Prisoner Episode #5 - The Schizoid Man

[Lunkenstein]

After befriending fellow villager Alison (Number 24), the prisoner wakes to find his appearance changed. Now sporting a mustache and black hair, everyone starts referring to him as Number 12. He is also now left-handed instead of right. Number 2 informs him he has an extraordinary resemblance to their prize prisoner, Number 6, and that his job will be to impersonate him. The plan is to take away his sense of reality, make him doubt his identity and break him. The real Number 6 buys none of it, but after meeting and challenging the duplicate 6 both physically and mentally, he is discouraged that his own skills aren't what they were and starts to become confused. However, the village underestimates our guy as he quickly pieces together what they did and foils their plans once more.

The split-screen technique allows McGoohan to interact with himself as both Number 6 and 12 and works quite well. There's a surreal moment when they restore his look and Number 2 says, "You'd hardly know yourself." It's like, ok, I'm Number 6 - no, you want me to believe that I'm Number 12, but now I'm supposed to be Number 6 again. This episode is unique as it is the only one which mentions Rover by name. Also unusual is that Number 24 is often referred to by her name, Alison. Note the pulsator, the light over Number 6's bed that was also used in FREE FOR ALL. It is a recurring tool of the village - used to induce some type of hypnosis.

A decent entry and I give Number 6 a win here. The village gained nothing, lost a man and almost let the poor chap leave.

"Susan died a year ago, Number 6." ~ Number 2

PRISONER SCORE BOARD:

Village: 3
Number 6: 2

[Exile]

Another classic Prisoner Episode. Watching it last night, I was taken with how sympathetic number two is at the end. A great episode, and it works really well, but I can't think of anything deep to say about it.

I've always thought it would be funny if (when seeing his double) did the old "Who's this handsome devil?" gag. But it wouldn't have been in keeping with the tone of the series. But funny is funny.

Keep em coming Lunkhead!

[Xenorama]

it's a very affecting episode. i usually hate "lookalike" episodes, but this one is not the usual one, where they get tripped up at the end because of something they don't know about a loved one. this sure wasn't that kind of episode!

David

[Lunkenstein]

I've always thought it would be funny if (when seeing his double) did the old "Who's this handsome devil?" gag.

I like when he (as Number 12) tells Number 6, "When they come to film my life story, you've got the part."