# RIP Patrick McGoohan **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 14, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-patrick-mcgoohan/481286 "2009-01-14T17:41:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-patrick-mcgoohan/481286/41 "2009-01-16T15:49:17Z")
Thanks. [Imdb.com](http://Imdb.com) does not list the cause of his death either. Seems odd. Normally, there’s not much controversy about an 80-year-old man getting sick and dying, is be? BTW: I see he was married to his only wife for 57 years. Makes me think of the current thread on celebriries’ lengthy first marriages. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-patrick-mcgoohan/481286/42 "2009-01-16T20:44:43Z")
> [@zagloba](#): > > The entire 1967 series of The Prisoner can now be watched [online](http://www.amctv.com/originals/the-prisoner-1960s-series/). I’ve been watching them, and suddenly realized that: 1) the episodes listed in order of broadcast are definitely not in proper chronological order; and 2) it might be impossible to ever put them in proper chronological order. There seem to be internal contradictions. I guess that’s appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-patrick-mcgoohan/481286/43 "2009-01-16T21:05:12Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > I’ve been watching them, and suddenly realized that: 1) the episodes listed in order of broadcast are definitely not in proper chronological order; and 2) it might be impossible to ever put them in proper chronological order. There seem to be internal contradictions. I guess that’s appropriate. Episode order: > **[List of The Prisoner episodes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_Prisoner_episodes)** > > The Prisoner is an allegorical British science fiction television series starring Patrick McGoohan. A single season of 17 episodes was filmed between September 1966 and January 1968. The first episode in the UK aired in September 1967, although the global premiere was in Canada several weeks earlier. The series was released in the US in June 1968. > With the production order being different from the original broadcast order, extensive debate has taken place among dedicated fans regarding the "... Have fun! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-patrick-mcgoohan/481286/44 "2009-01-16T21:33:38Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Agree with the first sentence, not so sure about the second. > > Even though, as I said, I was very impressed with him when I was a teenager, as an adult it strikes me that he didn’t have much range as an actor. In most of the roles I’ve seen he was rather stiff and mannered, sort of stagey. In cases like _The Prisoner_ and _Danger Man_ that worked. In a few of the Danger Man episodes, his cover was something servile, like a butler to the villain. Drake’s rage at having to put up with this is just barely under the surface occasionally erupting, and seems to me a fine piece of acting. Certainly more subtle than his rage as Number 6, which he didn’t have to hide. ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-patrick-mcgoohan/481286/45 "2009-01-16T21:56:23Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > I’ve been watching them, and suddenly realized that: 1) the episodes listed in order of broadcast are definitely not in proper chronological order; They were also broadcast in different orders in the UK and North America. In the UK they were shown in roughly the order they were filmed in. In the US (and Canada?), they went in what someone decided was a more coherent order. For what it’s worth, I believe the Prisoner DVD set arranges them in the North American order. > [@](#): > > 1. it might be impossible to ever put them in proper chronological order. There seem to be internal contradictions. I guess that’s appropriate. There are, and it probably is. The episodes were written by several different writers, off on their own, working in parallel and not necessarily communicating with each other, or knowing where in the series their episodes would go. As an example, the Number Two in episode _A, B, and C_ returns for _The General_. We’re given to believe in the first of these that Number Two is facing dire consequences if he fails to deliver the goodies — the download on why Number Six resigned. Will he be demoted? Fired? Something far more gruesome? He certainly acts like he’s in the hot seat. But then he’s back in _The General_, very much alive and employed. Kind of smug in fact. Guess he wasn’t really in trouble after all. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-patrick-mcgoohan/481286/46 "2009-01-17T00:15:49Z")
> [@Bytegeist](#): > > They were also broadcast in different orders in the UK and North America. In the UK they were shown in roughly the order they were filmed in. In the US (and Canada?), they went in what someone decided was a more coherent order. If I remember from the Prisoner book, the penultimate episode, with Leo McKern was filmed earlier and wasn’t originally intended to be be part of the ending. I think they had to refilm some scenes to make it fit. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-patrick-mcgoohan/481286/47 "2009-01-17T22:41:46Z")
RIP , Patric-you were the epitomy of cool in “Secret Agent”. And I like you in the old Disney “Scarecrow of Romney Marsh” series. Godspeed and sleep well. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-patrick-mcgoohan/481286/48 "2009-01-19T15:05:34Z")
Ouch… I missed this until this morning. I wonder what kind of a life he lead… wonder if he’ll _almost_ make it to heaven, only to wind up back in the village again (nods to **TheBoltEater** ). ☹ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-patrick-mcgoohan/481286.md?page=2)