The Prisoner – You Only Think You're Free

Stop what you are doing and watch The Prisoner. OK, finish reading this post, and then track down and dig into the most fascinating science fiction mystery drama thriller ever created! AMC re-imagines the 1960s classic, and I give this my highest recommendation. I loved it! Ian McKellen is superb as "2," a diabolical mastermind and the lord of a Disney-esque place called the Village. Jim Caviezel plays "6," who rebels against his corporate task masters, attempts to resign from his job, and wakes up in the Village fighting for not only his sanity but his very survival.

You would like The Prisoner too if you liked the Matrix, James Bond, NCIS, anything and everything by Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and Kurt Vonnegut, AMC's Mad Men, and the New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes on PBS. You will also like The Prisoner if a trip to Disney World has ever made you feel concerned about what they might be putting in the Kool-Aid....

Bonus if you are at least familiar with the original 1960s British series of the same name which featured Patrick McGoohan as creator, writer, director, and star. 

The TV miniseries remake which I just watched originally aired on the U.S. cable channel AMC 15–17 November 2009. Somehow, I completely missed it. Why was I reading so many books when I could have been watch TV? Additionally, Christopher Nolan has been widely reported to be considering a film version, so be on the lookout for that. To be honest, I felt the 6 episodes of 50 minutes each was a perfect duration. I am not sure I would enjoy a 90-minute version of this story as much. What would get cut out? I wouldn't want to miss a thing and I can't imagine the story I saw with 210 minutes surgically removed. The story has so many plot twists it's like cornrow braids. It would be a pity to unbraid the story and only show one or two strands of it.

Much more information about the making of The Prisoner is available here: The Prisoner | amctv.com. Spoiler ALERT! Don't spend much time on the website until after you have seen ALL SIX episodes.

So, go now to your video store, or search Netflix, or if you are really lucky like me, catch it Cox's On Demand for free.

Let me know what you think by posting a COMMENT below.