prison, her

this place is a relationship
now, marriage of common law.
thought of divorce evokes images
of confounded family, reflecting in doubt,
a few hard times, but
ultimately, a better place.
how did i find myself here
in this other world away
from the world everyone else knows?
the inside jargon, costumes, rules... and
the menacing white ball that no one else can see.
it is disorienting and alluring, suffocating and compelling.
i thought that ascending to the position of Number One
would grant the opportunity to easily leave.
i wonder: am i a free man?

The Prisoner: episode 04: Free For All

dave squares off: this episode more than once demanded a firm foothold by which to brace against the menacing-white-ball-like disorientation. many lines of intention seemed to race out from the story, most of them spawned from dense, rapid-fire dialogue. i couldn't resist finding the script online to review the opening scene:

-----

[int. 6's cottage. The phone is bleeping. 6 comes out of the bathroom, dons his piped blazer, and answers it]

Number Six :What do you want?

Operator :"Number Six?"

Number Six :I said, what do you want?

Operator :"You are Number Six?"

Number Six :That is the number of this place.

Operator :"Call from Number Two."

[Number Two appears on PM's television set]

Number Two:Good morning, good morning!

[PM spins around to look at the television]

Number Two :Any complaints?

Number Six :Yes - I'd like to mind my own business.

Number Two :So do we. Do you fancy a chat?

Number Six :The mountain can come to Mohammed.

[slight pause as 6 puts the phone down, and walks back to where he came from. 6 spins around when hears 2's voice again. 2 is now suddenly there in the flesh, at 6's front door]

Number Two :Mohammed?

Number Six :Everest, I presume.

[2 invites himself in]

Number Two :I've never had a head for heights.

Number Six :How's Number One?

Number Two :At the summit.

Number Six :Play it according to Hoyle?

Number Two :All cards on the table! You may rely on that.

[2 walks over into PM's kitchen]

Number Six :Hmph! Erm - who's move?

Number Two :Yours only! Confide, and we concede. Breakfast?

[.... 2 and 6 sit down at the breakfast bar....]

Number Six :Nicely done?

Number Two :International cuisine. The best.

Number Six :French?

Number Two :International.

Number Six :Toast?

-----

that makes this a long review entry, but for those who've entertained the thought of watching this series, this taste, i think, reflects the writing that draws me into this creation.

-----

i could as well get into the imagery, extension of established inter-episodic themes, thoughts on political commentary, coloured phones, symbolism of rotating Number Twos, and so on, but i would likely repeat what many fan sites have already stated. for my part, i liked this one a lot and am keen to see it again next time with a better idea of where it was going and how the precedent scenes might have been intended. and i really want to better understand the circle/square scene, which reminded me of a piece of toast and a sandwich filling.

=====

Angelica steps in: The quickest paced episode thus far, this week's installment let me catch up to it only for brief moments before taking off again. No time to think back on dialogue from a moment ago - forward into the future at an ever quickening pace. No time to visually absorb a scene - forward on to the next with images colliding and doubt about what I thought I had even seen. The brief views into village spaces previously unseen have left me curious to explore...I hope for some return visits to these new spaces. Overall, I liked the unpredictability of this episode and its abrupt and disorienting nature (smooth transitions, in stories and in blog entries, can be so highly overrated).

sandwiches: round 04: monochrome theme

The Contenders:

Dave's Yellow [the Plum Loco Crabby Curry] (buckwheat bread with crab, masala curry, and plum shavings)

Angelica's White on Black (shaved oven roasted turkey, Packham pear, cow's feta, slivered blanched almonds, the whites of green onions, mayo base, open face grilled on buckwheat bread)

Angelica & Dave's Yellow Meets White on Black [suggestions for other names?... the So-So-Gouda] (mustard, shaved turkey, mushrooms browned in butter on buckwheat bread, closed with melted smoked gouda on outside top layer)

The sides:
Purple Royal Olives
Deep Red Sangiovese Wine

Sandwich Making Soundtrack: Beirut

The Showdown:

Angelica on White - this is one of my favourites of my sandwiches so far...a surprising medley of flavour packed into normally unassuming white. Just enough sweet to offset the sharp and just enough sharp to balance the savory in this blizzardy sandwich. I do realize my sandwiches require extra handling due to their layering and structurally unsound construction, but the extra effort to get all flavours in one mouthful layer by layer was certainly worth it.

