MovieChat Forums > Mission: Impossible (1966) Discussion > "Pilot" ep review

"Pilot" ep review

posted 10 years ago by SoapWatch
24 replies | jump to latest

MeTV airs the "Pilot" episode tonight then next week continues in rotation with Season 1.

I've been watching the last season the past few months and have to say I haven't been that impressed mainly due to the writing. It just didn't seem like they were doing anything seemingly "impossible".

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After seeing the "Pilot", there is definitely a difference in how the series shifted without Landau and Bain.

Barbara Bain definitely had the alluring sex appeal going for her mixed with a little sophistication. In the Pilot, she even shows a little skin opening the bathroom door in Landau's room in nothing but a white towel.

The part I loved most was when Landau, undercover looking helpless in a wheelchair opens a hidden panel of a case and out crawls about a dozen mice onto the floor to scare victims in the lobby. Just way too funny!

Was shocked to find Wally Cox an agent since I never once heard him ever talked about regarding the series. In the pilot, he does what he needs to for the others, his fingers get broken and his co-workers have to finish his job.

Disappointed though that Peter Graves was not yet part of the series. Hill just didn't have the style Graves gave to the show. A wise decision replacing him.

Any other's opinions on the Pilot? Feel free to post....

[–] lima-2 10 years ago

I have posted on The Pilot here several times over the years. I am a huge Peter Graves fan. Can't you tell? Hill brought the first season to life, but yes, Graves was the best choice to take over the role of team leader. When Bruce Geller wrote the script for the pilot, I believe he intended "the mask" to be a one-time gimmick to be discarded, never to be used again. Other writers and producers picked up on that and used and over-used it in the next seven years. Just my opinion. Casting Wally Cox as the safe cracker was genius. He had been stereotyped as a milquetoast character ever since his Mr. Peepers television series in the 1950's. He broke the mold here. If you look closely, you can see Eddie Paskey in the role of one of the safe patrons. Paskey was William Shatner's stunt double in Star Trek TOS. BTW, I saw The Pilot when it was first broadcast in September, 1966. I was immediately hooked! It and the entire series holds fond memories, especially the Bain-Landau years.

[–] bradford-1 10 years ago

Is it true that Geller wanted Cox to be a recurring character on the show, but his agent asked for so much money, the network backed away?
May I bone your kipper, Mademoiselle?

[–] lima-2 10 years ago

Boy ... that question sent me off on a "mission." It has such a ring of truth to it. It may have indeed been the case, but I could find no evidence to support it. Patrick White's book mentions on page 23 that three "guest stars" were hired for The Pilot: Martin Landau as actor Rollin Hand, Peter Lupus as strongman Willie Armitage and Wally Cox as safe cracker Terry Targo.

After The Pilot, Landau was a recurring guest star in the first season, Lupus was hired as a full cast member, but no mention was made of Cox. I think Wally Cox's character fit into Geller's first script as a small man who could be smuggled into a safe inside a large suitcase, carried by Lupus.

There were other mentions in White's book that a recurring strongman character Like Lupus' would be a better fit into a regular cast than a small man who could fit into small spaces. But then I am reminded of another one-shot guest star, Eartha Kitt as a contortionist, in The Traitor, who climbed through air conditioner vents to reach another secured space.

[–] cind5 10 years ago

I was only 2 when M:I first aired. BTW Lima, how old where you when it 1st aired?
When M:I went to syndication after it went off the network, my local station wasn't showing it, they skip the entire 1st season. So, I never did get to see the pilot until it aired on FX back in the 90's. I was in state of shock, thinking what is a young Adam Shiff during running the MI team? Wally Cox was a secret agent? You mean the guy who was seated in the top left corner of Hollywood Squares. I enjoyed the pilot, in 1966, I would have been hooked because of the pilot. It broke all kind of new ground and there had never been a show like this. As a fatter of mact there has never been a show like this.
On a side note, I remember watching this show on Friday nights on CBS with my mom. After Bonanza, this was my mom's favorite show.

Art makes the disturbed comfortable and the comfortable disturbed.

[–] lima-2 10 years ago

I haven't been this active on the M:I board in years! Looks like a good group of folks have taken over this board once again. This is great!!

