The Prisoner

[Kirkman1987]

Anyone here a fan of the 60's series The Prisoner, starring Patrick McGoohan? I just got the complete series off the Amazon sci-fi sale, and have been enjoying it immensely. I had seen some episodes a while back on youtube, but am now catching it again.

I really like the style. some social commentary mixed with a lot of surrealism. I showed a friend the first few episodes, confused him out of his mind (wait till he sees Fall Out!)

anyway, what were your guy's opinions on the show, Rover, or the last episode?

 

[Harvey]

I'm a big fan of the show. Just caught the entire series on DVD this summer. Hell, I even like the twisted finale (though it's not without some problems), Fall Out.

But, I do have to ask... should this be in General Sci-Fi and Fantasy or General TV?

 

[Takomaguy]

I'd love to see a reboot, set in the same time-frame, with the actor that played the last James Bond ("Casino Royale") in the title role

 

[Candlelight]

I have never seen it but want to. If I find it in a bargain bin I will probably grab it.

One big clip on YouTube confused the buggery out of me (#6 on a rocking horse being interrogated by Leo McKern's #2), so I guess I have to watch the whole thing to understand it.

 

[Bak_and_Blue]

I'm a huge fan.
My father watched it when I was little and of course I snuck out of bed, surreptitiously peeked around a corner of the living room and watched it. It disturbed me ( I was terrified of the big bouncing balloon thing). But just as I had been with the Outer Limits, I was fascinated yet terrified.
Then I caught the whole series a couple of summers ago on BBC America. It is one of the things from that era that has aged well. Even though I wasn't as creeped out I still enjoyed it. I need to get the DVDs. It is so deliciously surreal.

 

[Kirkman1987]

But, I do have to ask... should this be in General Sci-Fi and Fantasy or General TV?
__________________

yeah, I questioned which area this should go in myself.

The series is technically a 60's spy series, but can be classifed as a sci-fi. I sided on it here to play it safe, plus Lost, a similar type of show is not under sci-fi.

The whole thing plays like a dream, which is an interpretation, if you believe that...

Spoiler: Spoiler

Mcgoohan died in the opening credits and the series represents his final thoughts and/or a sort of limbo. This has been presented due to the undertaker look of the guy who gasses McGoohan, and the production company Everyman, which possibly is refering to the play

Not sure I believe that, and certainly don't think there can only one explanation of the show, but I always thought it was an interesting idea.

 

[doubleohfive]

I love it. Bought it back in 2002 when it was like $120 for the whole series. Not sorry about that one bit, despite the eventual markdown in price.

 

[auntiehill]

I love The Prisoner. I even wrote some papers in college on it, and got a few of them published in the college publication.

I remember reading an article about The Prisoner, with Patrick McGoohan saying he wanted to make people angry, to have "people shouting, waving their fists in my face." He wanted to show that all modern people are "prisoners--of Madison Avenue, of the Pentagon. We're all controlled."

It's a really fascinating show--almost completely allegorical. Certainly no other series, or mini-series, if you will, has ever come close to "The Prisoner."

 

[Orac Zen]

I finally picked it up a few months ago and wasn't as impressed as I'd expected to be - which can be the case when something is gushed about as much as this show is; it becomes impossible for it to live up to the hype. It's certainly fascinating and I plan to watch it again sooner rather than later, but I must say was somewhat underwhelmed by it.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I have never seen it but want to. If I find it in a bargain bin I will probably grab it.

One big clip on YouTube confused the buggery out of me (#6 on a rocking horse being interrogated by Leo McKern's #2), so I guess I have to watch the whole thing to understand it.

I wouldn't assume anything about understanding the show at all

I rented last year, found it interesting, but I'm not sure I'm a fan.

 

[aladinsane]

I absolutely love The Prisoner. It's mindblowing that something so surreal, so forward thinking was shown on TV at the time. Hell, this series would probably be conssidered daring if it aired today.

 

[Bak_and_Blue]

But, I do have to ask... should this be in General Sci-Fi and Fantasy or General TV?
__________________

yeah, I questioned which area this should go in myself.

The series is technically a 60's spy series, but can be classifed as a sci-fi. I sided on it here to play it safe, plus Lost, a similar type of show is not under sci-fi.

The whole thing plays like a dream, which is an interpretation, if you believe that...

Spoiler: Spoiler

Mcgoohan died in the opening credits and the series represents his final thoughts and/or a sort of limbo. This has been presented due to the undertaker look of the guy who gasses McGoohan, and the production company Everyman, which possibly is refering to the play

Not sure I believe that, and certainly don't think there can only one explanation of the show, but I always thought it was an interesting idea.

Hmmm, interesting (won't spoil the spoiler). Kind of explains why I also like LOST.

