Arrival (The Prisoner)
Encyclopedia
"Arrival" is the title of the first episode of the British
science fiction
-allegorical
series, The Prisoner
. It originally aired in the UK on ITV
on 29 September 1967 and was first broadcast in the United States
on CBS
on 1 June 1968.
The episode introduced audiences to the character of Number Six
, portrayed by Patrick McGoohan
and introduced most of the concepts that would dominate the series throughout its 17 episodes.
in London
. He parks his car, storms down a corridor, and bursts into an office, accosting another man (though no dialogue is heard, only claps of thunder). The first man throws an envelope on the desk and leaves, returning to his home; meanwhile, his photo identification is marked with "X"s and the word "RESIGNED". At the man's home, he quickly packs a small bag, apparently leaving on a trip, from his study, unaware that an undertaker from a hearse
that has followed him from the city has injected a gas through his door's keyhole. The man collapses onto a couch.
When the man awakes, he finds himself in a room that looks similar to his study, but then soon realizes he has been abducted and brought to a small town. Meeting the people that live in the town, he discovers the place is called "The Village" and that there are no apparent routes to leave it - it is surrounded by mountains on all sides save for where it meets the sea. He returns to where he awoke to find that the mockup of his study adjoins more contemporary living quarters. His phone rings, and he learns that "Number Two
" wishes to meet him in the Green Dome.
Inside the Green Dome, Number Two informs the man that The Village does not use names and that he will henceforth be known as "Number Six
". Number Two further explains that he only seeks to understand Number Six's motives for resigning, and what "side" he is on, as the information accumulated in the course of Six's career was deemed too valuable and/or dangerous to allow him to simply "walk away." Two strongly suggests that Six's cooperation with this process is preferable to other methods that he has at his disposal. Two then takes Six on a tour of The Village, noting that other former agents all come through it to be "debriefed." Two points out the security system employed by The Village to prevent escape: a mysterious floating sphere known as Rover
that attacks those that try to flee. When Six attempts to escape later that evening, he is caught by Rover and rendered unconscious.
Six awakes in the hospital and finds himself in a bed beside a former colleague, Cobb, who is also incarcerated in The Village. Before Six can get any answers from Cobb, he is taken away for medical examination. When Six returns, Cobb is no longer in his bed, and an orderly discovers that has apparently thrown himself out the window in an act of suicide. Six leaves the hospital and seeks out Two, discovering that a new person has taken his position. The new Two explains that his position may be changed from time to time for unexplained reasons.
Later, Six notices a woman covertly observing Cobb's funeral from a distance. Six follows the woman and confronts her. The woman claims to have been Cobb's lover and she tells Six she and Cobb were working on an escape plan, the details of which can be used to help Six to escape. Though Six remains suspicious of her motives after seeing her visit Two, she gives him an electropass that will keep Rover at bay and allow him to use The Village's helicopter; however, she chooses not to accompany him. That night, Six attempts his escape with the electropass (a device resembling a wristwatch), and though he is able to start away on the helicopter, one of The Village's technicians gains remote control of it and returns it to The Village. As Two observes Six's return to the Village from the Green Dome, we discover that he is conversing with none other than Cobb, whose death had been faked, revealing that he had been working with or for Two all along. Two promises to "take good care" of the woman as Cobb departs to his new masters, advising Two as he leaves that Six will be "a tough nut to crack."
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
-allegorical
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
series, The Prisoner
The Prisoner
The Prisoner is a 17-episode British television series first broadcast in the UK from 29 September 1967 to 1 February 1968. Starring and co-created by Patrick McGoohan, it combined spy fiction with elements of science fiction, allegory and psychological drama.The series follows a British former...
. It originally aired in the UK on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
on 29 September 1967 and was first broadcast in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
on 1 June 1968.
The episode introduced audiences to the character of Number Six
Number Six (The Prisoner)
Number Six is the central fictional character in the 1960s television series The Prisoner, played by Patrick McGoohan. In the AMC remake, the character is played by Jim Caviezel, renamed "Six"....
, portrayed by Patrick McGoohan
Patrick McGoohan
Patrick Joseph McGoohan was an American-born actor, raised in Ireland and England, with an extensive stage and film career, most notably in the 1960s television series Danger Man , and The Prisoner, which he co-created...
and introduced most of the concepts that would dominate the series throughout its 17 episodes.
Plot summary
The introduction (which, with some edits, is used subsequently as the show's introduction) shows an angry, unnamed man, driving his Lotus SevenLotus Seven
The Lotus Seven is a small, simple, lightweight two-seater open-top sports car produced by Lotus Cars between 1957 and 1972....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He parks his car, storms down a corridor, and bursts into an office, accosting another man (though no dialogue is heard, only claps of thunder). The first man throws an envelope on the desk and leaves, returning to his home; meanwhile, his photo identification is marked with "X"s and the word "RESIGNED". At the man's home, he quickly packs a small bag, apparently leaving on a trip, from his study, unaware that an undertaker from a hearse
Hearse
A hearse is a funerary vehicle used to carry a coffin from a church or funeral home to a cemetery. In the funeral trade, hearses are often called funeral coaches.-History:...
that has followed him from the city has injected a gas through his door's keyhole. The man collapses onto a couch.
