[D66] The Prisoner (1967)

[J.N.]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prisoner

Plot summary
See also: The Village (The Prisoner) and List of The Prisoner episodes

The series follows an unnamed British agent (played by Patrick McGoohan)
who, after abruptly and angrily resigning his job, apparently prepares
to make a hurried departure from the country. While packing his luggage,
he is rendered unconscious by knockout gas in his flat. When he awakes,
he finds himself held captive in a mysterious seaside "village" that is
isolated from the mainland by mountains and sea. The Village is further
secured by numerous monitoring systems and security forces, including a
sinister balloon-like device called Rover that recaptures – or kills –
those who attempt escape. The agent encounters the Village's population:
hundreds of people from all walks of life and cultures, all seeming to
be tranquilly living out their lives. They do not use names but instead
are assigned numbers, which give no clue as to any person's status
(prisoner or warder). Potential escapees therefore have no idea whom
they can and cannot trust. The protagonist is assigned Number Six, but
he repeatedly refuses the pretense of his new identity.[citation needed]

Number Six is monitored heavily by Number Two, the Village administrator
acting as an agent for an unseen "Number One". A variety of techniques
are used by Number Two to try to extract information from Number Six,
including hallucinogenic drug experiences, identity theft, mind control,
dream manipulation, and various forms of social indoctrination. All of
these are employed not only to find out why Number Six resigned as an
agent, but also to extract other purportedly dangerous information he
gained as a spy. The position of Number Two is filled in on a rotating
basis: in some cases, this is part of a larger plan to confuse Number
Six; at other times, it seems to be a result of failure in interrogating
Number Six.[citation needed]

Number Six, distrustful of anyone involved with the Village, refuses to
co-operate or provide answers. Alone, he struggles with various goals:
determining for which side of the iron curtain the Village works if,
indeed, it works for any at all, remaining defiant to its imposed
authority, concocting his own plans for escape, learning all he can
about the Village, and subverting its operation. His schemes lead to the
dismissals of the incumbent Number Two on two occasions, although he
never escapes. By the end of the series, the administration, becoming
desperate for Number Six's knowledge and fearful of his growing
influence in the Village, takes drastic measures that threaten the lives
of Number Six, Number Two, and the rest of the Village.[citation needed]

A major theme of the series is individualism, as represented by Number
Six, versus collectivism, as represented by Number Two and the others in
the Village. McGoohan stated that the series aimed to demonstrate a
balance between the two points.[6]