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Tuesday 31 March 2015
The Prisoner Compared to Itself!
‘Once Upon a Time’ is a brilliant two-hander
episode between Number 2 and Number 6 locked together in both a physical and
mental battle within the Embryo Room, with the Butler assisting. Another episode that could
be considered to be two-handed would be ‘Hammer Into Anvil.’ Because although
the episode takes place in The Village, and not within the confines of one
room, it is still basically a duel between Number 2 and Number 6 the hammer and
the anvil, with Number 14 assisting where he can….. when he is allowed to!
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Hi David
ReplyDeleteAlso in the Girl Who Was Death, No.6 (or Mr X) is locked in a battle with Sonia! I’ve recently re-watched this episode and was wondering what your thoughts on it are. I know it divides Prisoner fans – some like it, others hate it! I actually like it – it reminds me of The Avengers (of which I’m also a fan). Sonia is very like one of the villains in the Emma Peel episode “the Joker”; and I just totally love the car chase from the fairground to the mysterious other village of Witchwood.
Do you think that this Prisoner episode was just put together as a filler or does it have deeper meanings?
Nadia
Hello Nadia,
DeleteI actually like the episode, it would make a fitting episode for 'The Avengers,' with a touch of 'Mission: Impossible.' When Mr X goes to the Magnum Record shop he receives his instructions via LP record. It was in that same way that Mr. Briggs received his instructions in the very first episodes.
There is no doubt that 'The Girl Who Was Death' is a "filler" episode, according to David Tomblin, one which he sketched out for 'Danger Man.' Originally it was going to be a 90 minute special, as you probably know, I'm glad it wasn't, as that would have been too long!
I think 'The Girl Who Was Death' is what you see, an adventure, a piece of pure escapism, I have never seen any deep meaning in the episode. Having written that, I have wondered how many times Number 6 had been to that nursery to tell children his fairytales. Was this the first story, or simply one of several? Like Scheherazade.
I do see it as a "buffer" for Number 6, between what has been, and that which is yet to come!
Such are my thoughts.
Very kind regards
David
BCNU
Nadia,
DeleteJust to add, I think also that 'The Girl Who Was death' gives us a glimpse into the kind of work Number 6 carried out in his former life. And indeed that of Patrick McGoohan as an actor in his role as 'Danger Man' John Drake.
Kind regards
David
BCNU