The Prisoner (TV series)
| The Prisoner | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Created by |
Patrick McGoohan George Markstein |
| Written by |
|
| Directed by |
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| Starring | Patrick McGoohan |
| Theme music composer | Ron Grainer |
| Composer(s) | |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 17 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Patrick McGoohan |
| Producer(s) | David Tomblin |
| Location(s) | Portmeirion, North Wales |
| Running time | 50 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | ITV |
| Picture format | Film 35 mm 4:3 Colour |
| Audio format | Mono |
| Original release | 29 September 1967 – 1 February 1968 |
The Prisoner is a 17-episode British television series first broadcast in Canada on September 6, 1967 then in the United Kingdom on 29 September 1967 and in the USA on June 1, 1968. It stars and was co-created by Patrick McGoohan, and combines spy fiction with elements of science fiction, allegory and psychological drama.
The series follows a British former secret agent. He is abducted and held prisoner in a mysterious coastal village resort, where his captors try to find out why he abruptly resigned from his job. Although the show was sold as a thriller in the mould of the previous series starring McGoohan, Danger Man (1960–68; retitled as Secret Agent in the U.S.), its combination of 1960s countercultural themes and surrealistic setting had a far-reaching influence on science fiction and fantasy TV programming, and on narrative popular culture in general.
A TV miniseries remake aired on the U.S. cable channel AMC between 15 and 17 November 2009. This was followed in 2015 by a four-episode audio series from Big Finish Productions, containing one original story and adaptations of three previously seen episodes; a second volume was announced for 2016.
The series follows an unnamed man (played by Patrick McGoohan) who, after abruptly and angrily resigning from his job, apparently prepares to make a hurried departure from the country. While packing his luggage, he is rendered unconscious by knockout gas piped into his London flat. When he wakes, he finds himself in a recreation of his apartment, located in a mysterious seaside "village" within which he is held captive, isolated from the mainland by mountains and sea. The Village is further secured by numerous monitoring systems and security forces, including a sinister balloon-like device called Rover that recaptures—or kills—those who attempt escape. The man encounters the Village's population: hundreds of people from all walks of life and cultures, all seeming to be peacefully living out their lives. They do not use names, but have been assigned numbers which give no clue as to any person's status within the Village, whether as inmate or guard. Potential escapees therefore have no idea whom they can and cannot trust. The protagonist is assigned Number Six, but he repeatedly refuses the pretense of his new identity.
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Wikipedia