Dave - though this was the first bite i'd had in hours, and might have benefited from my being hungry, it's greatness through to the last bite was of an extraordinary nature. this was a seriously tasty offering that i wanted more of. if there were more of it, i would have made myself full before getting to my own sandwich. my favourite part was the almonds - nice touch.

Angelica on Yellow - a minimalist sandwich by comparison, but lacking in nothing. Bright and cheery, like its colour inspiration. This was a fine, fine creation.

Dave - i was afraid that this creation would suffer from the subtle nature that some of my previous efforts failed to punch beyond. in this case, i would say that the curry could have - but shouldn't have - been stronger, and the plum, though tempting to be strengthened, might have otherwise overpowered the crab foundation. preparing this sandwich with sushi-making sensibilities brought even taste distribution to each bite and may be the reason that i would not change a thing about the proportions next time. i am proud of this one, especially considering it's spontaneous conception in Caper's a mere hour earlier.

Angelica on Yellow & White - good, but not a wow. A solid and hearty lunch sandwich, but it paled in comparison to the two stars above. Unlike the Number 2's so far, I suspect the pan fried mushrooms will make a return appearance.

Dave - bring on the pan-fried mushrooms anytime... make them side even. this 'wich was solid in more ways than one. four hours earlier in the day, i would have been happy to have eaten both halves and not worried about eating again for a while. could have certainly used more gouda, and if so, might have threatened a tougher decision. bring back the gouda too.

The Verdict:
AS: I'd eat both yellow and white again in a heartbeat - my tastebuds call a draw.
DM: agreed... though if pressed, i would admit to being more likely to make the white more often than the yellow down the line. what can i say? i like cheese. (and i'll bet that the crab and plum curry would taste great even without the bread around it.)

prĭz'ə-nər

Prison

[Middle English, from Old French, alteration (influenced by Old French pris, taken) of Latin prēnsiō, prēnsiōn-, a seizing, from *prehēnsiō, from prehēnsus, past participle of prehendere, to seize; see ghend- in Indo-European roots.]

Word History: The word prison can be traced back to the Latin word prēnsiō, "the action or power of making an arrest." This in turn is derived from the verb prehendere or prēndere, which meant "to take hold of, take into custody, arrest." Prēnsiō then surfaces in the Old French of the 12th century with the form prison and the senses "capture" and "place of imprisonment."

Prisoner

One deprived of freedom of expression or action: "He was a prisoner of his own personality—of that given set of traits that . . . predisposed him to see the world in a certain way, to make certain moves, certain choices" (William H. Hallahan).

From the American Heritage Dictionary

The Prisoner: episode 03: A, B, and C

Dave's interpretation: My favourite of the 3 so far. I absolutely loved the reflexive ending... i saw the potential for something like it to happen (moment by moment, just before it came), urging the writer/s to push to that place, not quite seeing where it was going plot-wise, but thrilled at seeing the juxtaposition of dream and reality, interior and exterior, past and present come together all at once. Such satisfaction! This could have been written as an extended half-hour story, but there were 2 equally compelling storylines that made for a tight one-hour programme. Wonderful. i hope that there are more episodes of this calibre. Again, the music played a role as worthy of mention as the actors, sets, and costumes - and all of these aspects are woven together well... maybe like a tartan: distinct, patternesque, whole, a tiny bit rough, but attractive.

Angelica's reflections: What more to add? The episodes just keep getting better and better. I loved the introduction of letter characters in this episode; I loved the mystery of who would appear as Number 2; I loved the use of the red phone. And overall, I am please to find that there is a good balance between the intra-episode storylines (which stand well on their own) and the cross-episode storyline (which is building slowly but strongly). The places are beginning to feel familiar; the map of the village slowly starting to take physical shape. The female characters frustrate somewhat though...will a trustworthy and strong female character ever emerge?

sandwiches: round 03: sweet sandwiches theme

The Side: fresh mint tea.

The Entrants:

Dave's Stonehenge Ruins (toasted open face; adam's peanut butter; cayenne chocolate flakes; currants; currant jam rimmed on left and right).

Dave's Pan-Galactic PBC (toasted open face; adam's peanut butter; chocolate chips; re-toasted; swirled; second addition of peanut butter).

