I had the great pleasure to broadcast this series at WFLD-TV Chicago in the early 70's when I was working as a summer relief there. I already thought Patrick was amazing in Secret Agent Man, but this continuation of his role broke the mold. You had to pay attention to every action, every syllable to keep track of the story line. The last reel was so fantastic, I went into the attic of the lead-lined building after the last episode aired and ran it again. The conflict, and then cooperation, between Patrick and Leo McKern during the last two episodes was seminal. I've watched the series off and on since, whenever I had the chance. A true masterpiece of television and science fiction, largely due to Patrick McGoohan's unfailing energy and efforts.
If only Patrick McGoohan had lived to see how accurate his predictions were. To all intents and purposes, modern technology has turned the whole world into the Village.
One of the many things I love about The Prisoner is the opening sequence & the wonderfully surreal animated ‘Penny Farthing’ closing credits. I spent many years as a TV news engineer on the green opposite Parliament where our connections box was located right above the ramp McGoohan drives down on his way to hand in his resignation, & often used to look at it, imagining the Lotus Super 7 speeding down to the car park. The use of the Albertus font throughout the series for Village signs, notices etc was an inspired choice, adding yet more brilliantly surreal strangeness to the series!
Wow, that is pretty amazing! I can't imagine what you felt, to be right next to that place!!! Thank you for sharing this! Yes, the show is surreal, and as time goes by and I hear more stories about it, it gets more and more surreal!!!
You've described it perfectly! I still adore the series. It remains one of the finest television programmes of all time. It is art, it's intelligent, it's well constructed, it's innovative, it's beautifully filmed and it's intriguing all at the same time.
I couldn't agree more. This show was way ahead of its time. I feel sorry for the people that see this show as trash. They are blind to something extraordinary.
Great review, many thanks. I know the series well, watched it in 1967/1968 as a teenager on British TV and was bowled over. So innovative and thought provoking. In 1968 I happened to be in London and saw the premier of 2001: A Space Odyssey in Cinerama, another thought provoking classic. What a period.
Wow, thank you so much for your comment. It is astounding to me to hear this from someone who lived those times and saw those masterpieces when they were released. Thank you so much. I am glad you enjoyed the video. P.S. : I promise to talk about Kubrick' master piece soon.
I watched it then also because it was so different. I had a vague idea that it was about the individual and society. You can draw parallels with other favourites of mine in the era, The Fugitive and The Invaders. All about men who fought against society and its representatives.
In terms of actual filming, the Village exterior shots were done so incedibly well. If you’ve been to the location, you see how close evetything is. The series really makes it look much bigger.
One of the things I liked about the show was how futuristic everything seemed. It was only later that I found out that Number Two’s ball-chair was common enough in Sweden, that The Village was a Resort in the UK, that the L shaped phones were a thing, and that the carts were (and are) common enough today.
I recall how spooky it seemed (at the time) when a door would open by itself. And cameras watching all over the place. Things that every corner shop has now. But the way the series combined those elements at the time was masterful.
The fact that the Prisoner himself is #1 is substantiated by more than just his tearing the ape mask off to reveal his own face. In the opening to each episode he asks, "who is #1?" and each #2 replies, "you are, #6." Also, when he makes it back to his flat in the last episode, accompanied by the midget butler (who only serves the seat of power), the front door bears the number "1."
Me neither, I think it could be interepred like that. Or maybe it is like that. At the second or third re-watch of the show, you can see it like that : "You are, #6!". It is a very weird comparisson, but almost like Snape, in the Harry Potter series. After you complete the story and rewatch it again, it has a whole new meaning! I love those type of stories!
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent - Personally, I think it was just Patrick McGoogan messing with our heads. BTW, I'm old enough that I saw "The Prisoner" when it originally aired in the US in the summer of 1968. It was a sensation among the nerd culture in my high school (before that term even existed).
The whole thing makes sense as a psychological metaphor. #6 has spent his adult life as a spy, an identity pressed upon from the outside, but one that he ultimately challenges and resigns from to go his own way. The village is just a scale model of the world he lives in, all the other people, and all his ordeals are just different aspects of his character to be dealt with. In the end, he is forced to regress through the memories of his life like some sort of warped therapy session, then faced with the Jungian challenge of stepping through his own shadow when he meets #1, to discover he is only a prisoner to himself. The knowledge sets him free.
One could argue that THE PRISONER was very first 'mini-series' on television. It was conceived as a one-off series, with a fixed number of episodes (expanded from 7 episodes to 17 to satisfy the demands of the producers), and never to be repeated. The 2009 reboot with Ian McKellen pales in comparison to the original.
Possibly my favorite 3 seconds of this series comes from fallout. When number two is going down the circular elevator, he turns to the camera and addresses the viewer and says" be seeing you". That'll probably be my last words when I leave this planet.
"Be seeing you" was one of the shows catchphrases. Everyone in "the village" says it as a way of bidding each other "Goodbye," "Good day," "Good night," etc. However, it's really a silly thing for everybody to say, because, like Number 6, the main character, they are all prisoners, so they have to keep "be seeing" each other, since there's no place else to go. Speaking of Number 6, while his real name is never mentioned, some fans of "The Prisoner" have a theory that since he's played by Patrick McGoohan and he's a former secret agent, then he must be John Drake, McGoohan's character in his previous series, "Secret Agent." This may be true. In fact, a clue can be found in the latter show's theme song, "Secret Agent Man," which became a hit record for singer Johnny Rivers. Remember that the lyrics to the song's chorus went like this: "🎶Secret agent man, secret agent man; 🎶 They've given you a number, and taken away your name." 🎶 That's exactly what happens to Number 6 and the other prisoners in "the village." The ones in charge have given them all numbers and have taken away their names.
@@michaelpalmieri7335 Yes and this is the last time "be seeing you" is said in the series. If you pick up in John wick the phrase is used quite a few times. I'm sure it's a reference to the prisoner. It's more than just a goodbye greeting, get a company's a hand gesture which resembles a salute of sorts with the right hand. And I still dream of driving across the salt flats and a lotus super 7. In one episode when he goes back to London and his flat is occupied by a woman he mansions that he built the car himself. In fact, the lotus seven and now the caterham 7 is sold either assembled or in kit form. The load of sevens from the series have never been identified since, apparently they had a red stitching trim that is not present on others. And that last" be seeing you" as he descends into the round elevator gap in the floor is the only time in the series somebody breaks character and speaks directly into the camera. I had to chuckle. Them bones walk around, you know...
That line “be seeing you”, complete with the hand gesture, is the last line spoken by the police inspector in _The Spider And The Fly_ . That police inspector was played by Eric Portman. Who was also one of the Number 2s in _The Prisoner_ .
I was 9 yrs old when this series aired in the US. I remember being simultaneously fascinated and utterly confused by it. It was certainly like nothing else on TV at the time.
