"The Prisoner" (1967) TV series 1967-1968

Creator:

Patrick McGoohan

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

1 June 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

No Man Is Just A Number.

Plot:

After resigning, a secret agent is abducted and taken to what looks like an idyllic village, but is really a bizarre prison. His warders demand information. He gives them nothing, but only tries to escape.

Plot Keywords:

Information | Prison | Secret | Number | Government

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Patrick McGoohan	...	Number Six / ... (17 episodes, 1967-1968)
George Markstein	...	Man behind desk in title sequence (15 episodes, 1967-1968)
Angelo Muscat	...	The Butler (14 episodes, 1967-1968)
Peter Swanwick	...	Supervisor (8 episodes, 1967-1968)
Fenella Fielding	...	Loudspeaker Announcer / ... (7 episodes, 1967)

Runtime:

50 min (17 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Russian | German | Romany | Spanish | French | Polish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Dolby Digital (DVD Release)

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Abingdon Street, London, England, UK

Company:

Everyman Films

Trivia:

Interiors were shot in a studio located next door to the studio used for filming 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). A special effects shot of a starry sky that was created for the movie was borrowed by the producers of the TV series for use as an insert in an early edit of the episode "Chimes of Big Ben". Though cut from the televised version, the early edit of the episode including the 2001 footage was later released on video and DVD. (The starry night shot appears in the sequence where No. 6 uses a handmade device to study the sky in hopes of determining The Village's location).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: It was not always possible to mask the existence of civilization near Portmeirion, Wales, where much of the series was filmed. In several episodes neighboring towns and farms can be glimpsed. However, it should be noted the exact size of The Village is never specifically indicated, and there are numerous episodes that indicate it is significantly larger than the core settlement. Occasionally the Welsh flag can just about be glimpsed on the Village flag pole too.

Quotes:

Number Two: [about The Prisoner] He's an individual, and they're always trying.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "The Simpsons: Krusty Gets Busted (#1.12)" (1990)

Soundtrack:

Main Title Theme

An all-time great

Geez I just did another Imdb review listing some of the top ten tv shows of all time (in my opinion) and I plum forgot this one. It qualifies. 18 hourly episodes about attempts to pry information from taciturn retired spy McGoohan, kidnapped and held in an isolated village peopled by, well, we're not sure who else. There's maybe one bad episode in the whole lot; many shows have you wondering who are the captors and who are the captives among the village's inhabitants. Not sure it's explicitly stated but McGoohan's character could be a carryover from his Secret Agent Man, an earlier series also starring him. McGoohan is exquisitely perfect in the role, a bit eccentric, sometimes almost precious, athletic when necessary, crisply precise and (understandably) paranoid. Occasionally things go over the top, particularly in the final two episodes, but you certainly can't accuse them of playing it safe. Unique, inspired, insightful, distinctive, unparalleled.