Mission: Impossible (1988) - Season 1

The revival of the classic Mission: Impossible series premiered in October of 1988, the culmination of years of effort to resurrect the series. Throughout the 1970's and 1980's, classic television series which were the contemporaries of Mission: Impossible had been revisited, some either through TV reunion movies (Rescue from Gilligan's Island (1978), The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E (1983)), TV series (Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)), or feature films (The Nude Bomb (1980)). Mission: Impossible was noticeably absent, although not for lack of trying. Reunions had been attempted, but nothing had been able to get off the ground, until the Writer's Strike of 1988 finally offered an opening. With no new material being written, Paramount was able to sell the show as a straight remake of the original series, using the original scripts and the original characters, albeit with a few updates. The original plan was to cast new actors as Jim Phelps, Rollin Hand, Cinnamon Carter, Barney Collier, and Willy Armitage, but with the return of Peter Graves, the show was retooled as a continuation, with Jim Phelps leading a new IMF team, all while still using the original scripts. 
Peter Graves returned as Jim Phelps, who was returning to lead an IMF team after the previous leader, his friend and protege, was murdered in the teaser of the series premiere. Phil Morris played tech wizard Grant Collier, son of Barney Collier, who had been played by Phil's father Greg Morris. (Since so little emphasis had been placed on character development in the original show, there weren't any references to Barney having kids or even being married.) Australian actors Thaao Penghis and Antony Hamilton, played acting teacher Nicholas Black and tough guy Max Harte, respectively. Terry Markwell, an American actress living in Australia, rounded out the cast as designer Casey Randall. Bob Johnson, who had played the uncredited "voice on tape" in all seven season of the original series, returned to play the now updated "voice on disc" in the revival. Original cast members Greg Morris and Lynda Day George both reprised their roles the original series for one episode each. Within the show, it was revealed that Jim Phelps and Lisa Casey (her name retconned to avoid confusion with Casey Randall) had both retired from the team no more than nine years prior, and that Barney had left sometime after that. 
Since the series had been pitched as temporary workaround for the writer's strike, only thirteen episodes were initially ordered. When the writer's strike ended in August, however, new scripts were commissioned, and only four of the first five episodes wound up being remakes. ABC extended the first season to nineteen episodes. All of the actors save for Markwell signed extensions, as Markwell as not happy with her role, and she got the honor of being the first (and ultimately, only) series regular to be killed off and disavowed in the twelth episode. Jane Badler, late of V, joined the cast at the same time as former broadcast journalist and Secret Service agent (?) Shannon Reed. 
Production costs had plagued the original series, so the revival was shot in Australia to save money, one of the first shows to do so. Ratings for the series had started out strong, good enough to extend the original order of thirteen episodes to nineteen, but the show wound up tied for 77th in the year-end Nielsen ratings (tied with Tour of Duty.) The show was renewed for a second season, but ABC cancelled plans for a reunion film that would've brought back the original cast. 
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=Handguns=
==Walther PP==
Walther PPs are seen throughout the first season, with and without suppressors. 
 
==Rossi Model 851==
Rossi Model 851 revolvers are seen throughout the season.
==Ruger Mk II==
Max Harte (Antony Hamilton) draws what appears to be a suppressed Ruger Mk II in "The System" (S01E02). Despite being a suppressed .22, the sound effect used was that of an unsuppressed, large caliber handgun. A henchman is seen with what appears to be same prop in "The Plague" (S01E16).
==M1911A1==
Major Duvall (William Zappa) removes an M1911A1 from Grant Collier (Phil Morris), who is posing as a bodyguard in "Holograms" (S01E03). This was the first episode of the series that was not a remake. Admiral Edgar Sheppard (Mitchell Ryan) brandishes one in "Submarine" (S01E18).
==Smith & Wesson 669==
Smith & Wesson 669s appear throughout the season. 
thumb|none|300px|Smith & Wesson 669 - 9x19mm.