The Prisoner thanks to Patrick McGoohan's wisdom is one of the few 60s sci-fi classics to fully withstand the test of time. Thank you for your discussion of this iconic series. 👍🏻
One thing I learned about The Prisoner from watching analyses and reading comments: Everyone comes up with a different meaning for what it means. None of these are wrong. What you get out of it depends on what you put into it. And finally, it makes you think more deeply. There are so many parts that don't fit together without thinking about them. You quickly learn that whoever is in charge is doing psychological experimentation on him, but then realize at some point that he is doing the same right back. Episode after episode, you see him defeat Number 2, and forcing a replacement. The more deeply you look, the more clues there are that you don't necessarily understand everything. My personal feeling is there is no true meaning, and it is written to enable us to reveal our own interpretations. All interpretations are correct to some degree, but all are incomplete.
I grew up watching this show... also it's assumed prequel series "Danger Man" known in America as "Secret Agent Man" which was more like "James Bond". I'd like to think, in that earlier black and white series, the main character (also Patrick McGoohan) quit at the end of it's run and the show evolved into this surreal color masterpiece. That white balloon sentry gave me nightmares. Great piece.
John Drake was the anti-James Bond. Patrick McGoohan was considered to play Bond, but turned it down because he didn’t approve of the character. Drake never blew things up, and (almost) never carried a gun: he preferred to get out of sticky situations with his wits and his charm, only resorting to violence as a last resort. And he never seduced the women; he always treated them with respect.
This was a Summer replacement show on CBS TV in America in 1968 & 1969. I saw the original airing as a 11 year old in Southern California. Fantastic program. I've since gotten the full music soundtrack from the series. It still sounds great 55 years later in 2023.😊😊Be seeing you.
It was essential to be home to watch this series. For the last in the series I went in to town just after and the place was deserted. I always wanted a Lotus Super7 car. It foretold times today when with all the crazy stuff going on, I would prefer to be in the village!
I’ve got it on DVDs I watch it every couple of years. Part way through now. It’s your funeral is the next episode. I’ve played the first episode to people & some have said “it’s rubbish”. I don’t associate with them anymore, who are they. Great review.
Thank you! The Prisoner has a special magic and is quite unique. I am happy to hear you have a physical copy of it. Take care of it as a special, one of a kind treasure! :))
One of the most brilliant TV series ever created (right up there with Doctor Who, except even more cerebral). And everything in the end is left open to interpretation. Was everything we saw as it really was, or was number 6 really completely insane and experiencing everything through the lens of his psychosis? There are clues throughout the series, but the final episode (Fallout) is the biggest giveaway as to what has been going on with The Village and the mysterious Number One. Brilliant stuff, FAR superior to 97 percent of what's produced today.
It was a TV series well made. The idea of insanity... Yeah, I think you can interpret it like that. Never crossed my mind, but it might be a possibility. I love this series so much. It makes you think and wonder at stuff long after you have completed the show. And if you rewatch it, you are like... "Oh, new ideas, new concepts". One of the best sereis of all time, I agree with you!
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent And the intro is the BEST title sequence and music of ANY TV series ever. As far as the answer to what was going on in the series, McGoohan always intended it to be left open for interpretation, but I think that last shot of Number 6's door back in London speaks volumes. Well, really that entire last episode tells it all.
Oh shit, I never realized this was referenced in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. When Austin is in the men's room and he fights the assassin, he keeps asking "Who does number 2 work for?" LOL.
Thanks for your insight as a filmmaker on "The Prisoner." I feel Patrick McGoohan (PM) was driven to warn everyone to keep one's identity and personality intact amid social pressure and being surrounded by monitoring technology few folks truly understand how it all works. In the story, No. 6 tells No. 2 he wants to escape and return to destroy the entire Village. No. 2 laughs at this. Society is more rule driven. There are even a handful of folks in 2023 who look to android robots for affection! It's time to return to common sense and decency. "The Prisoner" message will live on forever. Thanks again! "Be Seeing You!"
The writer would have recoiled in terror if he was alive today and saw how society has become. Everyone is watched and monitored at the will of the powers. They taken our identity, they taken our freedom to speech - soon you will not be able to chose anything. It will be chosen for you...
The 1 thing everyone misses: Patrick: "Who is Number 1?!" Number 2: "You are, Number 6" He wrote the end right at the start. Don't believe everything Patrick said about it. Don't believe everything you see.
nice! definitely need to revisit this show. one thing i'd add to your comments on the intro is the context in which Patrick McGoohan appears -- he was already known to 60s TV audiences as the star of Danger Man, so they were led to believe this was another iteration of a secret agent adventure series... which then The Prisoner subverts in so many ways
Thank you!! Yeah, I realized this after I made the video, but it is not a lost thought. In a future video I want to talk about the Danger Man series also, and I will bring this idea and talk about it into that video. Thanks for the reminder too ^^ .
The most unique show ever. The Prisoner proclaims I am a man often but never says his name. IMO he was number 1 because only by showing he couldn't be broken could he set himself free.
Wow, it's nice to have a favorable review of this series. For all its fandom and popularity there's still alot of people who want to pile on and trash it. Looking forward to your Danger Man reviews. You're gonna have some fun. 😊👍
_Danger Man_ is a bit more cerebral, not so action-oriented. Think of John Drake as the anti-James Bond (McGoohan was offered the Bond part but declined), and you will appreciate the series more.
It was the sequel to Danger Man (Secret Agent Man) . The clue was in the Secret Agent Man theme song by Johnny Rivers: "They given you a number and taken away you name." #6 is John Drake. My all-time favourite TV series! (Love the Lotus 7 😊)
I loved watching The Prisoner when I was a child and have recently found my DVD boxset 🥳 I've been to the real-life location of The Village a few times - it's called Portmeirion and is in north Wales. It's beautiful and well worth visiting 🏝
Yes. Unfortunately, I do not find the 2009 version to watch it. The one with Ian McKellen as Number 2... I want to see that version too. I am sure it will not match the original, but still I wanna watch it !!
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent It's not worth the time spent watching it, sadly. The only thing it has in common with the original series is the same an some superficial elements. The creativity and wonder of the original just aren't there.
I watched it starting as a 12 year old. One thing I like, now even more, is start with a concept Start - Middle - Finish and stop at the finish!! Unlike so many, was just TV, now movies that try to milk every last minute out of an idea. Three movies out of The Hobbit for example or apparently unending seasons of A Handmaid's Tale which might have been ok as a, maybe, 4-5 part series.
'I'm not a number. I'm a free man!' Just like 1984, The Prisoner is a great sociological study, and both have become real in one way or another. Full of clues on how people work, what make them tick, and how power works, and the illusion of 'sides'. Be seeing you!
So 60s Psychedelic. It was a head of its time, entertainingly abstract. The colour or uae of colour is fantastic and of that time, of which, i really like.
And the location in wales still attracts many many visitors for its unique beauty and of course being the place where the prisoner was filmed. It sticks in peoples memory like no other 60s british tv
That is so cool. You gave me an idea for an adventure, to go and visit the Village. Yes, the location is quite unique. Hmmm, that is quite a good idea for an adventure :).
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent quite a few youtubers have filmed there. The usual takeaway is how smaller it all looks in person. Very cool gift shop too. I could spend a few quid in there
Excellent overview of a series I grew up with and loved. Great review. I subscribed. I always looked at The Prisoner as an extension of his previous television series called Secret Agent.
Evren in the States, those sound booths @5:40 were a thing about which I had totally forgotten--until now even though I have seen every episode, or at least, thought I had.
