Get Smart

Get Smart is a classic American comedy television series that evokes nostalgia for many and continues to be popular among audiences all across the globe. Broadcasted on CBS from the years 1965 to 1970, the show stars Don Adams, Barbara Feldon, and Edward Platt in the lead roles and its comedic take on the secret agent genre and cold war politics became an instant hit among audiences.

The show centers around Maxwell Smart, affectionately known as 'Max', played by famous Hollywood actor Don Adams, who is the main protagonist of the series. He is an operative agent for CONTROL, a secret U.S government counterintelligence agency. Despite him being a notoriously bumbling character, his antics and unorthodox methods often lead him to triumph over his enemies, which is a recurring theme that audiences found highly entertaining.

Max Smart as Agent 86 perpetually walks the thin line between absolute competence and complete ineptitude, miraculously sidestepping disaster at every turn. His character is accompanied by his indomitable and unfaltering strength, quick thinking, dumb luck, and a unique arsenal of handy spy gadgets that are often as comic as they are resourceful.

Barbara Feldon stars alongside Don Adams, playing the role of Agent 99. Despite her not being given a real name in the series, she becomes an unforgettable character due to her wit, bravery, and limitless patience with Max. Thoroughly competent, dependable, and more practical than her male partner, Agent 99 often saves their missions from the brink of failure. The pretty and smart character provided an effective foil to Max's frequent fumbles and endearing ineptness.

Edward Platt completes the main cast, playing the ever-exasperated Chief of CONTROL. As the head of the agency, he handles the demanding task of directing Max and 99 on their various assignments and holding the fort against KAOS, an international organization of evil that is the main antagonist of the story. The dynamic between the clever, strategic Chief and the often clueless yet lucky Agent 86 is at the center of many laughs throughout the show.

Get Smart puts a comical spin on the Cold War political scenario and the spy thriller dramas it inspired, offering a satirical look at the bizarre circumstances and political intrigues that can prevail in the world of espionage. Each episode is filled with tongue-in-cheek humor, slapstick comedy, and often surprisingly deft satire.

The show pushes beyond the limitations of regular sitcoms by serialization of some plots, and yet every episode can be enjoyed as an independent entity. It uses a unique blend of sight gags, humorous dialogue, and physical comedy to keep audiences entertained.

The set designs, props and overall aesthetics of Get Smart are emblematically sixties-style, adding a distinctive charm to the series. The inventive use of omnipresent yet hidden gadgets such as a shoe phone and cone of silence became popular trademarks of the series, adding elements of surprise and humor to each episode.

The show stands apart in the pantheon of classic television due to the excellent chemistry between Don Adams and Barbara Feldon, intriguing and quirky spy stories, and a unique comedic approach. It presents an amusing parody of the serious spy genre and has a successful formulae combining adventure, espionage, and comedy.

Get Smart was critically acclaimed and garnered exceptional viewer popularity, running five successful seasons. Adams' comedic talent and his famous catchphrases still echo in popular culture. The show won seven Emmy Awards and is often referred to as a cornerstone of spy spoof franchises.

It was not merely a sitcom but an ingenious cocktail of slapstick, satire, and suspense served with a side of cold war-era absurdity. It was and remains much more than a television show; it is a hallmark of an era and an enduring symbol of television's capacity for innovation, creativity, and light-hearted fun. Through its legendary run on CBS from 1965 to 1970, Get Smart has left an indelible mark on television comedy and has inspired a host of other creations in the spy satire genre.