The Prisoner

Jack Scorpion · Jun 29, 2008

The Prisoner

British 60's TVshow. I'm hooked. Who else can express sympathies and share excitement with me?

Charlie Noodles · Jun 29, 2008

I've wanted this one for years. But never enough to have it shipped over.

Prairie Dog · Jun 29, 2008

Spy vs. Spy

A few summers ago, BBC America aired as part of it's Friday night line-up, back-to-back episodes of ''The Avengers,'' ''The Saint'' and ''The Prisoner''.
It was Spy heaven.

I prefer The Avengers (The plots are formulaic -- mysterious events occur; Steed, the Pierre Cardin-clad secret agent, calls in his amateur aide, the cat suit-wearing Ms. Rigg; and the investigating begins.

The key Avenger's appeal is the chemistry between Steed and Peel, and its original success was in part due to the mystery of the characters' relationship -- are they or aren't they? That seems less central now -- the flirty push-and-pull was novel in the 1960's, but it's been a required dynamic for every show since ''Moonlighting.'' In any case, it's quite obvious that Ms. Rigg's karate-chopping Peel would stomp all over the bowler-hatted Steed.

All three programs were produced between 1966 and 1969, but they feel surprisingly contemporary -- there's not a hippie in sight, and their detached cool suggests current fashion and design trends. The characters' clothes are impeccably tailored, they are surrounded by sleek furniture and they drive sexy cars -- the life to which every gent in an Eames chair or a Mini Cooper aspires.

Doctor Strange · Jun 29, 2008

I watched it during its original US run in 1968 on CBS, when it was a summer replacement for the Jackie Gleason show... and most of the audience had no idea what to make of it. I loved it from day one. My whole family dug it - my parents were fans of the earlier Secret Agent series.

I saw it again when it turned up on PBS in the 70s, and even audiotaped the final two episodes on a cassette. I joined a fan club called The Villagers at one point, and I have a couple of good books on the show.

I taped the entire series on VHS when it was running on Sunday nights at midnight around ten years ago, maybe longer. I showed my teenage kids the whole series about three or four years ago: they thought it was total 60s weirdness, but I can tell that it made an impression.

It's a mega-classic, a series that was utterly brilliant in its day, and it still holds up very well, for the most part.

Be seeing you.

RudyN · Jun 29, 2008

That was a great series. I saw the whole series in two different runnings. I really enjoyed the ending.

Mr. Lucky · Jun 29, 2008

They're redoing it - the BBC in conjunction with AMC. Look for it in the next year or so.

Quigley Brown · Jun 29, 2008

The local public tv station ran the series while I was a senior in high school (late 70s). It played on Friday nights and I was such a big fan that I skipped many big school sporting events just to stay home and watch it. I even had the #6 penny farthing silk-screened onto several t-shirts and sweat shirts (I still have one).

Doctor Strange · Jun 29, 2008

Mr. Lucky said:
They're redoing it - the BBC in conjunction with AMC. Look for it in the next year or so.

This is an utterly misbegotten idea (like most remakes) - even if it's not terrible (which is unlikely), it's entirely unnecessary, and it will never amount to more than a footnote to the original.

A couple of nice sites on the original series:

http://www.the-prisoner-6.freeserve.co.uk/
http://www.retroweb.com/prisoner.html

Hemingway Jones · Jun 29, 2008

I bought the complete DVDs. Some of those episodes are classic. There is so much going on in this show, it has been so influential to what followed. This show was always intriguing and never boring. It was one of the finest television shows ever made.

BellyTank · Jun 29, 2008

I'm a fan- visited Portmeirion, when I lived in the UK.
Crazy place.

The Prisoner was one of those many shows that I was a little young for, when I first saw it- had my big Brother to explain it, though. First time for me would have been a late '70s re-run.

B
T

BegintheBeguine · Jun 29, 2008

Good morning!

Our PBS station played this in the mid-80s and my mod and punk friends and I would watch it at our own homes and then meet up at Scorgie's and discuss it. I made a couple of outlined suits for friends to wear. I guessed the secret somewhere along the course of the series and knew something was up when we heard a Beatles' song in the last episode. I love that show.
My mom liked spy shows, including Get Smart!

, and I have a dim recollection of her watching this.
Now I can borrow it from the public libary.

chucklehead · Jun 29, 2008

one of the finest tv shows ever. (yossarian lives)

BellyTank · Jun 29, 2008

"Danger Man" was an earlier McGoohan series, '60-'62.

http://www.mcgoohan.co.uk/

B
T

BegintheBeguine · Jun 29, 2008

All I had to do was read Danger Man and the theme song popped into my head (but not the song Secret Agent Man). I wasn't familiar with the show but saw the video at the library, borrowed it and loved it.

Senator Jack · Jun 29, 2008

You scared the hell out of me. I saw Moving Picture and thought they finally went ahead with those remake plans they've been talking about FOR YEARS. Hopefully, it'll just remain talk.

I'm guilty of being one of the few who absolutely love the ending. The gorilla mask? Dramatic license. Doesn't mean anything except to build tension, and it works.

Regards,

Jack

funneman · Jun 29, 2008

I loved this series. The final episode is a true classic.

Mr. Lucky · Jun 29, 2008

Doctor Strange said:
This is an utterly misbegotten idea (like most remakes) - even if it's not terrible (which is unlikely), it's entirely unnecessary, and it will never amount to more than a footnote to the original.

While I don't disagree, if they offer me a job, I'll take it!

Mike in Seattle · Jun 29, 2008

Our local PBS station ran it a few years ago...the problem with that station is they'll run 2 or 3 episodes of a series...out of order...and keep running those over and over and you never see (a) the complete series and (b) in proper sequence. And they wonder why their subscriber donations are drying up! Out of the three seasons of Marple, for example, some episodes have aired three or four times, others they've never aired. I stopped watching 2 part anything on the station because you never see the conclusion, and finally, gave up on them entirely. There's a second PBS station in the area (thank goodness for local stations on DSS!) but they don't show Mystery or some of the other series. Some day I'll break down and rent the DVD set.

dhermann1 · Jun 29, 2008

Danger Man - Secret Agent

I guess Danger Man was the name of the show in Britain originally. It ran is the US as Secret Agent. ("Secret agent man, secret agent man. They've given you a number, and taken 'way your name!") It was a great show. If you've seen a few episodes of it, then the transition to The Prisoner makes a little more sense.]
BTW, I've posted about my home town, Chautauqua Institutuon, before. More than one person has commented on the similarity of Chautauqua to The Village.

http://www.ciweb.org/webcam.html
Be seeing you!
Edit: So that means that Secret Agent had two spinoffs, The Prisoner and Danger Mouse.
Double

Caroline · Jun 30, 2008

I've watched the Prisoner semi-obsessively when I've been homebound (= had an infant at home with me) but never have watched the other series - The Saint, Avengers, etc. I love it. And it bubbles up at the workplace often, in the back of my mind...

"We want information..."
"You won't get it."

and this one, when the kids start rebelling...

"I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."

The Prisoner

One Too Many

A-List Customer

A-List Customer

I'll Lock Up

One of the Regulars

One Too Many

Call Me a Cab

I'll Lock Up

I'll Lock Up

I'll Lock Up

My Mail is Forwarded Here

A-List Customer

I'll Lock Up

My Mail is Forwarded Here

Vendor

Practically Family

One Too Many

My Mail is Forwarded Here

I'll Lock Up

One of the Regulars

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