One of the finest and most significant TV series ever made. And, due to its propensity for multiple interpretations, its esthetic qualifications are off the charts.
Hello Abigail! I am delighted to think you watched and enjoyed my little video. You must have been very young at the time The Prisoner was made, but what a fascinating and inspiring experience that must have been. I have to say your father exuded strength, character and enthusiasm - I’m sure he offered great support and encouragement to Patrick McGoohan at what was probably a difficult time. Thanks for taking the time to get in touch - much appreciated.
@@abigailmckernwalkingwithpo4582 Abigail, could you clarify the nature of the health problem your father had during the filming of the episode "Once Upon a Time?" In an interview, McGoohan suggested that your father had some kind of emotional or nervous breakdown, but the production manager said he had a heart problem of some kind, perhaps an actual heart attack?
Isn't it incredible that many of The Village ideas have become today's reality. Such as: use of cookies on personal computers, so many surveillance cameras almost uncountable everywhere we go, one person I knew in a corporate workplace told me they timed people how long they went to the restroom!! "Be seeing you."
@@daveherres3374 I heard a similar story from a friend who retired from a well known corporation. She was only allowed 11 minutes I think to go to the bathroom. How sad!
First heard about this show in the late 70s,it has had several airing s on NZ TV but due to work hrs I always missed it-have been watching it recently and found it to be thoughtful,absorbing,great cast but with plots that need to be followed closely,I can see why the show has attracted so much attention over the years Auckland New Zealand 2023
1. McGoohan always denied what was obvious to the rest of us, that the Prisoner was indeed John Drake. Admitting it would have resulted in a potential legal battle and the granting of royalties to "Danger Man" creator Ralph Smart. 2. A creative falling out occurred late in the production between McGoohan and Markstein resulting in McGoohan being forced to write the concluding episode. According to McGoohan, shooting had already begun on the episode and he didn't yet have an ending. The one he chose proved to be puzzling to viewers, leaving many unsatisfied. McGoohan's intent in finally identifying Number 1 was clear, but a bit too abstract for many to appreciate. At any rate, it lends credence to the adage that actors should act and writers should write. R.I.P. Patrick McGoohan. A very moral man. A very thoughtful man. And a wonderfully talented actor.
Very interesting and enlightening. I’m sure I read about the fall out with Markstein who could see the allegorical direction PM was travelling in and M wanted to steer it back to something more accessible. As you say, McGoohan’s passion, principles and skills are beyond reproach, but perhaps he needed a Markstein to contain or process his ideas. Of course, the series is all the more intriguing because of its unconventional approach and ending.
I am convinced it began, purposely framed as a continuation of Danger Man, but McGoohan threw the railway switch, and sent it into an allegorical trajectory. Most essentially, McGoohan refused to be a Prisoner of his audiences expectations.
Or maybe Patrick McGoohan was *gasp* telling the truth. Remember, Danger Man (Secret Agent in the States) wasn't cancelled. McGoohan could have gone on playing John Drake for as long as he wanted, indeed, financial backer Lew Grade at ITC would have much preferred it. However, McGoohan, who was then the highest paid and arguably most popular actor on British television, decided he wanted to quit and do his own thing rather than go on playing Drake. If you spend even a moment thinking about that, it seems rather silly to quit playing an actor so as to create a royalty-dodging carbon copy - at far greater expense that shoving a few quid Ralph Smart's way (McGoohan had to set up his own production company, Everyman films, to make The Prisoner). McGoohan had more than enough clout to get the format of Danger Man changed to 'John Drake in a prison for spies' if that is what he wanted to do. As spies were immensely popular at the time, it seemed like a good idea for the Prisoner to be another spy quitting his job (something that would also give the character the skill set he required for his adventures in the Village). Unfortunately, some people couldn't cope with the fact McGoohan was playing a different man with the same job and assumed The Prisoner was Drake quitting, no matter how many times McGoohan said he wasn't in interviews he gave at the time of production (much later, the fan myth that McGoohan was trying to do Ralph Smart out of royalties began. It has been told so many times that people just accept it now). If you watch the two series it is quite obvious they are set in two entirely different universes. Danger Man/Secret Agent for all its gadgets and globe-trotting was far more down to Earth than The Prisoner with its sci-fi technology and angry weather balloons. Still, people go on trotting out the line that McGoohan was a royalty-cheating liar and the two characters were the same, even though, spy-biz aside, the Prisoner is quite clearly an idealised version of McGoohan himself and shares many autobiographical details with his creator (see Once Upon a Time).
@@jackhargreaves1797 I have enjoyed introducing The Prisoner to fresh young candidates. A recent young man was shown selected episodes of Danger Man, and then The Prisoner. He saw no lack of continuity. McGoohan knew many of us would infer a continuity, and that perception served him well. Below I paste my Prisoner Prequel list: ======== - Have a Glass of Wine: Drake at his best, great ending - Whatever Happened to George Foster: One of the highest rated episodes of the series ...and Drake goes rogue. Note his frustration with his handlers. - Loyalty Always Pays: Drake victorious again, with a clever plot line - Parallel Lines Sometimes Meet: Concludes with Drake suggesting that he is thinking of a vacation. Possible vacation thoughts are later mentioned to him in Episode 1 of The Prisoner. - Yesterday's Enemies: Drake is effective, but feels like he is being used. - It's Up To The Lady: Well written episode. You might want to throw a brick at the screen when it's over. Drake is pushed to the breaking point here. - The American introduction to the "Danger Man" Series, known to us yankees as "Secret Agent". McGoohan and others deny it, but The Prisoner was obviously a continuation of "Secret Agent"/"Danger Man". Note the closing line of the song ... "They've given you a number and taken 'way your name". Finally ... The Prisoner, Episode 1. "Arrival". Opens with "Drake" resigning.
A great concise review. I was an 8-9 year old when first I watched this (yes, I was a strange child!). It has been part of me ever since. It is as you point out, functioning on the level of art and metaphor. And in the end, it gives us the most powerful concept art can. That we often imprison ourselves in making the same choices over and over again. Thanks for the great analysis.
