WHO IS THE PRISONER?
One of the first “cult” television shows, “The Prisoner” was a short-lived series that used elements from spy shows and science fiction to explore ideas about individuality and society. The show followed the efforts of a nameless secret agent, known only as Number Six, to escape the physical and psychological bonds of a mysterious “retirement village” for spies. When not actually trying to escape, Number Six was kept busy fighting the Village’s wide range of schemes to control him. Numerous techniques were used to get inside the Prisoner’s head and turn him into a productive citizen of the Village. Drugs, computers, psychoanalysis, the modern educational system, and other contemporary issues were all explored in the course of 17 episodes. IS THE PRISONER PATRICK McGOOHAN? The Prisoner was created and largely controlled by actor Patrick McGoohan of “Danger Man” (or “Secret Agent”, depending on which side of the pond you are on), and Number Six was played by him. This has led many people
