The Therapy Zone

    Second Only To One: Guy Doleman is the first Number 2 we meet and is as indicative as all the others which we will encounter. This No.2 has all the characteristics of a typical administrator and front man to The Village. He is affable and charming, however we see little of this particular Number 2 yet he does set the pattern for the Prisoner’s future, as he is the first to debrief him, dotting the "I's" and crossing the "t's" in the Prisoner's file. After which he introduces this new arrival - the Prisoner who has yet to be issued with his number 6 - to the village. This by both an aerial and ground tour of The Village, after which he takes the Prisoner to the Labour Exchange. Astute is this Number 2, as he sees they have a challenge in the new arrival.

    Yet this Number 2 is plotting behind the scenes since the very beginning, sending his so called "personal maid" to try and trick the Prisoner into giving away the reason why he resigned, which of course the Prisoner saw right through, and told the maid that her services were no longer required.

    The Prisoner makes an attempt to escape, and the next morning while he's having his medical, Number 2 is on the telephone talking to Number 1. "He's having his medical. Mmmm no, course I don't mind. One has to make sure of these things." "Make sure of these things" meaning that there is no escape from The Village, or that the Prisoner has suffered no ill effects from his encounter with The Village Guardian?

    With setting the wheels of betrayal in motion, his introduction of the Prisoner to The Village, his final act was to make sure of these things! After that there is an unseen changeover, and this Number 2 goes on to better things it might be believed, although we never know the future of this the perfect administrator and public figure.

   George Baker is the new Number 2, his arrival and changeover has gone unseen. And his term of office is so short we are left wondering why they even bothered! And yet on the other hand, bringing in a new Number 2, does make the Prisoner have to begin all over again with this 2, who loses no time in taking up his term of office, by assigning Number 9, previously assigned to Cobb, now to Number 6. The new Number 2 bears many characteristics of those of his predecessor, charming and genial, yet there is a slight hint of menace about this man. A possible cruel streak running through this Number 2, as he enjoys seeing the Prisoner struggle to escape in the helicopter, the controls of which are taken over by an operative in the Control Room, and who flies the helicopter back to The Village by remote control. He  enjoys making Number 6 think that there is a way out of The Village, and positively enjoys the pleasure at seeing how easily Number 6 has been tricked. And is gratified that there are no loopholes, and that there is positively no escape from The Village.

     Strange that it is not Number 2 who issues the Prisoner with his number – 6, it is the Supervisor, well at least that's the number he gives over the telephone when issuing an Orange Alert regarding the escaping prisoner. This Number 2's character is all the more unpleasant for the constant smile on his face, as he deals out treachery from behind his desk, a sign of that which is yet to come. Yet he has a sense of humour, and a touch of irony, as he hopes that Cobb’s stay had its lighter moments!

   Just how long this new Number 2's term of office was is unknown. His term of office, that we do not see beyond ‘Arrival,’ would depend on the time between the end of ‘Arrival’ and the commencement of ‘The Chimes of Big Ben.’

Be seeing you