What Happened on the Final Episode of ‘Mission: Impossible’?

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, Greg Morris, Leonard Nimoy, Peter Graves, Peter Lupus, 1966-73 — Courtesy Everett Collection

As Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, the eighth (!) entry in the Mission: Impossible film franchise, hits theaters today, it’s worth taking a moment to remember that Ethan Hunt and his crew at the Impossible Mission Force actually got their start on the small screen. The original Mission: Impossible TV show ran from 1966 to 1973 on CBS, with stars Steven Hill, Peter Graves, Martin Landau, Barbara Bain — and later, Leonard Nimoy, Lee Meriwether, Lesley Ann Warren, and Sam Elliott — taking on nearly, well, impossible spy missions on behalf of a shadowy government organization, all with the knowledge that “should you or any of your IM force be caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions.”

The show was known for its action sequences, impressive spy tech, and cool characters; Graves revealed in a 2011 PBS interview that “I remember the very first Mission I did. As we conquered the villains, I let the slightest smile just crease one side of my face. The next day [creator] Bruce Geller is down on the set saying ‘Don’t editorialize!’”

Though the show won multiple awards — both the series and Bain picked up multiple Emmys, while the series itself, Landau and Graves all earned Golden Globes — it was never a ratings hit, and by the end of season seven, the show’s producers decided the series would make more money in syndication than if it were to produce brand-new episodes. And so, the series came to a close in 1973 … until it was revived in 1988 for a two-season series on ABC, and then again, in 1996, when Mission: Impossible starring Tom Cruise arrived on the big screen.

So how did the iconic spy series end?

What happened on the final episode of Mission: Impossible?

The series’ final episode, “Imitation,” aired on March 30, 1973. Peter Graves and Greg Morris (one of the only actors to appear on the show’s entire run), played agents Jim Phelps and Barney Collier, respectively; the agents must locate the stolen crown jewels of the fictional republic of Marnsburg. Barbara McNair guest-starred as crime lord Jena Cole, who boosted the jewels while they were en route to the UN; the IMF has a mere 72 hours to wrestle the diamonds back from her grasp.

Through the use of fake jewels, undercover work, and the rubber mask of an illegal diamond dealer who works with Cole, as well as some double crosses that see Collier pretend to be a criminal himself, the IMF are able to get back the real jewels — leaving Cole with false glass diamonds, which leave her a million dollars in debt to a crime syndicate, and then, under arrest by the police.

The episode wasn’t planned as a formal series finale, so it doesn’t bring together any lingering questions, or signify that the IMF agents are moving on to a new phase in their lives. The ending leaves the gang, as always, together and waiting for their next mission.

You can stream the Mission Impossible TV series’ seasons 3-7 for free with ads on Pluto TV, or watch seasons 1-4 with a subscription to Paramount+.