This is a very interesting episode for me. I always thought that no outsider knew what the team actual did. When the agents were picked from their portfolios, it appeared that they had cover jobs. Cinnamon was a famous model, Rollin seemed to be a famous actor / impersonator, etc. So I was confused when it seems that in this episode, Egan knows what Briggs does, in fact when Briggs tricked Egan into thinking that Augie was in the phone booth, he makes it very clear that if Egan does anything the the girl, Briggs will finish him, Briggs goes so far as to say, "no matter where you are I find you and I'll kill you, and you I can do it."
I enjoyed this episode very much, I just find it a curious that Egan knows all about Briggs and his team.
9 Reviews
What? No mission?!
planktonrules3 February 2014
This episode is one of a handful that has no introductory mission. Instead, Briggs is shooting pool when a gangster, Egan, approaches and announced his gang has kidnapped a friend of Briggs' daughter--and they'll kill her unless Briggs' team springs an important witness against Egan from police custody. While Briggs knows the witness will be killed and cannot allow that, he also knows that the team needs to at least go through the motions of kidnapping the guy in order to give them a chance to get the girl.
"The Ransom" is one of the better episodes--mostly because it didn't stick to the tried and true formula. It also had a really neat ending--one that was awfully exciting and clever. Well worth seeing.
"The Ransom" is one of the better episodes--mostly because it didn't stick to the tried and true formula. It also had a really neat ending--one that was awfully exciting and clever. Well worth seeing.
A first season gem
hmoika23 April 2022
I'm a big fan of first season episodes of a classic old series: so often, an episode gets away with things/fails to adhere to the usual format.
In future years, these blips would happen less and less.
I love that they had no "mission" from on high.
In future years, these blips would happen less and less.
I love that they had no "mission" from on high.
most believable episode
A_Different_Drummer9 December 2013
Warning: Spoilers
In its day, the series was brazen, innovative, fun. But the criticism then (and now) was that the team was (like Drake in Danger Man) forever solving problems in countries whose names you couldn't pronounce in parts of the world you would never voluntarily visit. (A tradition the Tom Cruise films followed to a certain extent). This episode is special. First, we have Stephen Hill before "contract issues" forced him from the show. Second, the spark for the story is entirely personal. Briggs assembles the team to do a favour for a friend, and that twist (WHICH THEY ONLY DID ONCE) forms a "connection" to the audience that, to be frank, the rest of the series lacked. Recommended.
It's not healthy to be one of Briggs' friends
sscheiber19 June 2016
As others have pointed out, this one doesn't start with a tape, but with a gangster who kidnaps the daughter of one of Briggs' friends as a hostage to be exchanged for a stool pigeon being held under police guard so he can't testify before a grand jury. Like many of the Briggs episodes, this one includes a lot of improvisation, because matters don't proceed exactly according to plan. It also features a doctor who is obviously a "regular" IMF partner, although he appears only in a couple of episodes. It's tight, suspenseful, and keeps you guessing.
One negative. The actor playing the girl's father isn't as believable as I'd have liked. He seems to go between trying to call the police despite Briggs' warning that doing so will guarantee his daughter's death and trusting Dan and his crew without the emotional depth to make the transition believable. Still, the deviation from the standard formula is refreshing. MI did a few episodes like this during its run. I'd have liked a few more. But I don't want to take anything away from this little story. It's a winner.
One negative. The actor playing the girl's father isn't as believable as I'd have liked. He seems to go between trying to call the police despite Briggs' warning that doing so will guarantee his daughter's death and trusting Dan and his crew without the emotional depth to make the transition believable. Still, the deviation from the standard formula is refreshing. MI did a few episodes like this during its run. I'd have liked a few more. But I don't want to take anything away from this little story. It's a winner.
Brilliant Episode
mobile7075 April 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Lalo Schifrin's famous theme music is included in the opening and closing credits, but "The Ransom" is one of a small handful of episodes in which Schifrin's music is omitted from the main body of the show. Instead, this episode's score is composed by Walter Scharf. Because -- 40+ years later -- the "Mission: Impossible" theme is so intrinsically wrapped up in our memory and image of the whole series, Schifrin's absence is immediately noticeable to anyone watching the episode today (as I just did a few minutes ago).