One of the biggest problems understanding the series in the US, the episodes were shown out of order. This was later corrected when it went into syndication with PBS.
I watched it when I was 15. Loved it. It was a natural successor to The Avengers. It had a disappointing, unsatisfying and abrupt final episode, brought about because of disputes between everyone involved. Years ago I read Mel Gibson wanted to make a movie of it but I’ve heard nothing more on that.
It's terrible all this attention that the series has garnered. This explains why I cannot seem to get the vanity license plate" k a r120c"! And I still lust after the lotus 7.
truly a masterpiece - alongside George Orwells 1984 -- so far ahead of the curve ( for want of a better phrase ) They both can not be bettered nor faulted in their accuracy of the future of the times they were written within . Big Brother is WATCHING -- and don`t you forget
I've tried watching this series more than once and I wish it would click with me somehow. It has won praise from so many people that I feel like there has to be something there that I'm missing. I love the fact that it's so weird and surreal and I want to think there's meaning behind it all, but damn it I just can't make heads or tails of it.
Maybe there is a need for a special time and a special moment to watch it! I have seen series and read novels in certain moments of my life in which I would never thought to watch something! Probably it is just need for that moment, who knows? May be soon, may be never...
I saw the whole series when they remastered it for DVD release about 10 years ago. It was a entertaining series, way ahead of its time. It still have an audience - I am sure.
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent the audience is a shrinking crowd, like 80% of younger people have increasing difficulty with taking it serious due to the time period and set pieces. BUT those who can get past that obstacle, it will be open for its messages and content. I like it, but I can also enjoy Metropolis or Tarkowsky films.
I finally saw some episodes a couple years ago when it ran on some weird channel. I'd heard about it from reading something about the Beatles, they were fans and Leo McKern was in Help.
Thanks for this reminder - I was just a kid when this was made, so I don't really remember much but I think I would now like to watch it in full...................
This is the best Science fiction series perhaps ever made/ perhaps any movie/ greatly overlooked. It is very complex symbolism. rich with massive surrealism , has jump shot editing ;but does not work around the science fiction idea by adding magic in addition- that helps make the show human. It is emotionally removed so the plot does not unset the viewer so a person can look at the images and plot associations in a delightful way and also learn about themselves.
I remember the show from when I was a kid. I just remember it being very cool. I loved the rovers. I watched in the late 80's or early 90's and it was still pretty enigmatic in its symbolism. I thought there were more than 17 episodes, but I never really kept track. I should probably track down a DVD of the series or something.
What was number 2 (Leo McKern) before he was taken to the village? In the ending scene he obviously walked into a government building, which I cannot recognize, leave me to believe he held a position of power.
That is a good theory. I don't think that is mentioned into the series, but the way it is constructed, it may make you think of that idea. Maybe he had a position of power, or worked for someone powerful. Who knows? But this idea gives more concepts for the character, nonetheless.
I watched this series as a kid and it was " Trippy ! " Later as a teenager, I watched " THX: 1138 " and the TV series " Max Headroom ". The 1138 movie was George Lucas's first movie, which was weird, bizarre, and scary at times. ; the Headroom series totally blew my mind! Sort of like taking a Trip on Acid without the drugs ! Thanks for the review and for posting on RUclips!
The Prisoner had an ambiguous ending because they knew what they were doing, and I loved it. Lost had an ambiguous ending because they didn't know what they were doing. Sopranos is somewhere in the middle.
I think that Sopranos did a great unexpected ending, because it was a bit foreshadowed during Tony's sessions. Regarding Lost, the ending was pretty easy to understand, but it could have been done better. Anyway, it doesn't matter, because all three of those endings are memorable and make you think to the story more and more after the show's ending.
I saw the series when if first aired in the sixties. To me as a child then, it was an enjoyable adventure series that had an annoying, inexplicable ending. As I grew older, my reactions to it developed. At times I thought it could be seen as a portrayal of existentialist alienation. At others, it seemed to operate almost on a religious level, asking all the profound questions: What is this place? What's the purpose of it? Why am I here? Who's in charge? I think ultimately it's sign of the quality of the series that it can be viewed in so many different ways. It resonates with people at different levels, just as real art does.
Great analysis. MacGoohan gave hints about interpretation before he died, but I think the most compelling case is that everyone is their own jailer. The fact he sees his own face when he confronts no.1 is massive. Also, of course, there is the exchange that opens every episode. No.6: "who is number 1?" to which No.2 replies "You are number 6". If not for the intonation, it could have been read as "you are, number 6". When the last episode aired in England, it caused an almighty row because lots of people missed 'the reveal'. It's all there, the meaning. MacGoohan wanted people to think for themselves and interpret the ending as they saw fit. But it really isn't that hard to work out. He got out of the village, and returns to London. BUT the implication is that the whole world is "the village". MacGoohan's series uses allegory to tell a bigger tale regarding individualism vs. collectivism, the right to protest, the right to speak one's mind, the right to resist etc.
Thank you! You are right, and I agree with your idea. The Prisoner is a much more important series and can be seen having those theme too. And the idea of you being your own jailer, is quite subtle and makes a great impact on the viewer, because you don't expect. I like the show is letting the viewer gets all that and is not told at the end what everything means. Thank you for your view and for your idea!
It was really innovating in so many aspects!!! I guess we also have to keep in mind the environment of the cold war, so it is brilliant not knowing who´s wanna his information: foe or friends? what he know or how much he know? In my opinion, the best tv show I ever seen for all the things here mentioned and for those things impossible to measure
I've been a fan of The Prisoner since it originally ran in the late 60's, mainly because of its 'strangeness', but I'm not surprised it didn't get a second series. It was an intriguing story but it didn't really develop and the ending explained nothing. All we got out of it in the end was that we are all prisoners, no matter where we go. A great show, but basically the same in each episode.
My friend and I watched this in University and joked we’d like to see capt Kirk and the prisoner in a fight sequence in the gym with trampolines. Would be epic!
I would like to see this confrontation. And to find out that the whole context was planned by Number 2, who is actually Khan, who has a mischievous plan.... God that would be epic! And the butler to be Spock, but somehow controlled to be a butler...That's a missed opportunity of 1960s crossover there :D :D :D
The greatest Television program (Not a show). So many layers. Is he Danger Man (Aka Secret Agent Man). Who and what are the other prisoners. Is he dead? (Watch the opening credits closely.) Is this the afterlife? Are the episode even in chronological order?. You can get 80% of it but never get 100%. Just so good. After watching The Prisoner, most TV will appear to be crap to you!
There was a version of the Prisoner series done for radio (BBC Radio 4 Extra), which actually seems to do a better job of telling the stories, than the tv series, with some fantastic sound effects, music, and great voice acting. Well worth trying to track down.
This is one of the most controversial and talked about TV shows ever made. I urge you to watch documentaries made about the series and the details of the behind the scenes that went into making this amazing show. Are you aware that Magoohan and Leo McKern had mental breakdowns while making this show, so intense was Magoohan. Almost all the crew agree, he went a bit mad, trying so hard to make this show. But it worked. Six decades later, we are still talking about it and what it means. You cannot even imagine how explosive this show was, back in the mid-1960s.
