The cult UK TV series The Prisoner (1967) is one of the best TV shows that I have ever seen.
It tells the story of a British secret agent who is abducted and imprisoned in a mysterious coastal village that on the surface is a holiday resort but is really a prison. He is given the designation of Number Six. His captors want to know why he suddenly resigned from his job; he refuses to give them the information that they want. He many times attempts to escape, but is always recaptured and brought back to the Village.
Number Six is played by Patrick McGoohan, the main creator of the series. McGoohan is very convincing indeed as a man who tries to maintain his integrity and independence when under pressure and surrounded by gaslighting enemies.
There are 17 episodes, each lasting around 50 minutes; I have them all on DVD; I wish that there had been many more.
There is a lot of information available online, so here I just want to mention a few aspects of the series that I particularly like.
I find The Prisoner alarming, sinister, eerie, mysterious, bizarre, surreal, colourful and fascinating. It is allegorical; it contains many metaphors and much symbolism. Individualism versus collectivism is a major theme. The Village is said to be the pattern for the future, a perfect blueprint for world order.
I like the opening sequence with the exciting music and the views of London; I like the decorative Village and the beautiful scenery.
Some aspects, the clothes especially, do seem rather dated, but this is a minor criticism.
Number Six and the Village:
The Prisoner contains a few memorable expressions that have been adopted for T-Shirts, badges and other merchandise:
"I am not a number..."
"I will not be pushed..."
"Be seeing you..."
Here are a few striking images from the series:
In the episode titled The General, Patrick McGoohan puts an entry token into a money box and a little green hand comes out and snatches it. I found this so amusing that I wanted one of those money-grabbing money boxes for myself. I bought one and it lasted for many years. After recently renewing my acquaintance with The Prisoner, I am thinking of getting another one.
The Prisoner was first broadcast in the UK in September 1967.
For anyone who hasn’t seen this highly recommended series and people who want to refresh their memories, there are several DVD editions.
