
A group of extraordinary spies, each experts in their own fields, belong to the Impossible Missions Force (IMF) -- first headed up by Daniel Briggs and later overseen by Jim Phelps. The IMF is a government agency that undertakes only the most hazardous of espionage missions. The beginning of each episode featured the now-famous tape-recorded message outlining the latest task for the group to tackle. Popular during the Cold War, the group's missions usually centered on overthrowing the government of some small communist country causing problems for the free world. The IMF crew included disguise expert Rollin Hand, charmer Cinnamon Carter, electronics technician Barney Collier, strong man Willy Armitage and, in later episodes, disguise-master Paris.

Briggs, Barney and Cinnamon must lure a major drug kingpin (Lloyd Bridges) out of a nation so he can be extradited legally.

The IMF team needs a bacteriologist (George Takei) to prevent a hostile regime from using germ warfare.

The IMF must foil an aspiring foreign leader's plan to assassinate a scientist who defected.

To find Hitler's hidden fortune, the IMF races a band of young Neo-Nazis intent on creating a new regime; guest Lee Bergère.