The script, performances, etc., are outstanding. Along with Rollin Hand's familiar "face-mask" routine (which involves the main villain, played by actor William Smithers), there are two other notable "James Bond-ish" touches: the X-Ray bed flip in the hospital, and the insertion (via remote control) of a small vial of serum into the drinking water of a hotel room, which creates stroke-like symptoms in the person who drinks it.
One minor complaint: There comes a point near the end of the episode when Willie (posing as a "motorcycle cop") seemingly has the opportunity to capture the bad guy ("Egan"). From the standpoint of the plot, there does not appear to be any good reason for Willie to let him go, except to set up a "dramatic" (but not really) moment when Egan is confronted by the father of kidnapped-girl and the IMF team, including Rollin Hand who peels off the mask, seemingly to taunt Egan. Seems to me Egan's demise could have been explained just as well with him off-camera, or perhaps we could see his shock when he realizes that Gorman (the grand-jury witness) really had testified after all. Oh, well. Still a very strong episode overall.
The script, performances, etc., are outstanding. Along with Rollin Hand's familiar "face-mask" routine (which involves the main villain, played by actor William Smithers), there are two other notable "James Bond-ish" touches: the X-Ray bed flip in the hospital, and the insertion (via remote control) of a small vial of serum into the drinking water of a hotel room, which creates stroke-like symptoms in the person who drinks it.
One minor complaint: There comes a point near the end of the episode when Willie (posing as a "motorcycle cop") seemingly has the opportunity to capture the bad guy ("Egan"). From the standpoint of the plot, there does not appear to be any good reason for Willie to let him go, except to set up a "dramatic" (but not really) moment when Egan is confronted by the father of kidnapped-girl and the IMF team, including Rollin Hand who peels off the mask, seemingly to taunt Egan. Seems to me Egan's demise could have been explained just as well with him off-camera, or perhaps we could see his shock when he realizes that Gorman (the grand-jury witness) really had testified after all. Oh, well. Still a very strong episode overall.
The Ransom
Prismark1030 April 2024
If you thought Tom Cruise overdoes it with the face masks in the Mission Impossible movies. You ain't seen nothing yet.
The Ransom is the most cinematic in storytelling. As a desperate crime boss Frank Egan (William Smithers) kidnaps the daughter if Briggs friend.
Egan wants the Mission Impossible team to abduct Augie Gorman from police custody. He is due to testify against Egan.
Daniel Briggs finds himself having to save two lives and also figures that Egan plans not to leave any witnesses behind.
It makes you wonder just what the IMF would had done to Egan for coercing its crew for nefarious ends.
There are some good bits here as Briggs and others try to take Augie away.
I did think Willy posing as a motorcycle cop could had just stop Egan going any further. It would had robbed the finale from a thrilling moment.
William Smithers looks very cool with his dark shades. In the early 1980s he became famous for being one of the suspects in the Who Shot JR storyline in Dallas.
The Ransom is the most cinematic in storytelling. As a desperate crime boss Frank Egan (William Smithers) kidnaps the daughter if Briggs friend.
Egan wants the Mission Impossible team to abduct Augie Gorman from police custody. He is due to testify against Egan.
Daniel Briggs finds himself having to save two lives and also figures that Egan plans not to leave any witnesses behind.
It makes you wonder just what the IMF would had done to Egan for coercing its crew for nefarious ends.
There are some good bits here as Briggs and others try to take Augie away.
I did think Willy posing as a motorcycle cop could had just stop Egan going any further. It would had robbed the finale from a thrilling moment.
William Smithers looks very cool with his dark shades. In the early 1980s he became famous for being one of the suspects in the Who Shot JR storyline in Dallas.
One of the most unusual episodes in the entire series
shakspryn29 March 2023
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILERS: What makes this episode so different? Two main things. One is the music: it is jazzy and distinct, quite different than the usual theme music. You really notice the music in this episode.
Two, the plot is really different. Briggs is on a personal mission to save the life of a kidnapped girl, the daughter of a friend of his, by getting a crook away from police custody; a mobster wants the crook eliminated, and he's using the girl to pressure Briggs. Bad move, mobster! As we will see.
