The Therapy Zone

Second Only To One

    Colin Gordon, and you thought No.2 Patrick Gargill was the only No.2 afraid of his masters! But the failure wasn't all his fault, as the doctor-No.14 played her part in his downfall, and possibly that was the reason why we see this No.2 returned to the village for The General, and this time No.2 is not directly involved with No.6, well at least until No.6 goes poking his nose in! This No.2 is afraid, afraid of failure and the consequences that must surely follow any such failure. He likes to appear firmly in control and has a boastfulness and an arrogance which cannot be denied, and that is a flaw in his character. He also suffers from a stomach ulcer, hence his drinking of milk. In his first encounter with No.6, he believes that No.6 was going to sell out. He wants to know what he had to sell and to whom he was going to sell it. He relies much on the skills of a doctor-No.14 and the drug she has developed. A drug that has not even been tested on animals yet, let alone human beings! This No.2 doesn't care what happens to No.6, even if the patient dies he'll worry about that after, just as long as he gets what he wants. However he drastically underestimates No.6 he fails to see the image of the doctor-No.14 on the screen as No.6 opens his eyes for a moment. The doctor is able to get into No.6's dreams, and it is in his dreams that No.6 finally turns the table on No.2.....'C.'

    No.2 is shattered by the outcome, No.6 wasn't selling out, he was going on holiday! You would think that we would not be seeing this No.2 again, as the harsh reality is suddenly brought home by the insistent buzzing of the oversized red telephone. But it wasn't all his fault, the doctor-No.14 must surely pay for her part in his failure.

    No.2's second encounter with No.6 is an indirect one, as No.2 is preoccupied with The General and the new an revolutionary educational process known as 'Speelearn.' No.2 is there to see the smooth running of the 'Speedlearn' experiments, which in all respects is simply another form of brainwashing. Only through No.6's sudden interest in the General, is No.2 brought into touch with No.6. And I bet at the end, No.2 had wished No.6 had kept his nose out! Because at the end The General is destroyed, the Professor killed, as well as No.12 of Administration, and with all of this, this total mishap, No.2's fate is sealed, and with no reason to ask WHY? Again No.2 is confident, he has confidence in The General, in the Professor, and his ability to see that the Professors wife gets her husband to carry on with the lectures. No.2 is boastful, boastful of The General, in that there is not a question the General cannot ask! And it was this boasting, and his final act of arrogance that helped No.2 in his own downfall. He allowed himself to be goaded by No.6 in allowing him to ask the General his question.

   In the end, this No.2 cuts a tragic figure. Its not all his fault, and he's still suffering from that stomach ulcer!

   Anton Rogers, he oozes with charm and self-assurance when we first meet him. He is trying to trick No.6 into thinking he is in fact No.12, and in this he uses a look-a-like, doppelganger, in the form of Curtis, in order to try and break No.6 and make him give the reason for his resignation. It is not his fault that it did not work, a possible case of underestimating No.6's ability again.

   This No.2 is confident, not easily ruffled, only when the supposed Curtis telephones him about Rover killing No.6 dies he approaches anything like rage. But afterwards No.2 is remarkably calm about No.6's supposed death, but then one can see he has a doubt about it.

   No.2 is resigned to his job in admin, perhaps that is why his attitude to the village differs from those of his predecessors. He regards this a simply another job, and No.6's death, well there's no point in crying over spilt milk.

   But he's clever, and he tests his doubts very cleverly "Give my regards to Susan" he tells No.6 at the end. "I will" No.6 responds. But of course No.6 cannot possibly know that Susan died a year ago!

    This No.2 failed in extracting the reason behind No.6's resignation, yet although he cleverly prevented No.6 from escaping. We shall not be seeing this No.2 again.

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