# The Prisoner **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 20, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883 "2003-01-20T23:18:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/21 "2003-01-21T12:44:10Z")
The semi-official Prisoner page is at [http://www.netreach.net/~sixofone/](http://www.netreach.net/~sixofone/) ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/22 "2003-01-21T13:37:05Z")
The entire series (including the alternate version of Chimes of Big Ben) is avaialble on DVD. I also saw a few episodes on PBS years ago. Though my best chance of seeing the whole thing was to buy the series. And a relatively cheap series to start my collection. Next up: Babylon 5 (the PsiCorp’s saying “be seeing you” IS an homage) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/23 "2003-01-21T14:53:39Z")
My favorite episode is probably “Skitzoid Man”, were they try to convince #6 that he is really an agent of the village, impersonating himself in order to drive the real #6 insane. Although I have fond memories of the alternative Western episode, where they use a _totally different_ opening sequence to the rest of the series - when I first saw it on TV, I was sure they were playing the wrong program. What a mind-mess that was. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/24 "2003-01-21T15:13:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \* > \*\*I suspect purists would hate me, but I like the less weird episodes – “Hammer into Anvil”, “Chimes of Big Ben”, “Arrival”, and “The Girl Who Was Death” \*\* You _didn’t_ think “The Girl Who was Death” was one of the weirder episodes? That one was so wonderfully loopy, especially the exploding cricket ball and the “You Have Just Been Poisoned” pint glass and when McGoohan rolls his eyes while saying “The lighthouse _is the missile_” along with the mad scientist (and you can tell he’s a mad scientist because he’s dressed up like Napoleon), as if to say “Yes, of course the lighthouse is the missile…we are, after all, in a 1968 television spy show.” “Hammer into Anvil” is my fave episode. I love the final line: “No…YOU are.” ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/25 "2003-01-21T15:47:18Z")
“Many Happy Returns” I almost _cried_ when I saw that one. What a show! I agree with **CalMeacham** , the episodes I enjoyed the most were the ones that were straightforeward on the surface, but had the underlying tension. And that trampoline judo/boxing/game, wow, anyone every tempted to figure out the rules and play that? I think that the final episode was thrown together in order to end the series within time/budget constraints. I have no cite for this, just a gut feeling. It does not mesh well with the preceding stories and it left a foul taste in my mouth. I reccomend to anyone who has not yet seen it, rent all the episodes, but DO NOT watch #17. It was actually more enjoyable anticipating it than sitting through it. I have a dream of taking my wife to the actual “Village” for one of our anniversaries. She has never seen, and knows nothing about the show, and it would be interesting to see if she catches on to all the weird references and catch-phrases. Then again that would be too cruel, I’d be worse than Number 2. Boy, there’s an idea for a cool tour company! Start by gassing through the keyhole and your client just wakes uo there! I’d pay for that. Be seeing you. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/26 "2003-01-21T15:49:30Z")
> [@](#): > > You didn’t think “The Girl Who was Death” was one of the weirder episodes? Nope. And it says a lot about the series that I can call the episode you describe one of the less weird ones – by which I mean, I suppose, “more accessible”. As a counterexample, consider the lest two episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/27 "2003-01-21T15:58:55Z")
I always thought **The New Number Two** would be a good board username. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/28 "2003-01-21T16:01:27Z")
After hearing about the show for the longest time I purchased the DVD set a year or two ago and found it to be one of the most rivitting television programs I’ve ever seen. The only way someone couldn’t get into the show, I think, is if they aren’t able to see past the sixties production values. Favorite episode would have to be Many Happy Returns. Sure, we knew it had to be a trick since we still had half the episodes left but it was a cruel ending in a series packed with cruel endings. I know there are a few problems with the episode order chosen for the DVD set but it at least seemed reasonable to me. The groupings seemed more focussed on the style of episode with some considderation given to the ones that have direct links like A, B, and C and The General (though there are decent arguments on both sides for which one of those two should be first). I doubt that any episode order would be lacking in contradictions but then it’s all likely a plot on the part of the Village… ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/29 "2003-01-21T16:06:00Z")
Some guy named Cecil Adams is definitely **not** a fan: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_022c.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_022c.html) ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/30 "2003-01-21T17:05:10Z")
