Prisoner #5, the:Girl Who Was

In "The Girl Who Was Death," Number Six avoids a series of assassination attempts while "on duty" as a secret agent. An offbeat episode that was probably meant to parody the previous Danger Man series. In fact, one character from that series appears here as the same character, same actor...

... ah... now we get to the last TWO episodes of the series! Finally! How do they measure up you ask? Read on...

In "Once Upon a Time," Number Six deals with the same Number Two from "Chimes of Big Ben" (played by Leo McKern, from "Candleshoe" and "Ladyhawke") as he undergoes Degree Absolute. It is a one-week, last-man-standing psychological struggle in which Number Two hopes to FINALLY break down Number Six. A STRANGE episode, filled with mindboggling clues is meant only to be viewed once you've viewed the others. TRUST ME.

And finally, "Fall Out" has Number Two revived and Number Six placed before an underground court. They allow him the ability to leave whenever he wishes and to lead the Village as he sees fit. Alexis Kanner, who played The Kid in "Harmony," returns in a different role as Number 48. Both Number Two and 48 show signs of rebellion, and the Butler follows Number Six. Most likely represents how people automatically follow the strongest leader like blind sheep.

The final episodes upset the fans... and for good reason! Where is the Village?! Who is Number One?! In the episode, he meets Number One, who is holding a glass ball. In it, it shows The Prisoner's face and suddenly, Number One is revealed to be... him?! How is he Number One, and why? That's never answered. My theory is that it's symbolism for every man's desire to be "Number One" in life, to be the top dog. After all, his address is 1 Buckingham Place. Not a coincidence.

Even if you don't really know why he resigned, McGoohan almost plainly tells you... In "Chimes of Big Ben," he says he "resigned out of conscience." In "Once Upon a Time," he says he resigned "for peace. Peace of mind. I know too much." He probably felt the pressures of his job. Can you imagine the pain of being a secret agent and knowing EVERYTHING about someone, plus on top of that, people will always be out to get you?? This probably represented his feelings at the time. After all, he was fed up with "Secret Agent Man" and wanted to do something different, something surreal. With that theory in mind, I have no qualm about McGoohan revealing why. Of course, at the end, people think the cycle started over. I don't want to believe that; I prefer to believe that he actually escaped the Village, but he has a new "Village" to face... an even larger one.

The song "Dry Bones" is actually taken from a Biblical passage in Ezekial. It talks of Jesus resurrecting skeletons in the desert and then they were covered with flesh and blood again, as if they were anew. When Number 48 sings the song, the underground society grows wild. The Prisoner Companion referred to this as The Prisoner being The Prophet, an unordinary man sent to make change in the world. Whoa, the Prisoner... the equivalent of Jesus? No joking.

Oh man, this series is one of the most mind-warping series ever devised. It's a great allegory and impressively produced. I will never forget it and it's such an inspiration for me to write stories with hidden symbolism and overtures. Mr. McGoohan, I thank thee for such a fine show.

Once Upon a Time - This episode didn't have the bubble, but not being aware of what "absolute zero" was made the show hard to follow. When Number 2 abandons his method to find out why Number 6 resigned, he starts to develop a friendship of sorts, not realizing that Number 6 is really in charge. Number 2 dies and Number 6 wants to meet Number 1.

Fall Out - This is probably the most bizarre episode of them all. With the trial of Number 48 and Number 2, the robed representatives have very strange reactions, maybe the proceedings annoying. When Number 2 gives his speech, they repeat "I" over and over again, making it impossible to understand him. I do like the way this one ends, it is silly, but it makes sense. We are all prisoners to society.

Because of the class that I was in, we only watched "Arrival," "Once Upon a Time," and "Fall Out." Perhaps my opinion would have been different.

I was not disappointed with the conclusion, and don't think any true fan would be. It is in keeping with the spirit of the entire series. Technically, Fall Out is rather a shambles; apparently the episode was put together in a rush, and edited at the eleventh hour; it certainly shows. The continuity is embarrassingly bad. As usual, the dialogue veers between inspired and pretentious. But that is all part and parcel of the unique Prisoner experience.

This final episode is without doubt the most memorable. Kenneth Griffith (The Girl Who Was Death) and Alexis Kanner (Living in Harmony) both make return guest appearances, as does the greatest Number Two, Leo McKern. It is in this episode that Number Two emerges as an equal and fellow-prisoner with Number Six. The conclusion is deliberately ambiguous (perhaps why so many disliked it), and leaves the viewer exhilarated after a climax that is playful, euphoric and victorious at the same time as it is melancholy, foreboding and haunting. The London and Portmeirion locations are a further treat for those who got fed up with some of the studio-bound earlier episodes. The music, as ever, is an eclectic selection of tunes and effects, but is perhaps the most memorably and excitingly scored episode of the series.

Also on this edition are Once Upon a Time (which segues into Fall Out, and follows the final, dramatic confrontation between Number Two and Number Six) and The Girl Who Was Death, an unusual episode which was never intended to be part of the original series, but which is fun nevertheless.