Re: The Prisoner - Scott - Films/DVD Asylum

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Re: The Prisoner

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In Reply to: Re: The Prisoner posted by AudioHead on June 30, 2000 at 08:50:05:

At the time that The Prisoner premiered on TV (it was the summer replacement for the Jackie Gleason Show) Patrick McGoohan was one of the top international actors in the world - he was offered the role of James Bond but turned it down. McGoohan was given carte blanche to do any kind of show he wanted by Sir Lew Grade, and The Prisoner was the project he decided on. He is credited for creating the premise of the show, all of the characters, and even the theme music (which he whistled for transcription since he couldn't read or write music). The show was only supposed to run 12 episodes in its entirety but the pilot proved so successful that McGoohan was persuaded to expand the series to 17 episodes to meet the demands of the American television market. Some of the "extra" episodes include The Girl Who Was Death and Living in Harmony, both of which clearly look like add-ons to the basic series (albeit fascinating in their own right). It's incorrect to say that the series "couldn't sustain interest over the long run and lasted only one season" as it was the highest rated television series of the season in 19 countires during its initial run. Following the last episode, the Beatles reportedly called McGoohan to discuss the meaning of show. As a side note, the Living in Harmony episode was rejected by the American censors on the grounds that showing the use of hallucinogenic drugs was unacceptable, even though they had been used extensively in other episodes. The Prisoner remains as one of television's finest series, and is as though provoking today as when it was first broadcast. Unfortunately, the original internegatives on file at the BBC have suffered extensive aging and show significant color fading. The good news is that the series has been slated for upconversion for HDTV broadcast in the near future.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Fantastic Television - AudioHead 08:00:43 06/30/00 (14)

TV series question for AudioHead. - TAFKA Steve 15:05:59 06/30/00 (7)

"Fantastic Television" says that.... - AudioHead 12:41:02 07/02/00 (0)

Yes ... - TG 09:12:40 07/01/00 (1)

Thanks a bunch! (nt) - TAFKA Steve 13:37:18 07/01/00 (0)

don't know the answer--weird British Sci Fi - petew 19:20:48 06/30/00 (3)

Mono or Epstein Barr? - Dr.Bombay 05:23:03 07/03/00 (2)

same thing, same symptoms, no cure, no treatment (nt) - petew 08:31:09 07/04/00 (1)

Sorry to hear that - Dr.Bombay 09:50:54 07/04/00 (0)

The Prisoner - Dan G. 08:15:14 06/30/00 (5)

Re: The Prisoner - TG 08:55:09 07/01/00 (1)

Thanks for the info- I think I have every episode on tape - Dan g. 07:02:04 07/03/00 (0)

Re: The Prisoner - AudioHead 08:50:05 06/30/00 (2)

Re: The Prisoner - Scott 12:55:59 06/30/00 (1)

Re: The Prisoner - AudioHead 08:45:49 07/01/00 (0)

Follow Ups

Re: The Prisoner - Scott 12:55:59 06/30/00 (1)

Re: The Prisoner - AudioHead 08:45:49 07/01/00 (0)

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