The BEST episodes of Mission: Impossible season 6
Every episode of Mission: Impossible season 6, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Mission: Impossible season 6!
Elite special agents undertook top-secret assignments in crackerjack episodes, which kicked off with the team leader receiving instructions via a tape-recorded message that self-destructed in five seconds. What followed were usually breakneck spyjinks set to a pulsating Lalo Schifrin score. Martin Landau turned down the Spock role in 'Star Trek' to play IMFer Rollin Hand. When Landau left the series in 1969, his replacement was the man who built a career on Spock, Leonard Nimoy.
#1 - Bag Woman
Season 6 - Episode 19 - Aired 1/29/1972
The Syndicate is bribing a major politician, codenamed "C6", through their operatives Harry fife and his chief killer Jenkins. The IMF must find out who C6 is and get the evidence against him. Fearing a IMF man he had killed got too close, Jenkins recommends someone new, Jean Royce, to make deliveries. Barney takes Jenkins place while Casey becomes Royce. Fife gives Casey a bag of explosives to deliver to C6 to silence his payoff demands for good. Barney finds out but is exposed and wounded, but warns Jim and Willy...but an accident destroyed the tracer. Jim allows Jenkins to escape and return to his boss, then visits Fife himself as a Syndicate head and tells him that C6 must stay alive. Fife sends Jenkins to warn C6 and reveal Casey is a cop, and Jim traces the call and Willy saves Casey just in time.
#2 - Double Dead
Season 6 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/12/1972
Shanks and Blake are Syndicate men who run the loan shark racket in the Islands and are preparing to transfer $10 million to the mainland, leading to the Syndicate expanding their operations there. The IMF must stop the Syndicate's expansion. In Hawaii the IMF's in-and-out operation goes bad when Willy is captured and turned over to Dr. Matier, who injects him with a near-lethal truth serum. To get Willy out and finish the mission, Casey approaches Shanks and drugs him into helping the IMF steal the $10 million, while Jim approaches Blake and claims to be a Syndicate man from the mainland. The IMF make Shanks "disappear," presumed dead, to convince Blake his partner sold him out. Then Casey wakes up Shanks and Jim and Blake confront him - Casey's fake "confession" seals the deal but then Syndicate man Barney fake-shoots Jim and Casey just as Syndicate man Bolt arrives. Confused, Bolt takes them all to Willy hoping his information will straighten things out. Willy manages to escape wit
#3 - Casino (aka Vacuum, Rumble)
Season 6 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/19/1972
Syndicate boss Orin Kerr runs the casinos and the IMF needs to get the evidence against him to put before the state legislature. Kerr's boss distrust him because of his extravagant lifestyle and Syndicate man Cameron plants a bug in Kerr's office, which the IMF taps into. The IMF then set Kerr up with fake conversations that make him look bad to his bosses - Cameron hears Casey and Kerr discussing a heist of the vault, and Jim shows up with a background indicating he pulled off a similar heist 12 years ago. Barney manages to steal the money out of the impregnable vault while Kerr thinks he can get the missing money from Jim's earlier bank heist by putting him into debt at the casino. Kerr follows Jim to the hidden money which is actually his own) and grabs it, and then Cameron shows up and demands to know why Kerr has carrying current currency. Dumbfounded, Barney intervenes and Kerr flees into the arms of the police, where he is forced to testify against the Syndicate in return for pr
#4 - The Tram
Season 6 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/2/1971
Two underworld leaders, Hatcher and Thorne, have called a conference of Syndicate leaders to form a massive holding/laundering company. The IMF must obtain their joint Swiss bank account number. Jim gets in as a mobster and sabotages the tram that is the only way to the meeting. Willy slips in as a repairman and Casey lures down Thorne, whom they capture and then offer to return to Hatcher in exchange for the exact amount the mob leaders invested. He gets scammed into losing the money and Barney replaces the money in the safe with counterfeits. The IMF makes it look to Thorne like Hatcher kidnapped him then let him escape. When it is revealed the money is counterfeit Jim "rescues" him from being killed by the mobsters, then give Hatcher (with a weak heart) a fake heart attack as they escape down the tram. Hatcher gives Jim the bank account number and the team slips out of the tram with the $4 million while the weakened Hatcher remains behind - when he gets to the bottom he and Thorne k
#5 - Trapped
Season 6 - Episode 22 - Aired 2/26/1972
An $8 million army payroll has been stolen from a base in SE Asia by the Stafford family, Syndicate drug smugglers. The IMF must recover the money. Jim and Barney steal a Stafford truck and then offer to sell it back to the family if they pay "protection." Jim meets with brother Doug to convince him brother Art has ordered a hit on Doug - however, Art has put a hit on Jim and he is ambushed and gets amnesia. Meanwhile, lounge-singer Casey meets with Doug and sets it up so he thinks Art is trying to kill him. Doug makes a deal with Barney for protection from his brother in return for $2 million and leads the IMF to the money - they arrest everyone and convince Art to tell them about his plan to kill Jim. Meanwhile Art's killers are on Jim's trail and when Barney gets hold of him, he manages to recover his memory just in time to thwart them.
