"The Prisoner" Fall Out (1968)

Director:

Patrick McGoohan

Writer:

Patrick McGoohan (written by)

TV Series:

"The Prisoner" (1967)

Original Air Date:

4 February 1968 (Season 1, Episode 16)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Plot:

After witnessing the trials of Number 2 and Number 48 and meeting the President of the Assembly, Number 6 escapes during the chaos that follows. |

Plot Keywords:

Chaos | Supervisor | Midget | Mask | Back From The Dead

Cast

  (Episode Credited cast)

Patrick McGoohan	...	Number Six
Leo McKern	...	Former Number Two
Kenneth Griffith	...	The President
Alexis Kanner	...	Number Forty Eight
Angelo Muscat	...	The Butler
Peter Swanwick	...	Supervisor
Michael Miller	...	The Delegate

Runtime:

USA:60 min

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Buckingham Palace, Westminster, London, England, UK

Company:

Everyman Films

Trivia:

As for the identity of Number One, opinion is divided as to whether it is indeed Number Six (with the interpretation that we are all in control of our own destiny), or in fact Patrick McGoohan (who as the creator of the show, was the person who ultimately controlled everything that happened in the Village). In a literal sense, however, there is no explanation provided for why Number One looks like Number Six, although theories range from Number One being another double, John Drake, or a hallucination.

Goofs:

Continuity: Number Six walks past the same jukebox twice. It is easily identifiable by the Lesley Gore record in it.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Supervisor: We thought you would feel happier as yourself.

Soundtrack:

Toccata

Fall Out is Brilliant

Although I agree with most of what "steve 3285" said in his insightful and comprehensive discussion of Fall Out, that fascinating ultimate episode of my favourite series ever, I have one quibble. I do not think Angelo Muscat, the Butler, was meant to be taking #6's place when he entered the door of his house at the end. I think he was just about to become his Butler. Yes, it was clever that the door opened and closed electronically - one last clue to the multiple meanings in this fabulous series.

I just wonder one thing, out of curiosity. Although I "got" the various allusions to different concepts of "1," and "I" as Steve mentioned, I must confess that I missed the relationship to the word "Aye." I DID see all the others, and I wonder if he noted one more. People often refer to themselves as #1. I could not be sure if Steve meant that, too, when he said #1 in his review. The self as #1, meaning "I'm the most important person in my opinion," or "looking out for #1," that sort of thing, was my first clue to the puns all those years ago when I watched The Prisoner for the first time in stunned admiration.

It was always one of the sadnesses of my life that I never got to meet the brilliant Mr. McGoohan, although we both lived in Southern California at the same time; and another that I have not yet been able to visit Portmeirion - although I have some of the eponymous dishes designed so beautifully by Ms. Susan WIlliams-Ellis.

The Prisoner, and this episode in particular, still stands alone as the most intriguingly surreal television program ever.