The Therapy Zone

Six Into one Won’t Go!

Six Into One: The Prisoner File of 1984, screened by Channel 4 after their screening of the Prisoner series didn't work! It was merely the tip of the iceberg, and didn't satisfactorily answer anything. There are too many avenues to travel, and too much information to assimilate in 50 minutes of programme time. I should know, I've carried out a  4 year in-depth research into the Prisoner and all related material for my manuscript The Butler Speaks, and I've learned a lot along the way. Not just about the fresh discoveries regarding the Prisoner, but also in the related material I have researched in the process.

    Six Into One: The Prisoner File tried to be far too clever for its own good, no sooner were you being taken in one direction, then something else came along, making nonsense of what you had just seen and heard, and you found yourself rushing headlong down another avenue which took you away from your original thought! 

   There were interviews, of course there were interviews with Script Editor George Markstein, Sir Lew Grade, Producer David Tomblin to name three. They could of course give answers and information on how the Prisoner came about, pre-production, and during production of the series. Possibly giving some incite into the mind of Patrick McGoohan, and what the series was about. The social comments, McGoohan's take on society and what it had become. Infringing on the rights of the individual, and the taking away of one's identity. But then that's only the tip of the iceberg, wouldn't you say?

   At the end of the day, Six into One: The Prisoner File tried to give the answers, and interpretations, but which in the end failed miserably! Leaving individuals such as you and I to form our own opinions, interpretations, and to find the answers for ourselves. For all their trouble, the people behind Six Into One: The Prisoner File, they might have saved themselves the trouble After all, when the end came, they simply wiped the tape, and began again!

    And me? Well I've thought to draw a line under my researches, but as I’ve found out, there is always a fresh way of looking at things within the Prisoner series.

Have You Ever Noticed

    How it is that the Prisoner quickly eats his way through that plate of sandwiches at Mrs. Butterworth's home? Yes I know he's hungry, mind you those triangular sandwiches of Martha's are quite dainty, with the crusts cut off, and little filling. Its no wonder the Prisoner quickly polished them off, the fruit cake as well. The best fruitcake he had ever tasted, well I bet his fiancé, Janet Portland, wasn't much of a cook, or at baking cakes!

   And that's another curious thing. Once the Prisoner had arrived back in London in Many Happy Returns, he went straight back to his home. A house to which he had no key, so presumably he was going to break in. But thankfully Mrs. Butterworth arrived just in time to invite him in! But then, after a wash and shave, the borrowing of some of dear Arthur's clothes, Arthur being Mrs. Butterworth's late husband. The Prisoner then has the lend of his own kar, as he has two calls to make, one in town, and the other in the country. But what of his fiancé Janet Portland, and her farther Sir Charles Portland for whom the Prisoner had previously worked, before he resigned? The Prisoner never went to see them did he, why not? had he done so, the Prisoner just might have played a safer bet! Well possibly because of his single-mindedness, in wanting answer, answers to his questions, as to where the village is, which side runs the village, and would he be able to find it again?

   Well he did, and now he's No,6 once more!

    Just one more thing brought to mind by my wife a moment ago, in the episode of It’s Your Funeral, the heir presumptive-No.2 ordered that a daily prognosis report be carried out on No.6. Well is it possible that a likewise prognosis was carried out on No.6 before they allowed the events of Many Happy Returns to unfold? In this way the actions of No.6 would be, to some extent predicted, and in that "they" would have a reasonable estimation of the action to be taken by No.6 at any given time, as in the daily prognosis report of Its Your Funeral. This together with No.6's predictability of course.

Be seeing you