The Therapy Zone

  "Time sheets as normal - double night time,” times sheets, they use time sheets in the Village? And how are those who work in the Village paid? In Credit or Work Units – nothing!

   What follows is another extract from an interview with the late Frank Maher, who was stunt-double for Patrick McGoohan, and stunt arranger on the series. Frank's most on-screen appearance was during the episode of ‘The Schizoid Man.’

Frank Maher: “I had to learn the whole of the script, all the dialogue, both parts. That took quite a long time to make because we had to interchange and do everything twice for obvious reasons. The fight sequence at the end was a lot of fun, although I got hit on the chin for real.

   You remember, at the end one of the McGoohan's runs out. that was me, chased by the other one, which was Pat. Just before that I'd gone over the worktop in the kitchen. I was supposed to go over it as part of the script but I went over out of control because he's accidentally hit me on the chin. So when I got up and flew outside I was ready to kill him! He'd nearly broken my jaw.... the whole crew had seen it and they were all waiting for this big explosion that was going to happen. He skidded to a stop with his hands up and he said "I know, I know, and I didn't mean it", and I said "Oh yes you did - you've been waiting to do that!" Anyway he bought me a couple of large ones in the bar that night.......”

   This chap, wearing the Prisoner’s own suit, is undergoing aversion therapy in the hospital. There's a glass screen in from of him, so that he doesn't get splashed with water, and a ping-pong ball balanced on a spout of water.

   Yet we have seen this trick performed outside in the village, at the fountain of the central Piazza.

   We have a fountain ejecting a spout of water upon which is balanced a small mass of the village guardian. Is this an attempt at mass aversion therapy? If you look at the actual film, you will observe the effect it has on the Prisoner.

    Mass aversion therapy, well the image of the Village Guardian has been used in aversion therapy at the hospital upon two unsuspecting patients, in the aversion therapy room, in the episode of ‘A Change of Mind.’

The thing about ‘the Prisoner’ is, not what it means to others, but what it means to you. Mind you it’s also to do with how much you get out of the series, and what you put into it. Because as we all know, you can't get anything out, without putting in something first!

Be seeing you