One of the most interesting show ever. Didn't know MacGoohan had breakdowns, back then. But, in a way, I understand that since, the level of production and the story of the series was quite a challenge. Hope it was just a phase, and after the show was done, he was proud about what he could create.
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent There are quite a few very good documentaries about the making of the show, many of them talking to the crew, writers and actors. They all say MaGoohan suffered greatly with his mental health as the time went on, such was the pressure he felt running the show. Perhaps because of his Irish background, he was always quite an intense man, he felt and took his obligations to the studio seriously to the point of suffering. Roger Moore, who was producing The Saint at the same time period, had a much more relaxed approach to producing, wasn't quite so intense but of course, The Saint was a very different kind of show from The Prisoner, which by its nature, was almost certain to cause Actors problems! Fear, Paranoia, Surveillance, betrayal, Deceit...its all there: a dangerous mix, mental health wise!
I absolutely loved this series, but the ending was so disappointing. IMHO, the use of machine guns and violence was so inappropriate after all those mind games and intelligent scripts.
I agree you with, honestly. Come to think of it, it was a bit out of place. However, being the last episode and somehow represented the final battle against Number 1, a decisive battle, I can say that it worked a bit... I kinda forgot about the guns. But Number 6, being so badass around so many guys with guns...He had courage. It represented him much cooler than it already was :).
I watched this series while in Europe in the sixties. It is essentially a single-idea story retold time and time and time again. The entire series is a triumph of style over content. The fact that it was so popular at the time is illustrative.
Back before Cable TV, local UHF TV stations ran The Prisoner, UFO and Space 1999 in the early evening 7PM time slot, usually on Saturday. This was my 1st exposure to Brit TV. Later came Benny Hill, Monty Python, Mr. Bean and Doctor in the House and I just recently grabbed copies of that series. I found Mrs. Brown's Boys on the 'net just a few years ago. Some might not get it but I Love Brit Humor!
the prisoner was the first mini-series first tv show to be shot like a movie dealt with concepts not seen anywhere on tv thanks to prior standards and practices on it's initial run in the states, one episode was left out...living in harmony....which was clearly anti-war...didnt make it past cbs censors btw, there are no true villains in the show there are people with jobs....jobs they had to do, as no one in the village was truly free
It's just a disclaimer for those who want to see the review and might not want to get spoiled. That's the beauty of the Prisoner. It's more and more mysterious.
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent It was always just the strangest of shows, I never a clue what was going on - but yes, I understand the nature of the disclaimer, I was just having a bit of fun at my intelligence's expense.
Don’t forget to watch “Danger Man” (AKA Secret Agent). It’s a very well written anthology series staring Patrick McGoohan. It’s often considered the prequel to “The Prisoner”. It’s not a surreal series like the Prisoner, but it has all the same cool elements. Great stories.
@@NoahSpurrier that comes from markstein, who insisted that he had the idea for the prisoner and mcghoohan wrested it from him. prob is, markstein wrote a treatment for a sequel where it is made clear that 6 is drake and that drake came up with the concept for the village and the entire series was really drake testing if the village really did it's job and somehow he breaks and actually becomes a prisoner, but also gets to have adventures throughout the world....yet finds himself back in the village at the end of every epi....pretty much proof that markstein did not come up with the original concept
I started to watch "Danger Man". I love the first season. I am curious about the next ones, but still, I do not know if it can be a prequel. I have to see the complete series to know. Either if is canon or not, Patrick McGoohan did a great job as a spy. In some ways, it was better than Bond.
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent mcgoohan insisted that the prisoner was not drake. others have said they couldnt say it was drake because of copyright issues. i dont believe that it is drake, because the whole point of the show is that the audience is not supposed to know what number 6 did before he came to the village. the need of many to try to dumb down the series has always bothered me.
I had the great pleasure to broadcast this series at WFLD-TV Chicago in the early 70's when I was working as a summer relief there. I already thought Patrick was amazing in Secret Agent Man, but this continuation of his role broke the mold. You had to pay attention to every action, every syllable to keep track of the story line. The last reel was so fantastic, I went into the attic of the lead-lined building after the last episode aired and ran it again. The conflict, and then cooperation, between Patrick and Leo McKern during the last two episodes was seminal. I've watched the series off and on since, whenever I had the chance. A true masterpiece of television and science fiction, largely due to Patrick McGoohan's unfailing energy and efforts.
Iconic series, a once off, never see it's likes again. I have been watching it for 40 years and I am still fascinated by it!
If only Patrick McGoohan had lived to see how accurate his predictions were. To all intents and purposes, modern technology has turned the whole world into the Village.
Well, McGoohan lived until 2009, so he saw a lot of them pan out.
15 Minute towns?
All the techies want is, information.
If you don’t like the Prisoner, then you’ve gone over to the other side
No, people just get tired of week after week of theater of the absurd with no one behaving in a rational manner.
@@fredthegraycattbe seeing you
@@garyrhone1395👍😜
Since you now on the other side you are ready for Dr. Phibes.
More relevant now than ever ...
One of the many things I love about The Prisoner is the opening sequence & the wonderfully surreal animated ‘Penny Farthing’ closing credits. I spent many years as a TV news engineer on the green opposite Parliament where our connections box was located right above the ramp McGoohan drives down on his way to hand in his resignation, & often used to look at it, imagining the Lotus Super 7 speeding down to the car park. The use of the Albertus font throughout the series for Village signs, notices etc was an inspired choice, adding yet more brilliantly surreal strangeness to the series!
Wow, that is pretty amazing! I can't imagine what you felt, to be right next to that place!!! Thank you for sharing this! Yes, the show is surreal, and as time goes by and I hear more stories about it, it gets more and more surreal!!!
I found out the real reason why that particular bicycle was chosen to symbolise the village. Check it out.
You've described it perfectly!
I still adore the series. It remains one of the finest television programmes of all time.
It is art, it's intelligent, it's well constructed, it's innovative, it's beautifully filmed and it's intriguing all at the same time.
One of the best series ever!!! Thank you for your comment!
Also continuation of two other Spy series starring McGoohan🇬🇧 🤓😎✌🏻
Also continuation of two other Spy series starring McGoohan🇬🇧 🤓😎✌🏻
I couldn't agree more. This show was way ahead of its time. I feel sorry for the people that see this show as trash. They are blind to something extraordinary.
The last two episodes must be taken together. Closest thing to an acid trip I've ever seen on television
Absolutely!
Great review, many thanks. I know the series well, watched it in 1967/1968 as a teenager on British TV and was bowled over. So innovative and thought provoking. In 1968 I happened to be in London and saw the premier of 2001: A Space Odyssey in Cinerama, another thought provoking classic. What a period.
Wow, thank you so much for your comment. It is astounding to me to hear this from someone who lived those times and saw those masterpieces when they were released. Thank you so much. I am glad you enjoyed the video.
P.S. : I promise to talk about Kubrick' master piece soon.
I watched it then also because it was so different. I had a vague idea that it was about the individual and society. You can draw parallels with other favourites of mine in the era, The Fugitive and The Invaders. All about men who fought against society and its representatives.
