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Thursday 14 January 2016

The Therapy Zone

    At Christmas I watched the final episode of ‘Downton Abbey’ on ITV television. A wedding took place between two characters. The clergyman who married them was played by actor Michael Cochrane . He’s playing Number 2 in the Big Finish audio drama of ‘the Prisoner, and I said “Oh hell, its Number Two,” or words to that effect. And that made me wonder whether or not any actor playing Number 2 in that audio drama will be thought of as Number 2. Indeed to go one step further, if the actor Mark Elstob  who plays Number 6 will be thought of as Number 6? I know a good few people who won’t consider any of them to be as such. Indeed they are doing their very best to ignore the whole Big Finish ‘Prisoner’ CD audio drama thing. I suppose it’s because they are enthusiasts of ‘the Prisoner’ who do not want to see McGoohan’s masterpiece messed about with. Well perhaps they should remember that back in the mid 1990’s Patrick McGoohan had his own ideas for reinventing ‘the Prisoner,’ but I suppose they would consider that to have been alright.
  As I wrote to a friend recently, “I have listened to the thirty minute extract of the Prisoner audio drama. Interesting. My immediate question was, when is the series set? If it is now, then using the Prisoner’s time of birth 4:31 am 19th of March 1928 makes No.6 87 years of age. But because of the use of the remark towards the
Berlin wall the series must be set in the 1960’s. But at the same time with the use of on-line billing, touch screens, a tablet, a 3D map of the Village, DNA recognition, and interactive software makes the series now, it’s of today. The technology makes it too 2015! So much so, that my initial reaction to this extract was to believe that that was when it was supposed to be set. Now had they not used the Prisoner’s date of birth from the television series, then for me this audio drama would have worked better. They could have had a new character for Number 6, but I take it that the character in this audio drama is supposed to be the McGoohan character of Number 6.
   I could have done without No.2’s inane descriptions, as well as dwelling too long on details and some repetitive explanations.
  I enjoyed the sequence when No.6 encountered Rover, along with his encounter with the maid in his cottage. And I also very much liked the fact that Janet and Seltzman were brought into the sequence with Rover, a flash-back I suppose. Because I’ve often thought that Seltzman had had something to do with the Prisoner’s resignation.  
  If he is supposed to be the original Number 6, there are aspects of his character which are out of character. For example he would never threaten violence towards a woman, and he’s always angry in the extract, and in him there is no confusion. There is humour in the story, which at times turns to ridicule.
  Perhaps I’m being too critical, expecting too much, after all I’ve only listened to an extract. If I forget the questions I have, perhaps I’m taking it all too seriously, then for what it is it isn’t too bad.
   There are certain audio dramas which I know inside out, but never tire of listening to them. However this didn’t grab me in the same way, and I probably would not wish to listen to it more than once.
   I am a very keen promoter of reinventions, reinterpretations, re-imaging etc, etc of ‘the Prisoner,’ hence my enthusiasm for and appreciation of, THEPRIS6NER 2009 series, but I feel from the extract I have heard, it seems to me the audio drama of ‘the Prisoner’ is a little out of kilter within itself.
    Such are my personal thoughts, however I wish Big Finish well.

Be seeing you

6 comments:

  1. The 30 minute extract doesn't include the pre-resignation sequence we get at the beginning of the play proper where it is clearly stated that the date is January 16th, 1967. The whole set-up is fascinating with agent ZM73 heading to Belgium to meet with Janet (an agent herself in this version) who has been investigating Seltzman. It seems that Janet may have been body-swapped and ZM73 drives away from whoever this person now is and heads back to London to hand in his resignation. Why he should do so instead of trying to find where the real Janet is is part of the mystery.

    Once Number Six arrives in The Village we have a man from the 1960s being confronted by technology that is clearly ahead of its time (some of it recognisable to us here in the 21st century). It's another layer of mystery that adds to the appeal of this audio drama take on McGoohan's Prisoner.

    To me, the Big Finish production has managed to preserve the flavour of the original while still managing to provide new and interesting twists for the long-time Prisoner enthusiast. For me, the AMC 'reimagining' threw out the baby with the bath water, while the Big Finish production feels authentic. I know which remake I prefer - and I can't wait for volume 2 next year. Give it a try, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.

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    1. Hello an Anonymous,

      As a fan of the Prisoner audio drama, you already have a remarkable grasp of the concept. Indeed you have a distinct advantage over me, and quite understandably.
      However, and I have no wish to delve too deeply in this, there is one distinct difference between what I have heard of the audio drama and the original series of ‘the Prisoner.’ In the original series there is a frightening prediction of the future, including surveillance, credit cards, cordless telephones, the threat of over reliance on technology. ‘The Prisoner’ was a warning to us. It was futuristic, and both disturbing and frightening to the viewer. In this audio version it uses technology of today, and there is nothing frightening or disturbing about listening to someone living in an environment with technology we are all too familiar with. Its true I’ve only heard the 30 minute plus extract on which my writing was based, but the disclosure of Number 6’s time of birth and date I found to be quite jarring to what I took to be the present day. Unless we can really, really view it through the eyes of Number 6, he can all too easily slip into the role of “Innocent Abroad.”

      Kind regards
      David
      Be seeing you

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  2. Although some of the technology is familiar to 21st century eyes not all of it is (for instance, Number Two plays some quite startling tricks with the geometry of The Village in the all new story, 'Your Beautiful Village'). As with the original there is more going on in The Village than meets the eye - or, in this case, ear.

    I hope that you can set aside your feeling of having been 'jarred' because, as a long-time reader of your blog, I suspect that you will greatly enjoy the series if you give it a chance.

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    1. Hello again Anonymous,
      Don’t get me wrong. I’m prepared to give anything a chance, my enthusiasm for, and appreciation of, THEPRIS6NER 2009 series is proof of that.
      Despite my “jarring,” although not having heard the piece myself, I have to say I like the “new” Janet. I always thought the rather sad figure of the failed debutante was not No.6’s type at all {I’d considered Nadia of ‘Chimes’ much more his type}. Although I suppose there must have been a bit more to her than met the eye, otherwise he would never have entrusted that roll of film to her. So this new exciting character for her is a refreshing change. Especially her relationship regarding Seltzman, as I’ve always been of the opinion that the “Seltzman link” played more than a part in the Prisoner’s resignation.

      Very nice to hear from you again.
      Very kind regards
      David
      Be seeing you

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    2. A pleasure, I always enjoy reading your excellent blog. Keep up the good work.

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    3. Hello again Anonymous,
      As John Drake would say I'm obliged.

      Very kind regards
      David
      BCNU

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