Ep 19. The Diamond

Mission: Impossible season 1 episode 19, titled "The Diamond," follows the Impossible Missions Force (IMF) as they attempt to retrieve a valuable diamond that has fallen into the hands of a corrupt diplomat.

The episode begins with the IMF learning about the diamond's whereabouts in a small Eastern European country. It is in the possession of Ambassador Armand Anderssarian and is being kept tightly guarded in his embassy. The team realizes that they cannot simply steal the diamond, as its disappearance would likely cause an international incident.

Instead, they decide to exploit Anderssarian's weakness for gambling by creating a fake diamond. The IMF sends in Rollin Hand, their master of disguise, posing as a wealthy American gambler. He convinces Anderssarian to bet on the fake diamond, which he claims is worth $2 million.

Meanwhile, the IMF has also planted a listening device in the embassy, allowing them to eavesdrop on Anderssarian's conversations. They discover that he is planning to sell the real diamond to a wealthy Arab sheikh for a large sum of money.

The team hatches a plan to switch the real diamond with the fake one during the gambling session, but they face several obstacles along the way. They must first get past Anderssarian's guards and bypass his high-tech security system. They also face interference from a group of thieves who are attempting to steal the diamond for themselves.

As the gambling session begins, Rollin sets his plan in motion. Things quickly go awry when Anderssarian realizes that the diamond is a fake. He becomes suspicious of Rollin and calls for his guards to seize him.

The IMF must improvise quickly to salvage the mission. They manage to create a diversion, allowing Rollin to escape with the real diamond and for the rest of the team to slip away unnoticed.

With the diamond safely in their hands, the IMF returns it to its rightful owner, a wealthy philanthropist who had loaned it to Anderssarian for display at a charity event. The team leaves the Eastern European country, their mission successfully accomplished.

Overall, "The Diamond" is an exciting and suspenseful episode that showcases the IMF's resourcefulness and ingenuity in the face of difficult challenges. The team's use of subterfuge and clever tactics keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, wondering how they will manage to retrieve the valuable diamond without getting caught. The episode also features some impressive stunt work and thrilling action sequences, making it a must-watch for fans of spy thrillers.