The Pri50ner!

    2016-2017 is the 50^th anniversary of the production of ‘the Prisoner, commencing with location filming for the opening sequence in August before moving to Portmeirion in September, and after that to MGM at Elstree film studios. Now 2017-2018 is the 50^th anniversary of ‘the Prisoner’ of the British screening of ‘the Prisoner’ which commenced on ITV’s regional network television on September 29^th. Of course it depended in which part of the British Isles you lived as to when you saw it, according to ITV’S regional television network. For example I myself didn’t see ‘Arrival’ until October 6^th on ITV’s Anglia television. Then both anniversaries carry over into 2018, seeing as how the production was still on-going, and catching up with the screening of the series, which finally ended for me on Feb10th {very appropriate}. While for others it ended a month later on March 1^st while others reached the conclusion at varying times in between.
   I think it’s pretty unique for any television series to have a 50^th anniversary of its production to span three years, and a 50^th anniversary of its screening to span two years. If there is a fault with ‘the Prisoner’ it is this. Some years ago I arrived at the conclusion that the series suffers due to the fact that so much was put into the first four episodes, and that the latter ones suffer monetarily. And yet I know enthusiasts who appreciate the latter episodes, such as ‘A Change of Mind,’ Do Not Forsake Me Oh my Darling,’ and ‘Living In Harmony’ more than ‘Arrival,’ ‘Free For All,’ ‘Dance of The Dead,’ and ‘Checkmate.’ For myself I think of ‘A change of Mind’ for Number 2, in that scene with Number 6, when they are talking quietly Number 2 says “I’m not angry with you my dear friend.” That always sends a cold shiver down my spine! ‘Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling’ I like for its incidental music. And ‘Living In Harmony’ I enjoy thinking of the action, the Man With No Name being dragged into town at the end of a rope. And all he does all alone in the town of Harmony! The fist-fight with Zeke and the boys, riding non-existent horses, not forgetting the gunfight in the saloon. We are all fans of ‘the Prisoner’ and get so much varied enjoyment from it. Personally my three favourite episodes are ‘Arrival’ because it sets the scene perfectly for what is to come. ‘Checkmate’ because of the picturesque quality of The Village, that and the chess match together with the music that accompanies it, music which personifies Prisoner Conventions held at Portmeirion. Finally ‘The Chimes of Big Ben’ because of the rapport between Number 6 and Number 2.

Be seeing you