The Therapy Zone

    Returning to the great debate regarding the screening order of ‘the Prisoner.’ Oh no you cry, not again, not that old chestnut again! Yes I agree that the correct order is the one which is used to screen the series on television, but that has not stopped enthusiasts down the decades debating what they see to be the absolute screening order. The trouble is so many people have their own particular order, and rarely do any two match! So for what it’s worth, here’s another to throw into the mix.
Arrival
Free For All
Dance of The Dead
Checkmate
The Chimes of Big Ben
Many Happy Returns
The Schizoid Man
A B And C
A Change of Mind
Do Not forsake Me Oh My Darling
Living In Harmony
The Girl Who Was Death
The General
Its Your Funeral
Hammer Into Anvil
Once Upon A Time
Fall Out
   This screening order is first made up with the four episodes which were largely filmed at Portmeirion but which include escape and carrying on through three other escape episodes. This includes ‘The Schizoid Man’ although this episode does mainly come under the heading of ‘Experimentation,’ ways in which to try and extract the secret behind Number 6’s resignation. This  covers A B And C - A Change of Mind - Do Not forsake Me Oh My Darling - Living In Harmony and The Girl Who Was Death, and would naturally include ‘Once Upon A Time’ had it not have to remain the prelude to ‘Fall Out.’ Next Number 6 twice mixes with the affairs of The Village, namely the educational experiment of Speed Learn in ‘The General,’ and preventing the execution of Number 2 in ‘It’s your Funeral. Then ‘Hammer Into Anvil’ followed by ‘Once Upon A Time’ both episodes being head to head situations between Number 6 and Number 2, and finally ‘Fall Out’ bringing the whole thing to an unsatisfactory conclusion as far as the viewer is concerned.
   So basically this screening order follows the Prisoner’s arrival in The Village and subsequent escape attempts in various episodes. Then with there being no escape, Number 6 is put through a number of experiments in order to extract the reason behind his resignation. Those having failed, Number 6 is left relatively alone, Number 2 appears to have lost interest in Number 6, which allows 6 time to dabble in the machinations of Number 2, and thereby sabotage both Speed Learn and the execution of a retired Number 2. After which the whole thing becomes a straight forward fight between Number 6 and Number 2. Yes Number 2 in ‘Hammer Into Anvil’ has an assistant in Number 14, but his duties are somewhat restricted. And of course in ‘Once Upon A Time’ Number 2 has the Butler. But basically both these episodes concern a battle of wills between Number 2 and Number 6. And ‘Fall Out?’ Well in my own personal opinion it’s where it all begins, ‘Fall Out’ being a form of resignation, and what follows is Number 2’s attempts to discover what has gone wrong with one of their former operatives!

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