The Odd (Unusual?) Numbering of the Episodes

[aldanoli]

First, thank you to Webb Crawler for his (her?) kind comments.

Second, to anyone who happens to know . . . a question:

As I was looking up the numbering of the episode, "The Survivors," that I
wrote about the other day, this occurred to me -- does anyone know what the
source was for the odd (or should I say, unusual) numbering used for the
episodes of the Mission:Impossible series? According to Patrick White's
book there were 168 "episodes" of the series. What's odd about this system
is that it treats multiple-part episodes with no seeming rhyme or reason.

For example, according to Mr. White, "episode 2" was "Old Man Out," which is
only assigned one number -- 2 -- even though it was a two-part episode. The
same is true of "episode" number 32, "The Slave" and "episode" 37, "The
Council." Yet for no apparent reason, with other two-parters (e.g., "The
Contender," "The Bunker," and "The Controllers") and the one three-parter
("The Falcon"), the *individual* parts of these "episodes" are *each*
assigned their own number (nos. 54-55, 69-70, 76-77, and 87-89
respectively). Thus, if you counted the individual (i.e., one-hour
segments) of the first three two-parters, there would actually be 171
"episodes"; or, if you followed *that* system with the four multi-part
episodes in which each segment was assigned a number, there would really be
only 163 "episodes."

I realize that at this late date this has no significance other than being a
somewhat unexplained inconsistency in how the episodes are counted, but
there was nothing about either the plots or the circumstances under which
the episodes were aired that I could discern to explain the use of both
methods to count. (For example, towards the end of the run of "Star Trek:
The Next Generation," they became fascinated by season-ending cliff-hangers;
clearly, when each hour of one "episode" straddles two seasons, it makes
sense to count each segment as a separate "episode.") Personally, I'd favor
this method in counting the episodes of Mission:Impossible, too, since it
would count the total number of broadcast hours, and not arbitrarily lump
together some two-parters as "one two-part episode." (I'd almost suppose
that Patrick White -- or whoever devised this numbering system -- decided on
the "number" of episodes first, and then had to combine some arbitrarily to
stick with that preselected number for some reason.) But does anyone know
why this peculiar -- and apparently inconsistent -- system is used?

[Webb Krawler]

Aldanoli......You are quite welcome! (And, I am a "he"!!)

As for the numbering of episodes.....I believe many shows around that
era did the same thing....I don't know if current shows follow the
same practice.
Odd how "Old Man Out" was the 2nd show filmed...considering it wasn't
origianally aired after the pilot episode, (but, it IS shown that way
in syndication) and from it's structuring, it fit into the "regular"
Mission mold of sequences (e.g....writer/producer/director credits
after the dossier sequence), as opposed to these credits appearing at
the end (as in "Memory" and a few others).

But, as far as numbering.....maybe some day we will know. For
now...I'm still waiting for episodes to appear on DVD (the way it's
going...now, this is really a Mission: Impossible!!)

Regards....Ross (aka WebbKrawler)

Post by aldanoli
First, thank you to Webb Crawler for his (her?) kind comments.
As I was looking up the numbering of the episode, "The Survivors," that I
wrote about the other day, this occurred to me -- does anyone know what the
source was for the odd (or should I say, unusual) numbering used for the
episodes of the Mission:Impossible series? According to Patrick White's
book there were 168 "episodes" of the series. What's odd about this system
is that it treats multiple-part episodes with no seeming rhyme or reason.
For example, according to Mr. White, "episode 2" was "Old Man Out," which is
only assigned one number -- 2 -- even though it was a two-part episode. The
same is true of "episode" number 32, "The Slave" and "episode" 37, "The
Council." Yet for no apparent reason, with other two-parters (e.g., "The
Contender," "The Bunker," and "The Controllers") and the one three-parter
("The Falcon"), the *individual* parts of these "episodes" are *each*
assigned their own number (nos. 54-55, 69-70, 76-77, and 87-89
respectively). Thus, if you counted the individual (i.e., one-hour
segments) of the first three two-parters, there would actually be 171
"episodes"; or, if you followed *that* system with the four multi-part
episodes in which each segment was assigned a number, there would really be
only 163 "episodes."
I realize that at this late date this has no significance other than being a
somewhat unexplained inconsistency in how the episodes are counted, but
there was nothing about either the plots or the circumstances under which
the episodes were aired that I could discern to explain the use of both
The Next Generation," they became fascinated by season-ending cliff-hangers;
clearly, when each hour of one "episode" straddles two seasons, it makes
sense to count each segment as a separate "episode.") Personally, I'd favor
this method in counting the episodes of Mission:Impossible, too, since it
would count the total number of broadcast hours, and not arbitrarily lump
together some two-parters as "one two-part episode." (I'd almost suppose
that Patrick White -- or whoever devised this numbering system -- decided on
the "number" of episodes first, and then had to combine some arbitrarily to
stick with that preselected number for some reason.) But does anyone know
why this peculiar -- and apparently inconsistent -- system is used?

[B***@aol.com]

The numbering of the episodes was done by the studio during
production .

However, the episodes were not always filmed or aired by CBS in order
of production . In fact Memory was the second show filmed AFTER the
pilot according to Pat White's book.

[Webb Krawler]

Oops! Not having Pat White's book available at the time.....seems my
"Memory" slipped! Appreciate the correction!!
Regards....Ross (Webb)

Post by B***@aol.com
The numbering of the episodes was done by the studio during
production .
However, the episodes were not always filmed or aired by CBS in order
of production . In fact Memory was the second show filmed AFTER the
pilot according to Pat White's book.

[aldanoli]

I'd still like to know what the logic (if one could call it that) was behind
giving both segments a single number some of the time and then giving the
individual segments discrete numbers under other circumstances.

On the other hand, having taken the time to write all of this out the other
day, I noticed that the practice seems to have changed in the third season,
so that it may be as simple as having switched at a certain point from using
one to using many. I think it does bear noting that "168" as the total
number of episodes is inaccurate no matter which way you do it . . . either
there were 163 or 171 depending upon one's preference.

[Dave Brown]

Post by aldanoli
I'd still like to know what the logic (if one could call it that) was behind
giving both segments a single number some of the time and then giving the
individual segments discrete numbers under other circumstances.

This is just a guess, but it may reflect how the episodes were made, rather than how they were
shown. If a two-parter was shot all in one go, with the same crew, director, etc, and then edited
into two or more episodes in post-production, it would only have one production number. If each part
was made as a separate episode, possibly with a different crew &/or director for each part, then
each part would have its own production number.

[Karl Engel]

I looked into this, and have the answer.

The numbering structure changed after Desilu was bought by Paramount.
Desilu did it one way and Paramount did it the other. Hence, in the
"official" numbering of the episodes of the series, it was done both
ways...and you'll notice the change after Paramount took over.

-KE

Post by aldanoli
I'd still like to know what the logic (if one could call it that) was behind
giving both segments a single number some of the time and then giving the
individual segments discrete numbers under other circumstances.
On the other hand, having taken the time to write all of this out the other
day, I noticed that the practice seems to have changed in the third season,
so that it may be as simple as having switched at a certain point from using
one to using many. I think it does bear noting that "168" as the total
number of episodes is inaccurate no matter which way you do it . . . either
there were 163 or 171 depending upon one's preference.