Angelica’s The Weird Sandwich Girl Grows Up (cream cheese, carrots, dried cranberries, cinnamon)

Angelica’s The Weird Sandwich Girl Flashback (smooth peanut butter, current jam, dried apricots, poblano hot chocolate shavings)

Sandwich Making Soundtrack: Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense

The Mix-it-up:

Angelica on Stonehenge Ruins – this one had me with the first bite. The toasting of the bread disguised its rice origins and produced a wholly satisfying crunch. The light dusting of chocolate flakes and sprinkling of currents produced a surprisingly tasty mouthful, but it was the jam edging that stole the show. My favourite of the night, hands down.

Dave's take ~ i was surprised at how much i liked this creation. It had to be eaten in the right direction to get the currant jam into each bite, and the whole currants themselves had to placed just right in order to get into each portion, but the effort was worth it.

Angelica on Pan-Galactic PBC – pretty to look at, a pleasure to eat in small doses…maybe I was just getting sugared out by sandwich number four of the evening. Once again, the toasting of the bread and extra round of broiling brought in high marks for texture.

Dave's take ~ Agreed: this was a choc-full experience, bite to bite, and would not easily be consuked regularly. But for a blue moon special, i will certainly revisit. The order and phasing of the heat is pretty important, and attention is required for optimal results. On this evening, it was a great finisher, but would not stand up against the more complex and interesting Stonehenge Ruins.

Angelica on The Weird Sandwich Girl Grows Up – this was something even I would have considered weird as a kid, but a few years older, this was a weird sandwich with class. A little subtle, but I liked it.

Dave's take ~ More cranberries, i wanted for this ambitious entrant. i very much liked the mixture of cream cheese and carrots, seeing the potential for various additives to build on this base. More cinnamon and cranberries, and this could stand over any mid-afternoon summer day sandwich.

Angelica on The Weird Sandwich Girl Flashback – a re-interpretation of my childhood sandwiches (the classic being PBJ w/currents, on rye), this sandwich had the prettiest colours of the night, but lacked the right proportions…too much jam and too many apricots…much too sweet for an evening sandwich, but with a cup of coffee, this could be my kind of breakfast sandwich.

Dave's take ~ Certainly, this was a flashback. But the scale, in common constrast with other childhood revisitations, was increased. i too would have held back on the volume of jam and apricots and increased the number of hot chocolate flakes. Big points from me for Angelica's daring and bravery with ingredient combo - perhaps it's true that mastery is more easily achieved when one is started on the path at a young age.

The Outcome:

AS: Pan-Galactic, by a mile; WSG Grows Up my runner up
DM: The Pan-Galactic followed by WSG Grows Up

The Prisoner: episode 02: The Chimes of Big Ben

Dave's take: Well, now i'm (predictably) confused about who's running this Village. Seems obvious now that it's "everyone," meaning the Brits and the Commies or something like that. And everyone's in on the investigation upon Number 6. And i am unlikely to trust any alleged accomplice from here on in. i really thought near the end of the episode that i might have put episode 17 into the VCR - well done, writers!! Two episodes in, i am ever more enchanted with the nuanced and detailed writing of this world. The Village Salute is especially infectious and i intend to adopt it for a time. Great aural environment, costuming, and dialogue. All around, this is shaping up to be a pleasure of the highest order. i want to see Number 6 ride the antique bike.

Angelica's view: As I polish off the leftover cucumber sandwiches and wine (an advantage of being the host), I am mulling over whether the reasons for Number 6's resignation will make their way into the plot...will there be any flashbacks revealing the reasons (I suspect no flashforwards)? I had for a moment thought that we might see some action off the island...as much as I am intrigued by the village and want to see more of the village, I admit to hoping for some off-site action as well. Number 6's episode 2 jacket was ultra-cool, especially paired with his stylish sneakers...I don't quite get the capes that the women wear though...nor the umbrellas, but perhaps this is all yet to be revealed...

sandwiches: round 02: british high tea theme

The Contenders:

Egg sandwiches (Dave's Egg-Thymer; Angelica's Egg, Cress & Cheddar)
Ham sandwiches (Dave's Excel Apple & Ham; Angelica's Ham in the Garden)
Cucumber sandwiches (Dave's Cherry Cream Cheese Canape; Angelica's Minted Cucumber)

The Accompaniments:
Pyramid Wine
Pyramid of Cherries
Cold Smoked Tuna
(no gin and mint tea from a teapot)

