'The Prisoner': Tube Talk Gold

Television viewers who've been intrigued, confused and frustrated by the obtuse storylines and complex mythology of shows such as Lost and Fringe should think themselves lucky - none of these modern series are a patch on classic ITV drama The Prisoner when it comes to baffling fans...

The Prisoner: Originally broadcast from September 29, 1967 to February 1, 1968

In 1967, Patrick McGoohan - then the star of ITV's successful spy drama Danger Man - devised a concept for a new show alongside script editor and writer George Markstein. The Prisoner saw an unnamed government agent (played by McGoohan) kidnapped and held captive in a mysterious 'Village' after he suddenly quit his post. The inhabitants of the village were determined to break their prisoner and learn the reason why he resigned, but McGoohan's character - known only as Number 6 - refused to be "pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered".

One of the key reasons that The Prisoner captured viewers' imaginations back in the '60s was the performance of Patrick McGoohan. He was simply terrific in a difficult lead role - Number 6 was often harsh, and at worst, completely unhinged. The character may at times have seemed unsympathetic, but he was always compelling. It was a wise decision too on McGoohan's part not to saddle the character with any kind of romantic interest, avoiding any unnecessary clichés and filler storytelling.

Credit must also go to the men and women who took on the role of Six's nemesis, Number 2. The rotating role was played by a different actor (almost) every week, and while the debate rages as to which interpretation of the character was the best, this writer's personal favourites include Leo McKern (the most prolific Number 2 with three appearances), Colin Gordon (second place with two episodes), Anton Rodgers, Derren Nesbitt and Patrick Cargill.

Dealing with themes of identity, manipulation, social indoctrination and individualism versus collectivism, The Prisoner essentially started out as a traditional spy series with a surreal twist. However, the show was originally only intended to run for seven weeks, and when the episode order was extended to 17, it became increasingly deranged. Perhaps the zenith of weirdness came with the penultimate episode 'Once Upon A Time', in which Numbers 6 and 2 faced off in a battle of wits until one of them suffered a breakdown. Was it an intense, claustrophobic psychological piece, or just two actors babbling nonsense at each other? Judge for yourself by checking out a clip below:



And then there's that notorious final episode: Finally confronting the Village's master Number 1, Number 6 pulled a mask from the mysterious figure's face... only to find his own face staring back at him, cackling wildly. For those who are still smarting about the Lost finale, imagine how viewers back in the '60s must have felt about The Prisoner's utter refusal to explain away any of its insanity. Series finale 'Fall Out' provided no real answers and no real resolution, just more madness - though perhaps that's only fitting for a series this unusual.

Burning out rather than fading away, The Prisoner left an indelible mark on the television landscape. Various attempts have been made over the years to bring the show back in some form - AMC had a crack with an abysmal TV remake in 2009, which even Ian McKellen as Number 2 couldn't save, while rumours of a new film version still persist. But we'd recommend you track down the original on DVD - The Prisoner is not always an easy watch, but it's television at its most bold, innovative and uninhibited.

Watch an opening sequence from The Prisoner below:



Has your mind been boggled by The Prisoner? Let us know below!