Sonisall & I are plowing thru 'The Prisoner' by chrisisall

OTHER SCIENCE FICTION SERIES

Sonisall & I are plowing thru 'The Prisoner'

POSTED BY: CHRISISALL
UPDATED: Tuesday, March 2, 2010 12:36
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VIEWED: 3870
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Saturday, February 13, 2010 2:48 PM

We got it as a gift from his Grandpa & my Son is finding it fascinating! Who says Michael Bay's movies are destroying kid's minds with his ADD style?
Schitzoid Man creeped him out a bit though.

Any fond memories of the series? Any new-comers?

The #6 Chrisisall

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Sunday, February 14, 2010 4:15 AM

CHRISISALL

"It's... interesting... and a little bit disturbing..."

-Chuck,nbc

"NO COMMENT"

-#6, the prisoner
(#6 must have not been able to describe how cool the series is!);)

The laughing Sonisall

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Sunday, February 14, 2010 5:09 AM

THEREALME

I loved The Prisoner, though I will admit that it is a bit dated. I recall Number 6 destroying computers Star Trek style, confusing them to death by inputing syntax errors.

It wasn't all about the science, of course.

I liked the creepy weather balloon thing that chased escapees.

Schitzoid Man was perhaps my favorite.

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Sunday, February 14, 2010 5:39 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

It's probably been two or three years since I watched it, but that would have been about the tenth time for me. I had intended to give it another look a few months back before AMC's remake, but didn't have the time. One of the best shows ever, including that trippy finale.

Be seeing you.

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Sunday, February 14, 2010 12:07 PM

LWAVES

Been a bit longer than a few years since I saw this but it was and always will be a great/fantastic show that was so many years ahead of the competition in originality and many other things. Even though it does look very dated now the themes are still relevant today and the fact that it is still talked about is testament to what a show this was

If you ever get to North Wales I highly recommend checking the village of Portmerion as this was where the series was filmed. No.6's house is now a gift shop.

I'm glad that someone of the younger generation can still enjoy this show.

"I don't believe in suicide, but if you'd like to try it it might cheer me up to watch."

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Sunday, February 14, 2010 3:10 PM

WAKEUPSOON

I've been meaning to get into this show for ages! I've been to Portmerion, where it was filmed as LWaves said, millions of times. Its only about an hour or so from where I live. Its such a quaint little village, and a great tourist attraction.

Hopefully I'll be getting the Prisoner of my dad for my birthday like I've asked for, as a student I have a distinct lack of money :( && as no one my age seems to have heard of it there are no friends I can borrow it off!!

~WuS
This is not my signature, I have to write this every time I post.
Smile && Nod, it makes it seem like you know what's going on.

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Sunday, February 14, 2010 5:30 PM

CHRISISALL

Quote:
Originally posted by lwaves:

I'm glad that someone of the younger generation can still enjoy this show.

It's history. It's greatness.
My Son has been introduced to Trek TOS as well.
THIS 11 year-old is starting off right!

The laughing Chrisisall

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Tuesday, February 16, 2010 5:08 AM

CLJOHNSTON108

I watched all the episodes straight through right after Patrick McGoohan died. (I'd never made it past the fourth episode before!)
I don't have the problem that something "looks dated", because I always compare to things of the same time period (i.e. Star Trek: TOS gets compared to Lost in Space & Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, not nuGalactica.)

The UK Special Edition DVD from Network is fantastic!
http://www.networkdvd.net/product_info.php?products_id=481
http://www.networkdvd.co.uk/prisoner/priscomparison.htm

Back about 20 years ago, I was working at a gadget store at the Westside Pavilion in West L.A., and Patrick McGoohan came walking in!
I told him about how my folks would be watching the show when I was 5, and I'd been so terrified by "that big white bubble"*.
He just shrugged and said, "Yeah, well, they're still out there!" as he strode off.
Precisely how cool is that?

* (I didn't know it was called "Rover" at the time!)

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Tuesday, February 16, 2010 9:25 AM

CHRISISALL

Very cool.

The laughing Chrisisall

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Wednesday, February 24, 2010 4:46 PM

CHRISISALL

My Son loved The Girl Who Was Death.
Will he love/get the last two eps?
Only time will tell...

The laughing Chrisisall

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Sunday, February 28, 2010 8:41 AM

CHRISISALL

I just saw the last two episodes, they are very disturbing, but I liked them. (CREEPY,CREEPY)

the disturbed sonisall

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Sunday, February 28, 2010 8:51 AM

CHRISISALL

Okay, this is my literal interpretation here.
*breathes deeply*
In the early sixties, a group of daring but foolish scientists decided to clone the finest secret agent on *our* side in the hopes of creating a super-army of elite agents/soldiers. Their clear choice was John Drake (Bond being just fiction, of course), but in cloning him (without his knowledge), they didn't realize that their clone would be quite mad, and it ended up killing the scientists & thrashing the op.
The clone then became obsessed with finding out who his "Original" was, but didn't like the idea meeting him personally. He infiltrated governments, and some year's time ended up creating "The Village" where he could wield his twisted power & keep sight of his doppelganger while supposedly keeping world state secrets safe.
When Drake resigned, this fascinated the clone, as giving up such a position of personal power was something he would never do. He seized the opportunity (and Drake) and began his vicious grilling. Drake's ability to resist drove the clone (#1) to the edge, destroying what little sanity he had left. He forsook all else in favour of "their most important member."
In "Fall Out" the farcical "transference of power" ceremony we see is actually the clone losing it (even though the participants believe this is another attempt to break #6). Later, after seeing "himself," the clone laughs hysterically as he & the Village will soon be destroyed by the missile that launches up, then comes down to confuse the tracking systems of the day as a wayward unidentified weapon during which the area is wiped clean. Confronting Drake was just too much for him.

