Six of The Best!

    I was thinking of the number 6 the other day and the way the Butler was set to give Number 6 six of the best in ‘Once Upon A Time.’ That led me to think how 6 of the best might equate to other aspects of ‘the Prisoner.’ ‘6 of The Best’ might be the best of any of the Number 2’s brought to oversee and administrate The Village, while at the same time carrying out schemes and machinations against Number 6. After some thought I arrived at the following.

1, Number 2 Leo McKern ‘The Chimes of Big Ben’ and ‘Once Upon A Time.’ He successfully oversaw Number 6 and Nadia escape The Village unheeded, even though he could see it was the wrong approach. Then later, recalled to The Village against his will, he made the ultimate sacrifice, he gave his life for the cause.

2, Number 2 Eric Portman ‘Free For All.’ He has the mark of a true Statesman with the administrative ability to manipulate the entire Village community, including Number 6. He achieved that which he set out to do, and saw that the tissue wasn’t damaged in the process.

3, Number 2 Andre Van Gyseghem ‘It’s Your Funeral.’ Simply for all his achievements and the plans he had made for The Village.

4, Number 2 Peter Wyngarde ‘Checkmate.’ He is the consummate administrator, capable of allowing others to get on with their work while he attends to his administrative details. Although he is Number 2 and gives an air of that authority he is prepared to take advice from others before making a decision. He’s calm, calculating, always in control no matter what, and he’s not a man to panic not even when he is being tied up by desperate men trying to escape,

5, Number 2 Mary Morris ‘Dance of The Dead.’ Who on the face of it appears not to have done anything much at all, save for the usual administrative details. However she did see that no harm befell Number 6, seeing that he had a future with The Village. She did challenge his independence by trying to fix him up with a date for Carnival. She was efficient, almost ruthless, projected an air of authority and was a stickler for the rules, and acted as the Prisoner’s defender at his trial. She saw him condemned to death, but at the same time was his saviour!

6, Number 2 Anton Rogers ‘The Schizoid Man.’ He achieved his remit. He had Curtis brought to The Village in order to impersonate Number 6. He oversaw Number 6’s identity taken away from him, conditioned and made over to change his physical appearance. And it might have worked had it not been for a bruised fingernail! But at least he retrieved the situation by stopping Number 6 from escaping The Village. The death of Cutis would simply be seen as collateral damage.

   Of course you the reader may very well have your own particular ‘6 of The Best’ which varies from mine, and for a variety of different reasons.

Be seeing you