Rating: 
Summary: The most ambitious series of all time!
Review: What can I say about the Prisoner that hasn't been said already? Patrick McGooohan brought to tv the most thought provoking and ambitious series to reality. The basis of the prisoner is a mastery of story telling, taking a former secret agent to a secret "village" in hopes of breaking him and finding out "information" on why he resigned is simply a breathtaking ordeal to write for, especially if you consider that this series is from the 1960's. Kudos to A&E for an excellent dvd transfer of the entire series, it looks and sounds excellent.
Rating:
Summary: "You're in the Village"
Review: Excellent mini-series to come from across the Atlantic. Personality from Patrick McGoohan depicting No. 6 is astounding. Every time I watch these episodes (in which I remember them from the actual CBS broadcasts from the summer of 1968), they just leave me spellbounded in how such a society can be dehumanized, yet being fascinated in the efforts of No.6 tries to emphasize his famous quote to the village: "I am NOT a NUMBER! I am a HUMAN BEING!!"
Rating:
Summary: Great set!
Review: I watched this series on PBS many years ago, and enjoyed re-living the story. A good selection of extras is offered in this set.
Rating: 
Summary: Quite an ingenius tv series from 1967.
Review: I have never seen The Prisoner tv series before in my life, but have seen it advertised on sale on DVD. ATTN: Companies who distrubute TV Series' on VHS and DVD. PLEASE SHOW THE TV EPISODES IN THE ORDER THEY WERE MADE OR ARE SUPPOSE TO BE AS AIRED, episode 1, episode 2, episode 3, etc. No Skipping or Mixing them. Quite an ingenius tv series for 1967 coming from England. Not as invovling, clever or sophisticated as our original "Mission: Impossible" tv series here in the United States but for England they must have enjoyed The Prisoner.
Rating:
Summary: What do you want? Information -- about these DVDs
Review: Thematically, and in some ways visually, "The Prisoner" anticipates "The Matrix", "The Truman Show", and yes, even "Austin Powers". Although it was a contemporary of the James Bond films, and of other espionage shows like "Mission: Impossible," "The Prisoner" retains freshness because it is about so much more than spy games, and is infused with wry, self-mocking wit.The show's star, Patrick McGoohan, had actually been offered the role of James Bond, but turned it down because of his moral objections to the sex and violence entailed by the role. To watch McGoohan talk and think his way through each episode (with occasional fisticuffs -- but no gunplay) is to see an alternate version of late twentieth-century man play out, and you could argue that we are the worse off that his wasn't the model to prevail. McGoohan blazes on the screen: whether radiating arrogance, cool wit, or frank lunacy, his face invites empathy, while his voice commands. The wit of the screenplays are matched by an extraordinarily lively and variable soundtrack, ranging from typical spy-movie horns-and-strings arrangements to be-bop jazz and cutting electric guitars. The look of the show is similarly sharp: the other inhabitants of The Village are dressed in vibrant primary colors that match the perpetually sunny weather ("Rise and shine, it's another lovely day" proclaim the loudspeakers each morning), but what secrets do they hide beneath their bright exteriors? I haven't even touched on the malevolent white balloons that enforce lethal order, lest the mask of levity slip -- there's no way I can convey in words how scary a villain the show makes out of a growling weather balloon. Nor have I mentioned the DVDs' numerous special features -- interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, trivia games, etc. -- mainly because I've barely delved into them myself. What I have seen has been impressive: long-time fans of the show will certainly learn new details about its production, and new fans will find yet more to be amazed about. Be seeing you!
Rating: 
Summary: Who is Number One?
Review: You are Number Six. OR You are, Number Six ! Yes, at the beginning of every episode except the first and last, Number 2(whoever it may be) answers the prisoner's question without him even noticing!
Rating:
Summary: What do you want?
Review: "We want Information, information, INFORMATION!!!"
"You won't get it..." at least not in the form of any major plot "spoilers." Mind you, given the crazy, whacked-out, psychedelic finale, CAN you give the ending away? Put any two Prisoner fans in the same room and ask them to discuss "Fallout," and you can guarantee you'll get an argument! Viewer 1: "He got out."
Viewer 2: "No he didn't."
Viewer 1: "Yes he did."
Viewer 2: "No he didn't!"
Viewer 1: "He was driving down the A2 in Kent!!!"