#6 - Invasion
Season 6 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/13/1971
An earthquake damages the U.S.'s Distant Early Warning (DEW) system and a Defense Department advisor, Whitmore Channing, steals plans from the Air Force identifying the weak spots. Channing has hid the information for pick-up by an enemy agent the next day, and the IMF must get the name and flight # of the agent from Channing. The IMF evacuate Channing's city block and drug him unconscious after a fake electrical shock, then wake him up after adjusting the clocks to a day later. He believes the information has already been picked up, an idea "proven" by a faked IMF invasion of the European People's Republic. But then the EPR invaders arrest Channing and put him on trial. Channing reveals the location of the drop to prove his "innocence", and then the IMF let him covertly know the whole thing is a fake. Channing calls his contact and mentions his name - the IMF get it via a tapped line and arrest the man before he can recover Channing's info.
#7 - Committed
Season 6 - Episode 18 - Aired 1/22/1972
Syndicate boss Chandler's alibi is provided by Lt. Governor Harrison, who is in Chandler's pocket. Chandler has the husband of the only witness, Nora Dawson, get her committed and proceeds to have her driven insane at a mental hospital he controls. The IMF must get her out and have her testify in 24 hours. Jim gets Casey committed and she is put in a room near Nora, then he manages to get to Nora's cell and she and Casey switch - Jim then takes Nora-as-Casey out. The team get Nora off the island - when Casey-as-Nora is called to testify, she babbles insanely but then removes her mask while the team bring the real Nora in to testify.
#8 - Stone Pillow (aka Big House)
Season 6 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/8/1972
A private detective, Edison, has pictures incriminating Syndicate boss Vochek in a murder and is using them to blackmail the mobster. The IMF need to get the pictures to get Vochek convicted, but Edison has been convicted and is in prison for six months. Since Edison is unaware that his accomplice Leona is dead, Casey takes her role while Jim is Edison's cellmate and helps him to escape, then fake their deaths. Casey-as-Leona tells Edison she sent the evidence to the D.A. after she heard Edison was dead, and Jim convinces Edison she is keeping the pictures to pull off her own blackmail scheme. When Edison confronts her, Jim fake-shoots her but she calls a confederate to get the film - desperate, Edison reveals the location himself as he goes for it, and ends up arrested.
#9 - Blind
Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/18/1971
An undercover agent, Hays, assigned to gather evidence against Syndicate head John Lawton, is blinded in an explosion. Lawton's lieutenant Deetrich and his business advisor Matula are rivals - Matula is actually an IMF undercover plant - so the IMF must keep him from being exposed and make sure he takes Lawton's place. Lawton believes Hays is working with someone in his organization. Jim, surgically blinded, takes Hays' place. Lawton has his henchman Brown watch Jim and then offer him money to reveal the leak. Deetrich pays Jim to fingeer Matula but in the final showdown Matula plays Lawton an IMF-supplied tape of Deetrich and Jim planning to implicate him. Deetrich and Brown are killed in the subsequent shootout and Lawton and Matula leave, telling Barney (infiltrated in as a mobster) to take care of Jim.
#10 - The Bride
Season 6 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/1/1972
Joe Corvin, a Syndicate money handler, ships millions through Swiss banks and the IMF must put him out of business. Corvin uses a courier that the IMF set up - Corvin has him killed and needs a new courier. Casey steps in as his mail-order bride addicted to drugs by airline employee-smuggler Jim. Corvin and Jim become partners but when the IMF fake-tightenes up security, they need a new way. Casey fakes her death and Corvin ships the cash in her coffin. Barney steals the money and the coffin is dropped on the runway, revealing a fake corpse. Corvin is confronted by the Syndicate, and an alive Casey shows up with two tickets to Miami. The Syndicate let Casey go and dispose of Corvin, permanently.
