In the world of classic TV, there are some shows that manage to hit the perfect blend of humor, charm, and cultural timing. Get Smart is one of those shows. Created by comedy giants Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, Get Smart premiered in 1965 during the height of spy mania. James Bond was all the rage, espionage films were everywhere, and everyone loved the idea of secret agents with their cool gadgets. But Brooks and Henry saw a chance to do something different. Rather than going the “cool” route, they decided to take it in the exact opposite direction: ridiculous, slapstick, and self-aware. And somehow, it worked.
How Get Smart Came to Be
Imagine this: Mel Brooks and Buck Henry pitch their idea to ABC. They’ve cooked up a spoof on all the super-serious spy stories dominating TV and film at the time, and they’re ready to get it on air. But ABC wasn’t convinced. The humor was too offbeat, too silly for them, so they passed on it. Lucky for us, NBC took a shot on the show, and the rest is history.
The idea was pure gold: take the usual spy setup, give it absurd gadgets and impossible scenarios, then throw in an agent who’s more clueless than cunning. The concept of a bumbling secret agent was groundbreaking in a world where spies were supposed to be suave and serious. Get Smart pulled it off brilliantly, showing that a hero could save the day even if he missed it by… well, that much.
Meet Maxwell Smart, the Least “Smart” Agent
Agent 86, also known as Maxwell Smart, became an instant TV icon. Played by Don Adams, Max was confident but completely oblivious—he’d charge headfirst into disaster without a second thought, somehow coming out on top by pure accident. Adams’s deadpan delivery and catchphrases like “Would you believe…?” and “Sorry about that, Chief” became part of the show’s charm. This wasn’t just slapstick; it was smart (no pun intended) humor that made you root for Max even though he messed up 90% of the time.
And then there was Agent 99, played by Barbara Feldon. In many ways, 99 was the real brains of the operation. She was capable, always several steps ahead, and usually the one who had to rescue Max from his own blunders. Their dynamic was something special, especially at a time when female characters didn’t always get the credit they deserved. Feldon gave 99 a cool confidence and subtle wit that made her the ideal partner for Max’s mayhem.
Gadgets, Villains, and Everything in Between
Get Smart had some of the most iconic gadgets in TV history. You had the Cone of Silence (which never actually worked), Max’s shoe phone (pre-cellphone era!), and a whole range of other devices that seemed almost magical… until they failed spectacularly. Each gadget was a loving jab at the super-spy genre’s over-the-top tech, showing us that sometimes simpler is better.
And then there was KAOS (which stood for … nothing. The team just thought that it, and Max’s organization, CONTROL, sounded catchy for spy agencies), the villains’ organization that couldn’t have been more delightfully incompetent if they’d tried. Just like Max, KAOS agents were always stumbling over their own plans, leading to one mishap after another. It was a classic good-versus-evil setup but done with such irreverence that you couldn’t help but laugh along with both sides.
A Critical and Commercial Success
Get Smart was a huge success, winning seven Emmys and proving that comedy could hold its own in a world obsessed with spies and suspense. After it wrapped in 1970, Get Smart inspired several reboots and even a movie in 2008 starring Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway. Though these versions never quite captured the magic of the original, they’re proof of just how much this show struck a chord with audiences.
And really, the legacy of Get Smart is in how it paved the way for other shows to take risks, especially when it came to poking fun at popular genres. Without Get Smart, we might not have Austin Powers, The Naked Gun, or a whole host of other comedies that are all about laughing at our own seriousness.
Years later, Get Smart is still a gem. Its humor feels timeless, and its playful take on the spy world still makes us smile. And maybe that’s the secret to its lasting appeal: while it poked fun at a high-stakes world, it also had heart. Get Smart showed us that sometimes the most heroic thing you can do is laugh at your mistakes and keep moving forward ... and if you're lucky, you have an Agent 99 who has your back!
