"The Prisoner" DVD Review

[Mark Heide]

If you want to watch a thought provoking controversial TV series that explores and questions politics, technology, religion, and ethics through coercion, deception, and misinformation go get this box set of the 17 episodes or rent it.

I recommend that you watch the first episode first as an introduction to the series. The last episode, "Fallout", should be watched after "Once Upon A Time" since Fallout is actually the conclusion to the later.

The stories in the series can appeal to many levels. For this reason, I believe a poker player would be interested in watching this series, especially the episodes "The Schizoid Man" and "It's Your Funeral. What's of particular interest to the poker mind here is being able to think about what your opponent is thinking you are thinking about. If you enjoy these mind puzzling games you should enjoy watching this series.

"Freedom is just a myth" – Patrick McGoohan

Be seeing you,

Mark

[Cyrus]

I enjoyed quite a lot, at first viewing, most of the British thiller TV series that came out in the 60s. Even those that were put together as mind candy ("Randall & Hopkirk -deceased-" featuring two detectives one of which was a ghost!) were full of lightness and humor, never taking themselves too seriously. The private dick genre was represented by, of all things, a series starring an ex-hippie Carnaby Street dandy ("Jason King").

The best of the lot was for me "The Avengers". With minimal props and elementary effects that put the shame on today's overblown product (eg "Xena" and such), it offered thrills and mystery along with sexiness and self-deprecating humor, that last one a staple of the era. "The Persuaders" with Roger Moore and the maniacally ad-libbing Tony Curtis came shortly after them. I also watched "Man In A Suitcase" starring a young and sexily moody (and much more nimble!) Richard Bradford as a CIA agent working under the cover of being a CIA traitor. Yes, that was a British TV series. As for Patrick McGoohan, before creating and starring in the wonderful "Prisoner", he was on a series of half-hour terrifically paranoid spy episodes, called "Danger Man" (I believe it had another title outside Europe).

All those series had terrific musical themes, too.

[Mark Heide]

Cyrus,

After Patrick McGoohan did Danger Man he did Secret Agent Man which made him famous. He quit doing Secret Agent Man after a few episodes were filmed in color. He convinced producers to do "The Prisoner." Which starts with the premise of being another spy drama, but really is something completely different. I don't think we'll ever see anything as complicated on TV again. Mainly, this is due to the dumbing down of the audience by the networks and the profit motive.

The Avengers were a little shaky at first with Honor Blackman as Mrs. Gale (otherwise known as "Pussy Galore" to 007 fans). But, the best of the series were all the Diana Rigg black and whites and most of the color. Some of the color ones were a bit stupid and it started losing it's appeal when they introduced "Mother."

Mark

[John Cole]

Mark,

Did the show use Johnny Rivers's Secret Agent Man for the theme? I watched both Secret Agent and The Prisoner, but it's been so long.

John

[JimRivett]

Why?

[Cyrus]

"Did the show [Secret Agent Man] use Johnny Rivers's Secret Agent Man for the theme?"

No. I just checked the "Cult Files" CD and the composer is a Brit, Edwin Astley.

And I also think that Secret Agent Man was the alternative title for Danger Man outside the U.K. Same episodes, different title -- but Mark could set me straight.

--Cyrus

PS I omitted the very entertaining "Saint" with Roger Moore (and another great theme).

[Mark Heide]

John,

Johnny Rivers did perform the theme song which became a big hit for him in the '60s. Here's a link to the Johnny Rivers site, he's still available for bookings:

http://www.delafont.com/music_acts/Johnny-Rivers.htm

Mark

[Mark Heide]

Cyrus,

Johnny Rivers did perform the theme for Secret Agent Man. I don't know who wrote it. See my response to John Cole.

Danger Man was originally aired only in the UK. It eventually was transformed into an hour long show and CBS in the states renamed it Secret Agent. Here's a link with a little more information:

http://www.cvalley.net/~canote/danger_agent.html

Mark


Mark

[Mark Heide]

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[Cyrus]

I thought Secret Agent Man was the title given to the Danger Man series by its American broadcaster. Thanks for the correction. (And the great link.)

--Cyrus

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Mark:

I remember The Prisoner. It was a great series and is still well worth watching. And to show I rememebr: "I am not a number. I'm a free man."

Best wishes,
mason

[Mark Heide]

Mason,

The response to that phrase by number 2 was,"Ha ha ha ha ha." I didn't see the series when it was originally broadcast in the '60s, but I did see some episodes when it ran in syndication during the '80s. This happens to be my favorite TV series. It presented issues without the "political correctness" that we experience today in television concerning controversial issues.

Be seeing you,

Mark

P.S. "Be seeing you" was one of the most popular phrases in the series.