There have been some other episodes--a few--where the IM team takes on a personal operation. I think of the one where Jim Phelps has to save the life of a buddy who's facing a death penalty in Spain for a crime of which he's innocent.
But this episode is even more unusual than that. Here, perhaps uniquely, a third party--a John Q. Public type, the kidnapped girl's father--is with our IM team for every step of the mission! Since he's not an agent, naturally, he keeps wanting to call in the police, and generally he'd walk right into the mobster's trap for a phony exchange for the girl's freedom, which would get he and his daughter killed, not to mention Briggs and a team member. But Briggs ends up able to handle things his own way, and it all turns out well. It's a very exciting and satisfying episode. It's very refreshing, too, to have it be so different, because as great as this series is, the formula for the adventures sure seems familiar after seeing the same set-up so many times! An outstanding episode.
Two, the plot is really different. Briggs is on a personal mission to save the life of a kidnapped girl, the daughter of a friend of his, by getting a crook away from police custody; a mobster wants the crook eliminated, and he's using the girl to pressure Briggs. Bad move, mobster! As we will see.
There have been some other episodes--a few--where the IM team takes on a personal operation. I think of the one where Jim Phelps has to save the life of a buddy who's facing a death penalty in Spain for a crime of which he's innocent.
But this episode is even more unusual than that. Here, perhaps uniquely, a third party--a John Q. Public type, the kidnapped girl's father--is with our IM team for every step of the mission! Since he's not an agent, naturally, he keeps wanting to call in the police, and generally he'd walk right into the mobster's trap for a phony exchange for the girl's freedom, which would get he and his daughter killed, not to mention Briggs and a team member. But Briggs ends up able to handle things his own way, and it all turns out well. It's a very exciting and satisfying episode. It's very refreshing, too, to have it be so different, because as great as this series is, the formula for the adventures sure seems familiar after seeing the same set-up so many times! An outstanding episode.
I KNOW WHO YOU REALLY, REALLY ARE?
tcchelsey17 July 2023
William Read Woodfield did an outstanding job writing this episode, most original and an inspiration to future writers. Woodfield was a popular writer, however his work as a photographer is legendary as he shot rare, candid pictures of such iconic stars as Jayne Mansfield and Marilyn Monroe. Some of these photos are now considered priceless treasures.
Here, the story centers around Briggs and his confrontation with a devious gent, well played by William Smithers. This man, remarkably, knows about the IMF team and that Briggs is the leader, certainly a first in the series! He makes him an offer he cannot refuse; hand over a witness (with incriminating information) who he will naturally kill... or someone Briggs knows will get the axe. Talk about a blind bargain, right?
This is creative writing 101, and not to be missed, played out in some very tense scenes with some very good acting by the supporting cast. Woodfield must have really burned the midnight oil, and why he eventually got promoted to producer. Does not get any better than this.
Steven Hill, as always, is great as the leader and its a shame he was eventually fired from the series due to religious beliefs. He would not work after sunset, no matter what, which created a lot of problems for the shooting schedule. This is his show here and one not to miss.
From Season 1 1966. Paramount/CBS dvd restored disc set. The season 1 box sets are very reasonable in price and make a great gift.
Here, the story centers around Briggs and his confrontation with a devious gent, well played by William Smithers. This man, remarkably, knows about the IMF team and that Briggs is the leader, certainly a first in the series! He makes him an offer he cannot refuse; hand over a witness (with incriminating information) who he will naturally kill... or someone Briggs knows will get the axe. Talk about a blind bargain, right?
This is creative writing 101, and not to be missed, played out in some very tense scenes with some very good acting by the supporting cast. Woodfield must have really burned the midnight oil, and why he eventually got promoted to producer. Does not get any better than this.
Steven Hill, as always, is great as the leader and its a shame he was eventually fired from the series due to religious beliefs. He would not work after sunset, no matter what, which created a lot of problems for the shooting schedule. This is his show here and one not to miss.
From Season 1 1966. Paramount/CBS dvd restored disc set. The season 1 box sets are very reasonable in price and make a great gift.
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