#11 - Image
Season 6 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/15/1972
Emil Gadsen has controlled the Syndicate's vice operation in the Northeast U.S. - now he plans to flee the country to avoid an indictment, leading his underling Thor Coffin in charge. Gadsen has a list of officials he pays off that he'll be taking with him - the IMF must get the list. Barney plays a psychic who visits believer Gadsen and warns of someone coming who is "closer then a brother" (although Gadsen has no brother), then drugs Gadsen to react in pain to someone showing him the Death tarot card. Then Gadsen and his son Tony meet "Professor Gadaradz," who is Gadsen's lookalike (actually IMF guest-agent Scott). When Gadaradz has a heart attack, the IMF show Gadsen a Death card and he feels sympathetic pains. Barney convinces Gadsen that Coffin kidnapped and is now torturing Gadaradz - Gadsen breaks into Coffin's estate where Willy has snuck in and is fake-torturing Gadaradz. When Gadaradz "dies," and Gadsen collapses in pain, he gives the list (hidden in his watch) to his son Ton
#12 - Encounter
Season 6 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/30/1971
Syndicate boss Frank Brady and his underling Martin Stoner are terrorizing Southwestern businessman, forcing them to partner with the Syndicate. The weakspot is Stoner's wife Lois, who has become an alcoholic under the pressures of her husband's work. The IMF capture her and dry her out while Casey takes her place. She goes on a retreat and Brady sends a killer, Dekker, to keep an eye on her and kill her if she talks. Willy infiltrates Brady's organization and finds out some information which he leaks to Casey, who reveals it in an encounter group session and Dekker seriously wounds her. Casey continues with the mission while Brady suspects that Stoner leaked the info to his wife. Willy sets up Brady's goons to be arrested and claims they were set up - Brady sends him to kill both Stoners. Willy fails and Stoner heads for the bank with "Lois" to get his Brady's records. Unfortunately the real Lois escapes and tips off Brady. Brady and Dekker go to the bank, and Dekker kills Martin Ston
#13 - The Visitors
Season 6 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/27/1971
Publisher Granger is controlled by the Syndicate, killing reporters and protecting Syndicate-owned politicians in his state. The IMF must make sure the voters know what Granger is up to before the next elections. Appealing to Granger's interest in UFOs and his obsession with immortality, chauffeur Barney hits him with a paralysis drug delivered by bee sting and Jim and Casey mysteriously appear in a light show, "cure" him with futuristic equipment, and appear. Thanks to IMF-rigged reports of UFOs, Granger believes they are aliens! After another rigged death of Casey that Jim "cures," Granger begs for immortality. Jim agrees if he publicly renounces his way. Granger exposes the Syndicate candidates and then is shot by his former aide and Syndicate man.
#14 - Blues (aka Hard Rock)
Season 6 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/20/1971
Stu Gorman is a music-industry figurehead for the Syndicate. He and his financial expert, Belker, are taking control of the music industry and the IMF have to stop him. The IMF know that Gorman killed a witness, Judy, to keep her from testifying, so Barney auditions for Gorman using a song called "Judy's Gone Now" and claiming Judy had taped Gorman when he killed her, and he has the tape. Barney gets Gorman to pay blackmail while Willy fake-rigs Belker's car to explode and claims he's working for Gorman when caught. Belker gets lead to Jim as a corrupt policeman with the recording, and he and Jim agree to blackmail Gorman instead. The IMF gives Belker a fake tape of the murder scene and when Belker confronts Gorman, Gorman knows its a fake and admits he killed Judy, then tries to kill Belker. But the police show up - the IMF have Gorman's confession on tape.
#15 - Shape-Up
Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/16/1971
Syndicate boss Delaney controls the waterfront and eliminates any potential witnesses - the IMF have 72 hours to bring him to justice before the grand jury closes. Barney infiltrates Delaney's waterfront organization and sabotages it, while Jim is a captain of a Norse ship, The Orion, on which Delaney once killed a man. Casey poses as the dead man's daughter and tries to implicate Delaney. The team capture Saunders, Delaney's killer, and Barney then claims to be employed by Delaney's Syndicate liaison Morgan and forces Saunders to set up a meeting on-board the Orion. Saunders "escapes" and warns Delaney, and they kill Morgan. The Syndicate head Mr. C is also present, lured to the ship, and witnesses the killing. He leaves one of his men to kill Delaney but the police arrive and Delaney testifies in return for protection.
#16 - Encore
Season 6 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/25/1971
Kroll and Stevens run the Northeast Syndicate and the IMF must bring them down. In '37 the two of them killed a rival mobster, hid the body, and killed the witnesses, so the IMF needs to get Kroll to lead them to the remains. They grab Kroll, drug him up, and cosmetically alter him to look like he was in '37. Then they dump him on a Hollywood set and convince him through incredibly elaborate means he is in 1937 on the day of the murder and the rest of his life is a dream. Overwhelmed by the sheer amount of detail, Kroll and "Stevens" reenact the murder at a cafe, which gives them the location so that Barney and Willy can find the real body in the real cafe's basement. The IMF fade away, leaving a reaging Kroll to confront his partner as he flees the 1937 New York set and wanders into an adjacent Old West street.
