If it's crap... We'll tell you
AMC Series: The Prisoner. Or 'Where the F did this come from and Why
The Prisoner:
Where the fuck did this come from? It debuted tonight on AMC. It is a remake of the popular cult classic from Great Britain in the 60’s that stared the late Patrick McGoohan (hope I spelled that right). The new show stars Jim Caviezel ( Christ himself) a damn good but not often seen actor and the great Sir Ian McKellen (Magneto, Gandalf). Well now we know how Sir Ian is spending his time. In an interview to plug this show, Caviezel was complaining how it was hard to find good parts since “The Passion”. He is quoted as saying that once you play Christ ‘It was like Chris Reeves when he played Superman. You get type cast”. So I guess he was hard up for work and took this new ‘series”
Similar plot line: Man wakes up to find himself trapped in a closed society called “The Village” where nobody has a name, every one has a number. Caviezal is now “Number 6”
From MSN: “The Kafka-esque 1960s British cult TV series starring Patrick McGoohan gets a face-lift for the new millennium, with Jim Caviezel ("The Passion of the Christ") taking over McGoohan's old starring role as a man known only as Number Six, who awakens to find himself trapped in "The Village" with no memory of how he got there. Ian McKellen also stars.”
So now here is the twist. Caviezel has no memory. Only some fragment or two for starters. In the original, McGoohan was a British spy who wanted to quit and was drugged only to be whisked away to a sea-side village on the English coast. Caviezel is trapped in the middle of some desert with dreams about going to the ocean. Every one lives in quaint little pink A-Frame shacks. McKellen is “Number 2” who seems to run the show, watching and controlling everything.
Added plot gimmicks are a that Sir Ian has a wife whom he keeps drugged in her bed and a teen age son who follows him around listening as “daddy” tells him how important family is and how much he loves him, yet the son clearly does not buy a thing daddy says.
Number 6 has a “family” and a “brother” that is trying to “help” him regain his memory. And yes, this show also has the weird, spooky, goofy big white ball / balloon that swallows up people if they try to escape. The last vision of each victim is always their face and a hand pushing at the balloon from the inside.
So, My question: What do you think? Anyone seen this?
I have caught the first two episodes. This has gotten low-budget “Fringe” written all over it. Does not seem to offer anything new yet aside from changing the setting from the sea shore to a desert. And I miss the “discussions” number 2 and #6 had while a screen behind them displayed the insides of a giant lava lamp.
Some of you know my feelings about messing with the past, with a cult classic. It generally is a bad idea. So we shall see.
Where the fuck did this come from? It debuted tonight on AMC. It is a remake of the popular cult classic from Great Britain in the 60’s that stared the late Patrick McGoohan (hope I spelled that right). The new show stars Jim Caviezel ( Christ himself) a damn good but not often seen actor and the great Sir Ian McKellen (Magneto, Gandalf). Well now we know how Sir Ian is spending his time. In an interview to plug this show, Caviezel was complaining how it was hard to find good parts since “The Passion”. He is quoted as saying that once you play Christ ‘It was like Chris Reeves when he played Superman. You get type cast”. So I guess he was hard up for work and took this new ‘series”
Similar plot line: Man wakes up to find himself trapped in a closed society called “The Village” where nobody has a name, every one has a number. Caviezal is now “Number 6”
From MSN: “The Kafka-esque 1960s British cult TV series starring Patrick McGoohan gets a face-lift for the new millennium, with Jim Caviezel ("The Passion of the Christ") taking over McGoohan's old starring role as a man known only as Number Six, who awakens to find himself trapped in "The Village" with no memory of how he got there. Ian McKellen also stars.”
So now here is the twist. Caviezel has no memory. Only some fragment or two for starters. In the original, McGoohan was a British spy who wanted to quit and was drugged only to be whisked away to a sea-side village on the English coast. Caviezel is trapped in the middle of some desert with dreams about going to the ocean. Every one lives in quaint little pink A-Frame shacks. McKellen is “Number 2” who seems to run the show, watching and controlling everything.