Viewer 2: "It's allegorical you idiot!!!" Anyway, such erudite musings aside, what can be said about The Prisoner that hasn't been said before? I'm not sure, so I'll just make a few observations and leave it up to you to decide if you want to go along for the ride. In my view, The Prisoner, more than any other show or film, succeeded in creating it's own perfect reality and internal logic. The "village" itself, the numbers, the mind-numbing musak, the cheery announcements, the "Tally Ho," the ever changing No.2, and of course, the ever present "Rover." Of all the iconic images in the show, McGoohan striding down the tunnel on his way to resign, driving home in his Lotus 7 and being stalked by the hearse, the Penny Farthing bicycles, the Mini Moke taxi's, the "groovy" 60's atmosphere, costumes and music - Austin Powers wasn't even close! - the crazy seesaw spinning endlessly in the Control Room, the Supervisor intoning "Orange Alert," it's "Rover" that leaves an indelible mark. What the Hell is it?! Is it alive, is it mechanical, is it both?!?!?! I dunno, but I certainly wouldn't want to meet him on a dark night in Portmeirion... I wouldn't even want to tangle with the "Baby Rovers" that appear in a couple of episodes! I saw The Prisoner, as a child, when it was first broadcast back in the late 60's, in Dear Old Blighty. I didn't have a clue as to what was going on, but it was weird, immediately grabbed my attention, and fired my imagination! Seeing it again over the years, and finally buying it on video, I started to see deeper into the story, and formed an even greater appreciation for what McGoohan had achieved. As far as the "order" debate is concerned, I think this 10 DVD set has got it just about right. No.6 mentions in a few episodes that he's "new here," or he's only "just arrived," these episodes have been moved 'up' in the running order, which makes perfect sense. And when you view the set as a whole, you now see the methods used to try and break No.6 growing more extreme and desperate as the series continues, 'til they culminate in the psychological battle that is "Once Upon A Time," again, a perfectly logical progression. As far as my own personal favorite episodes are concerned, I would go with...
ARRIVAL: It sets the whole thing up!
FREE FOR ALL: Love that line, "Obey me and be free!"
A, B, & C: Gotta love the "... groovy party!" and the scene near the end where No.6 walks into the "treatment room" in his dream, and No.2 and No.48 spin around to look at the door behind them as it opens and closes on the screen in front of them!
CHECKMATE: Poor No.6, was he a little too clever for his own good this time?
THE CHIMES OF BIG BEN: Or should that be "Big Bill?" I enjoy this one specifically because of the interplay between No.6 and No.2, played by the wonderful Leo McKern.
THE SCHIZOID MAN: Two No.6's for the price of one, and the only episode where "Rover" is mentioned by name.
HAMMER INTO ANVIL: It's such fun watching No.2 lose the plot, an incredible, scenery chewing, Patrick Cargill.
LIVING IN HARMONY: A "psychedelic" western, man!
ONCE UPON A TIME: A breathtaking battle of wills between No.6 and No.2, once again played to perfection by Leo McKern! The Prisoner is unique amongst television shows, it was a product of, and a comment on, its time... and ours. An examination of the Human Condition, of the individuals right to BE an individual, within a conformist Society. It entertains, it mystifies, it challenges. It has hokey computers, wildly exaggerated fisticuffs, that wonderful 60's ambience... and "Rover!" Enter the village, and you may never leave!
Rating:
Summary: Video is good, audio levels are low
Review: I was surprised that I had to crank my volume control up so high to get a decent sound level. While the audio is clean, it is provided at a rather low level. The video was very clean.
Rating:
Summary: Be seeing you
Review: The Prisoner broke an enormous amount of rules when it premiered in 1968. Patrick McGoohan along with co-creator/story editor and occasional writer George Markstein. Markstein's experience in the Civil Service had an impact on the series; it was he that suggested that such a place as "The Village" was rumored to exist for ex-spys (according to rumor McGoohan may also have come up with the idea himself. When the question of what the British do with their retired secret agents came up, a government offical told McGoohan, "We take care of them"). This peaked McGoohan's interest and McGoohan saw the series as a metaphor for society (and, although frequently missed, it's also a veiled comment on his own celebrity as an actor)and our place in it. Luckily, the metaphor is difficult to pin down so you can argue that The Prisoner is open to interpretation. I met Patrick McGoohan in, of all places, B. Dalton Books in Santa Monica, California. He was shooting Baby for Disney at the time. His star had ebbed but he never lost sight of the themes that interested him as an artist nor did he lose sight of what he was doing for Disney--it was a paying job for an actor pure and simple. As Assistant Manager of the bookstore, I had my sole employee taking lunch. Dalton's policy allowed an employee to put all the phones on hold if there was only 1 person in the store at a time. Luckily, McGoohan's wife was looking for a book and he couldn't get through. He decided that he'd come in himself rather than wait. It's the first and last time I was thankful for the concept of poor customer service. This box set is an improvement on the one originally issued by A&E last year. The earlier edition had some audio flaws. The picture is pristine and the sound terrific sounding. Watching the series episodes back to back is a fascinating and sometimes frustrating experience. It's amazing that the series