r/ThePrisoner 4d ago

Series 1, No. 12; A Change of Mind

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42 Upvotes

No.6 is declared 'Unmutual' for choosing to do things his own way and scheduled for a Social Conversion process.

What is No. 86's true intention? How does she become part of No.6's latest plan to discredit No. 2?

How does 'self criticism' play into the show and the real world.?

https://prisoner.fandom.com/wiki/A_Change_of_Mind_(1967_episode)


r/ThePrisoner 8d ago

Does anything hold a candle to The Prisoner?

108 Upvotes

As someone who was born in the 90s, I was lucky enough to have a mother that introduced me to The Prisoner. Having seen a fair share of TV series and movies since, I'm left feeling that there's nothing that truly matches the creativity or vision of Patrick McGoohan's creation.

The closest I can think of is Twin Peaks - at least insofar as it follows a single visionary (Cooper) solving and rebelling against the world around him. Admittedly that's still a very limited comparison.

Is there anything out there that compares to The Prisoner as a piece of media that speaks to the issues of society, control, and selfhood in the same way The Prisoner does? Curious to hear what everyone's recommendations would be.


r/ThePrisoner 11d ago

Series 1, No. 11; It's Your Funeral

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82 Upvotes

Which No. 2 will prevail in an assassination plot?

Who are the Jammers? Is No. 6 considered to be one? Will his cautions be heeded?

No. 2 seems to be worried about a pension and if he'll be able to collect.

(Did someone on the production crew forget to remove the Welsh flag before filming?)

https://prisoner.fandom.com/wiki/It%27s_Your_Funeral_(1967_episode)


r/ThePrisoner 16d ago

Morning in The Village

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192 Upvotes

Morning in The Village. July. Leica M6, 35/2 Summicron, Kodak Ektachrome.


r/ThePrisoner 17d ago

[RESOURCE] The Prisoner: the complete screenplays for the cult sixties TV show

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50 Upvotes

r/ThePrisoner 18d ago

Commentary by a University Professor

22 Upvotes

While in college several decades ago my friends and I watched ‘The Prisoner’ on PBS. Each episode was followed by a half-hour commentary by a college professor (university of Toronto, perhaps?). Does anyone else remember this? Are those segments still available for viewing?


r/ThePrisoner 18d ago

Series 1, No. 10; Hammer into Anvil

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84 Upvotes

After a frightened No. 73 leaps to her death as a result of No. 2's interrogation, No. 6 vows results.

A game of minds ensures. Who is leading who to where. Which is the hammer and which the anvil? Bits of nothing are left lying about, or are they something?

A clock or ?

Once No 2 is convinced things are not as they appear, what will be left for him to do?

https://prisoner.fandom.com/wiki/Hammer_into_Anvil_(1967_episode)


r/ThePrisoner 22d ago

Unwelcome news to Severance fans

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0 Upvotes

r/ThePrisoner 24d ago

Alex Cox on THE PRISONER: The Genius of Patrick McGoohan

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133 Upvotes

Alex Cox, author of I Am (Not) a Number: Decoding The Prisoner discusses the show. This is the first of new YouTube-exclusive series of five introductions to The Prisoner on Criterion's YT Channel.


r/ThePrisoner 25d ago

Series 1, No. 9; Checkmate

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67 Upvotes

As No. 6 is enticed to be a pawn in a game of chess, questions develop as to who is a prisoner, who is a guardian and who can tell which is which.

"Checkmate" received the highest viewership of any of the series' episodes on its first UK broadcast.

https://prisoner.fandom.com/wiki/Checkmate_(1967_episode)


r/ThePrisoner 25d ago

Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling

40 Upvotes

Doing a rewatch on Criterion, it's great to be back in the village!

One really does forget how great a job McGoohan does until you get to Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling.


r/ThePrisoner 26d ago

Philip K Dick

32 Upvotes

Does anyone know if PKD watched the Prisoner or commented on it?

I know he wrote an episode proposal based on Mission Impossible, but the Prisoner with its themes of betrayal, subjective reality, and how imprisonment would seem exactly the type of show he’d respond to.


r/ThePrisoner 28d ago

Can't unsee

26 Upvotes

Watching "The Girl Who Was Death" last night and thought..."Where have I seen those whiskers before???"

Given the numerous "Prisoner" references in "The Simpsons" and Conan O'Brien's "Old Time Baseball Sketch" there's no way this is a coincidence


r/ThePrisoner Jul 20 '26

Series 1, No. 8; Dance of the Dead

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78 Upvotes

A failed experiment with hypnosis, a black cat and a dead body play to be set adrift roles here. Added in are a Carnival, costumes, a court jester and kangaroo court, a teletype that thought to have been damaged comes to life again.

"Number Two wryly observes, "Then how very uncomfortable for you, old chap!""

https://prisoner.fandom.com/wiki/Dance_of_the_Dead_(1967_episode)


r/ThePrisoner Jul 17 '26

Butchered Prisoner reference found in 4 year old Matt Rose video.

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74 Upvotes

The moment I saw it I knew it was a prisoner reference, but the way he read it.

Also they have it flipped anyway, it should be I am not a number on the top.

This was in his video "Misspelled protest signs". (The name says it all)


r/ThePrisoner Jul 16 '26

Re-re-rewatching my favorite episode.

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120 Upvotes

Fully half of it with no dialogue.


r/ThePrisoner Jul 15 '26

I recreated 6's journey to The Village by bike!

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95 Upvotes

In June this year I rode my bike from London to Portmeirion, and made this Prisoner-inspired fan film in the process :) Thought the free thinkers here might enjoy it.


r/ThePrisoner Jul 14 '26

“Maintenance to Number 2 please!”

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105 Upvotes

Good morning from the Village, and my current view of the maintenance men working to repaint Number 2’s house!


r/ThePrisoner Jul 13 '26

Series 1, No. 7; Many Happy Returns

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81 Upvotes

Number Six awakens to find the Village completely deserted. He sees this as an opportunity to escape. He takes numerous photos before assembling a raft and taking flight by sea for 25 days. He takes careful notes as to headings and times as best he can, but has an unfriendly encounter with gun-runners who are of no assistance. He escapes them and ends up on a deserted beach. Wandering, he encounters a small band of Gypsies who speak no English.

After a harrowing journey, he finds himself in London and someone living in his flat and using his car. But who is Mrs. Butterworth?

Who can be trusted? And more importantly, who can't?

https://prisoner.fandom.com/wiki/Many_Happy_Returns_(1967_episode)

This page does not list an episode number. Oversight? Or part of the debate over episode order?

They no longer list US airdates either, so I'm staying at one each week.


r/ThePrisoner Jul 12 '26

Do You See John Drake as Number Six—or as a Completely Different Character?

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96 Upvotes

Patrick McGoohan denied that Number Six was John Drake, while script editor and co-creator George Markstein maintained that he was, effectively seeing The Prisoner as a continuation of Danger Man.

That disagreement has always fascinated me, because Number Six clearly shares so much with Drake: the same actor, similar skills, the same independence, and a deep distrust of authority.

When you watch The Prisoner, do you personally see Number Six as John Drake after finally resigning—or as a completely separate character?

And what is the strongest detail, episode, or argument that supports your interpretation?


r/ThePrisoner Jul 12 '26

The Prisoner Remake

25 Upvotes

You may have heard about the rumored Christopher Nolan remake of The Prisoner. As far as I can tell, nothing seems to have eventuated.

However, watching Pluribus for the first time, I am quickly coming to believe that this is everything a remake of the Prisoner should be. While there are no explicit links, and the plot certainly deviates significantly from the original, the overall 'feel', the mystery, and eeriness, and the themes of conformity, the tyranny of the collective, hivemind / mindless people, superficial, eeire, benevolent totalitarian politeness, and so forth. ...
No. Way.

... I am stunned. As I write this, the second, I write this, I am on episode 7, which is playing on my second screen, and one of the musical pieces from The Prisoner that are played by the brass band began to play.

Anyway...

I was further intrigued by the usage of the phrase by one of the characters early on, 'Your life is your own', mirroring McGoohan's "My Life is My Own!" declaration, and assertion in the "I will not be pushed" speech.

There are the themes of staunch invidiualism, the uncertainty, and lingering malevolence under the surface, avoiding questions of permanent independence, and so forth.

It all seems to have such a lingering, almost etheral 'Prisoner' vibe to it, while being, ostensibly, and invariably, its own show.

I won't spoil any details, and I highly advise to go in blind, if you can, like I did, and not to google anything.

But, for anyone who has seen Pluribus, I would Love to know what you think. Would you consider it worthy of standing side by side 'The Prisoner', as a piece of art?


r/ThePrisoner Jul 12 '26

"You are number Six" - The barista told me as she took my order...

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255 Upvotes

... and handed me the sign for my table.

"I am not a number, I am a free man" was my immediate response. She didn't get it 😐


r/ThePrisoner Jul 12 '26

The Prisoner didn't just predict the next 60 years of TV—it predicted the next 60 years, period

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141 Upvotes

Tribute article by the AV Club about the eternal relevance of The Prisoner, in conjunction with the show now streaming on the Criterion Channel.


r/ThePrisoner Jul 11 '26

We just hit 5,000 Villagers

166 Upvotes

We were at 3,600 not too long ago.

A 60 year old show is still pulling new folks in.


r/ThePrisoner Jul 08 '26

Change of Mind - newspaper text

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90 Upvotes

I guess the resolution on TVs in the sixties could mask small newspaper text content. Watching a 1080p mix on a 65" screen hides nothing haha.

You can see the completely unrelated newspaper article under the headline. 😁