 

[Kirkman1987]

I'd love to see a reboot, set in the same time-frame, with the actor that played the last James Bond ("Casino Royale") in the title role

I'm sure we will see a reboot sometime. Several people have wanted to do it for a long time. Kevin Costner at one point wanted to do it, and there's dealings going on now to fund a miniseries.
Daniel Craig would be amazing no doubt. He would certainly fit in with Mcgoohan's history as John Drake. Also, Mcgoohan was asked to be James Bond before Connery (honestly, what male actor HAS NOT been considered for Bond at some point)
I certainly don't think they'll keep the surreal element and plain weirdness of the show. I expect it will be more of a standard thriller. It has potential to be good.

 

[Captain Dago]

I've been a fan since its first airings. I have a hard time believing that it could be remade in a form that even approached the fascinating weirdness of the original.

Although I love the whole series, I do have favorite episodes and I wonder which ones other fans would list as faves. Mine are:
Many Happy Returns
Living in Harmony
The Girl Who Was Death
Once Upon a Time/Fall Out

Be Seeing You...

 

[AviTrek]

I'd love to see a reboot, set in the same time-frame, with the actor that played the last James Bond ("Casino Royale") in the title role

I'm sure we will see a reboot sometime. Several people have wanted to do it for a long time. Kevin Costner at one point wanted to do it, and there's dealings going on now to fund a miniseries.
Daniel Craig would be amazing no doubt. He would certainly fit in with Mcgoohan's history as John Drake. Also, Mcgoohan was asked to be James Bond before Connery (honestly, what male actor HAS NOT been considered for Bond at some point)
I certainly don't think they'll keep the surreal element and plain weirdness of the show. I expect it will be more of a standard thriller. It has potential to be good.

They are working on a remake right now. I forget if it's scheduled for late '08 or early '09. AMC is making it with Granada. It will air on AMC in the US and ITV in the UK.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prisoner#Return_of_The_Prisoner

 

[Kirkman1987]

I've been a fan since its first airings. I have a hard time believing that it could be remade in a form that even approached the fascinating weirdness of the original.

Although I love the whole series, I do have favorite episodes and I wonder which ones other fans would list as faves. Mine are:
Many Happy Returns
Living in Harmony
The Girl Who Was Death
Once Upon a Time/Fall Out

Be Seeing You...

ok, my favorites

Checkmate- one of the more straightforward stories, but very exciting. the
human chess match is one of the best visuals in the series. I also love the attempts to figure out who are the prisoners and who are the wardens and how that backfires on Number 6.

Free For All- this is an odd episode featuring number 6 becoming number 2 via an election. There's some great satire of elections, the media, and Democracy in general. The ending is also really surreal, with guys in sunglasses sitting around a glowing Rover.......... Love it!

Fall out- one of the most surreal hours of television ever. utterly captivating. McGoohan had balls to end the series with this.

And also, here's a link you may enjoy. the music video for The Times "I helped Patrick McGoohan Escape"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzUCCl9YaBQ

 

[ToddPence]

I would have to say the series is slightly overrated (it's ultimately a little too oblique and lacking in internal consistency for its own good), but definitely worth checking out. My favorite episodes were "Many Happy Returns" and "Schizoid Man", both relatively prosiac episodes as ones where the Prisoner "almost gets away".

The mention of the "Free For All/Fall Out" finale has just insipred me to compile a list of televisions top ten all-time WTF episodes. One or both of those will definitely earn a spot. A WTF episode is one where after you're finished watching it, you say to yourself "WTF was that all about?"

 

[TGTheodore]

I absolutely love The Prisoner. It's mindblowing that something so surreal, so forward thinking was shown on TV at the time. Hell, this series would probably be conssidered daring if it aired today.

Agreed. Again, like any classic series over 30 years old, how much you enjoy it is a matter of when you see it as much as the show itself.

People seeing it for the first time now have 30+ more years of pop culture imitators already in their brains.

When you watched it the summer it was first broadcast in the US, it was downright mindblowing.

--Ted

 

[stoneroses]

I first bought the series on dvd way back in like 2000 but on ly paid about £40 don't know how it could cost as much as $120.
Anyway. It is genius, anybody thinks it is overrated missed the whole point.
Everything about it is wonderful. The stories are great and I can watch them over and over again. The scripts are perfect. I love it.
The music is fantastic and not Just Ron Grainer's wonderful title music there is that wondeful Warner back catologue they draw from during the show. And ofcourse it is one of only a very few shows to feature music by The Beatles.
One of the true classic shows! Shame so many of the cast are dead.
Happy belated 80th Birthday to Patrick McGoohan.
My favourite episode is 'Hammer into Anvil'

 

[Christopher]

I would have to say the series is slightly overrated (it's ultimately a little too oblique and lacking in internal consistency for its own good)...

That's, uhh, kind of like saying that Picasso's art is too lacking in correct proportions for its own good. The Prisoner is a work of surrealism. Consistency was not a goal.