The Therapy Zone

     I'm interested in most all aspects of ‘the Prisoner,’ and from time to time I've dabbled in theories and ideas about the series. And at the end of the day I've come to think McGoohan was right "It means what it is," plain and simple. what's more the simple answer is more often than not the right answer. I've met with fans of the Prisoner who read far too much into the series which is simply not there, nor was ever intended to be there in the first place. I myself have come up with over complicated explanations, and interpretations which simply added no further understanding of the Prisoner for me.

   I once read a letter entitled "It's simple Really!" which described how fans of the Prisoner read complicated meanings into everyday happenings like when ‘the Prisoner’ having parked his car in the underground car park he goes through a set of double doors marked "Way Out." This has been interpreted by some as the Prisoner demonstrating his rebellious nature by entering a building via the "Way Out." Well of course this is ridiculous, because all the Prisoner is doing to leaving the car park via the "Way Out." if he was entering a building by the "Way Out" the words would be on the opposite side of the door - surely! You see it makes perfect sense to me to not over complicate things. The author of the letter stated that if anyone is putting this kind of interpretation on a simple everyday occurrence such as this, well they will obviously never really come to an understanding of the Prisoner. Well it's a train of thought that I've adopted over the years.

    I've never belonged to any society which is affiliated to the Prisoner, well I've never felt the need to be, although I have kept up with news of such societies. And I was at Portmeirion once when a Prisoner convention was being held there. I found it all very interesting, to see so many people dressed as citizens of The Village. Perhaps because they were playing at it, their convention not being real life, escapism I think it is called. Imagine people wanting to escape to The Village, what must their everyday lives be like I wonder?

   My favourite episode is ‘Arrival’ my least preferred episode is ‘Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling.’ I enjoy ‘Fall Out,’ not because it's the most difficult one to understand, although it does have the semblance of a James Bond style of ending to the series, but because of the music. ‘Fall Out’ as an episode simply doesn't conform to the preceding episodes.

   Do I used to  watch ‘the Prisoner’ twice a year these days, and that now includes the 2009 series.

I’ll be seeing you