I
have put the intervening episodes between ‘Arrival,’ ‘Once Upon A time,’ and
‘Fall Out’ into two categories, ‘Escape,’ and ‘Mind Conditioning.’ There is one
problem with this in that 3 of the episodes can fit into either category. In
order to help combat that, I have not concentrated on No.6’s experiences in the
village. After Arrival’ there are four episodes which have escape at their very
core, and escape is only possible via the sea. So once No.6 has taken on board
that escape by sea is impossible, he attempts then to send a message to
someone, anyone in the outside world. That is why ‘Many Happy Returns’ is the
final episode of ‘Escape,’ and ‘Dance of The Dead’ is the first for ‘Mind
Conditioning’ its a cross-over episode containing aspects of both, and linking the
two categories. I have placed escape episodes first so to get it out of No. 6’s
system. You will be pleased to observe that I have put the screening order
under two headings, although it is possible for certain episodes to feature
under at least two of the headings. For example where No.6 is undergoing some
form of experimentation, and in the same episode he attempts an escape. And
yet, depending on how you look at the series, both ‘It’s Your Funeral,’ and ‘Do
Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling’ can be placed under two categories,
‘Experimentation’ and ‘Escape.’ Although it’s not No.6 attempting to escape in
these two episodes, two escapes are made, one seemingly to have been aborted,
the other successful. Yes both ‘Free For All,’ and ‘The Schizoid Man’ do
contain escape attempts, in the one No.6 simply tries to get away after
realizing what they are doing to him. In the other, an opportunity is presented
to No.6 as he attempts to escape by impersonating Curtis. Neither attempt is
planned.
Escape
Arrival
The
Chimes of Big Ben
Many
Happy Returns
Checkmate
Mind
Conditioning
Dance
of The Dead
Free
For All
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
Living In Harmony
The Girl Who Was Death
The General
It’s
Your Funeral
Hammer Into Anvil
Hammer Into Anvil
Once
Upon A Time
Fall Out
The remaining episodes are I am happy to say
more straight forward, even when it comes to ‘It’s Your Funeral,’ No.51 the Watchmaker,
has had his mind radicalized by No.100. Even No.2’s mind has been affected
whilst he’s been in the village, because he’s under the impression that everyone
is conspiring against him. ‘Hammer Into Anvil’ is placed last but one in the
category making it another
cross-over episode to ‘Once Upon A Time’ which must be placed as the prequel to
‘Fall Out.’ The first is due to the mind conditioning of No.6, and secondly
both episodes are basically one-on-one situations, between the two protagonists
No.2 and No.6. Meaning “You have a fight with someone because they've picked on
you and you beat him in a one-to-one.” In one, No.2 is aided by the Butler
I did play around with the screening
order just once more while I was at it, placing the series in 5 different categories.
Portmeirion
Portmeirion
Arrival
Free
For All
Dance
of The Dead
Checkmate
Escape
The
Chimes of Big Ben
Many
Happy Returns
Out
of Village Experiences
Do
Not forsake Me Oh My Darling
Living
In Harmony
The
Girl Who Was Death
Experimentation
The
Schizoid Man
A
B and C
A
Change of Mind
The
General
Situational {relating to or dependent on a set of circumstances
or state of affairs}
Hammer
Into Anvil
It’s
Your Funeral
Once
Upon A Time
Fall
Out - This screening order is first made
up by the four episodes which were largely filmed on location at Portmeirion,
and for no other reason that they are the first four episodes of the series.
‘Escape’ comes next, and ‘Many Happy Returns’ leads into the following category
‘Out of Village Experiences.’ I think this is a particularly interesting
preference, because having escaped the village, No.6 is brought back into the
fold, his mind and body reunited just in time for him to ride the range in
‘Living In Harmony,’ which leads into No.6 revealing the kind of work he used
to do, and that leads into further experimentation! Of course all 17 episodes
could be placed under the category of Experimentation, then sub-divided under
the headings such as ‘Extraction of information,’ ‘Medical experiment,’ ‘Educational
experiment,’ and ‘Mental Ordeal’ ‘Experience’ Finally one final listing such as
Escape Arrival - The Chimes of Big Ben - Free For All - The Schizoid Man
- Checkmate - Many Happy Returns: Experimentation A B and C - A Change
of Mind - Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling - Living In Harmony - The Girl Who
Was Death: Experience Dance of The Dead - The General - It’s Your
Funeral - Hammer Into - Once Upon A Time - Fall Out follows the Prisoner’s
arrival in the village and subsequent escape attempts. With there being no
escape No. 6 is put through a number of experiments in order to extract the
reason behind his resignation. Those having failed, No.6 is left relatively
alone as No.2 appears to have lost interest in him. This allows 6 to dabble in
the machinations of No.2 thereby sabotaging both Speed Learn and the execution
of a retired No.2. After which the whole thing becomes a straight forward fight
between Number 6 and Number 2, which ultimately culminates in a final
confrontation! So where does all this get me? That’s a good question!
Be
seeing you
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