"Mission: Impossible" The Counterfeiter (TV Episode 1968) Poster

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8/10
A VERY high tech mission...
JSouth116 October 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Raymond Halder is counterfeiting important pharmaceuticals, using inert ,worthless fillers in place of real medicines. He then sells these as the real thing. His latest target--Dilatrin, a drug made by the Gant co. to combat primary vascular disease. He has made thousands of these fakes, but Gant is now planning to re-issue them in a counterfeit-proof form.

So...to stop Halder, the IMF uses some of the highest tech tools to date. An ultrasonic pain generator, which when aimed at Halder makes him dizzy, and a laser inside of a pill machine, to fake the symptoms of vascular disease.

Halder knows of the new dilatrin form, and he attends one of the briefings on the plan. Cinnamon plays a Gant employee, demonstrating the new pill, and Halder decides to find a way to "Force" her to reveal the new form of Dilatrin Gant will use, so that Halder can fake it anyway.

The IMF secretly installs a laser device inside of one of Halders pill making machines and also plants a recording of "trouble sounds" from the machine so that Halder will look into the machine to see what is wrong...at which time the laser will be fired at him.

At other times in the Mission, such as when he is trying to bribe the "head of the department of drug control" (Phelps), Halder is hit with a wave from the IMF's ultrasonic device causing him to feel dizzy, and like he is getting sick. Nonetheless, Halder goes to his lab and starts the machinery, and upon a remote signal the "broke sounds" start coming out of one machine. Halder looks at this, and the laser hits him in the side of his head...faking the symptoms of Primary vascular disease. He summons one of his aides to get his blood pressure meter(which has been rigged by the IMF) and it shows a VERY high blood pressure condition. The effects of the laser, combined with repeated ultrasound shots at him, causes him to feel faint...and in need of treatment. He passes out...and ends up in one of his clinics.

The doctor (Barney) tells Halder that he has PVD, and that only the drug Dilatrin can save him...but he knows most are fakes. He then reveals that he faked a bunch of the tablets AND sold them, a major crime. He is then told of this, and subject to arrest.
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7/10
Aside from a weak premise, a pretty decent episode.
planktonrules26 July 2014
This episode of "Mission: Impossible" has the distinction of starring an Oscar-winning actor as the guest villain. Edmund O'Brien plays Halder-- a scumbag who manufactures counterfeit pharmaceuticals. The problem is not only that they are fakes, but no effort is made to make them effective in the least. Because of this, a manufacturer of a life- saving heart drug is about to go out of business unless the IM Force can get the goods on him. To do so, they make Halder think that he is suffering from a stroke and he'll get counterfeits instead of the life- saving drug.

This is one of many weak premise episodes the show made over the years. I say weak because since Halder is living in the States and is they know he's a killer, why not just kill him?! Having the team perform a complicated sting on him seems pretty silly, actually.
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10/10
TAKE A PILL AND PRAY!
tcchelsey24 March 2024
An outstanding story on the fake pill market, which hits home to this day. A fascinating episode to watch human nature at its worst. Edmund O'Brien, in an excellent performance, plays a greedy counterfeiter called Halder, who floods the market with fake heart pills -- forcing a legit manufactering company to close its doors unless he can be stopped.

Quite cleverly, the M. I. teams rigs some devices and applies a little "shock treatment" to make it look like Halder is on the verge of having a stroke. He finds himself in a makeshift hospital where HIS OWN pills are used to save his life --instead of the genuine ones! An incredible twist, if not a dark comedy you have to see from start to finish.

Cinnamon and Phelps have some fitting closing lines for Halder in the bitter end. As always, a memorable performance by Edmund O'Brien, an actors actor, and good support from popular character actor Frank Campanella. Brother of Joe Campanella.

Director Lee H. Katzin does it again.

SEASON 2 EPISODE 20 remastered CBS/Paramount dvd box set. 7 dvds 2007.
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