Wednesday, 11 June 2014

A New Number 2

   In all the 17 episodes of the Prisoner we have seen many a No.2 during his or her term of office. We have witnessed defeat, friendliness, indifference, luck, a formidable character, cunning, over confidence, and some little success when it comes to No.2. We have also witnessed No.2 leaving The Village by helicopter, yet we never see No.2 arrive. There have been numerous No.2's who have come and gone, and sometimes quite suddenly and for no apparent reason. And yet the viewer has not witnessed the handing over of power between two No.2’s, not until ‘Free For All’ that is, where we see the handing over of power in the foyer of the Green Dome “No point going into details. Anything you want to know press a button, you’re the boss.” We presume that the departing No.2 is talking to No.6 as the new No.2. But equally knowing that No.58 is actually the new No.2, he could have been speaking to her!
    We have witnessed the farce of an elected No.2 by the citizens of The Village in appointing a new No.2. And later there is Appreciation day, the day in which the good citizens of the community pay homage to those who govern The Village so wisely, when we actually witness the ceremony of a departing No.2, and the inauguration of a new No.2 made very much public!
   And in ‘Once Upon A Time,’ when No.2 has to undergo the ordeal of Degree Absolute, No.2 has to quickly leave someone in charge, the Supervisor-No.26 promoted to the position of No.2 by No.2, if only for a week. And yet this Supervisor-No.26 seems to me to have been in a higher position to No.2 all the time, seeing as he is one of the delegates of the assembly in ‘Fall Out!’

Be seeing you

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