Sandwich Making Soundtrack: The Smiths - Louder Than Bombs

The Battle:
~~~ Egg from Dave's perspective ~ the Egg-Thymer may have actually contained only dill rather than thyme as well, making the 'wich a misnomer and thus a project to revisit... again, the attempt was subtle. i'm glad i went with the white rice bread rather than the biscuit bread ~~ Angelica's was magnificent (if not entirely Brit with its cheese addition [AS: isn't Cheddar British???])... but the cheese was what sold it for me... that and the salt, which i used on no sandwiches... and the presentation: Angelica wind for great presentation: lots of colour and great accents.
~~~Egg from Angelica's perspective ~the Egg-Thymer had good potential...smooth and simple, but could have done with a pinch of salt, a dash of pepper and maybe a little paprika. The Egg, Cress and Cheddar had more presence and the cheese definitely brought it to life. My question for both sandwiches...what happened to the watercress? It was in both, but notably absent from the flavour...small leaves or big, it's role was reduced to texture and colour.

~~~ Ham from Dave's perspective ~ i had cut the apple with a very sharp knife by latitudinal and longitudinal lines, then cutting away the sides of the sphere into boiling water, and adding thyme... ah, to be a pot of diced apple... this was placed on shredded York Ham on thin-sliced brown gluten-free bread... i declare it a personal favourite that i will revisit often ~~ Angelica's was a more standard affair, robust and complex... i blame it for my feeling full, but i would have it again in a heartbeat.
~~~Ham from Angelica's perspective ~ Excel Apples and Ham was a masterpiece...fresh Fuji apple with fresh thyme...there was no way to go wrong here...perfectly executed in perfect proportion, with perfect flavour balance. Ham in the Garden looked pretty, but tasted like it belonged in a deli rather than at high tea. I thought the avocado would save this, but alas, it lacked the punch needed to remotely stand up to Dave's creation.

~~~ Cucumber from Dave's perspective ~ we got to these late and had only 1/4 of each, but i would say that mixing fresh cut cherries to plain cream cheese is a winning strategy for any goal one might have in life... could have used more cherry though! (again, with the subtleness) ~~ Angelica's was fantastic with the mint inclusion... i am dubious about my ability to eat a lot of mint cream cheese, and would recommend it to make a return on canape night, but what i had was delicious... i might have to declare this one a draw.
~~~Cucumber from Angelica's perspective ~ a cream cheese flavour showdown! The cherries were lovely, the mint lively...too different to directly compare. I say we use the leftover mint for tea, add that splash of gin and re-battle sometime...

The Champs:
Egg = Angelica?
Ham = Dave?
Cucumber = a draw?
[AS: full agreement from me!]

future ideas

next theme: prisoner high tea

burger day

initials theme (ACHS... DRM)

hot dog day (like elementary school days)

random ingredients

secret ingredient (like secret agent, right?)

locally sourced / farmer's market day

sweet sandwiches, e.g., PBJC (and yes, the C stands for currants)

ideas that didn't make the cut (or need to be revisited)

breakfast sandwiches

canapes

The Prisoner: episode 01: Arrival

Angelica's recollections: Too distracted by sandwiches, I fear I missed some key information in the opening moments. Enjoying having not read any background...all I know is that there are 17 episodes and a storyline that will draw me in. If I close my eyes to remember certain scenes, I can hear them before I can see them. A brilliant plan launched tonight to re-watch last week's episodes each week...one viewing is clearly not enough...

Dave's recollections: are a little vague at the moment... it was an overwhelming experience... more thoughts after these messages... later: Now that i've seen this episode twice (thank goodness the ol' VCR started working properly again), i feel more confident reviewing it. The number of cuts is intense, disorienting, effectively connecting us to the state of of our protagonist. The juxtapositions of image and sound require constant attention, something i appreciate, and which again seems to reflect the experience of the protagonist, Number 6, as he investigates The Village. i loved Patrick McGoohan's intensity - one can only wonder what the direction must have been like on set. It sometimes seems like Number 6 is suffering a break-down, flipping from one emotion to the other in the span of one jump cut. The Menacing White Ball, the antique bicycle, the umbrellas - what a strange and compelling world they built 4 decades ago. I think The Village is a British-run operation and that they are trying in earnest to determine the motives for Number 6's resignation - i.e. is he defecting?

sandwiches: round 01: grilled cheese theme

The Contenders:

Dave: gluten-free white (crumbly and biscuit-like) bread; brie; capers, sliced; pepper; fried with a little butter.

