mxfrickey-61583 The Prisoner has been, and will always be, one of the best TV shows to ever grace the small screen. Though full of action and intrigue, every episode delved into questions about individuality and personal agency: are we ever truly free, or are we being manipulated every minute of our lives? What is truth, and does it matter what we learn, or how we gain that education? Of course, a show is only as successful as its actors and writing- and with Patrick M we had the best there was. A true Renaissance Man, he could act, perform action scenes, and even create episodes, if he wished. Others directed, and contributed stellar scripts as well, so that all in all, the episodes were far and above anything else on TV, at that time. Of all the worthwhile programs that have existed, The Prisoner is the one that most bears repeated viewings and analysis. It has never been more timely and pertinent than it is in today's screwed-up world.

thegulls1 Legend has it that Patrick McGoohan was at a party with some VIP types, sometime after making 'Secret Agent Man' (you will recall it had a great theme by Johnny Rivers), when the subject came up of what was done with 'retiring' spies or intelligence folks. A Government servant told him that they were taken care of, kept somewhere prosperous and comfortable, since the info they carried in their brains could be extracted by hostiles from the other side (in so many words). This gave McGoohan the idea for the 'Village', and, ergo, the Prisoner. What if retirees (or personnel like 'Drake' from McGoohan's old show 'Danger Man' AKA 'Secret Agent Man') abruptly quit? Could the powers-that-be just let them walk away? This forms the premise for McGoohan's brilliant production of 'the Prisoner' in the late 60's, a production w-a-y ahead of its time, before the PC craze that came 15 years later brought massive volumes of info to John Q. Public in a matter of seconds. The notion that 'someone' out there had oodles of facts and opinions on us, in some recorded fashion, that we hoped would be private, was a scary notion back then. Nowadays, we accept the lack of privacy, despite the existence of hackers, and identity-theft artists who operate in the murky world of 'zeroes and ones'.Despite its age, and the tech era that has evolved since, somehow the Prisoner does not seem 'dated'--that's the genius of it. You could imagine a Roman Legion Commander resigning--and ending up in the same conundrum. No. 6 /'Drake' (we don't know his real name - to me he looks and dresses like the same 'Secret Agent' guy, Drake) quits his secret service job, gets drugged and wakes up in 'the Village', from which there is no escape (not that he doesn't keep trying). The Powers-that-be even have a device called Rover, a large floating bubble that can suffocate or render unconscious anyone who strays too far. To me, Rover symbolizes that, in Society, a non-conformist soon finds himself bound by social conventions he may not like, but cannot conquer.No. 6 is told (repeatedly) that, if he tells his minders WHY he resigned (really), they might let him go, but he refuses to explain. No. 6 is intransigent, tough, and stubborn. Who, exactly, is trying to extract an explanation from him is ambiguous, but only for effect--it is clear that the British are running this thing. In the second episode, his former Supervisors show up to deceive him into spilling the beans. Obviously, the Russians could not pull that off!What we are left with is an allegorical struggle by 1 man to retain his privacy. You will see the symbolism frequently, mixed with overtones of the Cold War era (friendly characters, even old friends, frequently conspire to trick No. 6 into giving something away). Only No. 6 could outwit these guys - he is a ruthless character in his own right--elusive, determined and cunning. McGoohan is perfect in this role - he is as charming, but cold as the Connery portrayals of James Bond.Final word: when this show ran on TVO in Canada (circa 1970), Warner Troyer, a great Canadian journalist, did a 5-minute wrap-up at the end, discussing the symbolism he detected in each episode. After the final show, he hosted Patrick McGoohan in a (kind of) forum at Seneca College, wherein McGoohan explained some of the mysteries. That final 35-minute Q&A can be seen on Youtube, if you look up 'The Prisoner Puzzle with Patrick McGoohan'.

GeorgeSickler This was a fantastic summer replacement when I saw it as a kid in Dallas, back in the days when many normally scheduled shows took a break to give actors and crew a time off.Until the final episode. We thought it would all tie the loose ends together and finally figure out what it was all about. Instead, the final episode was so bizarre, off topic, off story line, non-senseical, defies common sense - you name it - that the viewers felt that they were grossly cheated.I understand that the viewers in the UK were so outraged, disappointed and disgusted, there were huge protests against the studio, writers, producers, actors, etc. Some allegedly went into hiding for awhile until things simmered down. Anyway, still a fun and highly creative short series. Especially, all these decades later, to see the final episode.

Mr-Fusion There's a lot to say about "the Prisoner" - notably about how it challenges its audience and how it invites discussion and further exploration - but what charmed me (even on subsequent rewatches) is just how well it grabs you in the process. Could be due to a particular episode order (mine was the ITC order), but it was highly involving nonetheless. "Many Happy Returns", especially, is a nail-biter and you find yourself sticking around to see what happens. And I'd already seen the series twice. Aside from that, it is wholly unique; a '60s spy-fi series with a distinct cool factor. One that asks questions of its audience without much in the way of immediate answers. The beauty of the show is that this is ultimately a fun, not frustrating venture. And after having seen a few episodes, you have to know that the finale won't be a clear-cut solution to the questions raised. I don't know if I've gotten this much replay value out of such a convoluted show, but it remains one of my favorites. 9/10