Bureau of Visual Records

    The question here is, what is this brief scene from ‘Arrival’ doing in ‘Checkmate?” The Prisoner has just arrived, there he is at the other end of the pool and fountain, wearing his own suit for pity’s sake! Rover is on patrol and about to pass by as on the lawn the human chess pieces are assembling for a game of chess. How can Number 14 the ex-Count ask Number 6 if he plays chess when he’s standing over there in his suit only just arrived in The Village? I mean what was it, one of those little slapdash improvisations in the cutting suite? Oh dear we’ve a few seconds to spare, lets drop in a very brief scene from ‘Arrival’ no-one will notice?! Obviously the editors didn’t realize ‘the Prisoner’ was far too important for slapdash improvisations! Come to think of it, if you think this is pretty weak when it comes to slipping in the odd piece of film footage, just wait until ‘It’s Your Funeral!’ The Prisoner wearing his suit turns up again in that episode but for a much longer time. That’s when Number 6 is on his way to warn Number 2 about the assassination plot against him. Pity they didn’t have more film footage of Number 6 wandering about The Village all on his own, at least he’d have been wearing his piped blazer!

Be seeing you