An Out of Village Experience!

There are a number of episodes of ‘the Prisoner’ which give an “out of village experience.” The Chimes of Big Ben A B and C Many Happy Returns Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling Living In Harmony The Girl Who Was Death Once Upon A Time Fall Out I have included ‘A B and C’ although its not an almost full episode free of the village like ‘Many Happy Returns’ ‘A B and C’ does give an experience of life outside the village, and I’m sure No.6 enjoyed the change. As for ‘Many Happy Returns’ it’s an experience No.6 was lucky to survive and one he would rather forget. But then he did have two choices to stay or go. And yet the desire of escape would be so overwhelming, so instinctive that he probably couldn’t stop himself even if he wanted to. But it does afford the viewer a brief glimpse into No.6’s past as he encounters two of his former colleagues, the Colonel and Thorpe. ‘Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling,’ a sort of out of body experience you could call it I suppose. But like everything in the village No.6 takes it all in his stride, and for the first time he needs the village, otherwise his mind would reside in a body perhaps not to his liking, the Colonel’s, until the day he died! So it’s lucky an agent working for the village had managed to follow ZM73 all the way to Kandersfeld. Otherwise I couldn’t see how No.6 would have made it back to the village at all! ‘Living In Harmony’ can be described as an “out of village experience,” yet without leaving the confines of the prison! The Frontier town of Harmony set in the American 1800’s is rather like the village in that its townsfolk reply upon the Judge to look after them, just as citizens in the village rely upon No.2 as chairman to look after them. Also as there is no escape from the village, once you’re living in Harmony there’s no leaving! ‘The Girl Who Was Death’ is perhaps the best of the list ‘Once Upon A Time’ can we call this an “out of village experience”? Yes the Embryo Room is located within the village, and yet what takes place within that room reflects a life lived outside the village. Finally ‘Fall Out,’ the main events of which take place in an underground cavern free of village influences and so could be described as an “out of village experience,” where a debate is held in regard to a matter of democratic crisis. As far as a crisis is concerned that hasn’t been reached yet, well not until the former No.6 encounters No.1, then all hell is let loose! Should I have included ‘The Chimes of Big Ben’ in this list? True No.6 and Nadia do manage escape the village and travel 30 miles, that’s an “out of village experience,” and yet they are taken back to the village straight from the cave where in a room the journey is played out, and eventually in a room No.6 knows very well in London, an “out of the village experience” is played out in one act. This is much like one of the acts in ‘A B and C,’ in which we get a glimpse of No.6’s former life, and of two former colleagues. So perhaps ‘The Chimes of Big Ben’ can be added, I think it can. Be seeing you