Angelica: gluten-free brown grain bread; brie; special mustard; salami; fried with a little butter.

Sides: Unbroken, unscarred pickles; salad; red wine.

Sandwich Making Soundtrack: The Presets - Apocalypso / Beams

The Battle:

Dave's by Dave: His sandwich was subtle (too subtle by his own account), though he was surprised he enjoyed the bread. The bread overpowered the brie and caper tastes, leaving him thinking that he needs to up the filling ratio when it comes to biscuit-y breads.

Angelica's by Dave: Actually quite magnificent by comparison. Lively, piquant, rewarding. The bread matched the filling and was prepared in good ratio. i would have this again without hestation.

Angelica's by Angelica: A heavier than usual grilled cheese with a French/German theme. My favourite part was the dill crust, sprinkled on at the last moment and seared into the bread - a quick burst of flavour to offset the heavier fillings which follow. The extra effort of a fieldtrip to the European warehouse for the mustard made all the difference.

Dave's by Angelica: Just when I thought I had pulled all the sandwich condiments out of the fridge, Dave takes one last look and makes a surprise move for the capers...the result, I agree, was subtle...yet refined, and its simplicity had a certain grace.

The Result:

Angelica by a mile. But Dave will return with his Liger Style sandwich kung-fu... we haven't seen the last of the "masterfully concealed leopard" capers and brie combo.

windows to the village

The Sandwiches

As far as i'm concerned, the sandwich thing started when this girl, Angelica, and i were put next to each other in class. Grade 3 is the (likely accurate) estimate of this set-up.

The way Angelica figures it, she was a little less social and i was overly so. So, why not put two unlikely elements together and see if they balance each other out? Like peanut butter and raisins. Or peanut butter and "currants" as Angelica would correct me 25 or so years later. (But currants are pretty much raisins to an 8 year old, right?)

Which brings us to said sandwiches. For how many years?... many for sure... i have had precious few memories of this "Angelica S*******." One of them was weird sandwiches. Now, we are sharing the sandwich arts. Nay, exchanging them like expressions of our selves. Akin to a kung-fu showdown, we are at once collaborating and competing, sparring with one another and preparing for the the ultimate battle, showing strength and strengthening one another.

Let the sandwich koo-mah-tay begin. May the best sandwich be celebrated. And may both be enjoyed.

Video Home System

curious bits about the VHS format:

- It was launched in September 1976. The Young Teacher was the first and A History of Violence (2006) was the last movie released on home video in the North American market.

- Since good tracking depends on the exact distance between the rotating drum and the fixed control/audio head reading the linear tracks, which usually varies by a couple of micrometers between machines due to manufacturing tolerances, most VCRs offer tracking adjustment, either manual or automatic, to correct such mismatches.

- VHS initially offered a longer playing time than the Betamax (Sony) system, and it also had the advantage of a far less complex tape transport mechanism. Although VHS and Betamax were competing formats, several of VHS's critical technologies were licensed from Sony. Early VHS machines could also rewind and fast forward the tape considerably faster than a Betamax VCR.

The Prisoner

For me, it began with carpooling to university in Justin's VW bus. i think it was 1992, but it might have been 1993 - as the years accumulate, it becomes more difficult to pinpoint events. Through the traffic along Broadway and up Burnaby Mountain to SFU, Justin would entertain me with his rants about new found music, television shows, schemes even. Doctor Who, Blues Traveler, and The Prisoner stand out for me even 15 years later.

“I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered! My life is my own,” Justin quoted Number 6 with all the intensity i would see in Patrick McGoohan when i finally found my way to The Village on a small screen via VHS tapes shrink-wrapped in 1988 and opened in 2008. (Thanks be to Ebay.)

Time is a neat domino chain resting on a fault line. When conditions are right - and they often are - quakes fling dominoes up into the air to meet in curious, fitting order. (i admit, i'm not sure i have always replaced them to their original order.) The 8th of June, 2008 marked an exceptional quake in time, bringing together the years 1982, 1988, 1992, 2008.

This date marks the first of 17 viewings of The Prisoner. i know now that when it has passed into past, i might pause and miss this remarkable period, this clever endeavour, the period of discovery, and the sandwiches too; but i do plan to keep busy with a pause-free schedule of equally excellent endeavours. So, here's to the moment, most excellent company, and delicious sandwiches. Here's to refusing to be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered! Here's to the Prisoner and to escape.