The Prisoner Episode 2: Free For All

Number 6 runs for office when election time hits the Village. Drawn in by the idea he might be able to engineer a mass escape, the nameless hero tries his hand at politics with the assistance of a new maid. Cold war paranoia meets campaign season in a fast moving and thought provoking second episode.

There is are differences of opinion on which episodes go where in continuity of The Prisoner, but I agree with A&E that this should be the second. Written by Patrick McGoohan under an alias, Paddy Fitz, and directed by him, it shows a Number 6 who still does not understand the ways of the Village which should place it near the beginning.

It all starts with a phone call that rapidly becomes creepy and thoroughly intimidating. Wait, I should back up and note that there is a new Number 2 (Eric Portman) in the opening credits. He even calls himself “the new Number 2.” Disorienting as always, the show rarely lets us relax.

How would you feel if the person on the other end of the phone call suddenly appeared on your turned off television set? Unnerved, perhaps? How about hanging up on said caller and having him walk in the door mere seconds later? That is what happens to Number 6 when Number 2 calls – what a way to start out a day.

A verbal duel of references has begun and it is quite entertaining to say the least. Probing each other’s defenses, both men are wary and very, very professional. After the bad maid experience in the first episode, Number 6 is not pleased to see another one. Number 58 (Rachel Herbert) has been brought by the leader of the Village to be his new servant and speaks only Russian to his further aggravation.

There is a reason for the visit beyond the verbal duel and maid delivery. The election is coming up and Number 2 would like 6 to run. Dismissing it out of hand, he is intrigued by the reveal that it is for 2’s position. That would allow him to finally meet the unseen Number 1.

Temptation gets the better of our hero and he agrees to run. Outside he sees supporters of Number 2, complete with a brass band. Uncomfortable with the whole thing, he accompanies the leader of the Village to the center square. Edgy the entire time, Number 6 looks like he expects to be ambushed at any given turn.

With what looks like most of the Village present, Number 2 addresses them and presents the new opposition candidate. You have to love it when he describes Number 6 as “militant and completely individualistic.” I can’t think of a better description of the character. Everything is scripted, right down to the cheers of the crowd which are written on cue cards held by the mysterious little butler (Angelo Muscat).

Once he gets his hands on the bullhorn, we get a typically acid rant from the Prisoner, not to mention a campaign promise: he will unmask who the real prisoners and guards are. Yes, he has already mastered the first premise of campaigning, which is promising what you can’t deliver. But is he aware of that? Many a politician has gone in with the best of motivations.

Given how surreal the Village is, it is surprising that Number 6 is disoriented by the fact they already had his campaign signs ready. Again this shows it is early in the overall story. Quickly bundled off into his campaign cart driven by the new maid, he looks stunned and somewhat afraid of the attention being poured on him by adoring supporters. Even more alarming is the relentlessly cheerful Number 58 who never speaks a word of English.

An encounter with the local media in the form of a reporter and his photographer adds sharp satire that is sadly far too accurate. Their ambush interview is responded to with multiple “no comments” that the reporter reinterprets into what he wanted to write in the first place. Mere moments after the interview ends, Number 6 is handed a fresh off the presses copy of the local paper, The Tally Ho. An extensive interview with all his positions is the front page article.

Given no time to digest that development, the Prisoner is herded by a Rover to the meeting place of the Village Assembly. The set design of the chamber is worth paying attention to for it has many little messages embedded in it. I’ll point out the most obvious one, which is the all seeing eye behind Number 2 being a Masonic reference. You can’t have a proper conspiracy without the Freemasons involved, after all.

The assembly is a rubber stamp for Number 2. In fact, the podiums are all labeled with a 2 along with a letter. When offered a chance to address the assembly, another caustic rant is delivered by 6, but this time he doesn’t get away with it. Perhaps it was his calling them a “Twentieth Century Bastille” that pushed things too far.

