Reviews & Ratings for
"The Prisoner" Fall Out (1968)

21 out of 24 people found the following review useful:
Looney yet profound conclusion, 7 January 2007

Author: steve-3285 from United States

McGoohan pulls out all the stops in his writing and directing this allegorical conclusion to the groundbreaking TV series. Though there were many hints scattered throughout the series that #6 was essentially dealing with his own demons—that point is made abundantly clear in this outrageously inventive episode. We are all locked in our cells, both the cells of our material bodies and the cells of our past, our reputations, our egos. When #6 begins to address the forces of society his word "I" gets repeated to the point of drowning out his message (it also is the word "aye" meaning yes and a pun for the all seeing "eye" of number one). The ego and ego worship appears as a mad god (#1 or eye). Though many would revere freedom in the abstract, there is a great internal fear of true freedom. McGoohan's character is very controlled and emotionally tight, thus his shadow side (#1) is a complete loon (for example, playing the Beatles tune "All you need is love" over a blazing gun fight). When McGoohan launches #1 into space, a chain of events occur leading the four escapees toward various illusions of freedom within the outside world (hitching a ride to nowhere in particular, joining the halls of political power or racing a sports car). The silent butler appears to take McGoohan place in his home which opens by itself as an extension of the Village.

Though many dislike the episode for its unabashed symbolism, it stands as a fitting and provocatively ambiguous end to the series. Along with "Free for All," it's my personal favorite episode.

12 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
Fall Out is Brilliant, 25 April 2007

Author: emefay from United States

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.

6 out of 10 people found the following review useful:
It Took Me A Year To Appreciate, 27 October 2007

Author: Pete_Falina from United States

I watched the original broadcast of this episode (and the entire series) on CBS the summer it ran in the United States. After the first viewing, I absolutely hated this episode. I wanted factual explanations, a very real and solid down-to-earth conclusion, and Mr. McGoohan provided imagery and allegory. I was perhaps excessively literal in those days, and may have been led astray by the series itself. While the episode title escapes me at the moment, I'm sure the hard core fans will remember: Number 6 wakes up to a deserted Village, fashions a raft, and eventually finds his way back to London. He works out where the Village might be from a variety of clues and returns in a military plane, only to be ejected and returned to the once-again lively Village. I was looking for something building on that episode's "clues", and was vastly disappointed. As some of you may recall, CBS ran the series again the next summer, and I tuned in again. After a year of contemplation (and maybe some maturing), I was able to accept FALL OUT for the fine work that it was and is.

3 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
McGoohan's Revenge, 1 September 2009

Author: macheath-ny from internal exile

As is now better known to the general public, this episode was hatched by McGoohan after he was told that the series was to be canceled. Originally, the preceding "Once Upon a Time" was to be the final episode of the first season. McKern was to die, The Prisoner was on his way to see Number 1, and the audience would have to wait the summer to find out what happens.

McGoohan, whose political and social viewpoint was by then clear to everyone who had watched the series from its inception, was as should be expected miffed by its termination, and decided to give audience and producers alike a run for their money. The surrealism of this episode is never matched again until the finale of 'Twin Peaks'(qv). I give it a 9 rather than a 10 because the preceding episode is im(ns)ho one of the greatest pieces of television drama ever written, and therefore should not ever have another piece from the same series given equal appraisal.

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