In 'A B and C' Number 2 turned out to be 'C,' but was he really 'C?' Did Number 6, in his dream, make Number 2 out to be 'C' in order to protect someone else......Engadine perhaps who logically is the only person left who could be 'C.'
Be 'C'ing you
Hi David,
ReplyDeletein my opinion C has to be Number 2, because Number 2 is the one who wants the Prisoner to sell his "information" to the village.
What do you mean, why would it logically be Engadine?
Regards,
Jana
Hi Jana,
DeleteI cannot see Number 2 being 'C,' as Number 2 would know that he is 'C.' I don't think Number 2 hadn't anything to do with it. Yes Number 6 delivered his envelope to Number 2 in the laboratory, but that is because Number 6 is controlling the dream, and simply wanted to prove to Number 2 that he wasn't selling out, that he really was just going on holiday.
Finally there is the description of 'C,' which is precious little. "Known to be French. Known to have attended Engadine's parties. Possibly disguised. Yes Number 2 was disguised, but he wasn't at Engadine's party, nor is Number 2 French! But Engadine is, and I think, in his dream, Number 6 made Number 2 out to be 'C' first to help protect Engadine, and secondly to beat Number 2, and make a fool of him!
Regards
David
BCNU
Hi David,
Deleteok, I understand it from this point of view. But I don't agree that Number 2 necessarily would know that he is C. This is because Number 2 doesn't know Number 6s mind and the Village does not know anything about C. They assume some facts but I always felt that they could be wrong with it and that there is no C. If Number 6 is no traitor, then there are no A and B either. I understand it that way that Number 6 makes Number 2 C to make him a fool and to hold a mirror uo to him.
But I agree, there really could be an, a B and a C. Former colleagues that were important to him. I've never thought about that. If there is a C then of course Engadine could be it.. and perhaps Number Six wants to protect her.
Kind Regards,
Jana
BCNU
Hi Jana,
DeleteWe can only assume there is a 'C' on the grounds that 'A' being an old friend who does the same job but for different reasons, but who defected. 'B' another friend, but by the foriegn accent, works for the other side. There is a file on 'C', no photograph, but a simple written decription of 'C'. I assume 'C' to be Engadine because there is no-one else.
Just to throw a spanner into the works, when Number 6 unmasks the man in the Paris street to reveal him as Number 2. Number 6 spins the man round and says "See," as he reveals who the man is to Number 2. "See" as in the word, and not 'C' as in the letter of the alphabet, another possibility.
This is what, as Arno once said, makes 'the Prisoner so eduring, because nothing in the series is as it appears. In many ways there are no easy explanations to 'the Prisoner,' if there were, we would not still be discussing the series 45 years later.
Very kind regards
David
BCNU
Hi David,
Deleteoh yes, I totally agree with you and Arno.
And - they have many ways and means, and sometimes it seems as if they wish to confuse us permanently. Fortunately.
Best wishes
Jana
BCNU
Hi Jana,
DeleteFortunately....yes I suppose we must be grateful for their vexing us with their conundrums, otherwise we would have had to find something else to do!
Regards
David
Be seeing you
The weakness of the "A. B. and C." episode although a favourite one of and hailed by many is founded in a rather shoddy execution of an otherwise potentially strong plot (keyword: virtuality). Look at the all too easy tracking down of the secret lab, look a the technical equipment in it. The dialogue exchanges between No 2 and the doctor on this extremly important matter makes me shiver. Wouldn't we rather expect the procedure to be diligently set up? And, not the least, how convincing is it assuming or supposing No 6 would ab capable of withstanding real hallucinogenic drugs while at the same time being able to keep up his guard and carry out his own act of turning tables? On the positive side of we have Colin Gordon's portrayal of this servile No 2 character, to be honest. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
DeleteI quite agree with your comment. The final dream, where Number 6 is calling the shots a nd thereby able to turn the table on Number 2, is because he diluted the third dose of hallucinogenic drug when he broke into the secret laboratory. And that's the thing about 'A B and C,' why the need for secret laboratory somewhere in the woods, when all the rest of the time experiments are conducted in the hospital? Ah, but if that had been so, what chance Number 6 being able to break into an operating room in the hospital? There would be too many hospital staff about!
Regards
David
BCNU
Right, David! He diluted the drug. I didn't think of this topic, now that you mention it. No. 6 must have been aware of the drug effects as such and also damn sure as to which dilution to take in which dose! I trust that former agent No. 6 very well knew a lot about surveillance technology and maybe all kinds of weapons, too. But chemistry, pharmacology? And we're also not supposed to take the action for surrealismus, are we? No, all in all that's why this episode isn't among my favourites. -BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
DeleteYou are keeping me busy today. As for the drug, he knew that he had been drugged twice, by the needle marks and bruising on his right wrist. As for being aware of which dose of drug to dilute, well there was only one dose left in the syringe case!
'A B and C' is not a particluar favourite episode of mine. However I do enjoy Colin Gordon as Number 2, who I really feel sorry for at the end of the episode.
Regards
David
Be seeing you