In terms of actual filming, the Village exterior shots were done so incedibly well. If you’ve been to the location, you see how close evetything is. The series really makes it look much bigger.
I made a pilgrimage there in 1981. It’s worth the trip. Just taking the train from London to north Wales was deeply moving.
One of the things I liked about the show was how futuristic everything seemed. It was only later that I found out that Number Two’s ball-chair was common enough in Sweden, that The Village was a Resort in the UK, that the L shaped phones were a thing, and that the carts were (and are) common enough today.
I recall how spooky it seemed (at the time) when a door would open by itself. And cameras watching all over the place. Things that every corner shop has now.
But the way the series combined those elements at the time was masterful.
The fact that the Prisoner himself is #1 is substantiated by more than just his tearing the ape mask off to reveal his own face. In the opening to each episode he asks, "who is #1?" and each #2 replies, "you are, #6." Also, when he makes it back to his flat in the last episode, accompanied by the midget butler (who only serves the seat of power), the front door bears the number "1."
Ha, I never thought of #2’s reply as being an answer!
Me neither, I think it could be interepred like that. Or maybe it is like that. At the second or third re-watch of the show, you can see it like that : "You are, #6!". It is a very weird comparisson, but almost like Snape, in the Harry Potter series. After you complete the story and rewatch it again, it has a whole new meaning! I love those type of stories!
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent - Personally, I think it was just Patrick McGoogan messing with our heads.
BTW, I'm old enough that I saw "The Prisoner" when it originally aired in the US in the summer of 1968. It was a sensation among the nerd culture in my high school (before that term even existed).
The whole thing makes sense as a psychological metaphor. #6 has spent his adult life as a spy, an identity pressed upon from the outside, but one that he ultimately challenges and resigns from to go his own way. The village is just a scale model of the world he lives in, all the other people, and all his ordeals are just different aspects of his character to be dealt with. In the end, he is forced to regress through the memories of his life like some sort of warped therapy session, then faced with the Jungian challenge of stepping through his own shadow when he meets #1, to discover he is only a prisoner to himself. The knowledge sets him free.
@@hagerty1952I saw it on first broadcast too, in 67, it was really popular in the UK, until the last episode...
One of the most extraordinary pieces of television ever made.
One could argue that THE PRISONER was very first 'mini-series' on television. It was conceived as a one-off series, with a fixed number of episodes (expanded from 7 episodes to 17 to satisfy the demands of the producers), and never to be repeated. The 2009 reboot with Ian McKellen pales in comparison to the original.
Possibly my favorite 3 seconds of this series comes from fallout. When number two is going down the circular elevator, he turns to the camera and addresses the viewer and says" be seeing you".
That'll probably be my last words when I leave this planet.
"Be seeing you" was one of the shows catchphrases. Everyone in "the village" says it as a way of bidding each other "Goodbye," "Good day," "Good night," etc.
However, it's really a silly thing for everybody to say, because, like Number 6, the main character, they are all prisoners, so they have to keep "be seeing" each other, since there's no place else to go.
Speaking of Number 6, while his real name is never mentioned, some fans of "The Prisoner" have a theory that since he's played by Patrick McGoohan and he's a former secret agent, then he must be John Drake, McGoohan's character in his previous series, "Secret Agent."
This may be true. In fact, a clue can be found in the latter show's theme song, "Secret Agent Man," which became a hit record for singer Johnny Rivers. Remember that the lyrics to the song's chorus went like this:
"🎶Secret agent man, secret agent man; 🎶
They've given you a number, and taken away your name." 🎶
That's exactly what happens to Number 6 and the other prisoners in "the village." The ones in charge have given them all numbers and have taken away their names.
@@michaelpalmieri7335 Yes and this is the last time "be seeing you" is said in the series. If you pick up in John wick the phrase is used quite a few times. I'm sure it's a reference to the prisoner.
It's more than just a goodbye greeting, get a company's a hand gesture which resembles a salute of sorts with the right hand.
And I still dream of driving across the salt flats and a lotus super 7.
In one episode when he goes back to London and his flat is occupied by a woman he mansions that he built the car himself. In fact, the lotus seven and now the caterham 7 is sold either assembled or in kit form.
The load of sevens from the series have never been identified since, apparently they had a red stitching trim that is not present on others.
And that last" be seeing you" as he descends into the round elevator gap in the floor is the only time in the series somebody breaks character and speaks directly into the camera. I had to chuckle. Them bones walk around, you know...
@@KarmaMechanic988
*mentions
That line “be seeing you”, complete with the hand gesture, is the last line spoken by the police inspector in _The Spider And The Fly_ . That police inspector was played by Eric Portman. Who was also one of the Number 2s in _The Prisoner_ .
How can you see when your eyes are closed and you are dreaming? Think of this riddle. It holds the key to the afterlife.
I was 9 yrs old when this series aired in the US. I remember being simultaneously fascinated and utterly confused by it. It was certainly like nothing else on TV at the time.
I was exact same age when I watched too. I had no idea what was going on but it was still entertaining for a curious young kid
The Prisoner thanks to Patrick McGoohan's wisdom is one of the few 60s sci-fi classics to fully withstand the test of time. Thank you for your discussion of this iconic series. 👍🏻
Agreed!!! This IS sci-fi...sci-fi at its finest, as sci-fi SHOULD be!!!
not sci-fi
Continue climb up the ladder. You will meet Dr. Phibes a few stairs or steps higher up....
@@paulbarnett1461 It's under the umbrella of 'speculative fiction,' so it's definitely sci fi adjacent.
@@ClutchCargo001 adjacent. ok. :-)
I was born in 1960 and watched this as a child. I didn't understand ANY of it at the time and it totally creeped me out. It still does.
But you are now in the village with the rest of us.
@@alcoholicjoe6199 Yeah, it does feel that way.
One thing I learned about The Prisoner from watching analyses and reading comments:
Everyone comes up with a different meaning for what it means. None of these are wrong.
What you get out of it depends on what you put into it.
And finally, it makes you think more deeply. There are so many parts that don't fit together without thinking about them. You quickly learn that whoever is in charge is doing psychological experimentation on him, but then realize at some point that he is doing the same right back. Episode after episode, you see him defeat Number 2, and forcing a replacement.
The more deeply you look, the more clues there are that you don't necessarily understand everything.
My personal feeling is there is no true meaning, and it is written to enable us to reveal our own interpretations. All interpretations are correct to some degree, but all are incomplete.
Very well done! Also, I wanted to note that even though you had the show's theme on repeat for 15 minutes and it never grew old :)
Sung to the composer by McGoohan, so in effect was written by him!
One of the best themes in TV history, right next to the Green Hornet and Secret Agent Man
@@theattitude And Johnny Quest!
I grew up watching this show... also it's assumed prequel series "Danger Man" known in America as "Secret Agent Man" which was more like "James Bond". I'd like to think, in that earlier black and white series, the main character (also Patrick McGoohan) quit at the end of it's run and the show evolved into this surreal color masterpiece. That white balloon sentry gave me nightmares. Great piece.
John Drake was the anti-James Bond. Patrick McGoohan was considered to play Bond, but turned it down because he didn’t approve of the character. Drake never blew things up, and (almost) never carried a gun: he preferred to get out of sticky situations with his wits and his charm, only resorting to violence as a last resort. And he never seduced the women; he always treated them with respect.