I have grown to admire the episode with Patrick Cargill as it shows that often those in leadership or powerful roles are oppressing others out of insecurity or indeed baked fear of the consequences for them if they do not. Something that is difficult to appreciate if you are being bullied by such a person. Number 6 has a form of temporary victory in that episode which is both welcome and satisfying to me as the viewer. The other episode which appeals to me is where his own authoritative commanding demeanour undermines his escape attempt and collaboration with others. These two stories are very well observed in my view and are highlights in a show studded with thought provoking and intelligent segments.
Thanks for sharing these thoughts. Yes, much is made of the façade or front we put up in these episodes, and the effects that can have. I agree - there are many insightful observations in the series.
The second to last episode was terrifyingly brilliant. The acting of two men locked in a room. Honestly the writing was up to Shakespearean levels in that one.
Thank you for a thoughtful review of the series. It was on as Secret Agent Man when I was a kid but my mother wouldn't let me watch it. Said it was too scary so I'm thrilled to find it streaming now. I think the episode Once Upon a Time is brilliantly acted by McGoohan and Mc Kern.
The pennyfarthing bike was supposed to be "an ironic symbol of progress" -- and an attempt to convince Village inmates that The Village was a friendly, welcoming, paternal place of refuge, instead of an artificial and heavily-instrumented fishbowl in which technology was a means of control.
airscrew1 I take back the "idiot" remark and apologize for it as well. Since my initial reply I have watched all the episodes at least two times and I now think that this is a fascinating show with strange things everywhere you look. those three cordless phones are identical to a Panasonic model that didn't exist until the mid 90s. it even has the reciever tab on the bottom. and the green dome room, why are there star constellations on one part a huge world map on another and on the bottom ring are like city maps? is that a control room for a nano-world in which we live? I referring to a type of flat earth theory that would take a week to explain so I won't. I'll just say that it (the show) supports a theory that didn't exist until a few years ago. And the dome room sports technology that hadn't even been conceived of. I mean, what is all that stuff supposed to be for? and the balloon, is that like the pods in the matrix or some kind of extraction-insertion tool for nano humans in the nano world. I don't know, but it's sure interesting.
I just stumbled upon your channel and this video about McGoohan’s Prisoner. An excellent review of one of my favorite British tv series of all time 👍👍 By a great coincidence, I just made a video along similar lines and agree entirely with your comments. I was astounded that we even picked many of the same photos to illustrate our respective videos 😄😉 I was 9 years old when the series first aired, at that age it was confusing but I enjoyed much of it. Ten years later I watched a re-run, loved it and understood much more. At the age of 64, I watched it all again and many documentaries about how it was made. I thought now that The Prisoner was a work of genius and thought I should make a video about it. I‘ll link your video to share it in my The Prisoner playlist for others to see your excellent video 😊
Hi Lester, What an amazing set of coincidences - I am 64, first saw the series at nine and learned to appreciate it through a re-run on Channel 4 in 1983! I went on to collect a number of episodes on VHS before buying the series on DVD some time later. I have a small collection of watches, enjoy whisky (I live near the Glenmorangie distillery), worked in Brittany for a year and was a fan of Sean Connery (I noticed a poster behind you at one point). Thank you for your kind words about my video. I must say I am very impressed by your video which is obviously far more accomplished than mine. I copied the link and have placed it in the description that accompanies my own. Thanks also for your kind words about my video on Soylent Green - an underappreciated classic! Thanks for taking the time to get in touch and good luck with your very interesting channel! Stuart
A good summary. There were also references to the New World Order (Episode 2) and there was Masonic symbolism in several episodes. The idea of the 'hidden controllers', who use technological means, has now become more prevalent The series was well ahead of its time.
Masonics have been apparently declining, or are in decline judging by the main Church, that was closed (in New York) last decade due to neglect, lack of upkeep and deterioration.
Totally agree. Markstein and others--including some commenters here apparently--would have wanted The Prisoner to be a conventional spy tv show. But it is because The Prisoner is unconventional--it deals with larger issues--is why it was a great show.
at the opening sequence, when number 6 asks "who is number 1?" number two's voice replies: "you. ... are number 6." i just got into this series, and the first time i heard that, in episode 1, since there is a slight delay when number two says "you." I thought he was answering Pat McGoohan's question, telling him that he was number 1. seems like a bit of foreshadowing now that Ive seen the whole run of the show. ___next time listen for it youll see what i mean
As the new no 2, I can only say the split personality of no6, (or was it a sense grandeur of the no1 personality fighting with the subordinate no6)? was tough for the former no2's, it seems we maybe getting a new no6 as Mr Bond has rumoured his retirement....
Good overview. That is the fundamental tension: how much does an individual have the right to be individual, especially when a member of a larger society? One would argue with the covid-19 pandemic, for example, that the American emphasis on rugged individualism has some strengths, but in a situation like this, all the individuals are unable to come together to act in ways to preserve the common good. Be seeing you.
Excellent! I saw the very different reboot, but it was broadcast too quickly for my tiny pea brain to absorb. Then I was arrested, and I will quite literally be a federal political prisoner for the rest of my life. It adds a wee tad of irony.
We may have a yearning for the safety and comfort of the village but that just isn't possible in the current world system. When I read the hobbit, I always want to just stay in the shire but that isn't possible because the danger is always getting nearer if it's ignored. We are meant to be warriors with moments of rest. When the Lord returns, he will rule with a rod of iron over the whole world for a time but the "village" will occur beyond that when evil truly is permanently quarantined.
Just checked my dvd set of the complete series and an alternative version of Arrival is on a bonus disc, along with an alternative version of The Chimes of Big Ben.
Spot on! I'd like to suggest that the series ended with the penultimate episode, "Once Upon a Time" featuring Leo McKern. The final episode was a high-handed allegorical trip. Charlie Chaplin's Tramp said goodbye twice (Modern Times and Great Dictator), McGoohan can too. Sincerest thanks.
My father hated The Prisoner. Not because of the show or subject matter, but because someone was using it as part of a psych telecourse. After the show, the shrink would come on and say something like, "Pretty unreal wasn't it?" Then he'd show how society works exactly like that. Then dad would get all paranoid.
