What is "The Prisoner?" (excerpt from Kipp Teague's Prisoner Page)
The Prisoner was one of the most original dramas ever aired on television.
Brainchild of producer and star Patrick McGoohan, the series portrays a top-secret government agent who resigns his position only to be immediately abducted and whisked away to an enigmatic, isolated seaside community known only as "The Village." Confined in this resort-like, yet sinister town, Number 6 (the new "identity" given to him by his captors) soon learns that no one can be trusted, and that those in charge (whose governmental and political affiliations are unknown) will take extreme measures to break him and learn the reasons behind his resignation.
Originally aired in 1967, the 17-episode series begins with Number 6's arrival in The Village, and ends with a two-part finale which many would claim raises more questions than it answers. During the course of the series, Number 6 struggles both to learn the identity of his captors and to escape from the isolated Village, cut off from the rest of the world by mountains and sea. Each episode features a new "Number 2" (right-hand man to the unseen Number 1), who brings with him to the Village new ideas and methods for breaking the unyielding Number 6. Servant to the current Number 2 is the mysterious butler, a silent dwarfish man who is the only series regular other than McGoohan.
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"So What's Going On Here?" This website (yes it's more than a page or two) was originally my guinea pig for learning HTML (the language that builds the pages you see on the web) in 1995. Since it's inception, the site, as well as my own skills, have changed and grown (hopefully for the better). As you venture in, you will find a labyrinth of inter-linking pages related to the show, as well as a myriad of external links (of varied topics, mostly of my own interest). Feel free to be confused or overwhelmed. While it may seem a rationalization after the fact, that's how I intended it to be; this site is as complex (and perhaps as confusing) as the show I used for a theme. The more questions you answer, the more questions you will reveal. That is the beauty of the show this site is based on; it unselfishly serves a continous plate of thought.
Know Before You Go To help you navigate the site, I've installed numerous (and perhaps redundant) devises, to help you find your way and also to entertain:
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Whenever you see this icon, you will be taken to a page you have just come from. On top of the site is a minature version which will bring you back to the main map page.
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On top of the site, there is a taxi option which will allow you to jump from location to location within the site without "walking" (the icon mentioned prior). Like the show, the taxis don't go everywhere....
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Speaker icons appear when there is an available sound resource to listen to. These may be more of interest to Prisoner aficionados. It was not my attempt to provide reusable sound bytes, but rather to include audio snippets of either humorous or significant value to episodes of the series.
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"HEY!!! It's Not Working!" Maintaining a website over a span of years can be difficult; nothing is static - whether it be the ever expanding technological standard, or the availability of interconnected resources found on the Internet. As you roam, you may encounter parts of "The Village" that do not work, either because your browser can not process the technology incorporated in the page, or simply it's "just broke." Whatever the case, I'd appreciate if you'd contact me to let me know what difficulty you're having, so I can (as always) update and revise. If it's simply a dead link (which is always a problem) you can use the "Link Repair Form" accessible off the main map page. If something is just out of date or "ugly," well... I don't have all the time I used to. Last Word - finally The Prisoner, perhaps like all "art," successfully encourages one to explore, examine, and question one's surroundings (and even one's identity) all under the guise of entertainment. While hardly art, this site will hopefully promote similar effects.
"Be Seeing You,"
Arvin W. Casas
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