To answer your question cind5, I just started my sophomore year in high school when Mission: Impossible first aired. Star Trek TOS had just premiered as well. I understand your consternation (is that the right word?) regarding Wally Cox on Hollywood Squares and Adam Schiff. "Mission Impossible: Generations" lol I got my dad hooked on M:I. He missed the pilot, but we watched "Old Man Out" together, and almost every episode after.

There have been so many comparisons between the two series on this board, I thought I would add that tidbit about Eddie Paskey. A few more bits of trivia about the two series. The original Star Trek Pilot with Jeffrey Hunter (Menagerie) was filmed in December, 1964. The second Star Trek pilot with William Shatner entitled "Where No Man Has Gone Before" was filmed in August, 1965. Mission: Impossible pilot was also filmed in 1965 (December). They all bring back such pleasant memories.

[–] cind5 10 years ago

I'm a huge fan of both MI and ST. I am more a ST fan thou. BTW, a couple other that were being shot on the same lot were Wild, Wild West and Manix. So there was a lot of exchanging of guest stars.
Did you notice on both shows the Jims, Phelps and Kirk, fell in love with Joan Colins. Not that I blame them, she was extremely beatiful back then.

Art makes the disturbed comfortable and the comfortable disturbed.

[–] lima-2 10 years ago

Ditto your reply only in reverse. I'm a bigger fan of of M:I than S.T. HOWEVER ... The City on the Edge of Forever with Joan Collins is my favorite episode. I felt disappointed with Nicole from M:I, also also guest starring Joan Collins. I felt the M:I writers were trying too hard translate the magic she had onscreen with William Shatner onto Peter Graves. It just didn't work for me. Still an above average episode.

[–] cind5 10 years ago

Listen to the music in the MI episode w/ Joan Collins. It sounds just like music they used in ST. Or vice-versa. Either way, the composer got a little lazy.

Art makes the disturbed comfortable and the comfortable disturbed.

[–] SoapWatch 10 years ago

Patrick White's book mentions on page 23 that three "guest stars" were hired for The Pilot: Martin Landau as actor Rollin Hand, Peter Lupus as strongman Willie Armitage and Wally Cox as safe cracker Terry Targo.

That doesn't really back up the theme song opening on the Pilot only showing: Steven Hill, Barbara Bain, Greg Morris and Peter Lupis as if Lupis was intended to be a regular of the series.

Or was this the same theme opening for the whole 1st season? I am only assuming Landau was eventually part of the 1st Season theme song.

[–] lima-2 10 years ago

You are correct. White's book does not address that. I'm guessing here, and it's mostly my opinion. After The Pilot was sold to CBS, I'm sure some post-production editing had to take place on the opening sequences to make The Pilot fit in with a complete season of 20 plus episodes. Lupus was in. Cox was out. Landau was given a special guest star credit in the opening for those episodes in which he appeared. Which was most of them. The opening sequences and theme appear to be essentially the same for all season one.

Unless you want me to re-watch all of the season one DVD's to confirm. Oh, darn, if I must! :-O

j/k Happy Thanksgiving All.

[–] klondike6 10 years ago

Hey Brian! Glad to see you're back and breathing life into this board with your usual vigor. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Landau's name did not appear in the opening credits of season one. When Briggs was in his apartment going through his IMF folder and selecting photographs for his mission, the camera would focus on Rollin Hand's picture ... that's when Landau's credit would appear as a special guest star. And yes, in season 2 and 3 he did appear in the opening credits right after Peter Graves.

[–] SoapWatch 10 years ago

When Briggs was in his apartment going through his IMF folder and selecting photographs for his mission, the camera would focus on Rollin Hand's picture ... that's when Landau's credit would appear as a special guest star

Ahh I remember that. I watched a lot of these on FX back in the 1990s when they were playing many shows from the 1960s-70s.

FX had this annoying thing though of cutting to commercials right directly in the middle of the episode with no fade to black. Me-TV is doing a much better job, although nothing compares to DVD.

I just checked the Pilot and when Hill tosses down the photos, Landau's reads "Guest Star Martin Landau" and Cox's reads "Special Guest Star Wally Cox" as if it were already known that he wasn't going to be part of the series. None of the others had any words since they appeared in the theme opening.

It would be interesting to see the original unaired pilot to see how this differs with the televised version.

Now looking forward to the next episode airing in a few days.

[–] crlnrgbrght5 10 years ago

I saw this too, and I had always assumed Peter Graves was in MI from day one, also no Martin Landau either.

