The Therapy Zone

   It's just like old times for No.6, as he and No.2 watch Nadia wake up in what she thinks is her own home. But as it was with No.6, and other new arrivals in the Village, Nadia was in for a shock. For she was as far away from home as it was possible to get.

   

 On the other hand pictures can be deceptive. As here it would appear that No.6 is close to No.2, possibly being his assistant. After all Nadia thought No.6 to be a charming man, as charming as No.2's assistant would be.

   And don't be dissuaded by that expression on No.6's face. Other assistant's to No.2 may have secretly despised his superior! Besides. "Do you remmeber your first day Number Six?" As if No.6 wants reminding on his first day in the Village!

Progress report On No.6

"He's not conventional"

"I sometimes thinks he's not human."

   { Pity No.2 underestimated No.6, or at the very least paid more attention!}

    You know I find it a very curious thing, that for a man like Patrick McGoohan, who has quite obviously got fed up with playing the role of Danger Man, leaves his pet project of the Prisoner to go off and play a secret agent, who is more akin to that of John Drake than any, David Jones!

   And writing of spies. I have enjoyed many spy series on television and film The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Riley Ace of Spies. the Ipcress File, Funeral In Berlin, The Billion Dollar Brain. The Spy Who Came In From the Cold. Callan. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - that Smiley character played by Alec Guinness would have made a brilliant No.2 in the village. Smiley would have got the information out of No.6!

  Here is a brief list of spies who survived not being abducted to the Village;

Harry Palmer

James Bond

Callan

Marta Hari

Riley Ace of Spies

George Blake

Peter and Helen Kroger

Guy Burgess

McClain

Anthony Blunt

Pimpernel Smith

The spy in black!

    I like a good spy drama, but its a very dangerous game, and I have a very low pain threshold. Anyway tomorrow afternoon I'm off to the cinema to watch James Bond in Quantum of Solace. I like this new James Bond, he gets hurt and bleeds quite a bit. In fact this new James Bond puts me in mind of another agent, one who worked for M9 - John Drake!

Information And Observations

    During the escape attempt in Checkmate, No.6 found himself with a sudden choice, either to go back to his confederates in the Green Dome, or to take to the sea upon the pair of rubber lilos abandoned by the Rook. No.6 chose the latter to take to the sea, in order to bring the ship inshore himself. I wonder how the end of Checkmate would have worked out if No.6 had chosen the former?

    A risky business this escaping lark. I mean after surviving that perilous sea voyage of Many Happy Returns, he then hitches a ride in the back of a lorry. Then upon hearing a police siren he wakes up and leaps out of the back of that lorry into the road and London traffic in Park Lane. I mean to come all that way he could have been run over by a taxi, car, bus, or lorry! Not only could that have proven fatal for No.6, but someone would have to have paid for that. I wonder who - Mrs. Butterworth perhaps?

    The Prisoner politically correct? I don't think so, not with that Gollywog on full view in the children’s nursery!

    When it comes to "playing it according to Hoyle" with all cards on the table, Fred Hoyle doesn't come into it! Yes the Prisoner part work produced by De Agostini, with Robert Fairclough as a consultant on the matter of the Prisoner actually got the wrong Hoyle. Such is their misunderstanding the meaning of the situation at breakfast time in Free For All, brought about by the lack of research they're misleading their readers!

   The episode ‘The Girl Who Was Death’ is as light and distracting, as ‘Dance of the Dead’ is dark and dangerous!

   My favourite episodes of the Prisoner are those which contain that Italianate village of Portmeirion. So you can probably guess which ones they are.

Be seeing you