===Special: Grant knows guns===
Grant has to swap out live rounds for blanks from a Smith & Wesson 669 in "Bayou" (S01E19).
==Single Action Army-type==
Stanton (Steve Jacobs) uses what appears to be a Single Action Army-type revolver in "The Condemned" (S01E04). From the size, it might be chambered in .22LR. 
==Walther P38==
A German officer is seen with a Walther P38 in the teaser of "The Legacy" (S01E05). Max Harte (Antony Hamilton) is armed with one as part of his disguise as an East German officer in "The Wall" (S01E06), which Jim Phelps (Peter Graves) later takes away. John Christie (Tim Hughes) uses one in "Spy" (S01E14), which Nicholas (Thaao Penghlis) later gets his hands on.
==Colt Official Police==
Casey (Terry Markwell) pretends to have killed herself with what appears to be a Colt Official Police in "The Cattle King" (S01E07).
==Tokarev TT-33==
Major Natalia Zorbuskaya (Rowena Wallace) draws a Tokarev TT-33 in "The Pawn" (S01E08).
==Browning High Power==
Socrates Colonnades (Cesare Danova) uses a Browning High Power in "The Greek" (S01E11).
==Webley Mk IV==
Woodward (Nicholas Hammond) uses a Webley Mk IV in "The Greek" (S01E11). Inspector Egerton (Russell Newman) uses one in "The Devils" (S01E15).
==Smith & Wesson Model 29==
Doyle (John Calvin) is armed with a Smith & Wesson Model 29 in "The Fixer" (S01E13). Russell Acker (David Cameron) uses a Model 29 in "Reprisal" (S01E17), which Grant later takes. 
==Unidentifiable pistol==
Patterson (Terry Gill) draws an unidentifiable handgun in "The Greek" (S01E11). This may be the same Smith & Wesson 669 from "Holograms" (S01E03), but it's impossible to tell.
=Submachine Guns=
==Uzi==
Federal agents are seen armed with Uzis in "Holograms" (S01E03). Grant Collier (Phil Morris) uses one in "Spy" (S01E14).
==Smith & Wesson 76==
Turkish prison guards are seen armed with Smith & Wesson 76 submachine guns in "The Condemned" (S01E04).
==Micro Uzi==
A bodyguard pulls a Micro Uzi in "The Fortune" (S01E12). Max uses one in "Bayou" (S01E19).
==Austen==
A henchmen is armed with an Austen in "Spy" (S01E14).
=Shotguns=
==Double Barreled Shotgun==
Captain Hamidou (Adrian Wright) is seen with a Double Barreled Shotgun in "The Condemned" (S01E04). Lord Holman (John Stanton) and his groundskeeper Challis (Ron Graham) are seen with them in "The Devils" (S01E15).
==Mossberg 500==
Guards at a mental hospital are armed with Mossberg 500s in "Reprisal" (S01E17). Henchmen are armed with Mossberg 500 field guns in "Bayou" (S01E19). Max gets ahold of one later in the episode.
=Rifles/Carbines=
==L1A1==
Troops loyal to Colonel Gregory Usher (Gerard Kennedy) are armed with L1A1 rifles. Henchmen are armed with L1A1s in "Spy" (S01E14).These are presumably Australian L1A1s, since the series was shot in Australia. 
==CAR-15==
Major Duvall (William Zappa) uses what appears to be a scoped CAR-15 in the teaser of "Holograms" (S01E03). Max uses what appears to be the same rifle with a different optic in "Spy" (S01E14).
==Karabiner 98k==
A German officer is armed with a Karabiner 98k in the teaser of "The Legacy" (S01E05).
==M1 Carbine==
US soldiers are armed with M1 Carbines in the teaser of "The Legacy" (S01E05).
==M1 Garand==
US soldiers are armed with M1 Garands in the teaser of "The Legacy" (S01E05).
==Sturmgewehr 44==
German troops are seen armed with Sturmgewehr 44s in the teaser of "The Legacy" (S01E05).
