The Prisoner

The body of the book comprises three sections; a Series Overview and Select Bibliography, Episode Notes, and lastly Appendices comprising reproduced script pages from the first episode, Arrival, and also some reproduced Unused Story Treatments. The Series Overview is a really good round-up of the facts and myths that surround the series, its making and its legacy. It's hard to find anything new to say about a programme that is now nearly 50 years old, but Mr Pixley summarises it well in 74 pages. I saw The Prisoner on its first showing in Britain, so much of what is in this section was familiar to me but, especially as a guide for new viewers getting into the series for the first time through the lavish box set, this section is a very comprehensive introduction to the show's creation and subsequent mystique. Mr Pixley wisely advises watching the series before reading his Episode Notes section of the book as these are also very comprehensive and inevitably contain "spoilers" in terms of plot reveals. Personally, I'd recommend doing this episode by episode rather than watching all seventeen Prisoner episodes then reading all the Notes. I think that's what he means. The Prisoner is so much more than just an adventure series, and deserves savouring the first time it is watched, rather than going for the marathon watching sessions that aficionados occasionally indulge in. The Notes on each episode start with a listing of those involved in the production and then discuss the plots and the particular themes using quotes and memories from those involved. As the series has been interpreted almost to death since its first showing, it is really refreshing to see this compilation of viewpoints set out in such an unbiased way for people coming to The Prisoner anew. The last nineteen pages of the book are the Appendices