1966 TV Series – Mission: Impossible

Mission: Impossible is an American television series created and initially produced by Bruce Geller, chronicling the exploits of a team of secret government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force. In the first season, the team is led by Dan Briggs, played by Steven Hill; Jim Phelps takes charge for the remaining seasons, played by Peter Graves.

Each episode opens with a fast-paced montage of shots from that episode, which unfolds as the series’ theme music plays, composed by Lalo Schifrin, after which Briggs or Phelps receives his instructions from a voice delivered on a recording, which then destroys itself.

Aside from the now iconic main theme, as well as the motif called “The Plot”, which usually accompanied scenes of the team members carrying out the mission, the background music would incorporate minimalist innovations of percussion such as simply a snare drum and cymbals to build tension during the more “sneaky” moments of the episodes (sometimes accompanied by a bass flute playing). These quieter passages would greatly contrast the more bombastic fanfares when a mission member is at risk of getting caught just prior to a commercial break.