[–] Jimmy-128 10 years ago

Landau's there; he's just billed as a guest star.

[–] crlnrgbrght5 10 years ago

I fell asleep in the middle of the program; I think the only part of the program I remember seeing is the opening.

[–] flimflamkid 10 years ago

Generally, I liked Briggs because he was a true leader, a sort of General who sent his agents out to do the missions. His participation was always in the background for the most part and I liked that aspect to the first season.

The pilot episode always holds a special place in my heart because it's Mission: Impossible getting it's footing. The first season is pretty light compared to season two and three. They joke with one another and Cinnamon and Rollin even flirt with one another. Loved his comment to her about Dominguez being a 'ladies man' and she should help him get into characterization. 

It was a good start to a great series.

[–] DodgersRule 10 years ago

I liked Steven Hill as the IMF leader but I also think he and Martin Landau were the same "type" -- tall, dark and swarthy. Rollin was not going to be an on-going character but Landau was so well liked that they kept bringing him back and, because Landau did come back for a full year contract in season two and three, I think Peter Graves, who was completely unlike Landau, was the perfect choice for a replacement.

[–] radioriot 9 years ago

I have read that Steven Hill left the show because he was an Orthodox Jew and M:I Shot on Friday nights and Saturdays. He also basically left showbiz then too I think. But M:I would never have been the big hit it became without Peter Graves. He had that special star quality and became an instant star from the show. I think the casting with Graves, Landau, Bains, Morris and Lupus was perfect. I think Graves star quality carried the show after Landau and Bains left the show. Nimoy was good but Warren was awful. Her acting was always weak and a bit off. But that's just my opinion.

[–] spaceagegal 9 years ago

I agree. Honestly, when Landau and Bain left, without Peter Graves the show would have tanked. However, I still feel that Mission: Impossible hit its high in Season Three and never recovered in quality after the Landaus moved on.

[–] miramar58 9 years ago

Steven Hill I think also was injuered during a stunt and was overall not happy with the show. He went on to play D.A. Adam Schiff (229 episodes, 1990-2000) on Law & Order - I think it was great that someone placed his principles - money where his mouth is - above career - I think he also went into theather.

[–] drprod 9 years ago

I liked the more relaxed air the team had in the first season, which fit Briggs's command style: Briggs joking with Rollin when a character he's playing is to be executed by hanging that "You were born to be hanged, anyway!"; Rollin and Barney having fun as they plotted how to run a con on a casino; the whole team except Briggs playing penny-anti poker while they discussed the operation plan with each other; and stuff like that.

With Jim Phelps his IM Force always felt more polished, but less having fun running cons.

[–] drprod 9 years ago

I know, @rtjoby - seeing Wally Cox as part of the Impossible Mission Force was awfully hilarious, wasn't it? Moreover, Cox playing a sleazy ex-con safecracker who they'd used before.

I get the feeling that, in the first season at least, the IMF was supposed to be composed largely of shady characters (there's a strong implication that Rollin isn't above a little cardsharping to supplement his income, and that Cinnamon was more of a Mata Hari than she was later), with Barney as the owner of "Collier Electronics" being the most respectable member of the team. Dan Briggs seems to be somebody who'd previously burnt out on the job, and most of his missions weren't as tightly planned as Jim Phelps's were later - which meant he often had to improvise, in sometimes pretty nasty ways.

Graves taking over in the Season 2 (if I've heard right, largely the result of actor Stephen Hill's refusal to work late on Fridays due to his devout Judaism) meant that the show reflected his bland professionalism as Jim Phelps more than Briggs's more improvisational style.

[–] jayhn1111 9 years ago

Just watched this episode the other night for the first time in over 10 years. Then I was hooked and had to watch old man out the following night. Really enjoyed that one as well. I"m not sure what everybody's opinion is on season 1. Infact I don't even remember what my own opinion was of season 1 because it's been awhile. I like Dan and would've been fine if he was in the whole series, but then after you see Graves on there you feel like it wouldn't have been the same without him.

[–] mariakelly-04164 8 years ago

Posted by Maria Kelly on July 13, 2016

Although being a MI most of my life, I didn't see the pilot until 2013. When I saw Cinnamon come out of the bedroom wearing nothing but a small towel, my jaw dropped.

I mean think about it. This was a VERY racy scene for TV in 1966. Nevertheless, I thought it was great.