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Thursday 9 January 2014

The Therapy Zone

THE THERAPY ZONE

   Living In Harmony smacks of pacifism, is that why the Sheriff handed in both his badge and gun? After all that's partly the reason given by Number 6, that he died for "peace, peace of mind." So perhaps the Sheriff handed in his badge and gun, because he was tired of having to kill, or perhaps more to the point, in having to put his life on the line everyday. Because being as fast on the draw as he was, there would always be some young gunslinger in trying to make a reputation for himself, would put himself up against the Sheriff. And as you get older, the slower on the draw you become. So it's a good reason to hand in your badge and gun when you’re ahead.

   There are certain difference between the actual episode of ‘A Change of Mind’ and what the original script called for. For example, when Number 6 sits down outside the Old People's Home, in the script Number 6 asks for a grapefruit juice and the waiter responds angrily "Closed! Closed to Unmutuals!" And the waiter continues "I, I shall complain! Complain to the committee!"
    It is Number 6's relationship with Number 86 that the most radical changes are made. Roger Parkes' script includes a number if instances of mild flirtation between the characters which, with one exception are expunged completely.

Frustrating The Enemy!
   If during ‘Many Happy Returns,’ had No.6 not decided to escape, but decided instead to sit and wait it out...... but for how long before the village returns to life?

    We all have something in common, we all want to be No.1. We all have to look after No.1, because if we don't then no-one else will. So who is No.1 in the Prisoner? Patrick McGoohan, because as far as the series goes, his word was god!
   We all have our own particular village, the village of the mind in which we are all Prisoners, and if we pick up that oversized red telephone and ask to speak to No.1, we shall, each and everyone of us, hear our own voice speaking back to us, that would be something wouldn't it?
    What kind of Village we all live in all depends on how hard we are on ourselves, self persecution if you like. We all love ourselves, hate ourselves for something or other, and sometimes we even feel as though we could kill ourselves for what we have done!
   So why do we go on? Because the village is the life that we lead, each and everyone of us. Everyone has their exists and entrances, some sooner rather than later, but life goes on for the many, because it must. Because the community must live and so must you, if only we can survive the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, and come to terms with who we are, and what we do. You can try to escape, to change your life, to run away and live the life of a tramp, hermit, or monk. But you cannot run away from yourself, of who you are. That is the Village of the mind, and you carry it around with you always, till death do you part.

    The script for ‘Hammer Into Anvil’ the observers seen in the background in the control room are described as being positioned at "roving fruit machines." With all the incredible detail included elsewhere in this script, this reference to "roving fruit machines" leaves us with  a tantalising question - were the five observers seated at their posts supposed to rotate around the chamber of the control room, or was it simply a description of the seesaw device in the centre of the chamber?

    In an unused script entitled The Outsider written by Moris Farhri, the script calls for No.6 studying the migration patterns of birds in the hope that it would lead to a clue as to the location of the Village. But McGoohan stamped on the idea, with the curt comment that "Hero's don't bird watch!"
   The clap of thunder you hear during Fall Out as No.2 is heading back to the Houses of Parliament was put in by mistake, such was the haste of editing the episode together. However McGoohan thought it was great.
    The view of the Austrian village of Kandersfeld {which doesn't really exist} in the episode ‘Do Not forsake Me Oh My Darling’ was used in the ‘Danger Man’ episode ‘Say It With Flowers’ as a village in Switzerland.
    During ‘The Schizoid Man’ No.2 remarks to the Butler "Lets see how Number Six is getting on shall we?" Did No.2 really expect a reply from the Butler, or was it merely an off the cuff remark. After all, what did it matter to the Butler how Number Six is getting on?

Be seeing you

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