Okay, poke holes in my theory now.

The laughing Chrisisall

"I only do it to to remind you that I'm right and that deep down, you know I'm right, you want me to be right, you need me to be right." - The Imperial Hero Strikes Back, 2010

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Sunday, February 28, 2010 9:21 AM

CLJOHNSTON108

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Okay, poke holes in my theory now.

Actually, that makes a whole lot of sense!

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Sunday, February 28, 2010 9:26 AM

CHRISISALL

Quote:
Originally posted by cljohnston108:

Actually, that makes a whole lot of sense!

Really?

I came up with it in a matter of minutes just now after we finished watching in an attempt to 'splain it all to my Son, who found "Fall Out" to be quite cryptic in nature.

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Sunday, February 28, 2010 9:40 AM

CLJOHNSTON108

Well, like with the ending to 2001, McGoohan always refused to "explain" The Prisoner. "It's an allegory!"

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Sunday, February 28, 2010 9:47 AM

CHRISISALL

Excellent! Thanks!

The de-briefed Chrisisall

"I only do it to to remind you that I'm right and that deep down, you know I'm right, you want me to be right, you need me to be right." - The Imperial Hero Strikes Back, 2010

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Sunday, February 28, 2010 2:22 PM

CHRISISALL

The greatest art is made under duress, IMO. Firefly, The Prisoner, Star Trek TOS...

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Sunday, February 28, 2010 2:40 PM

FREELANCERTEX

Which "Prisoner" are we talking about? Recent or old?

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Sunday, February 28, 2010 4:04 PM

CHRISISALL

Quote:
Originally posted by freelancertex:
Which "Prisoner" are we talking about? Recent or old?

Old, of course. The ONLY one.

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Sunday, February 28, 2010 5:54 PM

FREELANCERTEX

lol, gotcha. I've only seen the miniseries. EXTREMELY confusing and made no sense. Hopefully the old one does :P lol *adds to list*

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Sunday, February 28, 2010 6:15 PM

CHRISISALL

Quote:
Originally posted by freelancertex:
lol, gotcha. I've only seen the miniseries. EXTREMELY confusing and made no sense. Hopefully the old one does

The old one does, from a 60's POV.
& my postulation as to it's possible conception, LOL!

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Monday, March 1, 2010 6:06 AM

LWAVES

I love the original so much that I just couldn't bring myself to watch the newer one.

It's interesting to hear McGoohan talk about the viewers discussing the show, even though they were heated discusions, and him being happy that at least they were talking about it passionately. That, to me, is alway testament to a great show. Many shows may be fondly remembered but how many still have passionate discussions based on them. This show is one, Firefly is another. Lost will possibly be another one, maybe new BSG as well.

"I don't believe in suicide, but if you'd like to try it it might cheer me up to watch."

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Monday, March 1, 2010 6:11 AM

CHRISISALL

Hey L! What do you think of my literal interpretation? Possible? Given that they did a complete mind transference in one episode, I feel that nothing science-fictiony is off limits...

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Monday, March 1, 2010 7:43 AM

THESOMNAMBULIST

Originally posted by chrisisall:

Quote:
Okay, poke holes in my theory now.

Bloody Hell Chris - that actually reads very well. And if it's not what the Prisoner was then you should go ahead and make your own show based on your theory!

I have to say of what I can remember (because I watched it way back in the late 80's) your notion holds water. I'd have to re-watch the thing to make any counterpoints.

Looking back on it I'd say there's a lot of the Prisoner in LOST.

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Monday, March 1, 2010 8:27 AM

CHRISISALL

Quote:
Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:

Looking back on it I'd say there's a lot of the Prisoner in LOST.

Heavily influenced, no doubt!

ETA: You really need to see it again, my friend! Surely a DVD set is cheaper where YOU are!

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Monday, March 1, 2010 8:59 AM

THESOMNAMBULIST

Originally posted by chrisisall:

Quote:
Heavily influenced, no doubt!
ETA: You really need to see it again, my friend! Surely a DVD set is cheaper where YOU are!

That I do good buddy. It's on order now :D

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Monday, March 1, 2010 10:46 AM

CHRISISALL

I'd have THIS on order

But it's kinda pricey...

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Monday, March 1, 2010 10:50 AM

CHRISISALL

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Monday, March 1, 2010 11:22 AM

THESOMNAMBULIST

NIFTY!!!!!!!

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Tuesday, March 2, 2010 5:57 AM

LWAVES

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Hey L! What do you think of my literal interpretation? Possible? Given that they did a complete mind transference in one episode, I feel that nothing science-fictiony is off limits...

Hey Chris

It is a great theory/interpretation and fits well within the limits of the show (if the show had any limits) and as The Somnambulist says you should do something with the idea or at least protect it in some way in case anyone copies it.

As for poking holes in it I have a minor-ish one for you. McGoohan has stated that No6 ISN'T John Drake. I think he even said it in the videos above. I know that's always been the popular theory that it was the same character (mine too for a long while).
Although of course this just means that the Prisoner/clone wasn't John Drake but he could still be another spy/agent. Just not Drake.
Unless McGoohan is telling porkie pies....

"I don't believe in suicide, but if you'd like to try it it might cheer me up to watch."

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Tuesday, March 2, 2010 12:36 PM

CHRISISALL

McGoohan so lied, just like Ridley Scott about Deckard being a replicant.

Backpedal all you want, fellas.

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