The Therapy Zone

   In ‘Many Happy Returns’ opening sequence, we hear the usual dialogue between No.6 and the new No.2, the voice is male, and we see that it is a male sitting in the chair. So No.2-Mrs. Butterworth is not yet arrived in The Village to take up her position as the new No.2. Well what would be the point of bringing Mrs. Butterworth to The village, then to simply transport her back to London to take up residence at No.1 Buckingham Place, Westminster, London. Had her identity been revealed during the opening sequence, then there would have been no surprise at the end of the episode. It would also have been a good effect had the Brass Band been playing "Happy birthday" to No.6 as he looked out of the window at those parading around the central Piazza.

    He did you know - No.2 actually listened to each of the six records of the Davier recording of L'arlesienne, and it was 11:45 am by the time he'd finished!

 

   What is important here, is not that No.6 had listened to only three of the records, and for only a few seconds each, but the fact that No.6 had convinced the little Weasel, the shopkeeper, and the shopkeeper convinced No.2, and in turn No.2 listened to each of the six records, listening for what No.6 had been listening for, and actually timing them to no result! What would you say an LP record less than sixty minutes, six records equals? Well suffice to say No.2 spent most of the morning listening to L'arlesienne - he must be round the twist! Hasn't he more important things to be doing? And of course what happened the General Store while the shopkeeper was standing there all morning

No.7's It Doesn't Really Mean Anything!

    "The Bishop Is Coming" I mean what the hell has that to do with the Prisoner?

A B and C but I'm unsure if this episode was supposed to be ahead of The General in the screening order or not. It's No.2 which gives cause for concern, not simply because of the question of his health "Is No.2 Fit For Further Term?" No, it's in the opening sequence when No.6 says adamantly in  A B and C’ that "I am Number Two" but in ‘The General’ he says that he's "The new Number Two." You would have thought that seeing as No.2 said "I Am the new Number Two" that The General would have been placed before ‘A B and C,’ then Number Two would have been right in ‘A B and C’ when he said "I am Number Two." And yet, when No.2 encounters No.6 in the company of Madam Professor, he tells her that he and No.6 are old friends, meaning that they have met previously. So that just about settles it, ‘A B and C’ is rightfully placed before ‘The General’ in the screening order.

   On the matter of that opening dialogue in between the Prisoner and No.2 during the opening sequence, some actors had recorded their own dialogue, whilst others had their lines said for them by Robert Rietty, which was to save time. Yet in the case of Colin Gordon, he recorded his dialogue of the opening sequence TWICE!

Be seeing you