’t notice this, but watching them back to back it was painfully obvious. They had no choice. The Secretary disavowed their set budget. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/27 "2012-03-27T06:10:40Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The best episode overall was “Zubrovnik’s Ghost,” which would not have been out of place on **The Twilight Zone**. Not sure if I’ve seen that or not, but **The Mind of Stefan Miklos** is my personal favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/28 "2012-03-27T12:23:59Z")
Is there a list of all the imaginary countries they worked in? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/29 "2012-03-27T13:25:57Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > I watched this when I was a kid, first-run, and when the taped voice said, " . . . the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions," I always pictured a 1960s secretary at her typewriter going, “Jim Phelps? _Who?_ Never heard of him.” I remember somebody (Spider Robinson, IIRC) write that he was waiting for an episode where the IMF members finally turned on their bosses. The big reveal would be that they had their own tape recorder running to make copies of all the sooper sekrit self-destructing tapes. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/30 "2012-03-27T14:00:20Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I’ve been DVRing them for a while and when they started working in the US against “The Syndicate”, the plots got so needlessly complex that it’s not even entertaining. > > I love that Maj. Burnz was in a couple of episodes. Hey, by the final season we get the episode with syndicate asset Mike Brady and a needlessly complex plan that completely fails to work – prompting our heroes, with only minutes left, to throw up their hands and say, _ah, screw it, who needs an elaborate con when we can just let Willy tower over a guy and say threatening stuff?_ This immediately produces the information they’ve been after all along, such that Willy gets back to driving the van in time for the ending. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/31 "2012-03-27T14:23:07Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > The theme wasn’t the only thing they butchered. To me, it was absolutely unforgivable that they not only didn’t allow for cameos by any of the actors from the original TV show, they actually made Jim Phelps the BAD guy!!! As for the movie’s theme music, Lalo Schifrin DELIBERATELY made the music undanceable. The movie makers wanted it to be danceable, so it had to be reworked to the point where you wondered, "Why are you even calling this movie or this song _ **Mission: Impossible** _? Why not just called it \*\*\*Lone Wolf Superspy \*\*\*or something? If you don’t like anything about the original series, why not just start from scratch? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/32 "2012-03-27T19:04:44Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > …If you don’t like anything about the original series, why not just start from scratch? Because they want the brand name. They PAID for the brand name. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/33 "2012-03-27T21:37:41Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Because they want the brand name. They PAID for the brand name. Yes and no- would anyone buy the rights to the TITLE _ **Star Trek** _, then turn Kirk and Spock into villains who must be killed, blow up the Enterprise, and create an action/adventure franchise revolving around a brand new character? You’re not buying just a brand NAME- you’re also buying characters that millions of peoiple have grown to like and care about. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/34 "2012-03-27T21:50:45Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > To me, it was absolutely unforgivable that they not only didn’t allow for cameos by any of the actors from the original TV show, they actually made Jim Phelps the BAD guy!!! They tried to sign the original cast but they refused to do it because Phelps was the bad guy. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/35 "2012-03-27T23:41:24Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > They tried to sign the original cast but they refused to do it because Phelps was the bad guy. Good for them. ``` This forum requires that you wait 60 seconds between posts. Please try again in 2 seconds. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/36 "2012-03-28T00:43:52Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I love that Maj. Burnz was in a couple of episodes. You think that’s something, they had [Cinderella](http://www.standard.net/stories/2011/12/02/cinderella-musical-available-dvd) for [an entire season.](http://snuh.tumblr.com/post/92946448/via-misshoney-leonard-nimoy-lesley-ann-warren) ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/37 "2012-03-28T01:25:01Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > You think that’s something, they had [Cinderella](http://www.standard.net/stories/2011/12/02/cinderella-musical-available-dvd) for [an entire season.](http://snuh.tumblr.com/post/92946448/via-misshoney-leonard-nimoy-lesley-ann-warren) Leslie Ann Warren was so woefully miscast that it wasn’t even funny. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/38 "2012-03-28T02:18:05Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > Leslie Ann Warren was so woefully miscast that it wasn’t even funny. Take another look at that [second photo](http://snuh.tumblr.com/post/92946448/via-misshoney-leonard-nimoy-lesley-ann-warren)and tell me the first person you associate with the term “miscast.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/39 "2012-03-28T02:30:44Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Take another look at that [second photo](http://snuh.tumblr.com/post/92946448/via-misshoney-leonard-nimoy-lesley-ann-warren)and tell me the first person you associate with the term “miscast.” 🙂 Fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857/40 "2012-03-28T03:09:26Z")
Here is a piece if MI trivia for you. The first episode had a eastern European prison in it. The exteriors for the prison where shot at a job site of my father’s. He was in charge of tearing down the old Fairfax High School in LA so he could be in charge of building the new school. In the opening shots there are “guard offices” in the foreground with the “prison” in the background. The offices were the job shack and the prison was the HS. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-tv-version/616857.md?page=3)