When the man awakes, he finds himself in a room that looks similar to his study, but then soon realizes he has been abducted and brought to a small town. Meeting the people that live in the town, he discovers the place is called "The Village" and that there are no apparent routes to leave it - it is surrounded by mountains on all sides save for where it meets the sea. He returns to where he awoke to find that the mockup of his study adjoins more contemporary living quarters. His phone rings, and he learns that "Number Two
Number Two (The Prisoner)
Number Two was the title of the chief administrator of The Village in the 1967-68 British television series The Prisoner. More than 17 different actors appeared as holders of the office during the 17-episode series .The first...
" wishes to meet him in the Green Dome.
Inside the Green Dome, Number Two informs the man that The Village does not use names and that he will henceforth be known as "Number Six
Number Six (The Prisoner)
Number Six is the central fictional character in the 1960s television series The Prisoner, played by Patrick McGoohan. In the AMC remake, the character is played by Jim Caviezel, renamed "Six"....
". Number Two further explains that he only seeks to understand Number Six's motives for resigning, and what "side" he is on, as the information accumulated in the course of Six's career was deemed too valuable and/or dangerous to allow him to simply "walk away." Two strongly suggests that Six's cooperation with this process is preferable to other methods that he has at his disposal. Two then takes Six on a tour of The Village, noting that other former agents all come through it to be "debriefed." Two points out the security system employed by The Village to prevent escape: a mysterious floating sphere known as Rover
Rover (The Prisoner)
Rover is a fictional entity from the 1967 British television program The Prisoner, and was an integral part of the way 'prisoners' were kept within The Village. It was depicted as a floating white ball that could coerce, and, if necessary, disable inhabitants of The Village, primarily Number Six...
that attacks those that try to flee. When Six attempts to escape later that evening, he is caught by Rover and rendered unconscious.
Six awakes in the hospital and finds himself in a bed beside a former colleague, Cobb, who is also incarcerated in The Village. Before Six can get any answers from Cobb, he is taken away for medical examination. When Six returns, Cobb is no longer in his bed, and an orderly discovers that has apparently thrown himself out the window in an act of suicide. Six leaves the hospital and seeks out Two, discovering that a new person has taken his position. The new Two explains that his position may be changed from time to time for unexplained reasons.
Later, Six notices a woman covertly observing Cobb's funeral from a distance. Six follows the woman and confronts her. The woman claims to have been Cobb's lover and she tells Six she and Cobb were working on an escape plan, the details of which can be used to help Six to escape. Though Six remains suspicious of her motives after seeing her visit Two, she gives him an electropass that will keep Rover at bay and allow him to use The Village's helicopter; however, she chooses not to accompany him. That night, Six attempts his escape with the electropass (a device resembling a wristwatch), and though he is able to start away on the helicopter, one of The Village's technicians gains remote control of it and returns it to The Village. As Two observes Six's return to the Village from the Green Dome, we discover that he is conversing with none other than Cobb, whose death had been faked, revealing that he had been working with or for Two all along. Two promises to "take good care" of the woman as Cobb departs to his new masters, advising Two as he leaves that Six will be "a tough nut to crack."
Additional guest cast
- Cobb: Paul EddingtonPaul EddingtonPaul Eddington CBE was an English actor best known for his appearances in popular television sitcoms of the 1970s and 80s: The Good Life, Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister.-Early life:...
- Taxi driver: Barbara Yu Ling
- Maid: Stephanie Randall
- Welfare worker: Fabia DrakeFabia DrakeFabia Drake OBE was an English actress whose professional career spanned almost 73 years during the 20th century.Drake was born in Herne Bay, Kent...
- Shopkeeper: Denis ShawDenis ShawDenis Shaw was a British character actor specialising in slimy villains. Born in Dulwich, he was a rotund man, with dark, wavy hair, and slanty eyes...
- Gardener/electrician: Oliver MacGreevyOliver MacGreevyOliver MacGreevy was an actor who appeared in many films and television series from the mid 50s until retiring in 1984.Among his notable parts he played Housemartin in the The Ipcress File...
- Ex-Admiral: Frederick PiperFrederick PiperFrederick Piper was an English actor who appeared in over 80 films and many television productions in a career spanning over 40 years. Never a leading player, Piper was usually cast in minor, sometimes uncredited, parts although he also appeared in some more substantial supporting roles...
- Waitress: Patsy SmartPatsy SmartPatsy Smart was an English actress who is best remembered for her performance as Miss Roberts in the 1970s ITV television drama Upstairs, Downstairs....
- Labour Exchange manager: Christopher Benjamin
- Supervisor: Peter SwanwickPeter SwanwickPeter Swanwick was a British actor best remembered as the "Supervisor" in the 1967 TV series, The Prisoner...
- Hospital attendant: David Garfield
- 1st Guardian: Peter Brace
- 2nd Guardian: Keith Peacock
- Announcer/Operator: Fenella FieldingFenella FieldingFenella Fielding — "England's first lady of the double entendre" — is an English actress, popular in the 1950s and 1960s. She is known for her seductive image and distinctively husky voice.-Family:...
(unseen)