The Prisoner (1967)

[Alan Stallion]

#8
Fall Out (1 February 1968; ITC 17)

The final episode and immediately follows the events in its previous episode “Once Upon A Time.” This was certainly controversial for its ending and bizarreness overall, so much so that Patrick McGoohan reportedly went into hiding for some time.

Upon defeated the final challenge from the final Number 2, Number 6 is being allowed to meet Number 1. Before that happens, an assembly with masked delegates to take care of other business, namely two who represent different types of revolt (as contrasted to the third type represented by Number 6). The Number 2 that Number 6 defeated is resurrected from the dead (complete with haircut and shave, a necessary move as much time had passed between the filming of the two episodes the actor playing Number 2, Leo McKern had a quite different appearance). A modishly dressed young man (Number 48) is also under judgment here for his youth revolt. Number 6 is asked to address the assembly, but is drowned out by the assembly continually repeating the opening word “I” (“Aye”)

Number 6 finally goes up to meet this Number 1, meets a robed man with a mask on, removes the mask to reveal another mask, that of a gorilla, then finally removing that mask to reveal his face to be identical to Number 6. Number 1 escapes into a hatch above. Number 6 initiates the countdown of the rocket that was contained in the area, causing a panic in the assembly and the villagers are ordered to evacuate the Village. Number 6, Number 2, Number 48, and the butler fight their way out, guns down armed guards (over a second playing of “All You Need is Love” by The Beatles), and escape on a low loader truck. Rover, the security of the Village is destroyed.

In “Many Happy Returns,” the location of the Village was shown to be an island NW of Morocco and SW of Spain/Portugal, but here they drive out and are shortly in London. The group starts to separate, with Number 48 hitchhiking, Number 2 going to The Palace of Westminster, and the Butler and Number 6 arrive back at Number 6’s home. Number 6 drives on in his Lotus 7 car and the Butler entered the residence, with automatic door like in The Village.

So in the series introductions when Number 6 asks, “Who is Number 1?” and Number 2 replies “You are Number 6,” perhaps it should have read with a comma, “You are, Number 6.”

 

[Alan Stallion]

#7
Once Upon A Time (25 January 1968; ITC 16)

The Number 2 played by Leo McKern in “The Chimes of Big Ben returns for his second of three episodes. He is brought back for the final and dangerous challenge for Number 6 in a psychological battle called “Degree Absolute” involving regressive therapy to break Number 6’s will. For much of the episode, it becomes a verbal battle of wits as Number 2 plays the authority figure and Number 6 is drugged to regress to various childhood ages and developments as the Butler is the only other accomplice in the locked room for a week-long battle. As time runs out, Number 2 collapses and dies at the end. The controller comes in and agrees to Number 6’s demand to see Number 1.

The intensity of the episode caused McKern to suffer a health issue (reports indicate a nervous breakdown or heart attack depending on the account), which cause production to cease for a time.

 

[Alan Stallion]

#6
Checkmate (24 November 1967; ITC 11)

Number 6 attempts at escape by rallying fellow prisoners to the cause. He believes he is able tell who is a prisoner and who is a warder. Number 6 is drawn into a human-chess game on a giant chess board where moves are done by chess masters on a high-chair announcing their moves. Number 6 is the white queen’s pawn and questions the queen during the game. At some point, the rook makes his own move and announces “check!” He is quickly removed and taken to hospital for acting on this own.

Number 6 recruits the chess master, “the rook,” the shopkeeper, and two others in a plan to get the attention of a passing ship by pretending to be a crashed airplane and Number 2 is captured in the process. However, because of Number 6’s strong-will, Number 6’s team had mistakenly concluded that Number 6 was a guardian testing their loyalty and betrayed Number 6’s plans.

Another episode that was played in the latter half of the series, but was actually produced third and makes more sense in that sequence.

