The Therapy Zone

Once Upon A Time

    During that ordeal in the Embryo Room something quite remarkable happened. Because not only must the patient, in cases of psychoanalysis, but as No.6 put it, "Sometimes they change places." And as No.2 concurred "It is essential in extreme cases." But that is not the remarkable bit, what is remarkable is the fact that whilst acting out their roles in the Embryo Room, the characters of both Patrick McGoohan and Leo McKern actually took over from the actors, so much so that they were no longer acting. It was for real! I'm informed that it was quite remarkable to see by the members of the film unit at the time, in fact those filming ‘Once Upon A Time’ suggested to others working on the series at the time, that they come and see what was happening between Patrick McGoohan and Leo McKern.

    So intense was the acting, which incidentally took place over 9 days, that during that time filming had to be suspended as Leo McKern suffered a nervous breakdown, and filming on ‘Once Upon A Time’ was not continued until Leo was well enough to continue. It's no wonder Leo McKern didn't want to come back to the production of ‘the Prisoner’ for ‘Fall Out!’ but I expect it was through McGoohan’s powers of persuasiveness that Leo returned, or perhaps bullied into returning!

The Butler

   The Butler, played by the late Angelo Muscat, is a man of mystery, an enigma within a surreal series. Who moves on the fringe and yet he is always in the centre of each episode he appears in, which on the whole is 14 out of the 17 episodes of the Prisoner. And perhaps there is much to this man which is more of a mystery than the Prisoner himself!

Fall Out

   It was once written that "The "No.1" that No.6 met was a fake - possibly to unbalance him."

   Well in my opinion, it wasn't No.6 who was unbalanced!

A Matter Of Life And Death

   If we take it that No.2 actually died at the end of ‘Once Upon A Time,’ and that No.2 was not merely resuscitated, but brought back to life by the medical team in ‘Fall Out.’ Why could not the same have been done for Curtis-No.12 who died by suffocation at the membrane of Rover in ‘The Schizoid Man.’ Brought back to life as No.1 with whom No.6 finally comes face to face with. and having been confronted with himself, I don't think No.6 would stand around debating the point. To quote No.6 from Free for All he'd "run like blazes." without sparing a thought for Curtis or anyone else for that matter.

I'll be seeing you