Added plot gimmicks are a that Sir Ian has a wife whom he keeps drugged in her bed and a teen age son who follows him around listening as “daddy” tells him how important family is and how much he loves him, yet the son clearly does not buy a thing daddy says.
Number 6 has a “family” and a “brother” that is trying to “help” him regain his memory. And yes, this show also has the weird, spooky, goofy big white ball / balloon that swallows up people if they try to escape. The last vision of each victim is always their face and a hand pushing at the balloon from the inside.
So, My question: What do you think? Anyone seen this?
I have caught the first two episodes. This has gotten low-budget “Fringe” written all over it. Does not seem to offer anything new yet aside from changing the setting from the sea shore to a desert. And I miss the “discussions” number 2 and #6 had while a screen behind them displayed the insides of a giant lava lamp.
Some of you know my feelings about messing with the past, with a cult classic. It generally is a bad idea. So we shall see.
Add a Comment
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Comment by Cranky Old Dude 23 minutes ago - Still trying to recover from your last SPILL party huh? yeah, let me know what you think of it new friend.
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Comment by Leon 11 hours ago
- I didn't realize the new Prisoner had already started airing. I'll have to try to catch it On Demand.
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Comment by Cranky Old Dude 1 day ago
- HEADS UP, TRUE BELIVERS! Can't speak for other cable companies, but in the Great Pac NW, Comacst has both the old and the new Prisoner "ON DEMAND" meaning you can watch all episodes. Not sure how long they will be running both as the 60's version has been up for a while. I have a looooong Turkey day W/E so I will try to catch them. Not everything revolves around football!
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Comment by Shane (aka I Need a good AKA) 1 day ago - after watching all 6 parts I found I enjoyed the new Prisoner, it was different which is good, so a win for both series.
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Comment by Cranky Old Dude 1 day ago
- Actually, I came to like the new version also, if for no othr reason the acting duel between Sir Ian & Mr. Caviezel. The ending was both interesting and still left the door open for another round. I am hopeful it will be "On Demand" on Comcast so I can catch a few parts I missed. i won't go into more details as that would be a major "SPOILER" for those who have not seen it or at least missed some parts. Still missed the giant lava lamp bit LOL.
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Comment by ZPowers on November 18, 2009 at 5:40pm -
Well, I've seen the original and finished this last night. I liked both. Dissimilarity from the original was needed in this case. If they did the same ending, for instance, I'd be a little put out. The original's ending works based on shock/confusion, and a repeat would be fail. Also, trying to recreate something so strange and random genuinely is a tall drink. I think the new interpretation of both the Village and the characters kept it fresh, interesting, and ultimately worked well
*VAGUE END SPOILERS HERE* The Platonic philosopher king, Brave New World, and sort of fresh twist on Cartesian/Matrix ideas worked for me as cool concepts decently executed.
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Comment by Brandon Mac $hawn on November 18, 2009 at 3:40pm - I have the same feelings about remakes and reboots. One good thing is finding out about the original. I went down stairs a week ago and I saw my dad watching the 1960s The Prisoner. They had all the episodes I think on on demand. He told me he remembers watching it when he was younger. The original looks better and I'm not watching the new one. Plus I know where Family Guy got that joke from now.
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Comment by KeithG on November 17, 2009 at 11:50am - I like the idea of a mini-series. They don't run the risk of getting cancelled mid way through a convoluted plot. this way the story stays on track and the bigger story can get told if the series gets picked up. I missed the first one but the others are on the DVR. I'm gonna check it out in one sitting. I did that with "Tin Man" and regretted it.
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Comment by Meat Paddy on November 17, 2009 at 11:20am - They finally came out with it? I watched The Prisoner (60s) last year on AMC and they did have promos for the new one.
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Comment by ghostwriter on November 17, 2009 at 5:11am -
I watched the first half hour and changed the channel....it's a real WTF moment. All these families, schools and such? Give me the original anyday.
AMC....stick to what you do well....Mad Men....or better yet, go back to playing CLASSIC movies without commercials!
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