Well in some respects perhaps that might be the case. I suppose it all depends upon the way you see ‘the Prisoner,’ and how much you read into it. For myself I've taken into researching ‘the Prisoner’ as though it were actual, that the village actually existed. In this way I have been able to research the series and all related material to it, and have learned more than a thing or two along the way, about concrete boats, and meaning of 'stone boat' for example. Nursery rhymes too can be a most fascinating subject, don't you think?
For those who search for hidden meaning with ‘the Prisoner,’ well the factual side of the series is far more fascinating. Because when you fit the real world to ‘the Prisoner,’ far more can be explained by doing that, than by any amount of conjecture and theorising. None of which I should think for a moment McGoohan thought anyone would bother to go into, but then certain work tools were not available in the 1960's. If they had been, well I wouldn't be doing the things I have, because it would have all been done previously. But then to have done so, someone would have had to think of doing it.
And then there's what you don't see in the Prisoner that I have found to be more fascinating than what we do. I mean what happened to the Speedlearn experiment? Did the citizens realise that the experiment had been brought to an abrupt end? Was the death of the Professor reported in The Tally Ho? Somehow I should not think so. And the day after Appreciation Day, what might have been the new No.2's attitude towards No.6? After all he would still be hurting after the failure of the execution of the retiring No.2. Mind you there's always the possibility that the new No.2 of ‘Its Your Funeral’ never actually took up the position, having been quickly replaced!
And there is more to people's lives, the maid Martha, for example, seen at the Prisoner's home during ‘Many Happy Returns?’ I wonder how she found life to be in the village, after Mrs. Butterworth had left the village, and not taking her maid with her? Well Martha could always get a position as a maid, making citizens their drugged night cap of hot chocolate each night. I bet that would suit her down to the ground, especially if it were No.6. Ah, but then during ‘It’s Your Funeral’ No.6 did take pity on Martha, by buying her a bag of sweets. Okay, the same actress playing Martha and the woman whose credit ran out in ‘It’s Your funeral,’ might not be the same character, but the idea dovetails nicely. As does the idea of No.99, who was once a prefect in ‘The General,’ who later had fallen out of favour as an Unmutual in ‘A Change of Mind,’ but seeing how confession is good for the soul, was welcomed back into the fold, and rose to a great height, as a member of the assembly in ‘Fall Out.’
And I think it is suggestive, the remarkable resemblance between No.14 of ‘Hammer Into Anvil’ and No.22 of ‘It’s Your Funeral,’ in appearance and dress, and the fact that they are both assistants to No.2.
And citizens change jobs. The oriental girl No.18, once a taxi driver in Arrival, and then a flower seller during A B & C. The labour Exchange manager of Arrival, by the time of ‘The Chimes of Big Ben’ had been promoted to assistant to No.2.
Its all relative, don't you think? Just the way it is in life. Things change, people and places change. In the village, if you want to survive, you must learn to adapt to circumstances. People will always want to better themselves, and someone will always want to be..... No.1.
Be seeing you
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