@@lawrencedoliveiro9104where are the pilot's?
This series is referenced many times in the John wick series. The original" be seeing you".
This was a Summer replacement show on CBS TV in America in 1968 & 1969. I saw the original airing as a 11 year old in Southern California. Fantastic program. I've since gotten the full music soundtrack from the series. It still sounds great 55 years later in 2023.😊😊Be seeing you.
Rover scared me as a child! But, it made me remember the series.
It was essential to be home to watch this series. For the last in the series I went in to town just after and the place was deserted. I always wanted a Lotus Super7 car. It foretold times today when with all the crazy stuff going on, I would prefer to be in the village!
I’ve got it on DVDs I watch it every couple of years. Part way through now. It’s your funeral is the next episode. I’ve played the first episode to people & some have said “it’s rubbish”. I don’t associate with them anymore, who are they.
Great review.
Thank you! The Prisoner has a special magic and is quite unique. I am happy to hear you have a physical copy of it. Take care of it as a special, one of a kind treasure! :))
J'ai le coffret DVD ❤👌
One of the most brilliant TV series ever created (right up there with Doctor Who, except even more cerebral). And everything in the end is left open to interpretation. Was everything we saw as it really was, or was number 6 really completely insane and experiencing everything through the lens of his psychosis? There are clues throughout the series, but the final episode (Fallout) is the biggest giveaway as to what has been going on with The Village and the mysterious Number One. Brilliant stuff, FAR superior to 97 percent of what's produced today.
It was a TV series well made. The idea of insanity... Yeah, I think you can interpret it like that. Never crossed my mind, but it might be a possibility. I love this series so much. It makes you think and wonder at stuff long after you have completed the show. And if you rewatch it, you are like... "Oh, new ideas, new concepts". One of the best sereis of all time, I agree with you!
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent And the intro is the BEST title sequence and music of ANY TV series ever. As far as the answer to what was going on in the series, McGoohan always intended it to be left open for interpretation, but I think that last shot of Number 6's door back in London speaks volumes. Well, really that entire last episode tells it all.
I’ve seen this serie first in late 80’s , it’s was an illuminating experience for me. And today I’m still a prisoner.
and always Patrick McGoohan was a a brilliant actor. he was meant for this part. helped bring all this to life
Oh shit, I never realized this was referenced in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.
When Austin is in the men's room and he fights the assassin, he keeps asking "Who does number 2 work for?"
LOL.
This series proves quality writers great minds that think and an outstanding actor can make any show great regardless of budget.
Thanks for your insight as a filmmaker on "The Prisoner." I feel Patrick McGoohan (PM) was driven to warn everyone to keep one's identity and personality intact amid social pressure and being surrounded by monitoring technology few folks truly understand how it all works. In the story, No. 6 tells No. 2 he wants to escape and return to destroy the entire Village. No. 2 laughs at this. Society is more rule driven. There are even a handful of folks in 2023 who look to android robots for affection! It's time to return to common sense and decency. "The Prisoner" message will live on forever. Thanks again! "Be Seeing You!"
I am glad you enjoyed the video! Yes, The Prisoner has many ideas and themes that are up to date even today.
The writer would have recoiled in terror if he was alive today and saw how society has become. Everyone is watched and monitored at the will of the powers. They taken our identity, they taken our freedom to speech - soon you will not be able to chose anything. It will be chosen for you...
The 1 thing everyone misses:
Patrick: "Who is Number 1?!"
Number 2: "You are, Number 6"
He wrote the end right at the start.
Don't believe everything Patrick said about it.
Don't believe everything you see.
nice! definitely need to revisit this show.
one thing i'd add to your comments on the intro is the context in which Patrick McGoohan appears -- he was already known to 60s TV audiences as the star of Danger Man, so they were led to believe this was another iteration of a secret agent adventure series... which then The Prisoner subverts in so many ways
Thank you!! Yeah, I realized this after I made the video, but it is not a lost thought. In a future video I want to talk about the Danger Man series also, and I will bring this idea and talk about it into that video. Thanks for the reminder too ^^ .
I did not know this information. Helpful! Thank you.
The most unique show ever. The Prisoner proclaims I am a man often but never says his name. IMO he was number 1 because only by showing he couldn't be broken could he set himself free.
It might be interepred like that. That is a good idea. The ONE man who cannot be beaten!
Not that he couldn’t be broken. As I recall, they didn’t want to completely break him because then he would become useless to them.
In Many Happy Returns he claims his name is Peter Smith but it's not clear if he's telling the truth or not.
Wow, it's nice to have a favorable review of this series. For all its fandom and popularity there's still alot of people who want to pile on and trash it. Looking forward to your Danger Man reviews. You're gonna have some fun. 😊👍
Thank you! Yes, I can't wait for that series to explore. It's gonna be awesome :)) !
There are some people who will trash anything, however well-made or high quality it is. They're called contrarians - or trolls.
_Danger Man_ is a bit more cerebral, not so action-oriented. Think of John Drake as the anti-James Bond (McGoohan was offered the Bond part but declined), and you will appreciate the series more.
It was the sequel to Danger Man (Secret Agent Man) . The clue was in the Secret Agent Man theme song by Johnny Rivers: "They given you a number and taken away you name." #6 is John Drake.
My all-time favourite TV series! (Love the Lotus 7 😊)
McGoohan might have disagreed.
By gosh yes, one of the greatest series ever. Series like this are why TV is worth having.
I loved watching The Prisoner when I was a child and have recently found my DVD boxset 🥳 I've been to the real-life location of The Village a few times - it's called Portmeirion and is in north Wales. It's beautiful and well worth visiting 🏝
This is still one of my favorite TV series. Once or twice a year, I pop in my DVDs and enjoy this marvelous show yet again.
Does anybody else dream of driving a British racing green lotus 7?
Ariel Atom > Lotus 7.
All 17 episodes are available to watch on RUclips
Yes. Unfortunately, I do not find the 2009 version to watch it. The one with Ian McKellen as Number 2... I want to see that version too. I am sure it will not match the original, but still I wanna watch it !!
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent It's not worth the time spent watching it, sadly. The only thing it has in common with the original series is the same an some superficial elements. The creativity and wonder of the original just aren't there.
@@AlanDavidDoane I forced myself through some of it and gave it up as a waste of time.
All episodes are currently available on itvX at the time of writing, 20/02/24.
I first saw this as a child in the '60s. I was very impressed by Rover 😊
I watched it starting as a 12 year old. One thing I like, now even more, is start with a concept Start - Middle - Finish and stop at the finish!! Unlike so many, was just TV, now movies that try to milk every last minute out of an idea. Three movies out of The Hobbit for example or apparently unending seasons of A Handmaid's Tale which might have been ok as a, maybe, 4-5 part series.
'I'm not a number. I'm a free man!'
Just like 1984, The Prisoner is a great sociological study, and both have become real in one way or another. Full of clues on how people work, what make them tick, and how power works, and the illusion of 'sides'.
Be seeing you!
