The Prisoner: episode 15: The Girl Who Was Death

Angelica's thoughts: Like some of the other episodes, I wasn't quite sure where this one was going for the first few minutes...and not sure when the twist would come and what it would be, but I was glad to get caught up in the story. I really, really liked this episode. Sometimes when they go out of the village for an episode, I am eager to go back. But with this episode, I was on the edge of my seat with every new path that Number 6 went down. The story kept a quick pace, had interesting characters and involved many fantastic outfits (really, really great outfits...this episode easily gets the prize for Best Dressed). I wasn't sure if this was going to turn out to be a dream or an experiment inside of Number 6's head...and no, it was neither. I didn't quite pick up on the storybook element until later...could not have guessed it was simply about seeing if Number 6 would drop his guard with children. Perhaps it wasn't a story I would tell children, but it certainly gave some good insight into Number 6's character, and it's a story I wouldn't mind being told over again a few times.
Whoa, wild, wacky, whimsical. Another tricky bit of writing that allowed the creators to film outside of the Village without letting Number 6 out of the Village. And the strings that come with that: i was pretty confused right up until the end when i was assured that the oddities of character, costume, and physics were due to the imagination of children. Whew.

So, i liked this one. i'd probably will like any episode in this series. how can you go the wrong way in a place with no rules? the only rule is that the prisoner can't leave... ultimately.

Anyway, what i liked was seeing #6 in what must be something like his real life world, wandering about London like he owns the place, infiltrating ranks with clever disguises, using machines large and small as tools, solving riddles, escaping terrible traps, besting the baddies with bravado. and though i missed the Village and it's quirky denizens, these odd episodes out make the returns all the more happy.

i'm writing this after watching Once Upon a Time (which is on in the background again now), and the comparison is clear: the heavy, impenetrable psychological tours de force benefit from intermission. Give me London, give me a western town, give me a fairy tale and i'll be happy if it gives me a rest from the mental obstacle course that is Once Upon a Time.

My review here is more about types of episodes. In itself, The Girl Who Was Death is fun... and it reminds us in the end that clown dolls are creepy and do not belong in children's rooms. Number 6 is the kind of hero who takes the clown away from the kids and puts it in front of the guards' camera like, "Hey, you evil ne'er do wells, stop peeping, stop your clowning, and take a good look into this mirror."