It’s Your Funeral

    It was once written that for one person the episode of It's Your Funeral is one of the most straightforward episodes in the Prisoner series. Well I suppose it could be said, if you forget about why Number 6 ever got involved in the first place, as he was very reluctant to do. When Monique-Number 50 came to Number6's cottage looking for help, he told her to go to the Town Hall where the citizens council offers help and advice to everyone. He sees it as some plot against himself, and refuses to get involved. After all Number .6 doesn't trust anybody, and is suspicious of anyone, "once bitten forever shy" as he puts it, which does seem in keeping with the nature of his character. You will also recall how Number 6 does not try and settle down, refuses to co-operate, and has grown to have as little to do with other members of the community as possible. When anyone comes knocking on his cottage door, he doesn't always answer. That's why the Supervisor-Number 28 saw to it that the door to Number6's cottage was unlocked in time for Number 50's arrival there, so that she would have access.

   Of course when Number 6 is finally convinced by the Watchmakers daughter, Number 6 cannot help himself but to become involved. He still goes on with it because he hasn't much choice in the matter. But why get Number 6 involved in the first place? Surely No.1 must realise that he courts failure with "Plan Division Q" by getting Number 6 involved with it. To get Number 6 involved seems to me to be quite reckless, and unexplainable. Why should it be necessary for them to use Number 6 in order to give their plan credibility I don't know. As Number 50 said "why go through all this rigmarole, why not just do away with him and have done with it?" Because everyone will reach retirement one day, and no-one will be wanting to face execution when that day comes!

   And why the need for mass reprisals anyway? Against those so called Jammers? I thought they were no problem anymore, that which control picks up from Jammers they simply "let ride." So why the need for mass reprisals, as a deterrent against the malcontents in the village? I should have thought that the village guardian Rover would be enough of a deterrent for anyone!

   As for "Appreciation Day" that appears to be completely pointless, and as much of a farce as that of the democratic elections of Free For All!

   In my opinion there is only one clear aspect of Its Your Funeral, which some see as No.6's reluctance to escape. In the fact that Number 6 cannot escape the village using the explosive detonator as a "bargaining chip," because there is no-one Number 6 can trust to take up his position against the new Number 2, in the same way he did, whilst the retiring Number 2 escapes by helicopter. Save for the fact the retiring Number 2 returned to the Village. That must have come as a bit of a shock to the new Number 2, to see the helicopter turn back towards the Village like that.

I’ll Be seeing you