#17 - Underwater
Season 6 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/6/1971
Berlinger, a millionaire manufacturer and stolen gem dealer, will be transferring diamond to a Syndicate boss for $75 million. Only one man knows where the diamonds are - Hoffman, Berlinger's former lieutenant, who stole them. Berlinger is torturing Hoffman for their location. The IMF must get the gems and the money. Barney springs Hoffman and they become partners so Hoffman dives for the gems (hidden on the body of a courier sunk at sea). Casey brings Berlinger to Jim, posing as a diver, who offers to get the diamonds. Willy follows Hoffman to the gems and the team knocks him out and takes him into custody - then Jim leads Berlinger to the same spot and offers to make a deal in return for his $5 million payment. Under pressure from the Syndicate, Berlinger agrees and in the subsequent meeting the police capture everyone.
#18 - Nerves
Season 6 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/4/1971
Wendell Hayes, the brother of an imprisoned Syndicate enforcer, has stolen a canister of nerve gas and threatens to use it if his brother Cayman isn't freed - the IMF must stop him and recover the gas. Worse, the canister has a defective casing that Wendell is unaware of, and will release the gas in 43 hours anyway. And...Cayman dies of a heart attack in jail, forcing the IMF to have guest-agent Bill Williams take his place. The IMF has Hayes' imprisoned girlfriend Saretta "escape" with prisoner-Casey handcuffed to her. Saretta takes Casey to a winery in a IMF car with a bug on it that Barney traces. Jim delivers "Cayman" but Hayes doesn't turn over the gas. They track Hayes to an observatory but he gets word via his partner Tully that his brother tied and he unmasks Williams-as-Cayman. Hayes and Tully shoot it out over an argument and with his dying breath Hayes tries to shoot open the canister...hid in the observatory roof, revealing its location to the IMF.
#19 - Run for the Money
Season 6 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/11/1971
Syndicate members Trask and Mason control the Syndicate's illegal racing operations, while Trask ruthlessly dispatches the competition - the IMF must take them out. Trask is jealous of thoroughbred owner Mason so Jim offers him a mysterious but promising racehorse - Trask finds out the horse is a kidnapped fast-racer. The IMF arrange for him to get the horse and then place a number of bets on the horse in Trask's name. After keeping Mason from having the horse killed, Trask's horse wins and the IMF get the $4 million from the Syndicate funds, leaving Trask to hold the bag.
#20 - The Miracle
Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/23/1971
Only two Syndicate men know where $8 mil in heroin will be arriving - narcotics dealer Alvin Taylor an dhis executioner, Frank Kearney. When Jim approaches Kearney to make a deal and he refuses, Willie "shoots" Kearney - Barney as a surgeon then operates providing a heart transplant and covertly uses drugs and hypnotism to make Kearney mild-mannered. Kearney can't bring himself to shoot Jim and hears on the radio about people taking on the traits of persons they received organs from - with the aid of new girlfriend, the church-hating Kearney finds out the man who donated a heart was a priest! Realizing he can't do his job and the Syndicate will wipe him out, Kearney leads Casey and the rest of the team to the beach where the heroin drop occurs, and the police arrive just before Taynor can kill Kearney.
#21 - Mindbend
Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/9/1971
Alex Pierson, a rising Syndicate member, has recruited Dr. Burke, a psychopathic behavioral psychologist who has developed a way to program men into killers. Pierson lures in underworld criminals with an offer of plastic surgery and turns them over to Burke, who programs them to kill Pierson's targets three times then kill themselves. Barney infiltrates as a crook on the run but when he fails to dose himself with a counter-drug, he is converted into a psychotic killer as well. They lose contact with Barney - Jim plants evidence on Burke making him look like he's turning against Pierson and another IMF agent made up to look like Barney goes after but fails to kill Pierson before fake-killing himself. Pierson confronts Burke while Jim gets the info on Barney's location out of Burke's assistant, and Willy stops the tech expert from killing his target in the nick of time.
#22 - The Connection
Season 6 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/18/1971
Reese Dolan is the new Syndicate heroin distributor on the East Coast. Dolan uses an island base off the coast of northwest Africa and is going to use it as a distribution point for heroin into the U.S - the IMF must identify his overseas opium source and get the evidence to convict him. Dolan is being financed by an underworld figure, Madame Renada, whom he has never met, so Jim and Barney fly him and his men not to the island but to a lookalike off the coast of Georgia, where Casey assumes the role of Renada. Reese calls his distributor in Istanbul and the IMF has the delivery plane taken into custody. An IMF flyer makes the delivery which Dolan apparently converts to heroin and sends on its way, while Reese's supplier, Hajii, suspects a double-cross when his pilot doesn't return and calls Dolan's distributor, Cleff. Willy tries to sell heroin to Clegg and then is "forced" to tell that Dolan still has it, then lead Clegg to the fake island. Dolan finds out he still has the opium, and