History Recap / ThePrisonerE17FallOut

* MoodWhiplash: We go from the sparse, minimalist and intense episode "Once Upon A Time" to this gaudy, action-packed and intense episode.

** According to the show histories, [=McGoohan=] had to bang out the script for this episode in only a few days due to the head of Creator/{{ITC}} cancelling production of the series on short notice; as a result, Kenneth Griffith, who plays the President, reportedly had to write his own dialogue, which says a lot considering his is virtually the only voice heard in any substantial fashion prior to No. 2's resurrection.

* SpecialEditionTitle: The episode starts with a recap of "Once Upon a Time," with the title card appearing at the start of that. This is followed by a series of shots of The Village from afar, which includes a special credit screen at the start acknowledging Portmeirion as the Village's real-life location for the only time. In addition, Alexis Kanner's guest star credit has a boxout around it, because [=McGoohan=] was so impressed by his performance he wanted to single him out.

* GainaxEnding: After footsying around with metaphor and allegory for the entire series, the GrandFinale goes so allegorical that there's a fairly good case for calling this trope the Fall Out Ending or the Prisoner Ending instead. The debate over what actually happens at the end hasn't died down in nearly fifty years. Two main camps seem to be as follows: 1) The Village was an allegory for 6's own mental conflict over his decision to resign, and thus the entirety of it takes place in his mind; his escape being a metaphor for solving the conflict; and 2) The Village wins by creating an ideal position for 6 as its leader; even though 6 escapes to his home, the door to his flat now closes in the same way doors do in The Village, essentially showing that "they" are still monitoring his every move.

* {{Discontinuity}}: Maybe. A lot of what we find out at the end doesn't jibe with some of the clues we saw in earlier episodes. (''Especially'' regarding the location of the Village, which explicitly contradicts an earlier episode.) Which was probably Creator/PatrickMcGoohan's intent.

* TheSixties: The 60s counterculture is symbolized by Number Forty Eight, a young man dressed in the mod style and rebelling against the norms "because he must."

* TotallyRadical: The President tries to chide a confession out of the younger Number Forty-Eight with late 60s youth slang. In response, Number Forty-Eight expresses his rebelliousness by singing a decidedly ''old'' song ad nauseam.

* {{Discontinuity}}: Maybe. A lot of what we find out at the end doesn't jibe with some of the clues we saw in earlier episodes. (''Especially'' regarding [[spoiler: the location of the Village]], which explicitly contradicts an earlier episode.) Which was probably Creator/PatrickMcGoohan's intent.

* GainaxEnding: After footsying around with metaphor and allegory for the entire series, the GrandFinale goes so allegorical that there's a fairly good case for calling this trope the Fall Out Ending or the Prisoner Ending instead. The debate over what actually happens at the end hasn't died down in nearly fifty years. [[spoiler: Two main camps seem to be as follows: 1) The Village was an allegory for 6's own mental conflict over his decision to resign, and thus the entirety of it takes place in his mind; his escape being a metaphor for solving the conflict; and 2) The Village wins by creating an ideal position for 6 as its leader; even though 6 escapes to his home, the door to his flat now closes in the same way doors do in The Village, essentially showing that "they" are still monitoring his every move.]]

** Take a look at the number on Number 6's door when he finally arrives home. That's right... it's [[spoiler:No. 1. (To be specific, 1 ''Buckingham'' Place, if you please!)]]

** [[spoiler:We still don't know why the Prisoner resigned.]]
** [[spoiler:We never learn who Number One is or why he looks identical to Number Six.]]
** [[spoiler:Despite the episode's theme of the individual winning out, we still never learn Number Six's real name.]]

* NoNameGiven: Played with. A major concept of the series deals with the loss of individuality incurred by numbering everyone in the Village. In this episode, Six is finally allowed to be an individual, but instead of revealing his real name, he is instead simply referred to as "Sir", with the closing caption simply calling the character "Prisoner".

** The technicians give Number Two a shave and haircut before reviving him. This was because this episode was filmed about a year after "[[Recap/ThePrisonerE16OnceUponATime Once Upon a Time]]", and Creator/LeoMcKern had ditched his beard and long hair in the interim.

* TheSixties: The 60s counterculture is symbolized by Number Forty Eight, a young man dressed in the mod style and rebelling against the norms "because he must."
** Music/TheBeatles' "All You Need Is Love" is playing on jukeboxes along the ramp that the Supervisor escorts Number Six and the Butler. And during the dramatic shootout at the end during Number Six's final(?) escape.

** The episode also features incongruous usage of Carmen Miranda and "Dem Bones".
* SpecialEditionTitle: The episode starts with a recap of "Once Upon a Time", with the title card appearing at the start of that. This is followed by a series of shots of The Village from afar, which includes a special credit screen at the start acknowledging Portmeirion as the Village's real-life location for the only time. In addition, Alexis Kanner's guest star credit has a boxout around it, because [=McGoohan=] was so impressed by his performance he wanted to single him out.

* {{Discontinuity}}: Maybe. A lot of what we find out at the end doesn't jibe with some of the clues we saw in earlier episodes. (''Especially'' regarding [[spoiler: the location of the Village]], which explicitly contradicts an earlier episode). Which was probably Creator/PatrickMcGoohan's intent.

** The Butler, who already turned to serve Number Six in the previous episode and continues to serve him now. (At least so we assume; he doesn't seem at all surprised when the door to No. 6's flat in London opens on its own...

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Number Two appears to say "Be seeing you" to the camera - or is he talking to a guard?

* BatmanGrabsAGun: Number Six leads an armed revolt.

* SoundtrackDissonance: "All You Need Is Love" being played for the second time as Number Six, Number Two, Number Forty-Eight, and the Butler violently shoot their way out of the conference chamber.

* TheEndOrIsIt: This is why we can't claim this has a BittersweetEnding or DownerEnding. The Village itself falls after the rebel force of Six, Two, Forty-Eight and the Butler destroys the command room and [[InferredHolocaust launches Number One's rocket]], but the episode ends with Forty-Eight seeking a vagabond life on the street, Number Two returning to Parliament, and Number Six returning home - where [[OhCrap the door opens]] for the Butler just like the doors did ''at the Village'' - to just get back in his customized car to go driving off as he did at the series' beginning. It doesn't help that the end credits doesn't name [=McGoohan=], it simply calls him "The Prisoner" implying he still hasn't escaped.