The Therapy Zone

An Enigmatic Conundrum

    In an interview carried out with Patrick McGoohan in 1989 McGoohan stated that "Explanation lessens what the piece was supposed to be: an allegorical conundrum for people to interpret for themselves. If one gives answers to a conundrum, it is no longer a conundrum."

    And that made me think of the effect which my ‘Prisoner’ Blog-articles might be having on fans and readers. Giving answers, explanations and interpretations on the matter of ‘the Prisoner,’ might just be spoiling the series for others. But then having said that people and fans want to know, they ask me for information and explanations and so perhaps I am helping them to a greater understanding of the Prisoner series. And after all, are not conundrums made for solving?

    And originally "When that final episode screened in England, a sizable audience watched to see who Number One would be. The majority expected a James Bond-type of ultimate villain, and when they got Number 6's alter ego they were none too happy."

    Yes, but if you forget all this allegory stuff, that is just what we did get, a James Bond-type of ultimate villain!

   "I don't particularly enjoy talking about it." McGoohan said. Well yes I suppose I can understand that to a certain degree, especially after all these passed decades. After all whenever anyone was able to carry out an interview with McGoohan all they wanted to talk about was the Prisoner, and that goes for fans too. Not that too many fans have ever been able to get close to McGoohan, just one or two over the years. As for "Cults" McGoohan said "Cults can be a bother. Otherwise I'm not complaining." It's no wonder Patrick McGoohan never attended Prisoner conventions at Portmeirion, to which he was always invited, and a room in the hotel reserved for him..... just in case!

   Apparently it was never the intention for No.6 to be "Completely free - utterly himself" as McGoohan put it. "Too much of that and society would be overrun with rampant extremists and there would be anarchy. the intention was satirical. Be as free as possible within our situation, but the war is with Number One."

    And I think McGoohan got it about right there. After all none of us can be absolutely free, there will always be something to hold us Prisoner whatever it might be. Change ones name, address, town, city, country but you have to take your mind with you. It's what's in your mind that holds you Prisoner, hence the perpetual fight with No.1......yourself!

   "To continue the allegory, No. One tries to run the village his way if we let him. We have to challenge the so-and-so. When Hitler was an infant someone for sure crooned over him 'What a lovely baby!" But he grew up to let Number One take over the show."

    That would be our darker side, the darker side which you might see as being Hyde to your Jekyll. Its that darker side which has absolutely no inhibitions, which makes us do things which ordinarily we would not do when keeping a tight grip of No.1, that darker side to our characters, My Hyde who finds it fun to break the rules who finds it scary and enjoyable at the same time. Showing no regret, no remorse for what he might do. That might be okay if the occasional individual does it, he/she can be brought to justice. But what if we were all doing it, even McGoohan could see that would lead to anarchy, which some see him as advocating in the Prisoner, but which of course was not the case.

BCNU