The Chimes of Big Ben (The Prisoner)
| "The Chimes of Big Ben" | |
|---|---|
| The Prisoner episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 2 |
| Directed by | Don Chaffey |
| Written by | Vincent Tilsley |
| Original air date | 6 October 1967 |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
|
Number Two - Leo McKern |
|
Number Two - Leo McKern
Nadia - Nadia Gray
"The Chimes of Big Ben" is an episode of the British science fiction-allegorical series, The Prisoner. It originally aired in the UK on ITV on 6 October 1967 and was first broadcast in the United States on CBS on 8 June 1968.
The episode starred Patrick McGoohan in the character of Number Six and introduced perhaps the most popular of the many characters who would bear the title of "Number Two" in the series, that of Leo McKern. McKern's Number Two would return for the last two episodes of the series.
The episode opens with the relentlessly cheerful voice of the radio announcer encouraging every Villager to participate in an upcoming crafts show. Number Six is playing chess near the beach when Number Two (Leo McKern) joins him. During their conversation, a helicopter lands and an unconscious woman (Nadia Gray) is taken out on a stretcher.
Later, Number Six is invited to The Green Dome where he and Number Two watch the woman wake up on the main viewing screen. Number Two says that she is the new Number Eight and that she will be Number Six's new neighbour.
When Number Six returns to his cottage, Number Eight emerges, confused, and asks for directions to The Green Dome. When she returns later, she reveals to him that her name is Nadia, but she is suspicious that he is a Village spy. The day after, Nadia tries to escape by swimming out to sea but is brought back by Rover and interrogated in the hospital. In response, Number Six makes a deal, agreeing to participate more in Village life — for instance, by entering the craft show — if this puts an end to her torture.
Number Six and Nadia become closer and eventually plan to escape. She tells him that she knows the location of The Village: On the Baltic coast of Lithuania about 30 miles (48 km) from the Polish border.
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