The eye glows and casts a strange blue light on him  which stuns him momentarily. After that, things go a bit psychedelic and a dizzy Number 6 finds himself in a strange room with a very polite chap (George Benson). He is the Labour Exchange Manager and he is there to very politely brainwash our protagonist.

It is an abstract scene involving an electrified chair and a strange screen depicting 6’s thoughts. Ostensibly it is a lie detector, but it reads his mind to the point the victim can’t speak. The results are chilling.

Number 6 comes out of the Labour Exchange in full campaign mode, mouthing platitudes and acting nothing like his normal self. Transformed into the perfect politician, he devotes himself to getting votes. But there are moments when his real personality tries to resurface, triggered by his hostility toward the maid, Number 58. Eventually, he breaks down and makes a terrified run for it. It is first time 6 is seen while in a complete panic.

That run is not according to plan and once again the Prisoner has found a way to vex his captors. But can he escape the clutches of his anonymous prison keepers? More importantly, will he win the election?

Thoughts

This is a densely packed episode with more content than many a Hollywood movie and like the entire series, bears repeat viewing to catch everything. Action and psychological warfare are always present in The Prisoner, but this outing cranks it up to 11 on the amplifier.

Patrick McGoohan possibly would be considered a conservative and definitely a libertarian in today’s political climate. Free For All illustrates why with a vengeance, from the cue card reading “Progress Progress Progress” to the slam on the Civil Service showing his disdain for big government. There is also a feeling of futility pervading the episode and the cynical view that politics are rigged in democracies. Given the way Great Britian was at the time this was filmed, I can’t fault McGoohan for his assessment.

Through the dramatic device of brainwashing, the slow corruption of crusading candidates is sped up to fit the constraints of one episode. Much like real life, it is appalling to watch the change happen to Number 6 as his attempt to free everyone from the state, i.e. the Village, turns into a reinforcement of the status quo with new paint.

The title of the episode, Free For All, has many meanings in the story. Keep an ear open for the phrase and you will understand just how clever its usage is.

Also watch for the Butler throughout the story, he seems to pop up everywhere. Mysterious, isn’t he?

Now I know there are a lot of Japanese (and other nationalities) men with an unhealthy preoccupation with maid uniforms. Perhaps this episode could be used to deprogram them of that fetish, for after watching it and the first episode maids come off as very sinister to me.

Free For All is a perfect example of why this is my favorite TV series of all time.

BEWARE! HERE BE SPOILERS!!!

 

 

 

 

 

After Number 6’s foiled escape, he is submitted to further brainwashing while he sleeps in his cottage. Programmed with the message to promise more recreation time to the masses in exchange for all their money knowledge, he gathers more and more followers. If you promise the easy life to voters, they will accept any form of slavery.

The nonalcoholic drink serving pub was something of a departure from the normal Village settings. It is very aptly named The Cat and Mouse with Number 6 clearly being the mouse caught in a trap. I’ll never trust a maid after this.

Nothing like a rigged election, is there? Nearly everybody votes and it all goes to one candidate. The whole farce takes place while 6 is drugged to the gills and having to be led around.

Presented as the new Number 2, 6 is given a silent and cold reaction from the crowd that elected him. Dazed and confused, he is led to Number 2’s residence and the strange office there. Once inside, Number 58 encourages him to play with the buttons, switches, and telephones. It is all very playful and charmingly silly, except for the sinister air hovering over the events.

When the made drops her mask, she is revealed to be a very cold one indeed. Vicious and sadistic is her real personality as 6 finds out the hard way. He was right not to trust her, but little did he know…

… That she is the real new, new Number 2. Imperious and condescending, she asks if he is ready to talk. His expression says all that needs to be in reply. Once again he has completely lost, but won’t talk.

Okay, that side room/cave is just weird. I have no clue what that was about besides providing more men to beat 6 senseless. It looks like they are worshipping an inactive Rover.