I’ve got the [complete DVD set](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005NKCQ/qid=1043168396/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/103-0485984-4141458) of all the episodes. It’s really fun to sit down and watch them one after another (well, over the space of a few days), to see how the plot develops. What a bizarre, imaginative show! Here’s a link to the resort where the series was filmed: [http://www.portmeirion.wales.com/](http://www.portmeirion.wales.com/). There’s some good stuff about The Prisoner on there, too. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/31 "2003-01-21T18:09:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Achren \* > \*\*I went to IMBD - I felt sorry for Patrick McGoohan.[He’s listed as Number 6](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0061287) \*\* Well, we are never told the character’s real name in the series; “Number 6” is the only name he is ever known by. Of course, most Prisoner fans are of the opinion that his real name is John Drake. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/32 "2003-01-21T19:42:36Z")
I thought the credits always referred to him as “The Prisoner” (I’d think IMDB would at least give it as an alternate name) and technically, he (McGoohan) played Number 1. I’d agree the “The Girl Who Was Death” is not one of the strange episodes. It’s so straightforward, you could probably show it to kids and they’d get it … Rover was originally supposed to be a little car (like a lunar rover, maybe more similar to Mars Pathfinder) but I think they lost control and it sank, so they switched to the balloon. Does anyone else own the four-part graphic novel (made as a ‘sequel’)? ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/33 "2003-01-21T19:56:56Z")
No.2: “Are you going to run?” No.6: “Like the blazes; first chance I get.” No.2: “I mean, run for office?” –Free For All ---
**Author:** ![NE\_Texan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e99b99/32.png) [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/34 "2003-01-21T20:02:59Z")
The Prisoner was one of my all-time faves. Along with Blake’s 7, and Babylon 5. I guess I have this thing for quirky SF shows with great dialogue. On the one hand, it’s a shame that there were only 17 episodes. On the other hand, I’m not certain how long the gimmick could have lasted in any case - but damn, I would like a few more episodes. There was also a Prisoner book by Thomas Disch that was kind of confusing. It wasn’t obvious if this was supposed to be an alternate storyline to the Prisoner, or a prequel or sequel. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/35 "2003-01-21T20:29:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by panamajack \* > Does anyone else own the four-part graphic novel (made as a ‘sequel’)? Yes; it’s in a box somewhere. A bit disappointing, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/36 "2003-01-21T23:42:16Z")
_“Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones…”_ That song still sits just over the horizon of my brain. TV ---
**Author:** ![Forbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@Forbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Forbin)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/37 "2003-01-22T01:46:29Z")
Musically, the use of dissonent chord was good. Every time something bad or unexpected happened that “nails on the chalkboard” sound would happen. Open a cupboard? It’s filled with _Village Foods_ in cans. \ And whimsical music too. How about a silly, bombastic rendition of “Pop Goes the Weasel”? Sure. No problem. “Hammer into Anvil” is one of my faves too, as is “A, B, or C”. ---
**Author:** ![Nuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea666f/32.png) [@Nuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nuke)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/38 "2003-01-22T01:57:31Z")
When me and my wife were visiting my wife’s sister in Wales, we went to Portmeirion where the exterior shots of “The Prisoner” were filmed. Really weird, it looks exactly the same today. There’s even a little store that sells Prisoner stuff inthe same building where Number 6 was supposed to live. Cool place! 😃 “I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered.” ---
**Author:** ![FranticMad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c68b51/32.png) [@FranticMad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FranticMad)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/39 "2003-01-22T02:47:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nuke \* > \*\* we went to Portmeirion where the exterior shots of “The Prisoner” were filmed. \*\* Me too, twice. But I also just love north Wales. The castles, pubs, hills, sheep, bed-and-breakfasts. But don’t tell anyone or everyone will want to visit and ruin the place. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883/40 "2003-01-22T04:19:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Malthus \* > \*\*Any other Prisoner fans out there? … \*\* Yes! Also a fan of Franz Kafka and Eugene Ionesco. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prisoner/149883.md?page=3)