Pismatic Reflection

   I used to write this as a regular column for a 'Prisoner' based magazine in the 1990's, until I was no longer the flavour of the day. What happened? A new face happened, but these things happen and you move on to other things. However I thought I would give it a new lease  life to this coloumn, in which originally I wrote about all things 'Prisoner.'
   So how is 'the Prisoner' today? Well generally he sits on the shelves in a bookcase, in both Video and DVD formats. I do take him down now and again to watch the series. I used to watch 'the Prisoner' twice a year, and certain episodes in between, but these days it's generally once a year. This year I'll be waiting until October 6th to celebrate the 45th anniversary of 'the Prisoner,' I might even turn the colour off!
   I recall how I first started to collect 'the Prisoner' on video, that it started in November of 1986, when the first two Channel 5 video's were released, two episode per tape. I recall how I played and played those videos, and waiting for weeks and weeks before the next pair of videos of the series to be released. The novelty of being able watch 'the Prisoner' series whenever I wanted, after having to wait in the past until the next screening on television. These days 'the Prisoner' is everywhere, Video, DVD Blu-Ray, on YouTube, and web pages associated with 'the Prisoner,' so that perhaps there's the danger of taking the series for granted. But I don't think that is likely.
   I'm astounded by the way the Channel 5 vidoes of the late 1980's still play as well today as they did originally. Oh the picture isn't as clear as the re-mastered DVD's produced today. But then 'the Prisoner' series was never intended to be viewed as if it were filmed only yesterday! The clarity of picture showing a multitude of errors, and things that were never meant to be seen. But there you go, the remastering of old films was once all the rage, today it's 3D, so how long will it be before 'the Prisoner' series is produced in 3D? And after that? Reality Television, in which the television viewer can enter the programme he or she is watching, but being unable to influence the programme. Imagine being able to stand on the chessboard with Number 6 {Patrick McGoohan}, to parade around the Village during the election, and be present as Number 6 tells you that everyone is entitled to more spare time. To give Number 6 a scare as you smash the cup and saucer just as he's about to cast off his raft in 'Many Happy Returns.' But then one mistake, and you could easily find yourself being experimented on in the hospital! But of course that kind of televisual television is a long way off, some of us havn't even got High-Definition television, or the size of television that takes up the whole of the front room bay window!

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