19 replies to this topic

[DLibrasnow]

http://news.bbc.co.u...ent/4447216.stm

The Prisoner 'set for TV return'

Cult TV series The Prisoner could make a return after almost 40 years.
Sky One is said to be planning a new series inspired by the original which had Patrick McGoohan as a former secret agent trapped in an isolated town.
The show will not take place in the famous setting of the original - the north Wales village of Portmeirion - industry weekly Broadcast said.
But it is understood the themes of paranoia, conspiracy and identity crisis would remain.
Damien Timmer, who has been lined up to executive produce the show for Granada, told Broadcast the new series would take "liberties with the original" and would not retain its arty feel.
"Although it will be a radical reinvention, it will still be a heightened show," he added.
The original Prisoner ran for 17 episodes on ITV from 1967.
Bill Gallagher, the writer of the BBC's crime drama Conviction, is reported to be writing the new version.

[doublenoughtspy]

Wow!

Nice find Darren.

Let's hope they hire Timothy Dalton. Or Pierce even.

It was such a focused show - it will all fall on the lead actor. I hope they get someone interesting.

[Tarl_Cabot]

should be a film series.

[killkenny kid]

I don't know what to think about this one. The Prisoner is a classic. And we know how bad remakes have been these days.

[Moore Not Less]

I don't know what to think about this one. The Prisoner is a classic. And we know how bad remakes have been these days.

Some things are best left alone. The Prisoner is indeed a TV classic. It was bold, highly original, imaginitive, thought provoking, and years ahead of it's time. Patrick McGoohan was excellent as Number 6 and he was more than ably backed up by a great supporting cast which included Leo McKern, Peter Wyngarde and Derren Nesbitt amongst others.

If the new planned version turns out to be even half as good as the original then I will be surprised.

[dunmall]

i agree, the prisoner is a classic and really shouldn't be touched, however if they do a good job well that is different. I agree if it's even half as good as the original that is better then most remakes manage!

[Kara Milovy]

McGoohan owns the rights and has prevented the series from being bastardized. Any remake or continuance needs his okay, and he's been quite protective. If the series is in production it's with his blessing and might be quite good.

[Number 6]

It's like desecrating a grave...Just leave it be...

[templer1972]

I don't want a new TV series for The Prisoner.Thay should have bring it to big screen.I want Pierce Brosnan to play Number 6 and Quentin Tarantino directing it.The budget should be around USD50 million or less and not a USD100 million mess.

I dont see anyone suitable for Number 6 other then Brosnan.

[Qwerty]

McGoohan owns the rights and has prevented the series from being bastardized. Any remake or continuance needs his okay, and he's been quite protective. If the series is in production it's with his blessing and might be quite good.

Agreed. I'd like a new TV series rather than any film version.

[marktmurphy]

I don't know what to think about this one. The Prisoner is a classic. And we know how bad remakes have been these days.

Battlestar Galactica, Doctor Who... yeah some really bad remakes there!

I like the idea of them not just retreading the path of the original series; there's plenty more for the Prisoner to say and this could be real fun. The whole Sky thing doesn't inspire great confidence, but it could be good.

[spynovelfan]

It's not too late to sign up at my website, www.petitionforhughdancytobethenewnumbersix.com.

[Gabriel]

I'm not certain that McGoohan does own all the rights to The Prisoner. As far as I know, they're now in the hands of Granada who are making the show along with Sky. They picked them up when they took over Carlton who bagged the ITC back-catalogue.

And Granada these days is a feckin' EEEEVIL company. The only good thing is that, should the remake fail, it will only have been on Sky and will barely make an impact before it's consigned to the bottom drawer of some "Bad Ideas, Best Forgotten" cabinet.

I'm not sure any British writers have the imagination to write something bizarre like The Prisoner anymore. The Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) remake flat-lined and Doctor Who relies more on council estate soap opera, even when in deep space, than good solid fantasy adventure. There's a peculiar embarrassment that the British seem to feel about fantasy TV after years of social realism. UK fantasy writing, directing and acting always seems awkward and half-hearted.

I'd feel happier if The Prisoner remake series fell into the hands of US writer/producers like JJ Abrams, Joss Whedon, David Fury, David E Kelley, Aaron Spelling (remember that odd little show he produced called Twin Peaks?!) or Aaron Sorkin.

