The Chimes of Big Ben and Once Upon A Time would have worked rather well as back-to-back episodes, which I think might have been the original intention. However there are a couple of lines in Once Upon A Time which would be somewhat spurious had that been the case, when No.2 telephones No.6 who states 'I know your voice,' {it would be remarkable if No.6 had forgotten after so short a time} to which No.2 replies 'I've been here before' {well surely if the two episodes were intended to run consecutively, No.2 would never have been away!} But apart from those two lines, I think the Prisoner series would have gained much, and been given a different look by running The Chimes of Big Ben and Once Upon A Time back-to-back, but it would have cost No.2 his life, having given it to the cause without chance of resuscitation! In fact A B & C and The General would have worked well as back-to-back episodes instead of having them separated in the way they are in the screening order. In that way No.2's further term of office would have simply run consecutively, and there would have been no need to send him away at the end of A B & C, only to have him returned to the Village later on for The General!
BCNU
Hello David
ReplyDeleteActually in the Canadian broadcast order 'OUAT' and 'COBB'were 'back to back'in broadcast order leaving some Canadians with the impression that The Village and No.2 had triumphed over No.6. It is also interesting that Canada ran the 'alt' version of 'Chimes'.How No.2 was brought back from the dead was left unexplained.... perhaps that is what inspired Mr. McGoohan to the exlanation we see in Fall Out.
Sincerely
Mr. Anonymous
One problem I have with running "Once Upon a Time" straight after "Chimes of Big Ben" is that credibility would be stretched: Number 6 would never fall for the plan after all the time he'd have spent in the Village. He would have seen how the Village can achieve their ends with mind control (e.g. "Checkmate", "The General"), drugs ("A., B. and C.", "Living in Harmony"), doppelgangers ("Schizoid Man") and general maninpulation ("Free For All", "Many Happy Returns" etc.). Perhaps he'd be too suspicious to fall for it.
ReplyDeleteThen again, we don't really know what Number 6 is thinking in "Chimes". Perhaps he was suspicious all along and only appeared to drop his guard when he said "For a very long time, I...just a minute", he might have just been playing along. When he heard the wrong number of chimes on the tape, he'd found the clue he needed.
Another interesting thing about "Chimes" is that the Village's plot does not rely on any science fiction items at all, the most high-tech thing vital to the plot seems to be the hidden tape recorder.
Be seeing you
ZM72
Hello Mr. Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteAh, now I didn't know that about 'OUAT' and 'COBB' being screened back to back for the Canadian screening. I knew of course that 'the Prisoner premiered in Canada before Britain, and that the 'alt' Chimes' had also been screened, Patrick McGoohan didn't want that, he tried to put a stop to the release of the 'alt' Chimes' but of course seeing as McGoohan didn't own the series any more there was nothing he could do about it.
That must have been confusing for the Canadian television audience to see No.2 resusciated in 'Fall Out' with no explanation.
Had Leo McKern stuck to his guns in not wanting anything more to do with Patrick McGoohan and 'the Prisoner,' and not allowing himself to be talked back for 'Fall Out,' then there would have been no need for the resuscitation of No.2, who would have remained dead!
Regards
David
Be seeing you
Hello ZM72,
ReplyDeleteI can see the point you are making in your comment. However, it must be said that in 'Once Upon A Time' No.6 had been regressed back to his childhood, and therefore all the events that had previously happened to him in the Village might have been washed away in that regression. Certainly No.6 was in no position to resist, as the regression of his mind had taken place while No.6 was asleep. So that when he woke up his mind was that of a child.
As for 'Chimes,' No.6 might have had his suspicions, especially about No.8. But remember No.6 is not a man to let any opportunity pass him by, not with the possibility of escape as a prize!
The plan behind 'The Chimes of Big Ben' was a good one, and No.2 did his best with it. But any plan is open to human frailty, and 'if' Post 14 {Nadia's supposed contact man} had set his watch to the right time there would have been the one hours difference, so when No.6 began to say ' I resigned because for a very long time........ he may well have continued giving his reason had it not been for Post 14's error!
And yes, you are quite right 'Chimes's does not rely upon science, because as we've learned, science can be perverted. And without drugs of any kind. Perhaps in this 'The Chimes of Big Ben' is one of the cleanest of the 17 episodes, another being 'Many Happy Returns' in that regard.
I am not a number, I am Six
Be seeing you
David
Having No6 exclaim "I know your voice." in 'Once Upon A Time' when he hears No2 on the phone doesn't sit well if it's viewed immediately after 'The Chimes Of Big Ben'.
ReplyDeleteOf course you know the voice, No6 - you were listening to it last week!
BCNU );oB
Hello Steve,
ReplyDeleteYes, that's the problem, No.6 saying 'I know your voice' suggests that some time has passed between 'The Chimes of Big Ben' and 'Once Upon A Time.' But I liked your comment, especially the bit about No.6 having only been listening to No.2's voice last week.
Trusting the day goes well with you
David
BCNU