Number 6: "I am not a number........I am a free man!" Number 2: "Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha.........." Has anyone watched this cult-t.v. show?. It was filmed in 1966-1967 in Portmerion in North Wales & was about a secret service agent whom upon 'resigning' is kidnapped & taken to a control-island called: 'The Village'.There, the captors, try to 'break' him but 'Number 6' refuses to give in & constanly frustrates them with acts of rebellion & escape plans.Some fans believe that the no.6 character was meant to be: 'John Drake' the character that Patrick McGoohan had previously portrayed in 'Danger Man' (U.S.:'Secret Agent'). 'The Prisoner' first premiered in Britain on ATV in October 1967 in a Sunday early evening time-slot.It aired in the U.S.A. in 1968. It proved to be a financial disaster for executive producer/star Patrick McGoohan but a subsequent 'revival' of the series in 1976 -led to it's re-discovery & current 'cult-status'. It must rate as a good candidate for a hippie's 'head' t.v. series with it's surrealism & 1960's kitsch. It's possibly the most ambiguous & surreal t.v. show of the 1960s.
I LOVE 'The Prisoner'! (My sig comes from a 'Simpsons' parody of the show.) I especially like the one's with Leo McKern in 'One Upon A Time' and 'Fallout'. Psycho television at its finest! Would anyone like to discuss these crazy two last episodes? Why is it when he finally see's #1, he see's himself?
the knee bone is connected to the... thigh bone.... The Prisoner was/is amazing.... so bizarre.... so bafflingly intriguing... great stuff!
Hi - I love The Prisoner too. Last year my father banished me to my room for some indiscretion. He did me a favour, as I was forced to watch a re-run of a 60s programme I'd never seen before. It was The Prisoner. I've been hooked. I think Patrick McGoohan was a tremendous talent. I lost all respect for him as an actor, however, when he accepted a part in Mel Gibson's sackload of shit movie, Braveheart. However, back then he was fantastic. I read that when he starred in the 60s spy drama Dangerman ( before The Prisoner ) he was asked to be the first James Bond. He refused the part because he had to carry a gun in the part and he felt that was an irresponsible action. Children might have been influenced. He did have an integrity then which, I'm sad to say got lost among the countless episodes of Columbo and ended in his dismal Braveheart appearance. Fall Out was a classic. Surreal, quirky, stylistic and brilliant. I think Number One WAS The Prisoner. McGoohan was telling us that we are all actually prisoners of our own mind, fears and attitudes in life. Freedom is found only when we are true to ourselves.... WOW how did I get so deep? It's just a TV programme for goodness sakes :&
That is a good analysis, Hieronymous. When I watched The Prisoner I found it very complex, and although it was stylish, I was warded off by my lack of understanding. I think it's one of these very rare and clever TV programmes that can be watched again through the years. Incidentally, and this is off subject slightly, I was wondering why you didn't like Braveheart. There are certain things I didn't like about it, either. As an action film, it was OK. As a history film, it was disgraceful.
I really really wanna watch it, I've been meaning to watch it for ages now but I have never got the chance, I might buy the DVD box set.
Thanks everyone. I watched 'The Girl Who Was Death' (Episode #15-premiered January 1968)the other night. I know that this was one of the weaker sub-plot episodes but It remains my favourite 'Prisoner' episode.
Watched the series twice over, with repeats, still dont understand the big white balloons! (how were they supposed to work?) I have been to Portmerion though!
I haven't seen this in years. They use to run it really late at night on tv in New York, like after i'd get home from drinking when I was kinda young and still drinking too much. it was weird and trippy and quite cool. also loved the simpson's parody of it as it's so cultish and obscure it was sort of cool they did do a parody of it at all.
