22: What exactly is ‘The Prisoner’ all about?

We talk all about the British Cult Classic TV show ‘The Prisoner‘ starting Patrick McGoohan on today's  Spybrary Spy Podcast

Today we are going to do something a little different. As regular listeners know the reason I cannot put out a weekly show is that I insist on reading the book of a guest before we chat.  I think it makes for a much better conversation, after all this is podcasting not cable news..ouch!

So I have an admission.

I have never watched the iconic tv show ‘The Prisoner.’ I know, a bit embarrassing for someone like me who loves the spy niche and especially 60s/70s spy shows. I think I saw the odd clip of it as a kid and put it in the Dr Who category of weird and disturbing.

(The Prisoner comes up a lot in our listener discussion group on facebook. If you are interested in extra bonus content to the podcast then check out our group on spybrary.com/facebook)

So I asked in our group who wants to come on the show and tell us more about The Prisoner. I have a stack of DVDs to catch up on this winter so my viewing time is at a premium. Matthew Kresal who featured on Episode 12 of our spy podcast has volunteered to get into the hot seat here at Spybrary and tell us more about the Prisoner.

Watch the opening to The Prisoner

Links and Resources Mentioned on Episode 22 of the Spybrary Spy Podcast

The UnMutual Website  (Dedicated to the Prisoner TV series.)
Spyvibe – Jason at Portmeirion
Spyvibe interview The Prisoner Guide with Rick Davy of The Unmutual Website
Jason Whiton talks about the Prisoner on The Cocktail Nation Podcast
The Prisoner on IMDB
The Prisoner The Complete Series on Amazon
Entertainment Weekly article on the 50th Anniversary of the Prisoner
“Who is Number One?” asks “The Prisoner” 50 years later? (Salon)
How Did The Prisoner Ever Get Made? (The Telegraph)

 

Read some of Matthew Kresal's essays and articles here

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