The Prisoner: Media Round Up

16 November 2009

The first two episodes of The Prisoner aired in America last night. Here is a round up of reviews.

Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times: “For its third original dramatic series, AMC has chosen to reimagine — as a six-episode miniseries that will run in a clump from Sunday to Tuesday — Patrick McGoohan’s 1967 British spy-fi show “The Prisoner.” (It first aired here in 1968.) If the network, here co-producing with the U.K.’s Granada and ITV, was out to prove itself unafraid to mount another show as slow as “Mad Men,” it has succeeded, with the difference that “Mad Men” is never boring.” 

Tim Goodman, San Francisco Chronicle: “In fairness, the new ‘Prisoner’ is not without some winning twists.  Ian McKellen as No. 2 (the only No. 2) is always fascinating, even when the dialogue he’s speaking is not…An argument can be made that if you’ve never seen the original, this ‘Prisoner’ might be fresh (and not many people have seen all of the original).  But even then there’s not enough dramatic intrigue to keep fans dedicated over three nights.” 

Tom Maurstad, Dallas Morning News: “…As a spoiler-free assurance, the show does resolve itself by the end so that most of the questions are at least sort of answered. But everything occurs in such a swirl of fever-dream confusion that you never really feel oriented. Even flashes of the “real” world seem fake. No doubt some will throw up their hands, reach for the remote and click away to America’s Next Iron Chef Dancer or some other easy-viewing outlet. But for those who stick it out, The Prisoner is a beautifully strange and strangely satisfying experience.”  

Read more...

The New Prisoner Graphic Novel

11 November 2009

A new online graphic novel of The Prisoner has been launched with "Book One: As the Air, Invulnerable". It is part of an exclusive story that will span ten chapters. 

The novel is the work of M. Scott Veach with art by Mitchell Breitweiser. You can check out Chapter 1 and get to know Rebecca, she's looking for her missing sister. See the novel here.

Chapter 2 will be available following the showing of The Prisoner finale on Tuesday 17th November.

What do you think of Book One?
Share your thoughts on the graphic novel in the Prisoner Forum.

The Cultural Impact of The Prisoner

07 November 2009

The impact of Patrick McGoohan's original Prisoner can be felt in over four decades of TV, music and film. 

From The Simpsons to Alias to The Truman Show, the ideas and themes behind The Prisoner have been explored further and developed in a great number of productions. Download this brilliant poster charting the best uses of The Prisoner from the original to the much anticipated re-invention. Interest has never diminished in this great TV show and we are waiting with baited breath to see what Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellen bring to the table. 

The Prisoner premieres in America on Sunday, November 15 at 8pm/7c on AMC.

Top Secret - Village Map Revealed

20 October 2009

We can't reveal our sources, but here is a map of your new Village or should that be prison? It certainly looks bigger than the 60's Village but what else can you get from this?

Can you find out more than we did? www.summakor.com

The Prisoner To Show on Canal+ in France

19 October 2009

The 2009 AMC/ITV remake of The Prisoner will be shown on French TV on the Canal+ pay channel it has been announced. 

Aline Marrache Tesseraud, the head of acquisitions at Canal+ has commented, “I am delighted to be confirming that Canal+ has acquired the pay-television rights for The Prisoner, it is a spectacular and extremely compelling high-quality modern drama, starring an A-list cast, which we believe our viewers will find captivating."

David Wilcox, who heads up TV distribution for the U.K. and France at ITV Studios Global Entertainment, has said, “We’re delighted to announce that the first acquisition deal of The Prisoner will be with Canal+ in France. This stylish modern reworking of the classic TV series features a stellar cast and will be perfectly at home in this prestigious broadcasters new season line-up and today’s deal extends our already very successful relationship with Canal+."