Photo: The Butler (Angelo Muscat), Number 2 (Leo McKern) and Number 6 (Patrick McGoohan) go back to school in Once Upon A Time…
To count down to our special screening of Fall Out, the final episode of ace television show The Prisoner, PHIL KIRBY introduces a new episode every day in the order outlined by director Alex Cox in his book I Am (Not) A Number…
Tonight’s episode is Once Upon A Time …
Another episode, another Number 2. No, sorry. As you were. It’s still Rumpole, only this time he’s not messing about. With Number 6 induced into a deadly form of childhood regression, he is locked up for a week with Number 2 and The Butler in something called The Embryo Room, a kind of spy dungeon with a kitchenette. Hilarity ensues…
There are two types of people in the world. There are those who, when presented with something they don’t understand, go, “well, I know very well why I don’t get it; here’s the answer” And there are those who, when presented with something they don’t understand, go, “that’s a good question; it might make sense if you look at it this way?”
I just read Jonathan Morris’s piece on the BBC website reviewing this episode when it aired twenty years or so ago. It’s very funny. Go read it. Obviously I was taking the piss out of his argument with my opening comment. He doesn’t understand The Prisoner. He definitely knows why. And he’s not shy about telling us he has the answers.
Everything Morris says about this episode could be true. Once Upon a Time is certainly pretentious. And all over the place. Positively potty. I have no idea what the hell it’s about. I doubt McGoohan had a clue what he was up to either, and it looks like he was just throwing things out of his pram and seeing where they landed. What did the director think he was doing? Were the prop department and location hire people on strike? Did Angelo Muscat drop a tab or two of acid on the breakfast trolley? Was Leo McKern born with one of those wigs?
It could mean anything. Or bugger all. And is it any good? It could be total crap for all I know.
But, you know what, I don’t care. I love The Prisoner. And Once Upon a Time is one of my favourite episodes (even though I can laugh at it along with Jonathan Morris – I’m quite capable of holding equal and opposite thoughts at the same time. I don’t have any answers. And my taste is questionable.)
So, all I can say about this episode is retreat to your attic (or basement), put on your tin foil hat, and enjoy some nauseating adolescent paranoia, alienation, and Pinter-esque purgatory. Though (pace Jonathan Morris) remember that adolescence is also the one time you think you know it all, have all the answers, and gleefully sneer at the poor deluded gammons who just don’t get it…
Whispered conspiratorial aside; did you know the “tin foil hat” concept originated in a story by Julian Huxley, the big brother of Aldous, who wrote Brave New World? People who wear the tin foil hat are trying to resist the conspiracy of conventional thinking.
And the bonkers moment… Rumpolestiltskin!
Read about previous episode Chimes of Big Ben here
theCV presents The Prisoner Fall Out plus a Q and A with Six of One’s Ant Brierly and Roy Stambrow moderated by Phil and Neil (God help us!) at The Courtroom, Leeds Town Hall at 19.00 on Friday 25th May 2018. Tickets are £5 (plus booking fee) and are available here.
