Today marks the 55th anniversary of a significant moment in television history: the airing of the final episode of Get Smart on CBS-TV on September 11, 1970. The beloved spy-comedy series, which blended sharp wit, slapstick humor, and Cold War satire, concluded its five-season run, leaving behind a legacy that continues to influence comedic television.
You can find Get Smart on Amazon HERE.
Get Smart, created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, premiered on NBC on September 18, 1965, and quickly became a cultural phenomenon. The show followed the misadventures of Maxwell Smart, Agent 86 (played by Don Adams), a bumbling but well-meaning secret agent for CONTROL, a fictional U.S. intelligence agency. Alongside his partner, Agent 99 (Barbara Feldon), and under the exasperated leadership of the Chief (Edward Platt), Max tackled the evil forces of KAOS, a rival organization bent on world domination. The series was a parody of the spy genre, poking fun at James Bond and other espionage tropes with absurd gadgets, clever catchphrases like “Would you believe…?”, and Max’s iconic shoe phone.
The show’s humor, rooted in Brooks’ and Henry’s sharp writing, combined physical comedy with witty dialogue, making it a hit with audiences. Over its 138-episode run, Get Smart earned seven Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series in 1968 and 1969, and cemented Don Adams’ place as a comedy legend. Its blend of satire and silliness resonated during the Cold War era, offering a lighthearted take on serious geopolitical tensions.
Initially airing on NBC for four seasons, Get Smart moved to CBS for its fifth and final season in 1969–1970. The final episode, “I Am Curiously Yellow,” aired on September 11, 1970, and saw Max grappling with a KAOS plot involving a hypnotic device. While the episode tied up the season’s arcs, it left fans wanting more, as Max and 99, now married with twins, faced new challenges balancing espionage and family life. Despite solid ratings, CBS canceled the show, citing high production costs and a shift in network priorities.
The cancellation marked the end of an era, but Get Smart’s influence endured. The series spawned a 1980 feature film, The Nude Bomb, a 1989 TV movie, Get Smart, Again!, and a 1995 revival series. Its humor inspired later shows like The Simpsons and Archer, and its catchphrases remain part of pop culture lexicon. The 2008 film adaptation, starring Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway, introduced Max and 99 to a new generation, though fans still hold the original series as the gold standard.
Reflecting on its legacy, Get Smart remains a masterclass in blending satire with heart. As we commemorate the 55th anniversary of its finale, fans can revisit the series on streaming platforms, laughing once more at Max’s bumbling heroics and 99’s cool competence. In a world that often takes itself too seriously, Get Smart reminds us to embrace the absurd—and maybe check our shoes for incoming calls.
You can find Get Smart on Amazon HERE.
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