Phil Morris Movies

Guest star Totti Goldsmith is cast as Elaine, the American-born princess of a European kingdom. The IMF must protect Elaine from being assasinated by an anti-American terrorist group run by George Caron (Robert Coleby). To do this, IMF agents Nicholas and Grant go undercover to join Caron's organization, hoping to bore from within by preying upon the paranoia of hit man Coyote (Dale Stevens). Originally telecast October 5, 1989, "The Princess" was written by Ted Roberts. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Exceeding all expectations, the weekly Mission: Impossible revival of 1988 managed to weather its first 19 episodes, graduating to a second season beginning September 21, 1989. In a truly ill-considered move, ABC rescheduled the series to Thursdays, opposite NBC's blockbuster sitcom The Cosby Show (the accompanying ad campaign went something like, "Tonight's Mission: To Give American an Action Alternative to Cosby"). The second-season opener, "The Golden Serpent," was not only the series' first multi-part adventure since 1970, but also brought back one of the original IMF team members, electronic wizard Barney Collier (Greg Morris). Assigned to Australia (where, in fact, the entire series was filmed), the IMF attempts to ruin a drug-running operation by convincing top man Prince Selimun (Patrick Bishop) that his long-deceased twin brother is still alive. Part One of "The Golden Serpent" was scripted by Michael Seims, Ted Roberts, and Jeffrey M. Hayes, from a story by Seims. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The IMF is assigned to cure a computer virus that is capable of sinking the US Navy's entire submarine fleet. But when the only antidote to the virus is destroyed, the agents resort to "Plan B" --- which requires the assistance of a brilliant Hollywood art director. Mitchell Ryan guest-star as Admiral Sheppard, an ex-navy man turned traitor. Written by Dale Duguid and telecast on April 29, 1989, "Submarine" is an updated remake of the 1969 Mission:Impossible episode of the same name; the earlier version was scripted by Donald James. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

On assignment in Paris, the new IMF team harks back to the glory days of the original Mission:Impossible by staging a phony plague. It is all part of a strategy to foil black marketeer Catherine Balzac (Maud Adams), who has stolen the only sample of a new chemical that accelerates the aging process. But the IMF better do some accelerating itself before a terrorist group unleashes a real plague that could wipe out all of Europe. Written by Rick Maier, "The Plague" first aired on April 8, 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Times had certainly changed since the original Mission:Impossible. First telecast March 18, 1989, as part of the "M:I" revival series, "Spy" guest-stars Shane Briant as Dr. Yuri Nicolai, a KGB colonel --- not the villain of the peace, but instead a new member of the IMF team! The mission: To locate and destroy a chemical-weapons plant being operated in Africa by cashiered British Intelligence agent John Christie (Tim Hughes). Written by Michael Fisher, "Spy" first aired on March 18, 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the original 1966 version of the Mission: Impossible adventure "The Legacy," IMF agents were assigned to thwart a plan hatched by the sons of four high-ranking Nazi officers to finance the launching of a Fourth Reich. In the1988 remake, the sons were rewritten as grandsons, but the basic plot remained the same. New IMF agent Nicholas Black infiltrates the neo-fascist conclave in order to locate a cache of hidden Nazi gold. The 1966 edition of "The Legacy" was written by Mann Rubin; the remake, which aired November 27, 1988, was scripted by Michael Lynn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Once the 1988 Hollywood writers strike had been settled, the Mission:Impossible series revival could stop offering remakes of episodes from the earlier Mission:Impossible and start concentrating on new material. The first "original" episode of the new series was "The Wall," which aired December 11, 1988. In the middle of delicate trade negotiations between East and West Germany, the daughter of West German representative Ilse Bruck (Anya Molina) is kidnapped by an insurgent group. The villains hope to maintain tensions between the two Germanys in order to continue their thriving illegal activities. But the IMF agents don't intend to let that happen. Written by David Phillips, "The Wall" ironically appeared a scant few months before the Berlin Wall was finally destroyed; small wonder that the episode's rerun value was nil. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Broadcast on November 6, 1988 as the third episode of the "new" Mission: Impossible, "Holograms" was actually a remake of "Fakeout", a 1966 installment of the original series. Guest star Gerard Kennedy plays Colonel Usher, a drug-trafficking Carribean dictator. To topple both Usher and his whole regime, the IMF stages the "return" of the dictator's long-lost son. While the script of "Fakeout" was credited to Leigh Chapman, Robert Brennan was listed as the writer of "Holograms." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Premiering October 23, 1988, the revival of the classic suspense series Mission:Impossible was hobbled during its first few weeks on the air by a Hollywood writer's strike. Thus, several episodes of the new series were remakes of scripts from the "old" version. Case in point was the series' pilot, "The Killer", in which returning IMF head Jim Phelps (Peter Graves) endeavors to avenge the death of his protegee Tom Copperfield (Vince Martin). The unknown assassin's next target is equally unknown, as is the identity of the killer's employer; it is up to the new IMF team to learn the truth and prevent another murder. If this sounds familiar, it is because Arthur Weiss' script for "The Killer" was originally filmed as Mission:Impossible's fifth season opener in 1970. Guest-starring in the new version were John DeLancie ("Q" on Star Trek: The Next Generation) as Matthew Drake, and Paul Smith (The Midnight Express, Popeye) as Tim. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When newspaper editor Charles Bradley (Anthony Zerbe) makes a call uncovering corrupt Los Angeles cops selling drugs, his phone is tapped and his architect son Joey (Clayton Rohner) is endangered. A detective is killed in Joey's apartment and detective Ryan (Ray Sharkey) is assigned to protect him. Ryan is in league with the crooked cops and tries to kill Joey. Joey escapes but is hit by a car driven by Jenny Fox (Talia Balsam). She takes him back to her place where Joey is nursed back to heath and the seeds of love are planted. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide