Rating: 
Summary: The Most Original and Thought-Provoking TV Series -- Ever
Review: I first saw The Prisoner as a small child, and happened to tune in during "Checkmate," the episode where people are used as chess pieces. "Wow, cool," I thought, and watched every other episode at the time, although it went way over my head. Subsequently, I caught it at various times in my life as it reran, finding more and more in this very enigmatic, weird, witty allegory. Not only was the entire series phenomenal, it has one of the strongest and most memorable finales ever created -- and it ultimately does answer the question, "Who is Number One?"Now, finally, the series is available on DVD, which is the ideal format for it. Not only is the picture quality in this transfer excellent, but you now have the opportunity to pause and study some of the more interesting production details. Why are there no number sevens on the Village information board? Do the Greek letters on that doctor's machinery hide a secret message? Does the first episode really have *two* characters who are number 66? If there's a flaw to the first two sets of DVD's, it's that the extra material is a little on the light side. Sure, set one has the complete alternate version of "The Chimes of Big Ben," and there are TV teaser commercials (which just demonstrate that the networks had no idea what to make of it), trivia quizzes and production stills -- but where is the audio commentary? Where are the interviews? Where's Patrick McGoohan? Maybe that will come in the final set, and I see that set three does have a behind the scenes interview. On the other hand, the "interactive" map of the Village really isn't, and if you want an excercise in boredom, watch the entire "Foreign File Cabinet" footage on Set One. But... all of that said, this DVD series is a must-have for fans of the show, and a good addition to the collection of any fan of science fiction, mystery, philosophy, history or what have you. "The Prisoner" is absolutely unique in television. The only other thing that ever came even halfway close was "Twin Peaks," nearly twenty years later, but the issues raised in "The Prisoner" are still relevant today, perhaps even moreso with the rise of both technology and PC groupthink. The Village, after all, is all around us. Be seeing you...
Rating:
Summary: The Prisoner (a.k.a. Number 6) arrives in the Village
Review: "The Prisoner" remains one of the most original television dramas of all time and one of the first cult classics. Created and produced by actor Patrick McGoohan, the show was seen as a (nudge-nudge, wink-wink) sequel to McGoohan's hit series "Secret Agent," where he played a man named Drake. In "The Prisoner," McGoohan plays an unnamed high level, top secret agent who resigns from his job. As he backs his bags a white gas comes through the keyhole of the front door and knocks him out. He awakes in the Village, a Kafkaesque community in which he apparently imprisoned (actually a resort on Cardigan Ban in North Wales favored by famous writers like George Bernard Shaw, Noel Coward and Bertrand Russell). The three episodes presented here include the pilot episode, but the order in which episodes of "The Prisoner" should be viewed has always been open to debate. However, what we have here are the second episode to be filmed and the episode that was supposed to be aired second. "The Chimes of Big Ben," the second episode to air, is found on a different disc. Feeling confused yet? "Arrival," written by George Markstein and David Tomblin, and first aired on September 29, 1967. Our hero wakes up in the Village and discovers everyone kept there either has certain knowledge or lived a particular lifestyle of interest to the government. Names are not used here, and our hero is told he is now Number 6. The rules are explained to him by both Number Two (Guy Doleman) and the New Number Two (George Baker), but it is clear that our hero is not about to play well with others. In terms of hooking an audience, "Arrival" certainly accomplishes its mission. However, whereas the key to most stories is having the audience wondering what is happening next, with the Prisoner the viewer is never sure if they know what just happened let alone trying to anticipate the future. Down the road in "Free for All," written by Paddy Fitz and directed by McGoohan, which first aired on October 20, 1967, it is election time in the Village. Number 6 is persuade to stand for the position of the new Number Two (Eric Portman), although by this time it is clear that every episode is going to have a new Number Two. Of course, our hero is not interested in the position, but rather the opportunity to lead a breakout from the prison. He really should know better, because even winning a landslide victory is not going to do him any good. This was actually the second episode filmed, although it aired much later (this is clear to you, right?). There is more fun to be had in "Dance of the Dead," written by Anthony Skene and aired November 17, 1967, which was intended to be the second episode. It is carnival time in the Village and everybody gets to dress up and have fun. However, Number 6, who only wears a black tuxedo, is more interested in the dead body that has washed up on shore, seeing it as an opportunity to communicate with the outside world. This is one of the more tantalizing episodes because it begins with Number 6 drugged and duped into revealing some secrets and ends with him being tried for "crimes against the community." It seems like we might be close to understanding what is really going on, but, of course, that is but another illusion. Mary Morris plays Number 2 in this episode (Number 2 was in almost all of the episodes, but always played by a different actor. The only other character to appear in all of the episodes was the Butler, played by Angelo Muscat). You understand, of course, that once you watch these first episodes you will be hooked on the entire series. "The Prisoner" makes "The X-Files" look like a bastion of sanity. These brain candy episodes hold up remarkable well as compared to other television fare from the Sixties.
Rating:
Summary: A new beginning
Review: While I endorse THE PRISONER as one of the truly artistic programs on commercial television, I understand why it makes people angry. It promises to be a straightforward if offbeat spy thriller, but turns into a surrealistic allegory. If you feel it would be easier to accept THE PRISONER's rhetorical left turn had it come earlier and/or been better foreshadowed, you might try watching the series in A&E's revised order. While its primary intent is to present events in the proper sequence, the new order also provides the foreshadowing that makes the final outcome acceptable. Of course, the first episode MUST be "Arrival," which sets up the basic situation. A British secret agent (series creator Patrick McGoohan) abruptly resigns, is mysteriously rendered unconscious, and awakens in The Village, the location of which is known only to those who run it. It looks like a vacation resort, but it's definitely a prison camp. Those who won't volunteer desired information have it extracted from them in the hospital. Those who try to escape get to meet Rover, a belligerent weather balloon capable of locomotion, and seemingly of independent thought. Rover deals with fugitives by plastering itself against their faces, rendering them unconscious or dead, depending on its mood. Citizens of The Village are identified only by numbers, our protagonist being No. 6. The Village is run by No. 2, who reports to an unseen and unidentified No. 1 -- apparently an unforgiving boss, because No. 2 is always being replaced. No. 6 is informed that he's there for life, and that his captors want to know why he resigned. Of course, he doesn't want to tell them, and does want to escape and find out who's in charge. And therein lies the conflict around which the series is built. The new second and third episodes are "Free for All," originally shown fourth*, and "Dance of the Dead," originally shown eighth*. To me, these are the weirdest (except for "Fall Out"), most disturbing, and most depressing episodes, which I suspect is why they were originally postponed. A&E begins with these episodes because they both call No. 6 a recent arrival This placement makes sense to me because both episodes show No. 6 trying to get his bearings and learning the hard way about the darker side of Village life. In fact, "Dance" seems more concerned with atmosphere than plot. But to me, the major advantage of starting with these episodes is that their twisted, nightmarish logic foreshadows the surrealism of THE PRISONER's conclusion. There's also a piece of dialog in "Free for All" that might even foreshadow the identity of No. 1, but I won't include it here because "that would be telling." BTW, "Free for All" shows No. 6 getting the nonalcoholic liquor spiel that he gives Nadia in "Chimes of Big Ben," which was originally shown second*. Another thing that struck me about watching "Free" before "Chimes" was that we see No. 6 getting that whirlpool treatment from Rover before we see it happen to Nadia, so that when No. 6 looks at the unconscious Nadia on the beach in "Chimes," we now see it as a knowing look from someone who's been there. The picture quality of all episodes is far superior to that of MPI's original VHS release. Especially improved is the scene in "Free for All" where we see No. 6 stumble down a corridor bathed in red light. An inherent problem with VHS is that such red scenes tend to appear grainy. The sound is also superior as far as fidelity goes,, although it's still mono. I realize you can argue that a movie or television program on DVD should have the same mix in which it was originally presented, and from the standpoint of historical accuracy I agree. From an aesthetic standpoint, however, I think it depends on how the movie/TV program's creators would have presented it if the capability had existed. I can't help but wonder whether McGoohan would have used surround sound if he'd had the option. In any case, I think a few surround effects at strategic moments might have spiced the DVD release up a bit. Even in mono, however, these episodes are enhanced by a good home theater system with a decent subwoofer. I'm thinking specifically of (a) the marching band sequences in "Free for All," with that booming bass drum, (b) Rover's "awakening" and rising from the ocean floor, (c) the automatically opening doors, (d) the slamming prison door that ends each episode. Regarding the bonus features, I was mildly disappointed by the "foreign file cabinet" footage, used for the opening sequence in non-English versions of the series. It includes only the cutaways of the "RESIGNED" label on the drawer. I was hoping it would include some part of the opening sequence to provide context. The "Alternate Chimes of Big Ben" is part of any definitive PRISONER collection (despite its poor sound quality, which I wish A&E had tried to enhance). This is a preliminary cut, using different theme music and sound effects, and including a scene in which No. 6 uses a navigational device to try and determine the location of The Village. However, I think it would have made more sense to package it with the official version. Alas, the "Alternate Arrival" isn't included here or on any of the A&E sets. The "textless intro" provides an unobstructed view of some shots usually covered by opening credits. The "textless outro" didn't do much for me, though, because the cool thing about the closing is the way the credits are fit in with the construction of the bicycle. The interactive map, I just plain didn't get. The trivia showed me I really haven't been paying as much attention to detail as I should have. *In both the U.S. and U.K.
Rating:
Summary: Cat and Mouse Games
Review: "The Prisoner" remains the most unique, brilliant, frustrating, complex, and captivating popular television drama ever made, thanks almost wholly to the Herculean efforts made by its creator, lead actor, frequent writer and director, and executive producer, American-born Patrick McGoohan, who made the series in Wales and England in the mid-1960's. Fresh from a long stretch playing John Drake in the "Secret Agent"/"Danger Man" series, McGoohan wanted to try something else, but play off of his established spy image---and he came up with this ingenious storyline: here he plays another British secret agent (whose true identity is never revealed), who resigns his post, seeking a better life, only to be abducted and taken to a kind of Lewis Carroll-like fantasy kingdom, from which he is told he can never escape---unless he should decide to collaborate fully with his own captors. For only 17 episodes, this series plays out his battle with the mysterious powers-that-be, even as he tries to maintain his own individuality amongst a colony of people, himself included, who are addressed and known only by numerals---his own being Number 6. He battles Number 2, the colony's mayor, in each show, and always tries to answer the question: "Who is Number 1?" This tape contains "Arrival," the first story, which beautifully sets up the main elements of the series, "Free for All" (written and directed by McGoohan), a savage parody of the so-called democratic process, and "Dance of the Dead," a social and political satire worthy of Jonathan Swift, but with the trappings of George Orwell and Edgar Allan Poe. This show is absolutely a must-see for any serious fan of either the secret-agent genre, or of that rare creature known as "worthwhile television." Thirty-odd years later, it appears somewhat dated visually (a "supercomputer" that covers an entire wall of a room is hardly as cutting edge as the desktop PC on which I'm writing this), but its themes are timeless, and its execution superb.
Rating: 
Summary: Definitely worth buying...
Review: It's a real pleasure to have episodes of the Prisoner available on DVD, especially since this series is rarely re-run on television. Occasionally you'll see it on a PBS station or Sci-Fi, but it's rare. The episodes were just as good as I remembered them being (hadn't seen them in over ten years)! This was truly one of the "smartest" shows ever to run on television. My only complaint about Set 1 is that they include as a bonus an episode called "The Chimes of Big Ben" which has AWFUL sound quality. I had to crank the volume on my tv up and still couldn't really make out the audio. If it wasn't for that episode, I would've given the DVD five stars instead of four. But the rest of the episodes are of good quality (both audio and video). I'd recommend buying this if you were ever a fan of the series.
Rating:
Summary: Thank you DVD technology!
Review: This, along with other short series'(i.e. Fawlty Towers), is ideal for DVD since the buyer won't go broke buying just a few sets and it isn't likely that shows with a just a few episodes are going to turn up on televison very often (Police Squad comes to mind). But what do we have here in this first set of The Prisoner? In set 1, we have the classic first episode "Arrival" in which Patrick McGoohan, playing a character known only as Number 6, awakens to find himself in a strange place--almost a vacation resort (known only as The Village) that seems to have everything that its inhabitants desire---except freedom to leave. I love the opening to each episode with the great music and on "Arrival" we're given an even longer introduction to the show that you won't see again on any of the other episodes. Why is No. 6 here? Who is in charge? These are questions that he desperately wants answers to and soon learns that he was brought there so that those in charge could find out why he resigned from some sort of government intelligence position. From the beginning, he refuses to play along and this provides the basic backdrop for every episode. His adversary (a different No. 2 in most episodes) must come up with new and persuasive ways to get that information out of him. In the next epsiode, "Free for All", a village election is being held and many are curious to see if No. 6 is interested in participating. "Dance of the Dead" involves an eerie masquerade and criminal charges against No. 6. There are a few neat extras, including an alternate version of "The Chimes of Big Ben". The standard episode is one of the best of the series but the problem with the alternate version is poor sound and picture quality. I assume there was nothing that could have been done to improve it, otherwise they would have. There's also a large photo gallery, trivia game, and original TV trailers. Do not fail to collect every set of The Prisoner and make sure you begin here. Be seeing you.
Rating:
Summary: James Bond Meets Fellini.
Review: What the he[ck]? Perhaps you know the story about how by the end of this series' run, McGoohan had taken complete control and things really got odd...but I gotta tell you...it starts odd. Our man with no name, who soon becomes Number 6, looks quite dashing driving around London in his Lotus 7...but soon we get to "The Village." In my teen years I used to stay up late and catch episodes of The Prisoner after Monty Python on channel 11 in chicago. Watching these again, I am stunned that this show didn't somehow retard my growth...this is freaky stuff. From the little person with the umbrella, the ever changing Number 2s to the all-knowing plasmatic bubble...it's really pretty acid trip stuff. Even more frightening is a previously unreleased verison of "The Chimes of Big Ben" that seems to have been sepia-toned and stripped of music. It is more like James Bond meets Fellini meets Fritz Lang meets Eraser Head. I am quite certain to have nightmares after this freakish episode. I am quite sure this series was the inspiration for Lee Marvin's completely bizarre "The Presidents Analyst." So...I love this stuff. It puts my wife to sleep. There is no chance anyone would dare produce a show like this again today...so enjoy this completely entertaining and utterly wacked collection...there wont be more like it. Oh, the quality of the DVD mastering is great.
Rating:
Summary: Cat and Mouse Games
Review: "The Prisoner" remains the most unique, brilliant, frustrating, complex, and captivating popular television drama ever made, thanks almost wholly to the Herculean efforts made by its creator, lead actor, frequent writer and director, and executive producer, American-born Patrick McGoohan, who made the series in Wales and England in the mid-1960's. Fresh from a long stretch playing John Drake in the "Secret Agent"/"Danger Man" series, McGoohan wanted to try something else, but play off of his established spy image---and he came up with this ingenious storyline: here he plays another British secret agent (whose true identity is never revealed), who resigns his post, seeking a better life, only to be abducted and taken to a kind of Lewis Carroll-like fantasy kingdom, from which he is told he can never escape---unless he should decide to collaborate fully with his own captors. For only 17 episodes, this series plays out his battle with the mysterious powers-that-be, even as he tries to maintain his own individuality amongst a colony of people, himself included, who are addressed and known only by numerals---his own being Number 6. He battles Number 2, the colony's mayor, in each show, and always tries to answer the question: "Who is Number 1?" This tape contains "Arrival," the first story, which beautifully sets up the main elements of the series, "Free for All" (written and directed by McGoohan), a savage parody of the so-called democratic process, and "Dance of the Dead," a social and political satire worthy of Jonathan Swift, but with the trappings of George Orwell and Edgar Allan Poe. This show is absolutely a must-see for any serious fan of either the secret-agent genre, or of that rare creature known as "worthwhile television." Thirty-odd years later, it appears somewhat dated visually (a "supercomputer" that covers an entire wall of a room is hardly as cutting edge as the desktop PC on which I'm writing this), but its themes are timeless, and its execution superb.
