Trivia / The Prisoner (2009)

• Screwed by the Network: Originally produced to air in six episodes over six weeks, AMC for its broadcast decided to condense the series into a three-night event, combining two episodes per night. Whether this helped or hindered the series, given it was written, paced and produced to air over six episodes, is a matter of opinion.
• What Might Have Been:
  • Patrick McGoohan was invited to make a cameo appearance in the first episode. He declined, and died before the series aired. Had he agreed, his cameo referencing his most famous character might have been his final performance.
  • The series was made following decades of unrealized plans to produce either a sequel or remake series or movie. McGoohan himself wrote the script for one never-realized production; for his part, the actor never intended to do a straight sequel to the TV series, so the fact this version is a reimagining is in keeping with the man's intentions.
  • An earlier reboot, for Sky, intended to star Christopher Eccleston would be set in a South American/East European coastal city, and would end with Six being promoted to Number Two, after Number 48 (here a girl) would lead a youthful revolution. As Number Two, he would discover that the City is run by a New World Order slowly eking those "unmanageable" out by putting them inside, and lets the revolution occur. Determined to see Number One, he discovers that the city is a virtual reality simulation run by the New World Order. Released from the program with the other inhabitants, he wakes up in a hospital. A butler (intended to be McGoohan) would come out. Six/Two would ask, "Are you Number One?" "I am, Number Six." he would reply. Six would then look out through the window, CAMERA ZOOMING OUT to reveal that he is in Portmeirion/the orignal Village, and the virtual reality City is just a test run. Cut to a hospital, and Six/Two is in bed.
  • An earlier attempt at the revival was the mid-80s, by Roderick Taylor. This would have centred on a young American student en route to college in Europe, whose flight lands in a mysterious, tiny airport. His passport is replaced with one stating his name is Number Forty-Eight. 48 is picked up by a driver, then dropped in the middle of a large, unknown metropolis, known only as The City. He would book into a boarding house, then find himself inundated with job offers. The course of the pilot would be 48 attempting to escape the City, meeting a slightly antagonistic resistance headed by a female Number Six. We would be told that 48 has been mistaken for an international terrorist who has been "requested" to the island, but Number Two does not believe 48's pleading. The Resistance would eventually help 48 escape, in a small rowing boat, where he would board a steamer. The twist would be, as 48 gets on board the steamer, a pile of Rover merge from underneath the sea, bombarding the ship until it sinks. 48 would escape in a raft, only to be picked up by the City coast guard, thus paving the way for his arrival at the City for the series proper.

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