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The Prisoner (ITV remake)


Mia

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As a huge fan of the original 1960s TV series, I had to admit that when I first heard they were going to re-make The Prisoner, my first thought was "Sacrilege!". But I have to say, I really enjoyed the first episode on Saturday.

 

I think it successfully captures the paranoid atmosphere of the village, and the desert is a good alternative to Portmeirion.

 

Ian McKellan was excellent as Number 2 (nicely menacing yet charming), and Jim Caviezel (sp?) was also good as a confused Six.

 

I loved spotting all the little nods to the original, such as Six banging his hand down on the desk and making the teacup jump, just like in the opening credits of the original (I'm a bit sad like that).

 

Also nice to see Rover make a belated appearance, right at the end.

 

At the moment, I can't fault it much. It's similar to the original, but also its own series, possibly by having Six suffer from amnesia. I'm also trying to work out if the woman at Two's place is his wife or daughter, as that would make the youth his son/grandson. By the looks he was giving Six, I would say the lad wanted out of the village too.

 

The only changes I would have made would have been to have kept the mini-moke taxis and had penny farthing number badges!

 

It's also a shame that Patrick McGoohan died before he could do his cameo role. I wonder what he would have made of this remake...

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well I wasn't impressed by the first episode but I gave it another go at the weekend. I have to say that's it - I won't be watching any more. As I was around for the original series, I don't think it can be duplicated. For my money, Jim Caviezel just doesn't look confused/anxious enough, he seem to have taken it all in his stride.

 

I believe they are showing the original again on ITV 4. When digital had their switchover last year, we lost ITV 4 so I can't see it this time round.:)

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I didn't think the second episode was anywhere near as good as the first. There wasn't enough pace, it just trundled along without much happening, which was fine for the first episode when it was setting the scene, but now things need to get going. If this were the original, I'm sure Six would have been subjected to brainwashing, interrogation and being pumped full of truth drugs by now, rather than Two suggesting that he might like to talk to a therapist. ;) It needs to get a move on.

 

It did mess with my mind slightly when the ocean was there and then it had disappeared! What was all that about?

 

And I found out that the woman in the bed was Two's wife, and 1112 his son. But overall, not enough is happening yet.

 

SueK - please give it another episode - no-one else here seems to be watching it so I can't talk to anyone about it! :)

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I started to watch it when it was shown in the states last year, it er somehow found it's way onto my computer, I am a big fan of the original and so watched it with mixed feelings. I can't remember how many episiodes I watched before just stopping, I just didn't care what happened next, but the last one I saw was where 6 took a coach party out on a drive.

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Vladd, maybe you shouldn't bother. This is getting poorer by the week and this week's episode was the worst so far. It's not a patch on the original, and pinching original episode titles to change and use for themselves (ie Anvil this week) and adding a bit of nasty violence doesn't make it better than the original or more interesting. It had better pull its socks up. :D

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I've been wanting to go to Portmeirion since I saw the original series. Maybe one day I will get there (but hopefully I will be able to leave again!). :D

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Oh my, this is now going from bad to worse. It took me all my time to keep watching it last night, I was so bored. Poor old Patrick McGoohan will be turning in his grave over this drivel having the temerity to call itself The Prisoner. :lol:

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