was as consistent as could be. Since this wasn't originally designed to be a 17 episode series a couple of the episodes are clearly padding, but they're enjoyable trifles. Some of them such as The General haven't aged as well as others, while some such as the surreal conclusion still pack a lot of intellectual wallop. Fall Out is both perplexing and powerful. McGoohan (who wrote and directed this episode)elected to take the road less traveled; there are no easy answers and when we do finally meet No. 1, we get answers we might not care for. What's interesting is that the episode that precedes the conclusion was originally the 6th episode shot (it was #16 when shown). This suggests that McGoohan may have realized the story potential of this particular episode, held it back and expanded upon its original premise. Others, such as Living in Harmony are even more powerful than when they originally aired (Living in Harmony was seen as a comment on the Vietnam war and, to the best of my recollection, didn't air during the original run). It's also one of the best written and directed episodes--a miniature Western movie in Prisoner garb. McGoohan had always wanted to star in a Western and this episode (not one of the original cycle of episodes)gave him the chance. The extras are nice but not essential. I didn't find The Prisoner Video Companion to be all that involving. It's too basic for fans of the series and basically recycles clips from the stronger episodes of the series. It's a nice addition but not something you'd watch more than once. McGoohan's reluctance to continue to be interviewed about the series is understandable; it's also frustrating for fans of the series. I wouldn't expect him to shed any more light on the themes of the series but it would have been fun to have a alternate audio commentary discussing what he recalled on the making of the pivotal episodes (particularly the three he directed himself). The DVD extra features such as the alternate version of The Chimes of Big Ben, original broadcast trailer for various episodes are nice to have. The alternate opening sequence for the foreign market (France) isn't of particular importance. There is an interview with the series' production designer which provides quite a bit of insight as well. There's also footage of the series location shot in Wales narrated by production designer Bernie Williams. Included with this sequence is rare footage of the original mechanical Rover (shortly to be replaced by the more familar image of the weather balloon). Oh, I didn't give you the end of my meeting McGoohan story. I got his autograph (he was a kind and patient man). I, of course, wasn't tongue tied except when I started telling him how much I enjoyed The Prisoner and Secret Agent (aka Danger Man). Making an [joker] out of myself, I mentioned our shared birthday. I finished with a nice blunder, "Mr. MacNee I loved the creativity you showed with The Prisoner". MacNee, of course, was the star of my other favorite series The Avengers. He didn't bat an eye as he stated "I'm Patrick McGoohan you're thinking of Patrick MacNee. We Patrick's all look alike". A very Prisoner moment for a series that deals with identity and freedom as one of its many themes. Based on his delivery of that simple fact, I could easily see him as Ian Fleming's choice for James Bond. In retrospect I have to chuckle but at the time I was mortified when I realized what I had said. Thank God I didn't conclude our brief meeting by saying, "Be Seeing You"(I'm sure he hears that way too often). A little known fact about McGoohan is that although he is of Irish descent (his parents were Irish immigrants), he was born in Brooklyn. His parents moved back to Ireland when he was a child. That explains a little bit of his clipped accent which sounds vaguely British but with indistinct flecks of an American accent as well. Thanks Patrick for giving the world such a groundbreaking series and for not biting my head off.
Rating:
Summary: Apparently a different interpretation ...
Review: I wonder how many others out there in television-land, have
caught what I see in episode 17, "Fallout", but are not
talking about their insight. There is #1 being launched
into outer space. You write "1" on a piece of paper and you
get something looking much like the nominative pronoun of
self-reference (Romans had IDENTICALLY the same symbol, 2000
years ago). The point: The individual is attaining universal
status. This is the freedom of enlightenment which is part of
the Vedic traditions (nirvikalpa samadhi).
... spoke by one (35 year) Transcendental Meditator on behalf
of the achievements of another (Patrick McGoohan), whose series
is perhaps the finest piece of fiction in western civilization.
One of your other reviewers spoke of the poor quality of the
alternate version of "The Chimes of Big Ben". After this many
years (23, to be precise) of employment in high technology, I am
going to suppose that this episode was NOT run through the fast
Fourier transform (FFT), with all of the associated noise
cancellation techniques, and so on and so forth. In other words,
if it were not for the advances in computer science over the past
two decades, and if there were not in particular the possibility
of digital remastering, the EVERY SINGLE EPISODE would probably be
of the same quality. I suspect that A&E wanted the viewers to
see "the original" for the sake of nostalgia. In support of my
hypothesis, I invite the viewers to pay careful attention to the
crystal clarity of the other episodes, which are aperiodically
marred with minor audio and video tears. This ought to be where
the original had too severe a fault for the digital transformation
to suppress the fault completely.
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