==Heckler & Koch HK33==
In a continuity error (and anachronism), the Sturmgewehr 44s turn into Heckler & Koch HK33 later in the scene. It's possible the switch was made due to the lack of blank-firing Sturmgewehrs.
==AKMS==
East German guards are armed with AKMS rifles in "The Wall" (S01E06).
==AK-47==
East German guards are armed with AK-47 rifles in "The Wall" (S01E06).
==SKS==
An East German guard is seen with an SKS in "The Wall" (S01E06).
==M16==
An American MP is seen with what appears to be some sort of M16 in "The Wall" (S01E06). Henchmen are armed with M16s in "Spy" (S01E14).
==Parker Hale M85==
Douglas Matthews (David Bradshaw) uses what appears to be a Parker Hale M85 in "The Cattle King" (S01E07). Carl (Lee Rice) is seen using the same rifle in "Spy" (S01E14).
==Sa vz. 58 P==
Czechoslovakian guards are armed with Sa vz. 58 P in "The Pawn" (S01E08). 
==Steyr AUG==
Guards are armed with Steyr AUG rifles in "The Fortune" (S01E12). Guards are also seen armed with AUGs in "Submarine" (S01E18).
==Modified SKS==
Carl (Lee Rice) uses an SKS visually modified to resemble an AK-47 in "Spy" (S01E14).
==Heckler & Koch G3==
A henchman is armed with a Heckler & Koch G3 in "Spy" (S01E14).
==FAMAS F1==
French Army guards are seen armed with FAMAS F1 rifles in "The Plague" (S01E16).
=Other=
==M60 machine gun==
An M60 machine gun is seen mounted on a jeep in "Holograms" (S01E03).
==Browning M2==
Browning M2 machine guns are seen in stock footage in "The Legacy" (S01E05).
==Bofors 40mm==
A Bofors 40mm cannon is seen briefly in the teaser of "The Legacy" (S01E05).
==Model 24 Stielhandgranate==
A German officer tosses a Model 24 Stielhandgranate in the teaser of "The Legacy" (S01E05).
thumb|none|400px|Model 24 Stielhandgranate "Potato Masher" high-explosive fragmentation hand grenade
==Mk 2 hand grenade==
American soldiers are seen with Mk 2 hand grenades in the teaser of "The Legacy" (S01E05).
==FIM-43 Redeye==
FIM-92 Stinger missiles are central to the plot of "The Cattle King" (S01E07), although it appears that a prop FIM-43 Redeye was used in its place. 
==FIM-92 Stinger==
Stock footage of real FIM-92 Stinger missiles is seen in "The Cattle King" (S01E07).
==Webley & Scott No. 1 Mk. III* Signal Pistol==
Socrates Colonnades (Cesare Danova) uses a Webley & Scott No. 1 Mk. III* Signal Pistol in "The Greek" (S01E11).
thumb|none|300px|Webley & Scott No. 1 Mk. III* Signal Pistol - 1 inch - brass frame and barrel
==M26 Hand Grenade==
Shannon Reed (Jane Badler) uses a M26 Hand Grenade in "The Fortune" (S01E12). Grant (Phil Morris) and Jim (Peter Graves) all handle the grenade in the episode.
=Trivia=
==Dart gun==
Matthew Drake (John de Lancie) uses a small, custom dart gun to assassinate his targets in "The Killer" (S01E01).
==Ferret Armored Car==
A Ferret Armored Car is seen outside a French military research lab in "The Plague" (S01E16).
==General Dynamics F-111C==
An Royal Australian Air Force F-111C bomber, dressed up in USAF livery, is featured in the teaser of "Submarine" (S01E18), with Jim Phelps finding his mission briefing in the cockpit. The RAAF retired all of their F-111s by 2010, and all aircraft not selected for preservation were buried in a landfill in Ipswitch, Queensland. 
Category:Television
Category:Espionage