The Therapy Zone

    No.6 is obviously a smoker, something frowned upon in these modern times. In ‘The Schizoid Man’ we learn that No.6 enjoys his own brand of cigar, that he has "Black Russian" cigarettes to hand. John Drake was a smoker, of both cigars and cigarettes, yet the only time we actually see No.6 smoking is during his spell in jail in the episode of ‘Living In Harmony,’ having been put into "protective custody!" No.6 whilst lying on his bunk in his cell, rolls himself a cigarette using a  liquorice paper. Some fans said it was a cigar or cheroot, but one doesn’t roll your own cheroots. He lights the cigarette with a match and smokes it. It is the first and last time we see No.6 smoking, he coughed on the cigar in ‘The Schizoid Man’ because the cigar was rigged with a piece of plastic running inside its length, and that would make anybody cough! As a footnote to this, through the re-mastering of ‘the Prisoner’ film transferred onto DVD, we can plainly see by No.6's nicotine stained fingers, or rather those of Patrick McGoohan, that he is a frequent smoker yes, a "chain smoker" in fact.

It’s Your Funeral

    It was once written that for one person the episode of It's Your Funeral  is one of the most straightforward episodes in the Prisoner series. Well I suppose it could be said, if you forget about why No.6 ever got involved in the first place, as he was very reluctant to do. When Monique-No.53 came to No.6's cottage looking for help, he told her to go to the Town Hall where the citizens council offers help and advice to everyone. He sees it as some plot against himself, and refuses to get involved. After all No.6 doesn't trust anybody, and is suspicious of anyone, "once bitten forever shy" as he puts it, which does seem in keeping with the nature of his character. You will also recall how No.6 does not try and settle down, refuses to co-operate, and has grown to have as little to do with other members of the community as possible. When anyone comes knocking on his cottage door, he doesn't always answer. That's why the Supervisor-No.28 saw to it that the door to No.6's cottage was unlocked in time for No.53's arrival there, so that she would have access.

   Of course when No.6 is finally convinced by the Watchmakers daughter, No.6 cannot help himself but to become involved. He still goes on with it because he hasn't much choice in the matter. But why get No.6 involved in the first place? Surely No.1 must realise that he courts failure with "Plan Division Q" by getting No.6 involved with it. To get No.6 involved seems to me to be quite reckless, and unexplainable. Why should it be necessary for them to use No.6 in order to give their plan credibility I don't know. As No.53 said "why go through all this rigmarole, why not just do away with him and have done with it?" Because everyone will reach retirement one day, and no-one will be wanting to face execution when that day comes!

   And why the need for mass reprisals anyway? Against those so called Jammers? I thought they were no problem anymore, that which control picks up from Jammers they simply "let ride." So why the need for mass reprisals, as a deterrent against the malcontents in the village? I should have thought that the village guardian Rover would be enough of a deterrent for anyone!

   As for "Appreciation Day" that appears to be completely pointless, and as much of a farce as that of the democratic elections of 'Free For All!'

   In my opinion there is only one clear aspect of Its Your Funeral, which some see as No.6's reluctance to escape. In the fact that No.6 cannot escape the village using the explosive detonator as a "bargaining chip," because there is no-one No.6 can trust to take up his position against the new No.2, in the same way he did, whilst the retiring No.2 escapes by helicopter.

Be seeing you