The Prisoner returns..oh no!

mike65

from bbc

The Prisoner 'set for TV return'

Patrick McGoohan played Prisoner Number 6 in the original
Cult TV series The Prisoner could make a return after almost 40 years.

Sky One is said to be planning a new series inspired by the original which had Patrick McGoohan as a former secret agent trapped in an isolated town.

The show will not take place in the famous setting of the original - the north Wales village of Portmeirion - industry weekly Broadcast said.

But it is understood the themes of paranoia, conspiracy and identity crisis would remain.

Damien Timmer, who has been lined up to executive produce the show for Granada, told Broadcast the new series would take "liberties with the original" and would not retain its arty feel.

"Although it will be a radical reinvention, it will still be a heightened show," he added.

The original Prisoner ran for 17 episodes on ITV from 1967.

Bill Gallagher, the writer of the BBC's crime drama Conviction, is reported to be writing the new version.

me shakes head...:(

Mike.

Karoma

Set in Guantanamo Bay apparently. ("Cheap to shoot" or something.)

aidan_walsh

People said the same thing about Battlestar when it was announced.

nlgbbbblth

The Prisoner = one of the best television shows EVER.

The only way this remake would be any good is if Patrick MacGoohan played No 6 again. He's about 78 now.

J.R.HARTLEY

he was a damn good longshanks, i think maybe the essence of the prisoner could be retained and then the setting wouldn't be as important ( although i love the original, and port merrion was fantastic)

cosgrove80

• The show will not take place in the famous setting of the original
  
• Take "liberties with the original" and would not retain its arty feel.
  
• Will be a radical reinvention

Why even bother then?

Edit: Just saw on AICN that Christopher Eccleston is set to star in it

BuffyBot

Well, look at it this way. They'll have to really cock it up to make it worse than The Avengers movie

Johnny Storm

nlgbbbblth wrote:

The Prisoner = one of the best television shows EVER.
...

I 100% agree.

I'm sure a modern TV show could be made that would live up to or even develop on the demented paranoid / psychedelic atmosphere of the original, especially considering some of the bizarre things going on in the world these days but it would take a really special creative team to do it.

Owen

I enjoyed the show, okay, it's a bit psychadelic 70's, but it was groundbreaking fiction at the time. That and the fact that there's a load of MINI Moke's used in it

MicraBoy

Class, hope this works out well. Love that show.

flogen

Ah brilliant... Rippahhh!!!!!

Oh, wait... the Prisoner... oops.

nlgbbbblth

ned78 wrote:

I enjoyed the show, okay, it's a bit psychadelic 70's,

The Prisoner commenced filming in late 1966 and the first episode was broadcast on 29 September 1967.

munkeehaven

Scraping the Barrel again..just show a bloody re-run of the actual series...that would be much better.

Ruskie4Rent

wasn't it sky that re-made the professionals?

mike65

Ah God don't mention that abomination. It was.

Mike.

Rael

Apparently its going to be Christopher Ecclestone as Number 6

Xcom2

How about Patrick McGoohan as Number 1

He is No.1
He was No.1
He will be No.1

Figure that one out?

mike65

Ah but we never did see Number One until the crazy finale episode Fall-Out and it er...;)

I guess SKY would be assuming most viewers won't be familiar with the 1968 series unless it has nothing to do with the original series in terms of storyline. After all why bother watching an inferior remake?

Mike.

flogen

Does anyone expect Sky to only produce 17 episodes as with the original? If the show was popular, they'd milk it for all it's worth; cutting a show short on the basis of plotlines just doesn't happen in commercial broadcasting anymore.

Take Lost, 24 and Prison Break for example, they'd probably all benefit from 1 or 2 seasons max, but they'll keep going until the audience switch off

John R

flogen wrote:

Does anyone expect Sky to only produce 17 episodes as with the original? If the show was popular, they'd milk it for all it's worth; cutting a show short on the basis of plotlines just doesn't happen in commercial broadcasting anymore.

Take Lost, 24 and Prison Break for example, they'd probably all benefit from 1 or 2 seasons max, but they'll keep going until the audience switch off

For a new UK series 17 episodes would probably be 2 or 3 seasons worth, I'd be surprised if it lasts that long based on previous Sky drama series.

Unless McGoohan is behind this AND has creative control it's going to be bad.

50/50 it'll be either a poor rehash or a programme with little but the title in common with the original. Either way why bother?

FillSpectre

ned78 wrote:

I enjoyed the show, okay, it's a bit psychadelic 70's, but it was groundbreaking fiction at the time. That and the fact that there's a load of MINI Moke's used in it

Amazing you have the ability to not know what psychedelic is or what the 70s and 60s styles were. It was a 60s show and very little psychedelic visuals in the series it was a more modernist view if anything.