Well thought out, well said. I don't often say that. From the very start, for creator Paddy Fitz the series was clearly allegorical. Employing that perspective "Fall Out" does explain all, taken directly from his stream of consciousness.
Some time ago (it was definitely pre-Covid; so, 2017~ish) I came across a TH-cam in which the presenter(s) took a crack at explaining the final episode of the series in which #6 meets #1. That video began with a segment that was recorded with Patrick McGoohan himself, seated in a crowd of "Prisoner fans" who were all dressed in "Village attire" (which must've seemed especially creepy to him, I should think.) And as I recall the host of the presentation said to Patrick, "We've come up with an explanation of the final episode!" To which McGoohan replied, "Good, I hope you can explain it to me then." And then I smelled something funny in the air and the next thing I knew I was lying in bed at a seaside resort...
Number 6 is grappling with his ego & conscious in death ,Number 6 is himself no 1 (number for carbon atom is 6 & balls bring him back every time he tries to escape )
In the first episode, the man playing chess has a cap with the logo and the number 66, i am rewatching the series that I find so aligned with what we are living today (NWO, Bilderberg, WEF, MK ultra, etc ...) . There is a bald man in the first episode that looks just like Klaus Schwab (just a bit younger and thinner)
I think that, because it deals with ideas, and is iconoclastic, people want this show to be greater and deeper than it actually is. Opinions will differ. My own, informed by seeing interviews with McGoohan, is that this was something of a vanity project by, and a vehicle for, an actor - not a philosopher or deep thinker or great writer - with very individualistic and somewhat libertarian tendencies to vent and elevate personal and sometimes petty frustrations about feeling trapped in his career and lacking control over societal change.
I agree McGoohan was doubtless driven and the whole premise is somewhat subjective (as can be said for most creators and their projects), but nonetheless he deals with issues and themes that affect and concern most reflective members of society. Thanks for taking the time to get in touch.
l still try to understand his meanings in his interviews about being a fight with one's evil self. l want to understand the set pieces, the themes of each episode and the ending, but l can't understand. Everything he has placed, has a reason. Just viewing and listening to his work, is enough to understand that nothing is random and there is reason why it is there and we, as a main objective, must understand it as well. To become like the author or at least, understand the idea he presented to the audience (and possibly to himself too). Exactly like the Bible, nothing is random there; everything that was written, were specific from the authors and the One supporting them. Do you have any assistance on this puzzle? Series like these, will never appear again, video games can't even reach the kind of thought provoking (some or few did but not anymore, just like media,songs,series), so l will have to resort to the past to find it. But the past gets corrupted(by the powers that be) or forgotten (people stopped caring about the bigger picture or the actual reason why we are here alive)
Hi there, I’m sure you do have a good understanding of the main themes of each episode. Could I suggest that you avoid seeking meaning in every detail and focus on the broader picture? Bear in mind that this was a project in which Patrick McGoohan was thoroughly embroiled and prepared for years. He doubtless saw or inserted meaning and symbolism in every aspect of the production but what was clear to him is not necessarily as clear to the viewer and, indeed, may even have had meaning only to him. There is a quote often attributed to poet Robert Browning (but also to many others!) which goes something like, “When I wrote this, only God and I knew what it meant. Now only God knows.” I suspect that may be applicable to Mr McGoohan and The Prisoner. Ideas and details doubtless made perfect sense at the time of writing/production but they may not stand up to scrutiny now, or have the same meaning for others. As I said before, I do think it is better to focus on the bigger picture rather than the detail. Thanks for taking the time to get in touch. Be seeing you!
@@fernie150 Argh, youtube comments. l knew l should have write my long comments in the language tool to save it. Lost my comment there and my mood. Well, you're right, l do tend to overanalyze. l see Patrick point out the recent events (like the cab driver with countries coming to one place), or the system limiting your choices or even power. Who knows who has the ultimate power in the human hierarchy. l know a moment in gaming, in Ace combat 3, it is the only game that tells you to decide during choice branches. This is of course, what you referenced, about over analysing. Or maybe, it is a valid point of view(of what l said) but wasn't the author intention to show to the audience. Below it is my text of what l said about it. It is good to share and converse about ideas; you learn something new each day and where you have been wrong or put too much salt(put too much analyzing like l do) In Ace combat 3. Why the "decide" is my favorite line? Because it reminds me of our lives and the way the Ai voice says it. Monotone but also with clear expression. You just got to do it. And just like in the game, you don't have the option not to decide, there is one but it leads back to the A decision since someone else does it for you. But all other times, you must decide if you want to move the story forward and the decisions can appear mid-mission, end mission, whatever the game has made. In the end, we must decide when presented a crossroad or a decision. It always need to be reminded, it is a truth. Did you know that in Greek Language "Truth" is "Αλήθεια" but that word has the "a" in it, in which it means the opposed of that. The actual word is "Λήθη",which means "erasing from memory, not remembering anymore".If you take opposite of that(Αληθεια) it means remembering it always, keeping in it your mind. How rich Greek is eh? Multiple meanings and literal. We must always have truth inside of us especially God and our actions and our situations
My interpretation is that Number 6 was a victim of his own arrogance. You are number 1. Open to endless interpretations. We are all imprisoned in our own personality. Number 2 seemed to be re educating Number 6. We cannot escape ourselves or the society we live in. 6 never formed a healthy relationship with any of the other residents of the village. I’m a UFO fan and Straker is a similar character. Both fascinating shows,
Yes, he refuses to conform, a sure way to create conflict. In the remake, number two appears to succeed in re-educating him and coming to terms with his inability to escape society, and I found that disappointing, even depressing! As you say, a fascinating and thought-provoking show. Thanks for taking the time to get in touch.
Ironically, McGoohan made a disparaging comment about UFO in one of his interviews, casually referring to it as one of "a batch of shows that Lew Grade purchased all of which were total rubbish." Shame really, as I also enjoy both series.
