The 1967 British television show, "The Prisoner," is one part Bond and one part 1984, with a splash of "Gilligan's Island" for good measure. You've got a spy trapped in the world's resort-iest prison, the creepy surveillance squad who watches his every move, and the amusing antics (art competitions, sun bathing, afternoon teas) that break up the monotony of his entrapment between daring escape attempts. We've watched only the first two installments of the 18-episode series so far, but "The Prisoner" is already our new favorite thing!
You can get the flavor of this quirky spy show from the opening credits, which shows a British agent (Patrick McGoohan) resign, go home to pack, and then fall victim to knock-out gas. The first episode opens with McGoohan waking in what appears to be his own room in London—except the view from the window looks like a European seaside resort. Turns out he's in the Village—an idyllic holding area for captured spies complete with restaurants, beautiful beaches, and even an old-folks' home—where he'll be kept until he reveals the reason behind his resignation. Of course, he won't talk, not before he knows who's in charge or where he is. The second-in-command, known as No. 2, gives him a number—No. 6—and an ultimatum to comply or he'll have to spend the rest of his life in the Village. So, of course, No. 6 spends every minute plotting his escape, when he's not provoking his captors with cutting remarks over tea.
The pilot alone is worth the price of admission. Here's why you should fast-track "The Prisoner" to the top of your queue:
- Tons of secrets! Where the heck is the Village? Why did No. 6 resign? And who is the mysterious No. 1 that no one sees? A good guy? A bad guy? A guy at all? Not to mention there's a new No. 2 every five minutes. What happens to the old ones?
- An attack weather balloon! Yeah, you read that right. This bad boy thwarts all escape attempts from the Village with its creepy, floaty roundness. Imagine that fluffy bubble that chauffeurs Glinda around Oz, only less pink and on stealth mode. CREEPY.
- Femmes fatales galore! In the first two episodes, No. 6 has already encountered three deadly damsels, each trying to play up her distress so that she can get close enough to probe his secrets. It's kind of fun that these aren't the era's fragile females—even if they're ultimately out for No. 1.
- High-tech hijinks! Dude, nothing is more hilarious than seeing what looked "high-tech" in the late '60s. Doors open by themselves (oooooh!), radios play without off-switches (aaaaah!), and furniture springs fully formed from the floor at the press of a button (whooooa!). The set designers went disappointingly Star Trek for most of the baddy HQ—bleeps, bloops, tiny blinking lights, and a wall-sized video screen—but kudos to whoever came up with the rotating surveillance see-saw.
- Campy quirks! Whip pans, quick cuts, and crash zooms abound. Pleasant PA announcements blare M*A*S*H style in the courtyard. Thunder crashes in the opening credits over images of No. 6's resignation. Not to mention there is a silly salute between Villagers, who hold the OK sign up to their eyeballs, flick their wrists, and say, "Be seeing you!" There's a tongue-in-cheek quality to the whole thing that keeps the episodes entertaining. Can't wait for the next disc!
"The Prisoner": *****
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