Ode to Barnard Collier

Sometimes you got to do things to get your SpyFi Merit Badges. I figured sometime ago that maybe I needed to watch Mission: Impossible. Now, that's a 7-season series, but you know, alternate it with some movies, do some stepping while watching. It'll go down easy.

I will finish Mission: Impossible, but I have to say, categorically, it is the worst spy show I've ever watched from the Cold War error. Not to belabor the problems, but let's talk about some significant ones.

1. Mission: Impossible creates its own languages. When we are in some unspecified Eastern European iron curtain country, South American dictatorship, or Arabic transitional government, the language that is used is one of Mission: Impossible's concoction. Yes, I have occasionally seen Cyrillic and Arabic characters on the show, but I've also seen ascensora used for an elevator. This is pretty close to Italian, but it is misspelled. It was also used in an East Germany knock off country.

Don't get me started on gaz with an umlaut above the a. I think the word they're looking for is benzin.

Mistakes like this go on and on. As a language teacher who's studied linguistics, these are comical to me.

2. Disguise! Also, as a former costumer, I know you can't put a whole person mask on your face and then have articulation like a real human face. Worse, I know you can't put a mask over your mask and then pull it off and have the other mask stay on. *^$&!!!

3. Everyone does the same thing every show. The weakness of the spy show of this type, so I"m willing to forgive this more.

***

However, in spite of the tepid plots, the predictable actions, and the rotten research, not to mention the recycled guest stars of sixties and seventies tv, I will say that there are two things that make the show worthwhile.

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Mirrored from Writer Tamago.