Well done, interesting review, I was around 11 years old when it was first broadcast. Became captivated, recently watched it all again and found it timeless and urgently significant to taday's medical militarily coup called corona virus. I tend to agree that it is open to interpretation. Personally I. see it less about the spy and his reasons for resignation, but more a parody of today's alarming comfornity, lack of individualism and Acquiescence to a very sophisticated form of totalitarianism
Thank you - glad you liked it. We must be about the same age. I agree - the context allows for a much broader investigation of society and insidious dangers.
The early episodes were good but the show got lost in its psychedelia and eventually came off the rails. The wild, nonsensical ending is the best example of this.
As a boy I was only capable of watching one and a half episodes of '''The Prisoner.'' It was clear to me that he wasn't ever leaving the prison of his mind or that of his jailers and the gist of the show: that man is a constantly harassed victim of his own persecution (and that of others)in a world that refuses to outline his crime was a fabrication of the show's creators. One that was dreamt up by drug addicts or evil men with sadistic control fantasies. I had no time for this kind of mental abuse. Too much Kafka in this production. Hogan's Heroes, while admittedly silly and facile, offered it's characters some hope of escape from their own shortcomings, from other men's evil intentions and from a war that used them as cannon fodder.
While I accept the indulgent nature of the show, I do think it asks important questions about society and the place of the individual - even if these questions can't really be answered. That said, it is certainly not going to be everyone's cup of tea! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Most intelligent thought provoking tv series ever. Even in 2020 the messages it gives out are open for discussion. My channel is based on this with a anti EU twist. It means what it is....... WHY? Be seeing you...........
I've just completed my most recent re-watching of The Prisoner and I have to say, it's a real disappointment to me. What started out as a very intriguing premise, continued in this vein up until around the 13th episode, or so, after which it completely fell apart and lost its way. Those final few episodes rendered the previous instalments null and void. Shame really. I've always liked Patrick McGoohan.
I think the problem is that the longer it went on, the more allegorical it became, and in the end he wasn’t very sure how to give it a satisfactory ending. Thanks for taking the time to get in touch.
[John 8:32, 34, 36] "32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." ... 34 Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. ... 36 "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."
the prisoner is a mockery of idiots who think they are intelligent and insightful, like poor Stuart here. the series never went anywhere, it's just a collection of single episodes all re-located to a village. And millions watched waiting for some kind of story to develop, and it never did cause there never was one. This was plainly obvious in the final episode, when they had no idea how to end a story that wasn't a story at all. I know a writer would understand what I'm saying.
The Prisoner could have been good but was stupid. They didn't know how to end the series. The reason I say this is, if the answer to this whole series is we are all prisoners in one form or another and not truly free, then it would have been more advantageous to have the character watched to see what he was going to do once he retired instead of taking him to the village and getting no answers. The last four episodes were disjointed and childish and the very last episode was just plain stupid.
Your obvious need to be seen as an intellectual who knows all and has the “right opinion” comes off as childlike and pretentious. Your “commentary” of this video is an excessive analysis and over-interpretation lmao. Are you one of those people that goes around and thinks that they understand art more than the artist and more than the people around them? Everyone has a different perspective and interpretation-get over yourself. Let the man enjoy the show. I sure did.
You didn’t have to like the series or the analysis, sir or mam. There are those of us that did. It doesn’t mean that you have to put down the people who don’t think like you. You remind me of the zombies in the very show that you critic-screaming, “Disharmonious, disharmonious!” 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
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One of the finest and most significant TV series ever made. And, due to its propensity for multiple interpretations, its esthetic qualifications are off the charts.
Thank you Stuart! My Father was Leo Mckern and I watched some of the filming as a child.
Hello Abigail!
I am delighted to think you watched and enjoyed my little video. You must have been very young at the time The Prisoner was made, but what a fascinating and inspiring experience that must have been. I have to say your father exuded strength, character and enthusiasm - I’m sure he offered great support and encouragement to Patrick McGoohan at what was probably a difficult time.
Thanks for taking the time to get in touch - much appreciated.
Wow! Your father was a great actor and the best at number two in the prisoner. He was ideal for the role as he was in things like' Rumpole'.
@@paulhagen5645 Thank you so much Paul, it is always lovely to hear how much he was appreciated!
@Peter Rumsby he could REALLY make people laugh!!!
@@abigailmckernwalkingwithpo4582 Abigail, could you clarify the nature of the health problem your father had during the filming of the episode "Once Upon a Time?" In an interview, McGoohan suggested that your father had some kind of emotional or nervous breakdown, but the production manager said he had a heart problem of some kind, perhaps an actual heart attack?
Isn't it incredible that many of The Village ideas have become today's reality. Such as: use of cookies on personal computers, so many surveillance cameras almost uncountable everywhere we go, one person I knew in a corporate workplace told me they timed people how long they went to the restroom!! "Be seeing you."
Absolutely. What's sad is that we were warned!
@@fernie150 We were indeed warned. "SPEED LEARN" by The General hasn't happened yet. But could it?
I experienced that in my job. I get two 15 minute breaks. I was told that if I use the rest room the time spent was subtracted off my breaks.
@@daveherres3374 I heard a similar story from a friend who retired from a well known corporation. She was only allowed 11 minutes I think to go to the bathroom. How sad!
Portmerion, being a real location, gave "The Prisoner," a production valve/style far above its limited budget. Love ❤️ it.
Good point - and it gives the audience an anchor when the show strays into fantasy elements.
What an intelligent summary of this series.
The accent.
First heard about this show in the late 70s,it has had several airing s on NZ TV but due to work hrs I always missed it-have been watching it recently and found it to be thoughtful,absorbing,great cast but with plots that need to be followed closely,I can see why the show has attracted so much attention over the years Auckland New Zealand 2023
Thanks for taking the time to get in touch and sharing your thoughts. Always nice to hear from a fellow fan. I’m in the highlands of Scotland.
My only wish was for more episodes exactly as they were being made at Portmeirion. Be seeing you.
Great video - succinct analysis ❤
Many thanks. You're very kind.
Thank you! I just stumble on to this series in 2021. It really fits the times we are in! Great video! :)
Awesome series, should be reshown on mainstream TV. 👍👍👍
Agreed! It would be interesting to see what modern audiences made of it.
A very thoughtful analysis. Thank you.
