I have always subscribed to the “add a comma” camp. Number Two’s answer to the question: “Who is Number One?” then becomes
“You are, Number Six.”
instead of
“You are Number Six.”
Sir Rhosis
Since nobody has mentioned it yet, my favorite regular (i.e. relatively straightforward and understandable) episode was always Schizoid Man. The plot is that they psychologically condition Number 6 to believe that he is Number 12, an agent sent to duplicate the “real” Number 6. Of course, they bring in a duplicate to be the Number 6 who the original Number 6 is supposedly duplicating. They purposely make some mistakes so original 6 isn’t a perfect duplicate of himself - e.g. he’s right handed, so they condition him to be left handed, then do a poor job of training him to be right handed again.
The point of the exercise was to make him fight to be Number 6, instead of fighting not to be a number in their system as he usually does. He had to fight for his identity as Number 6, who of course he did not want to be.
In the end, he finds some proof that he is the “real” number 6, gets the rover to kill his duplicate, then attempts to leave the Village as the duplicate. He’s caught by Number 2 for not knowing something the duplicate should have.
The show was also the source for one of the funniest jokes on the Simpsons. Homer arrives at the Village (called the Island in the episode), is greeted by Patrick McGoohan:
PMcG: Welcome friend. I am number 6.
Other Villager: I’m number 15. What number are you?
Homer: I am not a number! I am a free (notices button on jacket) oh wait a minute. I’m number 5. In your face Number 6!
After catching an episode of The Prisoner on BBC America where all I saw was someone on a swing and I think someone else playing a piano in the background, I asked my Welsh-born father, “What the fuck is The Prisoner all about?” And he replied, "Exactly.
I liked your summary and list of visual images, El_Kabong, but have one nitpick:
He’s not in Scotland there. The Prisoner was filmed entirely in England and Wales, and I’d always assumed that he’s driving on an abandoned airfield (much like the one that I learned to drive on myself!) near London. I’ve never been curious enough about it to verify this, but your post got me a’Googlin’…
It turns out that there’s a Web site (not surprisingly) devoted to locations used in The Prisoner, and they identify the most likely candidate for the episode-opening / series-closing location as being Radlett Airfield, just outside St. Albans. This is about 15 miles from where he is next seen crossing Westminster Bridge, although of course there’s no reason to believe that the opening scene is supposed to represent any particular airfield.
Good call on the XXXing out of McGoohan’s ID card and its release into the “Resigned” file drawer. My own favorite part of the opening is the resignation itself, starting with McGoohan purposefully striding down the corridor to the theme tune’s percussive section, flinging open the double doors to the sound of the thundercrash, and slamming his resignation down on the desk (breaking the saucer under the teacup with the second pound on the desk), before storming out. We don’t even get a reaction shot from his boss sitting behind the desk (who was played by George Markstein, co-creator and script editor of the series).
Just once in my life I’d like to resign in such fashion, preferably with at least someone present who gets the reference.
Two saucers.
There was a saucer underneath the first saucer. Look close.
What the hell was up with that?
But did any of you play the computer game?
It was pretty messed up too, had no point and the way to win was to destroy the game… which is literally what they told you to do at the end.
Fun times!! Especially the Jumping Judge and the Hangman.
I remember that game. The way to win was to unplug your computer, iirc.
I liked the game where the stakes kept getting higher and higher until it threatened to format your drive if you lost… :eek: (It didn’t…)
OK, in the interests of Fighting Ignorance Ive just rewatched the opening. There are indeed two objects under the teacup, (a saucer and a bread plate), and it’s the bread plate that breaks. I imagine that The Boss had just had a nice crumpet with his tea and wanted to keep his desk neat.
Watching the scene this closely has just made me aware of something for the first time. I have that very same flatware! It’s Floradora Green by Royal Doulton, now discontinued. Here is a picture of a setting; the bread plate (aka salad plate) – the one that breaks in The Prisoner – is in the top left of the eBay photo. Presumably they used a pre-broken and re-glued plate for filming.
So now, if I’m going to resign from a job McGoohan-style, I’m going to need to persuade an ally to smuggle one of my tea settings into the office just before I storm through the door. Oyyy…
BTW, I think it’s a nice touch that The Boss has got two Mercator-projection world maps behind him, spliced together at the Bering Strait.
I never quite got the ending, but enjoyed all the other episodes.
I classify it as Art That Goes Off The Deep End, but which is still absorbing, entertaining. It works both as art, and as entertainment. The easiest theme to drag out of it is probably the individual struggling against conformity, against an all-powerful state, or society.
Saw the series once, years and years ago, but I still remember things … like No. 6’s greatest escape attempt. Some of the villagers are always sickeningly nice and trying to get him involved in community activities, but he’s always a curmudgeon. But then comes the Art Festival! He decides to participate! He spends half the show working on a brilliant abstract piece of sculpture!
Which turns out the be a functional boat, which he drags to the beach under cover of night … (A metaphor for the show?)
Turns out the Prisoner was Special Security Agent John Drake!! :eek: :eek: :eek:
Okey-doke; thanks for the correction.
In other words, a perfect re-creation of the original show!