 

[Alan Stallion]

#5
Arrival (29 September 1967; ITC 1)

The series opener, a nice introduction into exploring the Village and the concept of Number 2 (and the rotation of differing Number 2s). The first of many failed escapes is attempted and the security system including Rover is also introduced (though we do not learn of its name until the episode “The Schizoid Man”). Number 6 also experiences his first betrayal, as he finds his friend Cobb in the hospital and is led to believe Cobb committed suicide by jumping out of the window (we see in the final scene Cobb is very much alive and being thanked for his completed assignment)

 

[Alan Stallion]

#4
The Chimes of Big Ben (6 October 1967; ITC 2)

The first appearance of Leo McKern as Number 2. Nadia, an Estonian, arriving in the Village via helicopter as a prisoner. Number 2 shows Number 6 her waking up in her surveillance video and she has the same reaction as Number 6’s first arrival. Number 6 quickly strikes up a rapport with his new neighbor. Number 2 explains to Number 6 the concept of the Village as a prototype of a new global world order. After a failed escape by Nadia, Number 6 works on a plan with her for another escape, as she claims to know the location of the Village. A partner of Nadia aids in their escape. They hide in packing cases as they are delivered to London. After being released inside an office and meeting his old colleagues, Number 6 finally suspects something odd about the Chimes of Big Ben and discovers a tape recorder delivering the outside sounds of London. Number 6 opens the door and realizes he is still in the Village. Nadia turns out to have been on the side of his captors all along.

 

[Alan Stallion]

#3
Many Happy Returns (10 November 1967; ITC 7)

Number 6 wakes up to find that not only does he have no power or running water in his place, but that the entire Village is deserted, save for the black cat seen in the episode “Dance of the Dead.” Number 6 builds a boat, takes pictures of the Village (for evidence), gathers food and supplies, and departs on the sea. After 25 days on sea, he encounters gun-runners. After surviving that, he ends up on shore and climbs a steep cliff, meeting only gypsies there. Finding that he is now in England, he makes it back to his home, sees his car drive up, and meets Mrs. Butterworth, who now has the deed to the flat. She is very accommodating and feeds him and Number 6 says that tomorrow is his birthday. Number 6 returns to his old workplace and meet up with old colleagues. They determine the approximate location of the Village and Number 6 proceeds to enter an aircraft with a pilot to locate the Village. Upon finding the location, the pilot says “be seeing you” (a common Village phrase) and promptly ejects Number 6 from the aircraft. Number 6 has now parachuted back onto the beach of the Village. Returning to his Village residence, the power and water suddenly returns and Mrs. Butterworth enters, now revealed to be Number 2, says “many happy returns” and offers him a birthday cake as the Village is again bustling with people.

The episode is striking for lack of dialogue early on, and Number 6 finally speaks 20 minutes into the episode. Now our Prisoner realizes he can never truly go home again, as the reach of the Village is far beyond the island.

 

[Alan Stallion]

#2
Hammer into Anvil (1 December 1967; ITC 14)

Number 6 witnesses a female prisoner jumping to her death as a result of Number 2’s attack on her. This sets off tension between this more cruel Number 2 and Number 6. Number 2 quotes Goethe “Du mußt Amboß oder Hammer sein” ("You must be Anvil or Hammer") and vows to hammer Number 6. Number 6 realizes that Number 2 is fearful of his masters and starts a mind-game to prey on Number 2’s fear and paranoia. Number 6 now uses all the surveillance Number 2 has at this disposal against him, feigning secret messages to the point that Number 2 now suspects Number 6 is a plant. Number 2 then starts to become suspicious with everybody he is working with, and little by little his paranoia drives everybody away, including the trusted and loyal butler, leaving him alone. Number 6 confronts Number 2 and Number 2 is thoroughly destroyed that he must report himself as a failure and asked to be replaced. A decisive win for Number 6 against his captors.

 

[Alan Stallion]

#1
A Change of Mind (15 December 1967; ITC 13)

This episode deals with coerced confessions and conformity. Number 6 is being deemed to being anti-social and any further non-compliance will be deemed unacceptable. After further mockery of the “rehabilitation” of some Villagers, Number 6 is declared “unmutual.” The villagers are compelled to turn on Number 6 and shun him, thus isolating Number 6. Number 2 threatens Number 6 with Social Conversion, a lobotomy of sorts to take out the aggressive part of his brain. It is actually a mock lobotomy, with actual drugging taking place (they don’t want to destroy his brain; just break Number 6’s defiance and will). Number 6 eventually finds out the truth about the “lobotomy,” tricks and hypnotizes his observer (Number 86), and turns the tables on Number 2 by turning the Villagers against Number 2 as an “unmutual”. Another win for our Number 6.