I want to tell people (non-smartians) about the show. How's this?
In 1965 the cold war was made a little warmer and a lot funnier due in part to the efforts of an inept, underpaid, overzealous spy: Maxwell Smart, Agent 86. The hit comedy series 'Get Smart' is the creation of comic geniuses Buck Henry and Mel Brooks. Henry teamed with Brooks to create what has undoubtedly become one of the finest parody/satires of all time.
The project seemed headed for success from the start: ABC had green lighted it based on the strength of the concept, and they had an actor already under contract to play Smart. Brooks was approached to write the pilot. As he was looking for a way to finance his new movie The Producers, he agreed. Deemed "not funny", the initial script was rejected by ABC. Undaunted, the production team shopped the script around and NBC accepted it with one minor change. They wanted Don Adams in the title role. And so, an unlikely legend was born.
Set in Washington, D.C., the show features Agent 86 Maxwell Smart , his boss The Chief , Smart's partner and later wife Agent 99 and a host of other agents both good and evil. Perhaps one of the most important elements of the show is the gadgetry created to help Smart in his quest to keep the free world free. On this show, anything including the kitchen sink can be a phone, a tape recorder, a camera or weapon. Looking for an Agent? Check under your seat cushion. Want a weapon? Try your finger-gun. Need to make a phone call? Open up that bologna sandwich.
The show was painted in the broadest of strokes and played every moment for its own delightful reality. In order to give the agents of CONTROL, a series of worthy opponents, KAOS was created. Smart and 99 battled the likes of Mr. Big, The Claw, and Siegfried. On the homefront, Max and 99 had a relationship that developed as the show ran and eventually they married. 99 soon gave birth to twinsa boy and a girl and the Smart family and the show began to experience some growing pains. Get Smart ran from 1965 through 1970 on both NBC and CBS. For one month in 1995 FOX attempted to bring the series back with some changes; Max as the Chief, 99 as a Congresswoman, and the Smart twins were now inexplicably only one child. Despite the lack of success experienced by the sequel, Get Smart remains a favorite by agents and civilians alike.
Get Smart has a wide range of hilarious quotes including,
"Sorry about that, Chief." Said by Max to Mainly the Chief after bumping up again, quite commonly after banging his fish on the ashtray on the CHief’s desk, causing a spray of cigarettes over him.
"Missed it by that much." Said by Max.
"Would you believe...", a more complex one that signals a form of inverted Inflationary Dialogue. For example:
Max: At the moment, seven Coast Guard cutters are converging on us. Would you believe it? Seven.
Villain: I find that hard to believe.
Max: Would you believe six?
Villain: I don't think so.
Max: How about two cops in a rowboat?
In one late episode, it was subverted in that the Chief actually HAD surrounded the building with CONTROL agents!
"Of course! It's X! It's obvious it's X! Uh, just one question, Chief... What is X?
At one point, the Chief actually recites that last part with him! Max
"insulting crack about x”; Punch! Punch! Punch! Uh Oh...; "I hope I wasn't out of line with that insulting crack about x comment..."-Max
following a statement like "We'll be in mortal danger every second of this mission." "...and loving it." Said by Max to the Chief after he is issued his latest mission Usually suicide mission.
"Oh, Max..."by 99, usually in a disappointed or dismayed tone after Max has fouled up yet again.
"That's the second biggestwhatever I've ever seen."Max
"99, don't tell me something bad has happened or is about to happen" "Statement of that explicit thing which has happened or is about to happen.” "I asked you not to tell me that, 99."By Max
"Zis is KAOS. Ve do not onomatopoeia here!" By Siegfried Max’s greatest, bitter enemy, by also friend with a certain code of conduct. Usually said by Siegfried to Sharker, his henchman, like for example:
99: How can you move around an island this size?
Siegfried: I don't suppose you've seen the back of this island, have you?
Maxwell Smart: No, why?
Siegfried: We have the biggest outboard motor you ever saw!
Starker: The biggest!
imitates motor sound
Siegfried: Starker! This is KAOS! We don't
imitates same sound but much duller
Siegfried: here!
"If you don't mind, I'd like to handle this, 99." Followed by a repetition of whatever she just suggested. Said by Max, after she suggests a good plan for the mission.
after an Expodump "Would you mind repeating that last bit?", "Which bit?", "That bit after 'Ok, now listen here, Max...'" Guess who said it!
"Of course, the old incredibly specific description of what just happened trick!" Said by Max (Of course)
"That's the second time I'veor 'they've' fallen for that this month/week/year!" -Max
Variants of the following conversation:
Max: Wait a minute, chief. Isn't this classified information?
The Chief: Yes, Max.
Max: Shouldn't we activate the Cone of Silence?
The Chief: Max, do we have to?
Common responses from Max being "I demand the Cone of Silence!" and reminding the Chief about CONTROL regulations.The joke, of course, is that the Cone of Silence never works properly. Except once... and the Chief is trapped inside it at the time, so no one can hear him when he yells for help!
after a KAOS agent meets a karmic death: "If only he used his talents for good/niceness, instead of evil." -Maxwell Smart.
Thank you!