Rating: 
Summary: This show is about nothing and McGoohan is bi-sexual
Review: Although the show is well acted and well photographed there is no payoff in th last ep. It is all going round in circle (you'll know what I mean if you've seen every ep). And McGoohan obviously has serious problems being around most women (except for his wife and daughters). He's obviously a bi-sexual making up a dumb story about not wanting to set bad examples to kids with romantic scenes.
Rating:
Summary: "We are democratic - in some ways..."
Review: If you have noticed the profound changes society has been undergoing during the past few decades and find them alarming, "The Prisoner" is the TV series for you. Far too complex and ahead of its time when it first aired in 1967, it has become more and more relevant ever since. Typically, the messages of great satires can be applied to an ever-increasing number of aspects of our existence over the time, and indeed, many of the most disturbing features of modern life are being dealt with or at least hinted at in "The Prisoner". This is why this is still highly enjoyable and recommendable TV - it is so much more than just another sixties spy series. The action takes place in the "Village", a beautiful place; outwardly a luxury seaside resort surrounded by picturesque mountains, it harbours a totalitarian society. Totalitarianism does not necessarily mean "a boot crushing a human face", as George Orwell put it in "1984", another immortal satire. A totalitarian regime may as well present itself as a superficially liberal, affluent society, devoid of the more explicit means of suppression like gulags and concentration camps we normally associate with it. It may just as well crush independent spirits slowly, insidiously with the help of relentless, pussy-footed propaganda and lowering of educational and subversion of moral and cultural standards. The more dumbed-down the citizens become, the more readily they believe every misinformation they are being fed. The basic outlines of "The Prisoner" are well known. After having been rendered unconscious by sleeping gas, the hero wakes up in "The Village", that colourful luxury prison for people who know too much. A prison it undeniably is, and like the other inmates, the man is first stripped of his name and assigned a number instead - six -, then of his personal clothes and belongings and given one of the Village uniforms, a simple and chilling symbol of being robbed of his individuality. Surveillance is constant, with intrusive cameras observing his every movement, hidden microphones recording every conversation. This sounds familiar, doesn't it? The ubiquitous Village propaganda - TV spots, posters, brought-in-line newspapers, piped messages - is uncannily similar to politically correct language or modern management-speak: verbose, yet at the same time impoverished as regards vocabulary, it conceals its true purposes with veiled, euphemistic expressions. Already on his first day in the Village, the new Number Six realises that his fellow inmates enjoy every material amenity but not freedom of any kind. He learns that rebellion is nipped in the bud and that only few of the citizens are courageous enough to speak their minds. Sinister things are going on behind the colourful facades of the Village, and the contrast between the utter loveliness of the surroundings and the methods of brainwashing and torture hinted at only heightens the feeling of menace and displacement pervading the whole series. Lewis Carroll's "Through The Looking Glass" comes into mind. The Prisoner soon learns what it means to be brought to hospital for "readjustment". "We have many ways and means," announces one particularly ruthless Village administrator in "Free For All", one of the darkest and most pessimistic episodes. All the Village authorities wish to know is why Number Six resigned from his confidential job. It is so little they want and so tempting to give in and settle down for a quiet life in the beautiful hell. But Number Six will have none of this and accepts the challenge. He refuses to cooperate; moreover, he fights back whenever possible, trying to escape or, especially in the later episodes, to unmask the powers that run the Village. The stage is set for a dramatic struggle. This first set contains three of the best episodes. "Arrival" has been called the best pilot episode ever made for television; "Free For All", written and directed by Patrick McGoohan himself, is a critical, scathingly intelligent comment on democracy and the election process, depressing and viciously funny at the same time; "Dance Of The Dead" is weird and wonderful, with stunning, beautifully filmed sequences. The "Alternative Chimes" may not display the highest picture and sound quality but it is a nice extra for true fans. This series is essential viewing for people who enjoy TV that is more than mere entertainment, who are aware that liberal societies are being assulted by not only one evil but several, and for those fond of satires like "1984", " Brave New World" or Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal".
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