Good Morning, Number 6 Forum Thoughts on Episode 1

Dan Hiland

Thoughts on Episode 1 10 Years Ago As “Arrival” (Episode 1) comes to its unsettling conclusion, what has been learned? Well, it depends on who’s being asked- the viewer or Number 6. And with “The Prisoner”, more than any other program, it is the respective point of view which counts. If we look at things from Number 6’s POV, there are more questions than answers. Why is he there? How was it done? Who is responsible? Where is the Village located? What is Their purpose? When will They make their next move? And lurking in the back of his mind, Number Six may already be asking: Is any of this real? After all, he is a former government employee  and espionage agent. He is more than well-versed  If the situation is considered from the angle of the Powers That Be (to be referred to here after as “The Village”), it is a much different matter. At first they assume to have all the answers, the main question being one of method- how will they break Number Six? But Six’s over-the-top rebelliousness gives them cause for increasing concern. And then there’s our - the viewer’s- take on things. For though the Village’s actions are clearly displayed to us, as are Number Six’s, we are given a more complete view as to motivation.  Aside from things hidden- not revealed via the story, as of yet- we see what the Village is keeping from Number Six. And we intuit, by his actions, what thoughts and plans Number 6 is attempting to keep from The Village. In both cases, deception is the MO, each side trying to pry information out of the other. And for all intents and purposes, it appears to be one man against The Village and all its resources. Waking up in a strange place is new to Him. As a result of his training and lifestyle, he has always been in control of almost any situation. In those cases where he has not, he has discovered how to create more options, which would then lead to that control he seeks. In short, he has recognized that he has a choice. He is more actor than reactor. But from the moment he enters the Village, choices that would help him gather information from which to arrive at a desired conclusion are few and far between. For the first time in his life, he is in an environment where nearly every effort on his part has to be checked and crosschecked. And why? Because he begins to realize that he is operating in a reality separate from that of his own world. The Rules of the Game are not clear. The only thing he knows for sure is that it is a Game. But who is in charge? Rules are posted everywhere, but they are presented as suggestions and friendly reminders. Yet if one does not make them part of one’s life, the consequences are dire, possibly even fatal. Once the protagonist gets his preliminary bearings, he finds that information is being held back at every turn.  He operates a machine that dispenses information about the Village. Yet the moment he is about to read it, a woman in a cart interrupts, offering him a ride around the place. He asks her how far away they can go. She tells him the trips are only “local”. At a store he asks for a map. But when he opens it up, all locations are “local”. He tries to dial an outside line, but the operator says all calls are “local”. Faced with limited access should not be a problem for the protagonist, though. After all, he has been trained in gaining access to locked buildings, rooms, doors and minds. But he has also operated with the assurance that what he is seeing is real. In the Village, the only thing he knows for sure is that he can trust very little of what he sees or hears. Until he gains more information, he will be limited as to his choices and actions. Early on, he is invited to meet Number Two. Anxious to get some answers, he accepts. But all too soon he discovers that not only do they have a compete dossier on his life, they have a “plan” for him, the main component being his answer to the question of why he resigned his position. He tells Number Two he is going to leave- that they can’t keep him there. He’s seen the layout. There are no fences anywhere to be found. But he soon discovers that they can and will do whatever is necessary to contain him. Number Two takes him on a copter tour of the Village. All the facilities are pointed out, including a cemetery. The man is told that all his needs will be provided for. Number Six looks on, unimpressed by this more extravagant dog and pony show. By tour’s end, it is clear to him and us that control is everything in the Village. Those who surrender to it are provided for. Those who rebel are provided for, as well, but in a much different manner. It’s amazing how much ground is covered on that first day. Before it ends, Number Six is told, more than assigned, his number; has two interviews with Number Two, tries to escape not once but twice; has a fist fight with the guards; is drugged (again), and wakes up in a hospital; is betrayed twice; spies, and is spied on by, others. In the process we see to what lengths the Village will go to extract information: surveillance in nearly every corner; peer pressure; mind control, psychosurgery; propaganda; coercion; blackmail; and when all else fails, brute force. The control exercised upon the residents comes in many forms and at different levels. In the Civic Center there are signs bearing friendly reminders like:  “Questions are a burden to others. Answers are a prison for oneself.” And on the hospital grounds the sign “Walk on the grass”. Hence one is not only told what not to do, but that disobedience of certain kinds is also okay. But it is all sanctioned by the Village. You do what you are told because They know what is best for you. And in its perverse way the Village signage works. It flushes out the nonconformists, the rebellious, the free-thinkers. And as they are broken, they become living examples, reinforcing to the obedient sheep the results of “wrong” thinking. In one of the most chilling moments of the entire episode, we see Tom, a supposed fellow agent and friend of Number Six’s, appear in the main control room. We are surprised to see him again, because he supposedly committed suicide. Now we find out that it was a ruse, a betrayal of the most foul kind. And worst of all, it appears that Tom has been turned- joined the other side- and is so pleased with himself. He tells Number Two, as he is going out the door, dressed in a suit, cane draped over one arm- “Well, I’m off to meet my new masters.” Chilling. As to who his new “masters” are, we haven’t a clue. But we now know something Number Six has yet to learn- that the Village is part of a world-wide organization. Be seeing you…