Proof that art can be created by committee. McGoohan was essential and the lead driver, but others contributed. Still amazing after all these years!
So 60s Psychedelic. It was a head of its time, entertainingly abstract. The colour or uae of colour is fantastic and of that time, of which, i really like.
And the location in wales still attracts many many visitors for its unique beauty and of course being the place where the prisoner was filmed. It sticks in peoples memory like no other 60s british tv
That is so cool. You gave me an idea for an adventure, to go and visit the Village. Yes, the location is quite unique. Hmmm, that is quite a good idea for an adventure :).
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent quite a few youtubers have filmed there. The usual takeaway is how smaller it all looks in person. Very cool gift shop too. I could spend a few quid in there
P.s excellent review@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent
Excellent overview of a series I grew up with and loved. Great review. I subscribed. I always looked at The Prisoner as an extension of his previous television series called Secret Agent.
Thank you! I am glad you loved the video!
Evren in the States, those sound booths @5:40 were a thing about which I had totally forgotten--until now even though I have seen every episode, or at least, thought I had.
One of the biggest problems understanding the series in the US, the episodes were shown out of order. This was later corrected when it went into syndication with PBS.
It looks absolutely beautiful. Wish stuff looked like this now.
I watched it when I was 15. Loved it. It was a natural successor to The Avengers. It had a disappointing, unsatisfying and abrupt final episode, brought about because of disputes between everyone involved.
Years ago I read Mel Gibson wanted to make a movie of it but I’ve heard nothing more on that.
It's terrible all this attention that the series has garnered. This explains why I cannot seem to get the vanity license plate" k a r120c"! And I still lust after the lotus 7.
truly a masterpiece - alongside George Orwells 1984 -- so far ahead of the curve ( for want of a better phrase ) They both can not be bettered nor faulted in their accuracy of the future of the times they were written within . Big Brother is WATCHING -- and don`t you forget
It's the only tv series that can truly be classed a pure work of art.
Watched it when it was first aired.
Yes, the SF of inner space is the most fascinating.
I've tried watching this series more than once and I wish it would click with me somehow. It has won praise from so many people that I feel like there has to be something there that I'm missing. I love the fact that it's so weird and surreal and I want to think there's meaning behind it all, but damn it I just can't make heads or tails of it.
Maybe there is a need for a special time and a special moment to watch it! I have seen series and read novels in certain moments of my life in which I would never thought to watch something! Probably it is just need for that moment, who knows? May be soon, may be never...
I saw the whole series when they remastered it for DVD release about 10 years ago. It was a entertaining series, way ahead of its time. It still have an audience - I am sure.
When you watch a series like The Prisoner, it is impossible to not become a part of its audience. The show knows how to get its fans.
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent the audience is a shrinking crowd, like 80% of younger people have increasing difficulty with taking it serious due to the time period and set pieces. BUT those who can get past that obstacle, it will be open for its messages and content. I like it, but I can also enjoy Metropolis or Tarkowsky films.
If 6 did not escape The Village in the end, it doesn't matter who you think 1 is as it was an illusion all along.
I finally saw some episodes a couple years ago when it ran on some weird channel.
I'd heard about it from reading something about the Beatles, they were fans and Leo McKern was in Help.
Thanks for this reminder - I was just a kid when this was made, so I don't really remember much but I think I would now like to watch it in full...................
The Prisoner is like a Rodney Matthews painting, doesn't always make sense, but damn cool.
This is the best Science fiction series perhaps ever made/ perhaps any movie/ greatly overlooked. It is very complex symbolism. rich with massive surrealism , has jump shot editing ;but does not work around the science fiction idea by adding magic in addition- that helps make the show human. It is emotionally removed so the plot does not unset the viewer so a person can look at the images and plot associations in a delightful way and also learn about themselves.
I remember the show from when I was a kid. I just remember it being very cool. I loved the rovers. I watched in the late 80's or early 90's and it was still pretty enigmatic in its symbolism. I thought there were more than 17 episodes, but I never really kept track. I should probably track down a DVD of the series or something.
The greatest TV show ever made...
What was number 2 (Leo McKern) before he was taken to the village? In the ending scene he obviously walked into a government building, which I cannot recognize, leave me to believe he held a position of power.
That is a good theory. I don't think that is mentioned into the series, but the way it is constructed, it may make you think of that idea. Maybe he had a position of power, or worked for someone powerful. Who knows? But this idea gives more concepts for the character, nonetheless.
Be seeing you!
If nolan made films in 60s this is how it would look like !
I watched this series as a kid and it was " Trippy ! " Later as a teenager, I watched " THX: 1138 " and the TV series " Max Headroom ". The 1138 movie was George Lucas's first movie, which was weird, bizarre, and scary at times. ; the Headroom series totally blew my mind! Sort of like taking a Trip on Acid without the drugs ! Thanks for the review and for posting on RUclips!
The Prisoner had an ambiguous ending because they knew what they were doing, and I loved it. Lost had an ambiguous ending because they didn't know what they were doing. Sopranos is somewhere in the middle.
I think that Sopranos did a great unexpected ending, because it was a bit foreshadowed during Tony's sessions. Regarding Lost, the ending was pretty easy to understand, but it could have been done better. Anyway, it doesn't matter, because all three of those endings are memorable and make you think to the story more and more after the show's ending.
I saw the series when if first aired in the sixties. To me as a child then, it was an enjoyable adventure series that had an annoying, inexplicable ending. As I grew older, my reactions to it developed. At times I thought it could be seen as a portrayal of existentialist alienation. At others, it seemed to operate almost on a religious level, asking all the profound questions: What is this place? What's the purpose of it? Why am I here? Who's in charge? I think ultimately it's sign of the quality of the series that it can be viewed in so many different ways. It resonates with people at different levels, just as real art does.
Great analysis. MacGoohan gave hints about interpretation before he died, but I think the most compelling case is that everyone is their own jailer. The fact he sees his own face when he confronts no.1 is massive. Also, of course, there is the exchange that opens every episode. No.6: "who is number 1?" to which No.2 replies "You are number 6". If not for the intonation, it could have been read as "you are, number 6". When the last episode aired in England, it caused an almighty row because lots of people missed 'the reveal'. It's all there, the meaning. MacGoohan wanted people to think for themselves and interpret the ending as they saw fit. But it really isn't that hard to work out. He got out of the village, and returns to London. BUT the implication is that the whole world is "the village". MacGoohan's series uses allegory to tell a bigger tale regarding individualism vs. collectivism, the right to protest, the right to speak one's mind, the right to resist etc.
Thank you! You are right, and I agree with your idea. The Prisoner is a much more important series and can be seen having those theme too. And the idea of you being your own jailer, is quite subtle and makes a great impact on the viewer, because you don't expect. I like the show is letting the viewer gets all that and is not told at the end what everything means. Thank you for your view and for your idea!
My favorite.
It was really innovating in so many aspects!!! I guess we also have to keep in mind the environment of the cold war, so it is brilliant not knowing who´s wanna his information: foe or friends? what he know or how much he know? In my opinion, the best tv show I ever seen for all the things here mentioned and for those things impossible to measure
One of the best, definitely. So good, so unique, so fresh, even if it is an 1960s series.