1. McGoohan always denied what was obvious to the rest of us, that the Prisoner was indeed John Drake. Admitting it would have resulted in a potential legal battle and the granting of royalties to "Danger Man" creator Ralph Smart.
2. A creative falling out occurred late in the production between McGoohan and Markstein resulting in McGoohan being forced to write the concluding episode. According to McGoohan, shooting had already begun on the episode and he didn't yet have an ending. The one he chose proved to be puzzling to viewers, leaving many unsatisfied. McGoohan's intent in finally identifying Number 1 was clear, but a bit too abstract for many to appreciate. At any rate, it lends credence to the adage that actors should act and writers should write.
R.I.P. Patrick McGoohan. A very moral man. A very thoughtful man. And a wonderfully talented actor.
Very interesting and enlightening. I’m sure I read about the fall out with Markstein who could see the allegorical direction PM was travelling in and M wanted to steer it back to something more accessible. As you say, McGoohan’s passion, principles and skills are beyond reproach, but perhaps he needed a Markstein to contain or process his ideas. Of course, the series is all the more intriguing because of its unconventional approach and ending.
The Artful Dodger perfect summation.
I am convinced it began, purposely framed as a continuation of Danger Man, but McGoohan threw the railway switch, and sent it into an allegorical trajectory. Most essentially, McGoohan refused to be a Prisoner of his audiences expectations.
Or maybe Patrick McGoohan was *gasp* telling the truth. Remember, Danger Man (Secret Agent in the States) wasn't cancelled. McGoohan could have gone on playing John Drake for as long as he wanted, indeed, financial backer Lew Grade at ITC would have much preferred it. However, McGoohan, who was then the highest paid and arguably most popular actor on British television, decided he wanted to quit and do his own thing rather than go on playing Drake. If you spend even a moment thinking about that, it seems rather silly to quit playing an actor so as to create a royalty-dodging carbon copy - at far greater expense that shoving a few quid Ralph Smart's way (McGoohan had to set up his own production company, Everyman films, to make The Prisoner). McGoohan had more than enough clout to get the format of Danger Man changed to 'John Drake in a prison for spies' if that is what he wanted to do. As spies were immensely popular at the time, it seemed like a good idea for the Prisoner to be another spy quitting his job (something that would also give the character the skill set he required for his adventures in the Village). Unfortunately, some people couldn't cope with the fact McGoohan was playing a different man with the same job and assumed The Prisoner was Drake quitting, no matter how many times McGoohan said he wasn't in interviews he gave at the time of production (much later, the fan myth that McGoohan was trying to do Ralph Smart out of royalties began. It has been told so many times that people just accept it now). If you watch the two series it is quite obvious they are set in two entirely different universes. Danger Man/Secret Agent for all its gadgets and globe-trotting was far more down to Earth than The Prisoner with its sci-fi technology and angry weather balloons. Still, people go on trotting out the line that McGoohan was a royalty-cheating liar and the two characters were the same, even though, spy-biz aside, the Prisoner is quite clearly an idealised version of McGoohan himself and shares many autobiographical details with his creator (see Once Upon a Time).
@@jackhargreaves1797 I have enjoyed introducing The Prisoner to fresh young candidates. A recent young man was shown selected episodes of Danger Man, and then The Prisoner. He saw no lack of continuity. McGoohan knew many of us would infer a continuity, and that perception served him well. Below I paste my Prisoner Prequel list:
========
- Have a Glass of Wine: Drake at his best, great ending
- Whatever Happened to George Foster: One of the highest rated episodes of the series ...and Drake goes rogue. Note his frustration with his handlers.
- Loyalty Always Pays: Drake victorious again, with a clever plot line
- Parallel Lines Sometimes Meet: Concludes with Drake suggesting that he is thinking of a vacation. Possible vacation thoughts are later mentioned to him in Episode 1 of The Prisoner.
- Yesterday's Enemies: Drake is effective, but feels like he is being used.
- It's Up To The Lady: Well written episode. You might want to throw a brick at the screen when it's over. Drake is pushed to the breaking point here.
- The American introduction to the "Danger Man" Series, known to us yankees as "Secret Agent". McGoohan and others deny it, but The Prisoner was obviously a continuation of "Secret Agent"/"Danger Man". Note the closing line of the song ... "They've given you a number and taken 'way your name".
Finally ...
The Prisoner, Episode 1. "Arrival". Opens with "Drake" resigning.
The Prisoner was unique and your analysis offers some wonderful insights into the series. Really enjoyed. Thx
You’re very kind. I’m delighted to think you found my video of value. Thanks for getting in touch.
A great concise review. I was an 8-9 year old when first I watched this (yes, I was a strange child!). It has been part of me ever since. It is as you point out, functioning on the level of art and metaphor. And in the end, it gives us the most powerful concept art can. That we often imprison ourselves in making the same choices over and over again. Thanks for the great analysis.
Thank you. If it makes you feel any better, I was exactly the same age and I feel it has been part of me ever since!
Me as well! 60 years old and I still can’t get over it.
I have grown to admire the episode with Patrick Cargill as it shows that often those in leadership or powerful roles are oppressing others out of insecurity or indeed baked fear of the consequences for them if they do not. Something that is difficult to appreciate if you are being bullied by such a person. Number 6 has a form of temporary victory in that episode which is both welcome and satisfying to me as the viewer. The other episode which appeals to me is where his own authoritative commanding demeanour undermines his escape attempt and collaboration with others. These two stories are very well observed in my view and are highlights in a show studded with thought provoking and intelligent segments.
Thanks for sharing these thoughts. Yes, much is made of the façade or front we put up in these episodes, and the effects that can have. I agree - there are many insightful observations in the series.
The second to last episode was terrifyingly brilliant. The acting of two men locked in a room. Honestly the writing was up to Shakespearean levels in that one.
Apparently, it all became too much for poor Leo McKern, who needed some form of counselling.
Really ?
Is this like Mr Fox in " Performance " ?
Thank you. The only show my family used to watch together.
Thank you for a thoughtful review of the series. It was on as Secret Agent Man when I was a kid but my mother wouldn't let me watch it. Said it was too scary so I'm thrilled to find it streaming now. I think the episode Once Upon a Time is brilliantly acted by McGoohan and Mc Kern.