Edited by Gabriel, 13 January 2006 - 01:03 AM.

[Turn]

I'd feel happier if The Prisoner remake series fell into the hands of  US writer/producers like JJ Abrams, Joss Whedon, David Fury, David E Kelley, Aaron Spelling (remember that odd little show he produced called Twin Peaks?!) or Aaron Sorkin.

Abrahams could make it interesting at least. Kelley would set the show in Boston and have it set in a courtroom. Whedon would do it with angst-ridden teens and Spelling would do it with big hair and high fashion.

One guy I think would make a twisted, original take on The Prisoner is David Lynch.

[Qwerty]

[quote name='Turn' date='12 January 2006 - 20:14'][quote name='Gabriel' date='13 January 2006 - 01:01']I'd feel happier if The Prisoner remake series fell into the hands of

[Gabriel]

Abrahams could make it interesting at least. Kelley would set the show in Boston and have it set in a courtroom. Whedon would do it with angst-ridden teens and Spelling would do it with big hair and high fashion.

One guy I think would make a twisted, original take on The Prisoner is David Lynch.

Thing is, all these guys are TV pros who can turn their hands to whatever their shows require. They can do this with style and no sense of embarrassment!

[marktmurphy]

I'm not sure any British writers have the imagination to write something bizarre like The Prisoner anymore. The Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) remake flat-lined and Doctor Who relies more on council estate soap opera, even when in deep space, than good solid fantasy adventure. There's a peculiar embarrassment that the British seem to feel about fantasy TV after years of social realism. UK fantasy writing, directing and acting always seems awkward and half-hearted.

Oh, tish and pish. Dr Who is a family drama designed to appeal to as wide an audience as possible- the use of familiar characters and Earth locations was designed to ensure this. And using believable characters isn't 'soap opera'- it's drama.
The Prisoner won't be aiming for the same audience as Dr Who and British writers have all the imagination necessary to do it. Dr Who's success just made sure that the channel chiefs have been given the imagination.

[Hawkeye]

Agreed about Dr Who. Thought the new show was great - only thing i didn't like was them editing out the scull cracking noises in 'The Empty Child'.
I'm pretty excited by the idea of a prisoner re-make. Shame Portmeirion won't be featured though. I'd equally be happy with a film, but a TV series has chance for greater longevity. And as much as i love American TV, British writers are quite capable of this kind of show, it's only the restrictive nature of British television that prevents us from making the kind of splash in TV terms that the Americans can.

Edited by Hawkeye, 13 January 2006 - 04:12 PM.

[Gabriel]

Oh, tish and pish. Dr Who is a family drama designed to appeal to as wide an audience as possible- the use of familiar characters and Earth locations was designed to ensure this. And using believable characters isn't 'soap opera'- it's drama.
The Prisoner won't be aiming for the same audience as Dr Who and British writers have all the imagination necessary to do it. Dr Who's success just made sure that the channel chiefs have been given the imagination.

Sorry, but I think the new DW is way overrated, as is all the work of Russell T Davies and co. Five years from now, I'm pretty sure DW will have disappeared from our screens, remembered chiefly as a popular fad that faded as fast as it arrived!

Sorry to be blunt, but people are talking about the new DW as if it was the most innovative, original show ever made. It's an okay, badly-flawed and underbudgeted kids' show that owes a considerable debt to Buffy and Angel - at times, the homage-paying borders on out and out plagiarism!

And believable characters? Rose and her family are the worst kind of patronising, middle class, champagne socıalıst-written, idealised council estate stereotypes I've ever come across. And the acting is awful: unlike Americans, British actors never seem to believe in what they're performing!

Edited by Gabriel, 13 January 2006 - 07:01 PM.

[Q's step brother]

AT LAST! I was begining to think i was the only one on this planet who thought the same about New Who.

Agree with you 100%!!

Its a campy version of the original series, ripping off elements of Smallville and Buffy. Its also based on the 1979 series of Doctor Who, which was high camp and one of the worst seasons in its history. Funny how Whovians find that series hit and miss, but this new series excellent - basically because its up to date and has better special effects.