I've been a fan of The Prisoner since it originally ran in the late 60's, mainly because of its 'strangeness', but I'm not surprised it didn't get a second series. It was an intriguing story but it didn't really develop and the ending explained nothing. All we got out of it in the end was that we are all prisoners, no matter where we go. A great show, but basically the same in each episode.
There was a mini series remake of The Prisoner about 15 years ago that starred Ian McKellen who plays number 2.
I know about that series. I tried to find it somewhere to watch it. I heard is not that good as the original one, but still...
I think it's on AMC. I came across it in a search.@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent
Here in the UK most people were obviously aware of this program, but I had no idea that it was shown in the US, let alone became popular.
I was recently given the task of assigning radio call signs to my team, it was no coincidence that my radio call sign was Number 6. 😂
(just for info in case you didn't know, V for Victory in morse is actually the opening 4 notes of Beethoven's 5th symphony.)
Masterpiece ✨
Great show.
My friend and I watched this in University and joked we’d like to see capt Kirk and the prisoner in a fight sequence in the gym with trampolines. Would be epic!
I would like to see this confrontation. And to find out that the whole context was planned by Number 2, who is actually Khan, who has a mischievous plan.... God that would be epic! And the butler to be Spock, but somehow controlled to be a butler...That's a missed opportunity of 1960s crossover there :D :D :D
The Future ended in the 1960s ❤️
This series was so far ahead of anything else around at the time. Really enjoyable
Brilliant allegory study on freedom within society.
The greatest Television program (Not a show). So many layers. Is he Danger Man (Aka Secret Agent Man). Who and what are the other prisoners. Is he dead? (Watch the opening credits closely.) Is this the afterlife? Are the episode even in chronological order?. You can get 80% of it but never get 100%. Just so good. After watching The Prisoner, most TV will appear to be crap to you!
There was a version of the Prisoner series done for radio (BBC Radio 4 Extra), which actually seems to do a better job of telling the stories, than the tv series, with some fantastic sound effects, music, and great voice acting. Well worth trying to track down.
Thanks for the suggestion. I will search it and listen to it.
I will not be pushed filed stamped indexed briefed debriefed or numbered. My life is my own.
This is one of the most controversial and talked about TV shows ever made. I urge you to watch documentaries made about the series and the details of the behind the scenes that went into making this amazing show.
Are you aware that Magoohan and Leo McKern had mental breakdowns while making this show, so intense was Magoohan. Almost all the crew agree, he went a bit mad, trying so hard to make this show. But it worked.
Six decades later, we are still talking about it and what it means.
You cannot even imagine how explosive this show was, back in the mid-1960s.
One of the most interesting show ever. Didn't know MacGoohan had breakdowns, back then. But, in a way, I understand that since, the level of production and the story of the series was quite a challenge. Hope it was just a phase, and after the show was done, he was proud about what he could create.
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent There are quite a few very good documentaries about the making of the show, many of them talking to the crew, writers and actors. They all say MaGoohan suffered greatly with his mental health as the time went on, such was the pressure he felt running the show. Perhaps because of his Irish background, he was always quite an intense man, he felt and took his obligations to the studio seriously to the point of suffering. Roger Moore, who was producing The Saint at the same time period, had a much more relaxed approach to producing, wasn't quite so intense but of course, The Saint was a very different kind of show from The Prisoner, which by its nature, was almost certain to cause Actors problems! Fear, Paranoia, Surveillance, betrayal, Deceit...its all there: a dangerous mix, mental health wise!
Thank you for the information. I will search those documentaries and watch them.
I absolutely loved this series, but the ending was so disappointing. IMHO, the use of machine guns and violence was so inappropriate after all those mind games and intelligent scripts.
I agree you with, honestly. Come to think of it, it was a bit out of place. However, being the last episode and somehow represented the final battle against Number 1, a decisive battle, I can say that it worked a bit... I kinda forgot about the guns. But Number 6, being so badass around so many guys with guns...He had courage. It represented him much cooler than it already was :).
Like Harmony, it was intended irony - a commentary on Vietnam. Hence the Beatles countering machine gun kills etc
Who is number one?
You are! Number 6!
The calls are coming from inside the house! It was Agatha all along! Six of one, half dozen of the other!
I watched this series while in Europe in the sixties. It is essentially a single-idea story retold time and time and time again. The entire series is a triumph of style over content. The fact that it was so popular at the time is illustrative.
Back before Cable TV, local UHF TV stations ran The Prisoner, UFO and Space 1999 in the early evening 7PM time slot, usually on Saturday. This was my 1st exposure to Brit TV. Later came Benny Hill, Monty Python, Mr. Bean and Doctor in the House and I just recently grabbed copies of that series. I found Mrs. Brown's Boys on the 'net just a few years ago. Some might not get it but I Love Brit Humor!
the prisoner was the first mini-series
first tv show to be shot like a movie
dealt with concepts not seen anywhere on tv thanks to prior standards and practices
on it's initial run in the states, one episode was left out...living in harmony....which was clearly anti-war...didnt make it past cbs censors
btw, there are no true villains in the show
there are people with jobs....jobs they had to do, as no one in the village was truly free
How underrated an actor was Patrick McGoohan? This was a great creation.
"there will be spoilers" - Yes, please! Spoil away! 50 years and I still couldn't explain what The Prisoner is about.
It's just a disclaimer for those who want to see the review and might not want to get spoiled. That's the beauty of the Prisoner. It's more and more mysterious.
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent It was always just the strangest of shows, I never a clue what was going on - but yes, I understand the nature of the disclaimer, I was just having a bit of fun at my intelligence's expense.
Joke understood. A little late, but understood :))
Don’t forget to watch “Danger Man” (AKA Secret Agent). It’s a very well written anthology series staring Patrick McGoohan. It’s often considered the prequel to “The Prisoner”. It’s not a surreal series like the Prisoner, but it has all the same cool elements. Great stories.
mcgoohan did not consider danger man a prequel
@@thewkovacs316 Fan theory.
@@NoahSpurrier that comes from markstein, who insisted that he had the idea for the prisoner and mcghoohan wrested it from him. prob is, markstein wrote a treatment for a sequel where it is made clear that 6 is drake and that drake came up with the concept for the village and the entire series was really drake testing if the village really did it's job and somehow he breaks and actually becomes a prisoner, but also gets to have adventures throughout the world....yet finds himself back in the village at the end of every epi....pretty much proof that markstein did not come up with the original concept
I started to watch "Danger Man". I love the first season. I am curious about the next ones, but still, I do not know if it can be a prequel. I have to see the complete series to know. Either if is canon or not, Patrick McGoohan did a great job as a spy. In some ways, it was better than Bond.
@@ThoughtsofaFilmStudent mcgoohan insisted that the prisoner was not drake. others have said they couldnt say it was drake because of copyright issues.
i dont believe that it is drake, because the whole point of the show is that the audience is not supposed to know what number 6 did before he came to the village.
the need of many to try to dumb down the series has always bothered me.
Hammer on to anvil and many happy returns are the best episodes
*_"Who are you?"_*
*-- BABYLON 5*
You sir, just gave me an idea for a video :)!
Apparently this is rumored to be the next Nolan film.