The pennyfarthing bike was supposed to be "an ironic symbol of progress" -- and an attempt to convince Village inmates that The Village was a friendly, welcoming, paternal place of refuge, instead of an artificial and heavily-instrumented fishbowl in which technology was a means of control.
WRONG. nothing was supposed to mean anything. You idiots all made it up on your own.
airscrew1 I take back the "idiot" remark and apologize for it as well. Since my initial reply I have watched all the episodes at least two times and I now think that this is a fascinating show with strange things everywhere you look. those three cordless phones are identical to a Panasonic model that didn't exist until the mid 90s. it even has the reciever tab on the bottom. and the green dome room, why are there star constellations on one part a huge world map on another and on the bottom ring are like city maps? is that a control room for a nano-world in which we live? I referring to a type of flat earth theory that would take a week to explain so I won't. I'll just say that it (the show) supports a theory that didn't exist until a few years ago. And the dome room sports technology that hadn't even been conceived of. I mean, what is all that stuff supposed to be for? and the balloon, is that like the pods in the matrix or some kind of extraction-insertion tool for nano humans in the nano world. I don't know, but it's sure interesting.
The balloon is the present day drone
A concise precise. Enjoyable. Thank you.
Very good. A spot on summary of the ideas behind the Prisoner.
Excellent analogy
I just stumbled upon your channel and this video about McGoohan’s Prisoner. An excellent review of one of my favorite British tv series of all time 👍👍 By a great coincidence, I just made a video along similar lines and agree entirely with your comments. I was astounded that we even picked many of the same photos to illustrate our respective videos 😄😉 I was 9 years old when the series first aired, at that age it was confusing but I enjoyed much of it. Ten years later I watched a re-run, loved it and understood much more. At the age of 64, I watched it all again and many documentaries about how it was made. I thought now that The Prisoner was a work of genius and thought I should make a video about it. I‘ll link your video to share it in my The Prisoner playlist for others to see your excellent video 😊
Hi Lester,
What an amazing set of coincidences - I am 64, first saw the series at nine and learned to appreciate it through a re-run on Channel 4 in 1983! I went on to collect a number of episodes on VHS before buying the series on DVD some time later. I have a small collection of watches, enjoy whisky (I live near the Glenmorangie distillery), worked in Brittany for a year and was a fan of Sean Connery (I noticed a poster behind you at one point).
Thank you for your kind words about my video. I must say I am very impressed by your video which is obviously far more accomplished than mine. I copied the link and have placed it in the description that accompanies my own.
Thanks also for your kind words about my video on Soylent Green - an underappreciated classic!
Thanks for taking the time to get in touch and good luck with your very interesting channel!
Stuart
A good summary. There were also references to the New World Order (Episode 2) and there was Masonic symbolism in several episodes. The idea of the 'hidden controllers', who use technological means, has now become more prevalent The series was well ahead of its time.
Masonics have been apparently declining, or are in decline judging by the main Church, that was closed (in New York) last decade due to neglect, lack of upkeep and deterioration.
well done ....well written sir
Many thanks
One of the best things I've seen on the Internet lately. Thank you!
Thank you. You’re very kind.
Excellent review and observations! A thinking man‘s analysis 👏
this programme of the prisoner reminds me of pilgims progess by john bunyan
A GREAT series.
I have to wonder if it was just McGoohan getting us to think about important large issues that we tend to ignore.
Totally agree.
Markstein and others--including some commenters here apparently--would have wanted The Prisoner to be a conventional spy tv show.
But it is because The Prisoner is unconventional--it deals with larger issues--is why it was a great show.
at the opening sequence, when number 6 asks "who is number 1?" number two's voice replies: "you. ... are number 6." i just got into this series, and the first time i heard that, in episode 1, since there is a slight delay when number two says "you." I thought he was answering Pat McGoohan's question, telling him that he was number 1. seems like a bit of foreshadowing now that Ive seen the whole run of the show. ___next time listen for it youll see what i mean
A little comma can make a big difference. :-)
Brilliant logical analysis,tx 🍀
Thank you for this. A thoughtful analysis.
Thank you for your insightful and thoughtful review.
Thanks for the clear explanation.
Triple 6 salute over the all seeing eye..."Be seeing you"....Illuminati and Masonic references.
As the new no 2, I can only say the split personality of no6, (or was it a sense grandeur of the no1 personality fighting with the subordinate no6)? was tough for the former no2's, it seems we maybe getting a new no6 as Mr Bond has rumoured his retirement....
Bravo! Nice intro
Thanks
Enjoyed it
Good overview. That is the fundamental tension: how much does an individual have the right to be individual, especially when a member of a larger society? One would argue with the covid-19 pandemic, for example, that the American emphasis on rugged individualism has some strengths, but in a situation like this, all the individuals are unable to come together to act in ways to preserve the common good. Be seeing you.
Maybe it was just a new elaborate version of the "Tempest" as was the "Forbidden Planet" which came out in 1956.
That's an interesting thought I would never have considered.
Thank you.
Excellent video, thanks
Excellent! I saw the very different reboot, but it was broadcast too quickly for my tiny pea brain to absorb. Then I was arrested, and I will quite literally be a federal political prisoner for the rest of my life. It adds a wee tad of irony.
Delighted to hear you enjoyed the video, but I am somewhat perplexed regarding your situation!
We may have a yearning for the safety and comfort of the village but that just isn't possible in the current world system. When I read the hobbit, I always want to just stay in the shire but that isn't possible because the danger is always getting nearer if it's ignored. We are meant to be warriors with moments of rest. When the Lord returns, he will rule with a rod of iron over the whole world for a time but the "village" will occur beyond that when evil truly is permanently quarantined.
quarantine is a funny word nowadays
Very good summary. Love the accent!
Thank you, and thank you!
Secret Agent Man, they've given you a number, and taken 'way your name.
Did The Arrival workprint see the light of day?
Just checked my dvd set of the complete series and an alternative version of Arrival is on a bonus disc, along with an alternative version of The Chimes of Big Ben.
