As the recent passing of Mission: Impossible star Peter Graves reminds us, the mid-’60s were surely the heyday of adventure fiction on television. In addition to MI, there were numerous other TV series devoted to action and adventure in the decade—fondly remembered shows such as The Man from UNCLE, T.H.E Cat, It Takes a Thief, The Wild, Wild West, The Fugitive, The Avengers, The Saint, The Prisoner, Secret Agent (aka Danger Man), Amos Burke: Secret Agent, Honey West, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and others. Their characters’ combination of optimism and determination makes them still refreshing and enjoyable today. Various TV networks occasionally try their hand at reviving this tradition, and the time is probably ripe for it given the ability of CGI effects to allow the filming of action scenes at less expense. The new Fox show Human Target (Wednesdays, 8 p.m. EDT) is one of the best attempts thus far. Based on a DC comics character, the show chronicles the adventures of Christopher Chance (Mark Valley), a professional short-term bodyguard who protects people from specific threats. Chance looks to be in his mid to late thirties and is very smart, experienced, resourceful, courageous, and skilled at
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