Mission: Impossible

Right now you can watch Mission: Impossible in Australia on Paramount Plus and Foxtel Now, and in the US on Paramount Plus Premium and Peacock Premium — and it earns its twists rather than manufacturing them. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. With 10,065 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Tom Cruise anchors it, but the writing does the real work. Available now on Paramount Plus — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Mission: Impossible is worth clearing space for. The plotting gives Mission: Impossible its backbone, but it is the characters you come back for. When Ethan Hunt, the leader of a crack espionage team whose perilous operation has gone awry with no explanation, discovers that a mole has penetrated the CIA, he's surprised to learn that he's the prime suspect. To clear his name, Hunt now must ferret out the real double agent and, in the process, even the score. The writing gets a boost from Tom Cruise and Jon Voight, who sell every scene they're in. Mission: Impossible came out in 1996. The plot mechanics of Mission: Impossible never overwhelm the human cost underneath them. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

If you cannot walk away from a good mystery, Mission: Impossible will keep you hooked. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Watch Tom Cruise work — it is a masterclass in the genre. Few crime dramas earn their twists this consistently.