The Prisoner. Is it Important

[Meds]

With only 17 episodes to it's name The Prisoner was cut short in it's prime. Or was it? In my opinion this amazing and ground breaking programme should only have run to 12 episodes. Patrick McGoohan the actor who at one time was Englands highest paid TV star originally intended that the series should only be short. He was tired of doing Danger man and had no intention on doing another lengthy TV series. But as is with every TV programme if it is becomes a success, then  in the producers eyes  more programmes are demanded. McGoohan along with George Markstein created a programme that i believe saw into the future as Star Trek did. The first episode 'Arrival' captures the viewer with it's quiet scary ambiance while dealing you the unexpected blows of sudden action mixed with every day noise (a chime of the village clock awakening the village says it all). So is it important? For me yes. The show has heart, intrigue, action and dedication and that is what for me makes a great programme. It is a shame that last year Granada along with Sky cancelled it's plan to remake the programme. A few people demanded that the show be left alone, but me, no. I'm all for it being remade or even re-invisioned. You only have to look at TNG to see how a good a upgrade can be. sadly this looks like it will never happen. Patrick McGoohan has write a script but it seems the Big companies don't want to touch it, why should they when they can make cheap reality TV programmes that amazingly seem to win awards. If you think The Prisoner is a important programme in the world of Sci Fi (for that is what it is, big white alien style balls chasing you can't be from a Jane Austin novel) please let me know.

[Rico]

Hawkeye - I just love "The Prisoner."  It's such a great series about psychology, and man vs. the state and oppression.  Very Trek-like in many ways.  McGoohan did such a great job on that series and I love the theme music and setting.  I need to talk about it on a podcast sometime.  "I am not a number.  I am a man!"

Great, great stuff and a very important series I think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14eUKogPF7s

[Duffster]

Man , when I was a kid those giant bubbles scared me to death!!! I do love this show though, one of my favorites.

[Ktrek]

Man , when I was a kid those giant bubbles scared me to death!!! I do love this show though, one of my favorites.

Me too! I love the show but as a kid it kind of spooked me and was somewhat confusing. It was a great sequel to Danger Man and Secret Agent Man. I always have loved spy shows and movies.

I agree that it probably could not have gone on longer than it did, but what episodes were done are some of the most creative ever on television. Way way ahead of it's time.

Kevin

[jedijeff]

I really enjoyed this show as well, and it has been a long time since I have seen it. Since it has been so long since I have seen it, I would just like to see it again, don't really need to see an updated version of it. Part of why I liked it, was the time it was filmed in, and at least for me, got me really into the story. If they modernized it, it might take me out of the story. I liked that it was so short, and every episode counted. That would be cool if Rico covered The Prisoner on the podcast some time.

[Amar]

"I am not a number.  I am a man!"

"I am not a number, I'm a free man!"

Not to be a nitpicker.

Amar

[Rico]

"I am not a number.  I am a man!"

"I am not a number, I'm a free man!"

Not to be a nitpicker.

Amar

Did it from memory.  Been awhile since I watched.  Plus, I'm not quite sure he said it exactly the same way each time.  Not to be a nitpicker.  ;)

[Meds]

Ha Ha, He only said " I am not a number i am a free man "  it at the beginning of each episode, well not every episode i think he said it in 14 out of the 17. I think a Prisoner podcast from you Rico would be absolutely amazing. They have just released the 40th Anniversary DVD box set which is worth picking up as the negative has been cleaned up and looks great.
"I will not be pushed, Filed, Stamped, Indexed, Briefed, De-Briefed or numbered. My Life is my own."
Portmerion in Wales (UK) near Portmadog where they filmed the series is a wonderful place to visit if anyone wonders over to Britain. The only thing is, is that when you visit it the place is very small, so it does show how the TV makes things look bigger. I had to make my own blazer with white piping not long ago for a themed party as i could not get hold of one that looked authentic. I've still got it so i may go for a run on the beach and drag a ball behind me.

[Rico]

Yes, I know he said that line in the opening of the shows.  But he also said lines like that throughout the series when he was being questioned, etc.  The basic idea is of course he won't be thought of just as a number.  He fought the system.  By the way, I loved how the series ended.  I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I always thought that was rather unique.

I'll look into that boxed DVD set.  I have the series on good old VHS tape still.  ;)

[sheldor]

This was a great show.   There are quite a few shows I would like to see come back in reruns.

[Locutus]

Terrific show, and very influential.

There was an episode of SciFi's "I-Man" based on "The Prisoner" where they sent the retired spies to an idyllic village. They have had 'The Prisoner" spoofs on "The Simpsons"; one even featured McGoohan's voice, I think. There have been other "Prisoner" sightings in other shows:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061287/movieconnections

There were only to be six (or eight, I forget) episodes at first, but the network wanted 21. McGoohan managed to wheedle them down to 16, but the final episode stayed the final episode the entire time. That was how he wanted the show to end from the beginning.

[Meds]

Well Once Upon a Time was made Leo Mckern had a small breakdown after filming. When you watch the episode you can see the powerful performance of both actors and how mush stress must have been on both f them. McGoohan wrote this episode and when it came to filming it was decided to make several more episodes. McKern Left to recover and continue his career but in the mean time he shaved off his beard and this is the reason during the fall out film we see the old number 2 having a strange recovery scenario so we can see the new look. The Prisoner is a fight against yourself, hence the ending. And staying with Rico's rule of not spoiling it for anyone check the entire series out and judge for yourself. According to various reports from several Prisoner fan clubs it is not a sequel to Danger Man, but not so long ago Pat McGoohan said the character could well be that of John Drake.
And the ending for me was brilliant. When it was first shown Pat had to leave England for Switzerland because of the uproar, which is good for one point (always good to get any reaction from your writing) but bad from the point we lost him from our shores. Future Prisoner related nod to the series comes in several Colombo episodes that McGoohan wrote, directed and starred in, The Simpson's  (good call Locutus) and the BBC spoof The Laughing Prisoner starring Jools Holland and the great Stephen Fry.
Meds

[jedijeff]

According to various reports from several Prisoner fan clubs it is not a sequel to Danger Man, but not so long ago Pat McGoohan said the character could well be that of John Drake.

Was that series know as Secret Agent Man as well? I remember McGoohan was in that as well, and thought that The Prisoner might have been loosley based off of it.

[Meds]

Yeah Jeff it was know as Secret Agent man in the US and you had a different set of titles and theme music but here it was known as  Danger man in the UK. There was a total of 86 episodes. Season 1 had 39 black and white 30 min episodes which i don't think were available in America at the time due to a failed sale deal. Lew Grade head of ITC commissioned a new series and sold it to America, Season 2 had 32 black and white 60 minute episodes, Season 3 had 13 black and white episodes and finally concluded with Season 4's 2 colour 60 minute episodes. The character of John Drake is very similar to that of Number 6 and what is interesting is that a lot of the production staff and actors who appeared in The Prisoner were also involved in Danger man. One obvious character is that of 'Potter' played by Christopher Benjamin. He appeared as Drakes contact man in Season 4's Koroshi / Shinda Shima episodes and turns up in The Prisoners 'The Girl who was Death episode under the same name. One trivia fact is that in the Girl who was Death episode the countdown sequence that triggers the rocket was stock footage taken from Thunderbirds. The cheeky little borrowers.

[Locutus]

Ah, Thunderbirds.

I remember watching other series - Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.

That one was fun, too.