Laurence Heath, who wrote 23 episodes for the series, rolled up his sleeves again and delivered a darn good fake out story. Actually, it was a double switch story, quite original and fairly clever.
Veteran actor James Daly plays Carl Wilson, a distinguished US ambassador who is the target for international extremists. He is secretly kidnapped and replaced by an exact double! The IMF team goes to work and kidnaps the phony! What do ya'll think about that? And they have some treacherous plans for this guy....
The last episode had the team staging a crash on make-believe train. Keeping that in mind, the masters of trickery now construct a phony mental hospital, and with all the trimmings. What was always so fascinating about M. I. were the anonymous background people, working in tandem with the the IMF team, putting all of the brick and morter parts together. In this case, a remote warehouse was now transformed into a working hospital. Certainly, Briggs and the rest could not do it all. Briggs does assume Wilson's identity, though.
The "other" Wilson is subjected to shock treatment and mind games that only you will see on MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. It is truly a way of life, and you wouldn't want be in this guys shoes... James Daly plays his role well, long a tv actor, known for playing the senior doctor on MEIDCAL CENTER. Interestingly, not too long after this episode he portrayed Honorious in the original PLANET OF THE APES. He was the father of actress Tyne Daly.
Great guest stars here, including Sorrell Booke as Peter and Vic Perrin as Dr. Drake. Perrin was a regular on DRAGNET for years, playing both detectives and some nasty bad guys. He had an outstanding role in the DRAGNET tv movie playing a serial killer who ate candy bars!
Look for popular child actor Jean Michael Michenaud as Fydor. Jean was everywhere on tv at the time, both in comedies and dramas. He later became an accomplished producer.
Skillfully directed by Lee H. Katzin, who never let his audience down. Katzin was later behind a string of hit tv movies in the 70s, which are now mini classics.
A must for thrill seekers. SEASON1 EPISODE 25 remastered dvd box set.