@@fernie150 Cheers, mate!
Spot on! I'd like to suggest that the series ended with the penultimate episode, "Once Upon a Time" featuring Leo McKern. The final episode was a high-handed allegorical trip. Charlie Chaplin's Tramp said goodbye twice (Modern Times and Great Dictator), McGoohan can too. Sincerest thanks.
Thank you - much appreciated. Intriguing thought - I think PM left himself with nowhere to go but he wanted an ending.
Very interesting. Thanks.
Danger Man,Sounded like a cartoon character. What were they thinking?
When I was a child my dad first told me of the TV show Danger Man, my response was "What, is that like Danger Mouse? HAHAHA". He was not amused.
My father hated The Prisoner. Not because of the show or subject matter, but because someone was using it as part of a psych telecourse. After the show, the shrink would come on and say something like, "Pretty unreal wasn't it?" Then he'd show how society works exactly like that. Then dad would get all paranoid.
Yes, I think there’s a lot of truth in terms of social commentary in the series. I’m not surprised your dad got paranoid!
Well thought out, well said. I don't often say that. From the very start, for creator Paddy Fitz the series was clearly allegorical. Employing that perspective "Fall Out" does explain all, taken directly from his stream of consciousness.
Excellent & incisive.
Some time ago (it was definitely pre-Covid; so, 2017~ish) I came across a TH-cam in which the presenter(s) took a crack at explaining the final episode of the series in which #6 meets #1. That video began with a segment that was recorded with Patrick McGoohan himself, seated in a crowd of "Prisoner fans" who were all dressed in "Village attire" (which must've seemed especially creepy to him, I should think.) And as I recall the host of the presentation said to Patrick, "We've come up with an explanation of the final episode!" To which McGoohan replied, "Good, I hope you can explain it to me then." And then I smelled something funny in the air and the next thing I knew I was lying in bed at a seaside resort...
Yes, the series can have that effect!
Number 6 is grappling with his ego & conscious in death ,Number 6 is himself no 1 (number for carbon atom is 6 & balls bring him back every time he tries to escape )
Good commentary....It is a work of art....McGoohan was genius.... the prisoner is not John Drake, he is everyman....be seeing you
thanks
In the first episode, the man playing chess has a cap with the logo and the number 66, i am rewatching the series that I find so aligned with what we are living today (NWO, Bilderberg, WEF, MK ultra, etc ...) . There is a bald man in the first episode that looks just like Klaus Schwab (just a bit younger and thinner)
I agree - the series is strangely prescient. I would never have noticed the resemblance to Klaus Schwab !
Danger Man is very under appreciated.
Totally agree.
My favourite episode is where #6 refuses to run for office but gets elected anyway. Broke my 14-year-old brain
I think that, because it deals with ideas, and is iconoclastic, people want this show to be greater and deeper than it actually is. Opinions will differ. My own, informed by seeing interviews with McGoohan, is that this was something of a vanity project by, and a vehicle for, an actor - not a philosopher or deep thinker or great writer - with very individualistic and somewhat libertarian tendencies to vent and elevate personal and sometimes petty frustrations about feeling trapped in his career and lacking control over societal change.
I agree McGoohan was doubtless driven and the whole premise is somewhat subjective (as can be said for most creators and their projects), but nonetheless he deals with issues and themes that affect and concern most reflective members of society. Thanks for taking the time to get in touch.
l still try to understand his meanings in his interviews about being a fight with one's evil self. l want to understand the set pieces, the themes of each episode and the ending, but l can't understand. Everything he has placed, has a reason. Just viewing and listening to his work, is enough to understand that nothing is random and there is reason why it is there and we, as a main objective, must understand it as well. To become like the author or at least, understand the idea he presented to the audience (and possibly to himself too). Exactly like the Bible, nothing is random there; everything that was written, were specific from the authors and the One supporting them.
Do you have any assistance on this puzzle? Series like these, will never appear again, video games can't even reach the kind of thought provoking (some or few did but not anymore, just like media,songs,series), so l will have to resort to the past to find it. But the past gets corrupted(by the powers that be) or forgotten (people stopped caring about the bigger picture or the actual reason why we are here alive)
Hi there,
I’m sure you do have a good understanding of the main themes of each episode. Could I suggest that you avoid seeking meaning in every detail and focus on the broader picture? Bear in mind that this was a project in which Patrick McGoohan was thoroughly embroiled and prepared for years. He doubtless saw or inserted meaning and symbolism in every aspect of the production but what was clear to him is not necessarily as clear to the viewer and, indeed, may even have had meaning only to him. There is a quote often attributed to poet Robert Browning (but also to many others!) which goes something like, “When I wrote this, only God and I knew what it meant. Now only God knows.” I suspect that may be applicable to Mr McGoohan and The Prisoner. Ideas and details doubtless made perfect sense at the time of writing/production but they may not stand up to scrutiny now, or have the same meaning for others. As I said before, I do think it is better to focus on the bigger picture rather than the detail.
Thanks for taking the time to get in touch. Be seeing you!
@@fernie150 Argh, youtube comments. l knew l should have write my long comments in the language tool to save it. Lost my comment there and my mood.
Well, you're right, l do tend to overanalyze. l see Patrick point out the recent events (like the cab driver with countries coming to one place), or the system limiting your choices or even power. Who knows who has the ultimate power in the human hierarchy.
l know a moment in gaming, in Ace combat 3, it is the only game that tells you to decide during choice branches.
This is of course, what you referenced, about over analysing. Or maybe, it is a valid point of view(of what l said) but wasn't the author intention to show to the audience.
Below it is my text of what l said about it.
It is good to share and converse about ideas; you learn something new each day and where you have been wrong or put too much salt(put too much analyzing like l do)
In Ace combat 3.
Why the "decide" is my favorite line? Because it reminds me of our lives and the way the Ai voice says it. Monotone but also with clear expression. You just got to do it. And just like in the game, you don't have the option not to decide, there is one but it leads back to the A decision since someone else does it for you. But all other times, you must decide if you want to move the story forward and the decisions can appear mid-mission, end mission, whatever the game has made.
