DVD Review: Mission: Impossible – The Sixth TV Season

Mission: Impossible is an American television series which aired on the CBS network from September 1966 to March 1973. It returned to television on ABC from 1988 to 1990 and then as the movie franchise staring Tom Cruise beginning in 1996. The theme music for the show was written by Lalo Schifrin and is one of the most widely recognized television themes of all time.

Mission: Impossible, originally created by Bruce Geller, is about the operations of a team of secret agents employed by the United States government and known as the Impossible Missions Force or IMF. In the early seasons they are sent on covert missions to combat evil organizations and in later years, crime lords. Occasionally they conduct unsanctioned private missions at the bequest of one of their members.

Mission: Impossible: The Sixth TV Season finds the show trying to revive its falling ratings. This season is contained on six DVDs containing all 22 episodes. Season six began on September 18, 1971 and ran to February 26, 1972. The main players for this season are the IMF coordinator Jim Phelps played by Peter Graves, electronics wizard Barney Collier played by Greg Morris, muscle man Willie Armitage played by Peter Lupus, and a new character, makeup artist Linda Casey, played by Linda Day George.

Season six provides some substantial changes, starting with a smaller group if IMF agents. Next we have a change in focus of the force itself. While in the prior seasons the IM force had taken on Latin American dictators or cold war adversaries, this season focuses mainly on targets outside the reach of conventional law enforcement agencies. They all take place in the United States, and now they are working against master criminals, corrupt politicians, and syndicate bosses.

Overall the revival of the original format works. The shows are not at their peak as they were in the first three seasons, but they are, for the most part, enjoyable and entertaining. The show still manages to get its list of guest stars which include Peter Brown, Tom Bosley, William Shatner, Joe Don Baker, Billy Dee Williams, Kevin McCarthy, William Windom, Tyne Daly, Christopher George, Jack Cassidy, Bert Convy, and Sharon Acker.

The program's aspect ratio is the original 1.33:1. The color reproduction is strong and has reasonable sharpness. There are age-related specks that show up occasionally, but really aren't that annoying. The sound is Dolby Digital 5.1 and it gives the music some nice reproduction in the additional channels.

There are no added features to Mission: Impossible: The Sixth TV Season which is a shame since it would be nice to have more background. While this is not as great as the first seasons, it certainly has its really good moments. If you are looking for some entertaining classic television, then you owe it to your self to get Mission: Impossible: The Sixth TV Season.