The Prisoner: episode 11: Checkmate

Number 5's opinion: I liked it, and will probably like it again. This was a highlight along the journey as it goes. This number 2 could be my favourite - very attractive man, i insist, but i say so inclusive of his charismatic appeal; if i were Number 6, perhaps i would be swayed to the side of warden? perhaps not in the end. i digress. this episode was fantastic. chess might be an obvious metaphor for the village, the spy community, international politics, but it's damn good to see it plainly put after all these episodes, years, newscasts. yes? plain, but asking more questions than it answers, and that is the nature of this series.

i was happy with this episode especially because of the ending: the tragedy! oh, it didn't hit me until full seconds after passage, but the tragedy was like a canvas bag of stones across the face. finally, we had a male consort... and betrayer! though in this case, HE was UNINTENTIONALLY the object of our disappointment. still, we got the woman in waiting to satisfy us... i think they might have made a nice couple, living in the Village, playing chess, tag on the land-locked boat, at love, under the watchful eye of that guy*.

there is too much about this episode that i can't remember right now, so i will close by saying that never has McGoohan seemed to theatrical! WONderful portrayal, my good man. And perhaps this one derserves the reflections of a second viewing... which in the case of myself and my good colleague in sandwich-making is a given. Until then, queen's pawn to king 5.

* "Orange alert. Orange alert."

Angelica's take: this might very well be my favourite episode to date. It had it all - a tight plot, a cast of intriguing characters, a colourful set, interesting shots, those oh-so-stylish outfits and a twist here and a turn there.

That moment of recognition that Number 6's realizes he has caused his own downfall in this episode was rather unexpected for me (although it now seems so obvious that this probably should have happened earlier). His own traits turn against him and it is so easy to see why. Flip any of the fellow escapees into the leader role and him into a follower and I imagine he'd be beyond suspicious of the escape plan unfolding before them. It seems too planned, too good to be true...and in The Village, it is dangerous ground to fall for anything of that nature. I suppose the only thing worse in The Village would be to fall for a woman.

More after this episode's re-run. Until the rematch then...