In the end, we must decide when presented a crossroad or a decision. It always need to be reminded, it is a truth. Did you know that in Greek Language "Truth" is "Αλήθεια" but that word has the "a" in it, in which it means the opposed of that. The actual word is "Λήθη",which means "erasing from memory, not remembering anymore".If you take opposite of that(Αληθεια) it means remembering it always, keeping in it your mind. How rich Greek is eh? Multiple meanings and literal.
We must always have truth inside of us especially God and our actions and our situations
"Where am I?"
"you are in the village"
We are all in the village of a controlled society, just my views on the series 😎
I'm not number ,I'm free man
Its ridiculous to think the 2 characters aren't the same as Patrick played the characters exactly the same.
Do you understand the significance of this series and its links to today?
I regard the themes as universal, so they will apply wherever and whenever the series is viewed.
I watched The Prisoner whilst in lockdown :) You say a product of its time but I am not so sure.
True!
Peter Rumsby I was hinting at a product of current time
Thank you .....love this show ....
My interpretation is that Number 6 was a victim of his own arrogance. You are number 1. Open to endless interpretations. We are all imprisoned in our own personality. Number 2 seemed to be re educating Number 6. We cannot escape ourselves or the society we live in. 6 never formed a healthy relationship with any of the other residents of the village. I’m a UFO fan and Straker is a similar character. Both fascinating shows,
Yes, he refuses to conform, a sure way to create conflict. In the remake, number two appears to succeed in re-educating him and coming to terms with his inability to escape society, and I found that disappointing, even depressing! As you say, a fascinating and thought-provoking show. Thanks for taking the time to get in touch.
Ironically, McGoohan made a disparaging comment about UFO in one of his interviews, casually referring to it as one of "a batch of shows that Lew Grade purchased all of which were total rubbish." Shame really, as I also enjoy both series.
Well done, interesting review, I was around 11 years old when it was first broadcast.
Became captivated, recently watched it all again and found it timeless and urgently significant to taday's medical militarily coup called corona virus. I tend to agree that it is open to interpretation. Personally I.
see it less about the spy and his reasons for resignation, but more a parody of today's alarming comfornity, lack of individualism and
Acquiescence to a very sophisticated form of totalitarianism
Thank you - glad you liked it. We must be about the same age. I agree - the context allows for a much broader investigation of society and insidious dangers.
The early episodes were good but the show got lost in its psychedelia and eventually came off the rails. The wild, nonsensical ending is the best example of this.
But weren’t the last two episodes literally on the rails?
Well stated, Stuart.
As a boy I was only capable of watching one and a half episodes of '''The Prisoner.'' It was clear to me that he wasn't ever leaving the prison of his mind or that of his jailers and the gist of the show: that man is a constantly harassed victim of his own persecution (and that of others)in a world that refuses to outline his crime was a fabrication of the show's creators. One that was dreamt up by drug addicts or evil men with sadistic control fantasies.
I had no time for this kind of mental abuse. Too much Kafka in this production.
Hogan's Heroes, while admittedly silly and facile, offered it's characters some hope of escape from their own shortcomings, from other men's evil intentions and from a war that used them as cannon fodder.
While I accept the indulgent nature of the show, I do think it asks important questions about society and the place of the individual - even if these questions can't really be answered. That said, it is certainly not going to be everyone's cup of tea! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
The Last Episode was Weird.
Indeed it was, but by then it had become completely allegorical and I think they wanted it to have an ending rather than just leave it open.
@@fernie150 Touche' (smile)
Most intelligent thought provoking tv series ever. Even in 2020 the messages it gives out are open for discussion. My channel is based on this with a anti EU twist. It means what it is....... WHY?
Be seeing you...........
Wear can I get a club jacket like that, without spending $400?
I came across a site in the UK that offers prisoner style jackets for £85, if that’s any use.
I've just completed my most recent re-watching of The Prisoner and I have to say, it's a real disappointment to me. What started out as a very intriguing premise, continued in this vein up until around the 13th episode, or so, after which it completely fell apart and lost its way. Those final few episodes rendered the previous instalments null and void. Shame really. I've always liked Patrick McGoohan.
I think the problem is that the longer it went on, the more allegorical it became, and in the end he wasn’t very sure how to give it a satisfactory ending.
Thanks for taking the time to get in touch.
TV reflects your societies IQ.
😷
[John 8:32, 34, 36] "32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." ... 34 Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. ... 36 "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."
Oh shut up.
McGoohan has clearly stated that religion took no part in the writing of this series.
the prisoner is a mockery of idiots who think they are intelligent and insightful, like poor Stuart here. the series never went anywhere, it's just a collection of single episodes all re-located to a village. And millions watched waiting for some kind of story to develop, and it never did cause there never was one. This was plainly obvious in the final episode, when they had no idea how to end a story that wasn't a story at all. I know a writer would understand what I'm saying.
Clinton Bawden Disagree but respect your boldness.
Lol. Yes everything must follow a 3 act structure and wrap up nicely. Boring.
The Prisoner could have been good but was stupid. They didn't know how to end the series. The reason I say this is, if the answer to this whole series is we are all prisoners in one form or another and not truly free, then it would have been more advantageous to have the character watched to see what he was going to do once he retired instead of taking him to the village and getting no answers. The last four episodes were disjointed and childish and the very last episode was just plain stupid.
God help us for having a imagination
why make such movies to mock or what
Sorry, but I don't understand your question.
An over-interpretation of a T.V. program.
Excessively analysed:- makes this video childlike and pretentious.
Your obvious need to be seen as an intellectual who knows all and has the “right opinion” comes off as childlike and pretentious. Your “commentary” of this video is an excessive analysis and over-interpretation lmao. Are you one of those people that goes around and thinks that they understand art more than the artist and more than the people around them? Everyone has a different perspective and interpretation-get over yourself. Let the man enjoy the show. I sure did.
You didn’t have to like the series or the analysis, sir or mam. There are those of us that did. It doesn’t mean that you have to put down the people who don’t think like you. You remind me of the zombies in the very show that you critic-screaming, “Disharmonious, disharmonious!” 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
Pretentious quasi intellectualism.
The review or the show?
" Where am I ? "