This Friday on 'The Prisoner' ep 4 'Dance of the Dead'

You can see in this episode why it made no sense to broadcast this #8. There are several moments that it's expressed that #6 in new in the village. He doesn't know where Town Hall is located, he asks about the food delivery, he also says that "I'm new here". We also see the scientist try a mild brain scan on him and they get scolded by #2. This doesn't really make sense in the broadcast order as they've already tried something much more severe in A, B & C. He's unfamiliar with the sea which doesn't make sense in the broadcast order because of the Chimes of Big Ben.

"Questions are a burden to others and answers are a prison for oneself"

This is a really surreal episode even for this show.

This is a more cerebral slower moving episode so I can see why the Network decided to show it later.

The title refers to a dead man which #6 has now become to the outside world. Dutton also becomes a virtual dead man as they've given him some sort of lobotomy. It's clear that this is early in #6 stay and #2 is using a more modest and methodical approach to get the information from #6.

#2 is a female in this episode which is an interesting twist. They also use a black cat as an allegorical character to #2. I like how she's constantly popping in on #6. It adds a certain tension to the viewing experience.

There's a feeling in this one where they really want #6 to become part of the group, there's also several mentions that his outside world is over and this is his only world. There's also the beginning of the dynamic of how a man retains his individuality and still function in a society that's fundamentally corrupt. It's also interesting in this episode how we don't really know who the prisoners are and who the wardens are.

#6 meets Dutton when he attempts to send the dead body out as a type of message. Dutton in the end is expendable because his information isn't very valuable. In the end #6 appears on trial for violation of the rules. Of coarse there's no printed set of rules so there's a kangaroo court set up with Queen Elizabeth, Caesar and Napoleon. #6 observer, Little Bo Peep is his prosecutor and #2 Peter Pan is his defender. I guess the costumes are meant to be a bit ironic as the most powerful person, #2 is dressed as Peter Pan. Also #6 observer is dressed as "Little Bo Peep". In the end he's found guilty but he escapes the mob only to found in a room by #2. Again #2 reiterates that #6 is dead to the outside world and he better get used to it.

This is an episode with a lot of symbolism and allegory so it's not the fastest moving. There's certain moments in the episode that I don't really get. It's not one of my favorites but an important early episode. I give it 6 Peter Pans out of 10.

madp:

Broadcast order: episode #8
DVD order: episode #2
Our watching order: episode #4

Ah, this is more like it. I delighted this week in hearing phrases like “I’m new here,” “I’ve only arrived recently,” “I’ve never seen a night,” and “We indulge…for a time.” Yes, clearly this was an early episode and should be seen early on as we are doing now. The Prisoner is just getting the lay of the land, trying to figure out how things work and looking for flaws in the system that he can exploit.

First off, they try a simple ploy to try to con him into revealing classified information, but he is too clever for them. This week’s number two, a woman this time, was a good foe for him. Obviously intelligent, she tries to maneuver Number Six while he resists both verbally and by actions. It’s like a chess game between the two. We learn he is a highly valuable asset to them, to be broken but not destroyed. (Perhaps that’s why his number is so low compared to others. He may have been an extremely valuable agent – one notch above 007, perhaps.) She wants him to give up on his own, and is willing to be patient to achieve that end.

There’s no huge singular plot this week, more like a series of vignettes. Number 6 tries to sneak around at night, but runs into the big bubble. Number 2 thinks he will return to his house, but he defiantly sleeps on the sand instead. There’s a big dance planned and he is invited. When he learns it’s an annual event he tries to find out for how long – always trying to catch someone off guard and get some answers.

Curiously, there’s another agent whom they refer to as Dutton, and even reveal his full name of Roland Walter Dutton at a couple of points. I don’t know why he didn’t merit a number, as he was expendable by their standards. Number 2 says she doesn’t like to use names when Number Six uses his name, but she never refers to him as a number either. He talks to the Prisoner in secret and sounds like a fellow agent he knew. Has he already been broken and is telling Number Six what they want him to hear, or is he revealing some truths? We’re never really sure.

The climax of the episode is Number Six attending the dance where everyone else is in costume but he is just given a formal suit to wear. He is put on trial for taking and using a radio off a dead body he found on the shore. Little Bo Peep is sent to prosecute him, while Number Two dressed as Peter Pan is his defense. He calls on Dutton to be his character witness, only to see him dressed as a jester with his mind apparently gone. He is sentenced to death and chased by the crowd, who appear at that point to be as mindless as Dutton (just livelier). He escapes into the background area, finding another dead body and a printing machine of some sort, but no real answers. Number Two finds him and assures him he’s not going to win this battle of wits. That’s where it ends, and it’s a bit anti-climactic. But that’s forgivable in such an early episode where we’re just starting to learn the score. Somehow I don’t think next week’s show will explain how the crowd out to kill him was quieted. I imagine they just thought it was part of the celebration and had no real intention of killing him. We do find out they’re preparing a body to send out with his identification so that the world will think he’s dead. Thus, he looks to be destined to be in the Village permanently – either willingly, or like Dutton.

There's lots more to it than what I described here, including lots of little things that may be fodder for discussion. Despite its flaws and unanswered questions, it’s still a fascinating episode to watch. I’ll give it 8 pretty maids in costume.

By the way, I’m still waiting on a place from wlcebtg so I can complete my psychological experiment. Thanks.

This Friday on 'The Prisoner' ep 4 (ex#8 ex#2) 'Dance of the Dead'

Painful episode this week I hope the remaining ones are a little better. Episodes like this one is why the show didn’t make it for a second season.

I’m going on faith that next week presentation is somewhat better.
Stone you may have made the right decision on the prisoner.

This episode gets a six minus four.
Number Six will never talk he's the last of a dying breed.