The Prisoner- Cult TV Series Review

I have been a film aficionado for a long time. My father brought me up on classics like David Lean's adaptations of Oliver Twist and Great Expectations as well as the various black and white classic comedies of Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy. However, I became interested in cult TV series and films whilst attending University. Our campus was media-centered and as a result it had a huge catalogue of videos to rent, free of charge. I ploughed through many often taking the maximum 8 out at a time and consumed them voraciously. As a result, I believe that I am quite literate in films and TV but the series that really attract me are the more offbeat curios that were before my time and appreciating them for what they were, whether that be Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Twin Peaks, Children of the Stones, Ghost Stories for Christmas, Tales of the Unexpected, The Twilight Zone (in my opinion, the pop culture lodestone for so much that followed) or the myriad of niche films and series of yesteryear.

There was one series that I kept hearing a lot about so I thought I'd right that wrong; I would watch The Prisoner. I knew of The Prisoner through The Simpsons parody but also from reading various publications and magazines that spoke of the series in reverential tones.

Viewing the show with no nostalgia attached, I could see why the series has maintained a cult status. Like Twin Peaks, of which I am a huge fan of, the more one delves into the quirkiness, the lore and the theories, the more one appreciates what was done. It has clearly inspired many shows including Lost, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The X Files and so many more.

It is a singular show and it's tight 17 episode run keeps it evergreen by avoiding bloat and repetition... I mean, there's only so many ways you can attempt to escape by boat!

Patrick McGoohan is compelling in the role as 6.

The series is now seen as cult with its allegory of sociopolitics, but it was a prime time show when it was initially released. I don't know how Patrick McGoohan managed to get funding for it as it is so ahead of its time yet of its time; the Cold War was alive and well and the fear permeates this singularly psychedelic and Kafkaesque show with some real world analogies. However, it also embraced the Summer of Love with its fashion, crazy carnival of colours and The Beatles' All You Need is Love.

The show sure goes to some odd places, such as Once Upon a Time where 6 is brainwashed and regresses to certain points of his earlier life, or Free For All where he becomes a demagogue.  However, it does make a weird kind of sense and shows the hopelessness of it all. In the words of 2, it doesn't matter if it's East or West who control the Village, it is '... a perfect blueprint for World Order'.

In Free For All, which is a very disorienting episode that looks at electioneering, it examines democracy in a vapid society where there is the guise of free media and culture. It could be analogous for much of the world today.
In Chimes of Big Ben, a pretentious art competition sees 6 create a flat pack boat and sell it off as a chapel door with a cross. He wins the competition, after being heavily supported by 2, and wins. This sideways look at the pretentiousness and corporate interests in art is a very unsubtle thumb of the nose to the art work of the 60s.

Other episodes I particularly liked include Hammer into Anvil, which sees 6 do some outlandish things in order to confuse and befuddle 2 into thinking there is a conspiracy against him, and Checkmate, which sees 6 combine with other uncooperatives to escape from the island. But, who can he truly trust?

There were a few others that I didn't care for, generally amongst the latter half of the series, but they were still worth a watch as they added to the mythos of the show.

The finale, Fall Out, is an extraordinary piece of work. It is utterly incomprehensible at first viewing, at least for me, but by piecing ideas from various episodes you can make a kind of sense, much like Twin Peaks: The Returns episode 8. I don't get it all but think The Prisoner is all about the power of the individual which is supreme but also about how individuality affects the social fabric so it is oppressed by those in power. The reason 6 resigned and what he was involved in are not the important things here, nor is the question of who or what number 1 is. What matters more is the vibe of the show which looks at the surreal, psychedelic and counter-culture movements and how it is seemingly a threat to common society- a fear held by many Libertarians.

I read the essential I Am (Not) a Number: Decoding The Prisoner by Alex Cox and his theory is one that rings true for me. I can get behind his theory and, with the passing of time, it seems the most accurate in my understanding of what the series is about.

Overall, I loved the show and even thought the central mystery remains for me, like it does for my theories of Twin Peaks, it will remain long in my memory.

LINK- Children of the Stones: Cult TV Series Review

LINK- Dead of Night: Cult TV Review

LINK- The Stone Tapes: Cult TV Review

LINK- Tom’s Midnight Garden: Cult TV Review

LINK- Children of the Dogstar: Cult TV Series Review

LINK- How to be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by Mike Schur- Book Review

LINK- The Good Place and Philosophy- Book Review

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

LINK- ‘Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire’ LINK: Elden Ring- Videogames As Art

Cabinet of Curiosities- Complete Cult Series Review

I do love a good anthology series. The idea of many little stories, based on an overarching theme, always appealed to me as if you didn't really like a story another one would soon be up and it might be more your cup of tea. I've watched many Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone, Goosebumps, Are You Afraid of the Dark? as well as the BBC series such as Ghost Stories for Christmas amongst many other 70s horror anthologies and I can never get enough.

When I first heard of Cabinet of Curiosities I was excited, but when I heard it would be produced by Guillermo Del Toro, one of the best writers and directors of our time and a huge cult horror nerd I was ecstatic. Over the course of a couple of weeks, I watched the entire run of 8 episodes. Here's my breakdown of each episode and my opinions.

Lot 36
When an auction lands a desperate man a storage room, he finds that it's mostly junk. However, there are a few books and accoutrements linked to the dark arts and a collector seems interested in these. To pay off his debts how far will he be willing to go?
This was an amazing episode as the main protagonist comes across as a rude and bigoted man, so when he gets his comeuppance it seems well deserved. The directing is solid and the special effects are excellent with the 'big bad' reveal.

Graveyard Rats
A gravedigger and robber eyes the riches of a deceased man but the rats in the graveyard pose a threat. With debts to pay, will he be able to secure the goods, pay off the debtors and enrich himself? As he searches in the tunnels under the graveyard he finds the black church and creatures from nightmares.
This is a tight episode clocking in at under 40 minutes but it is filled with tension. The moments when the man is crawling through the tunnels are terrifyingly claustrophobic and the creatures are horrendous. A favourite of mine.

The Autopsy
When a mining disaster devastates a community the sheriff calls upon an old pathologist pal to investigate. What they find is unexpected and possibly extra terrestrial so the pathologist starts to carry out an autopsy.
The cinematography in this film is impressive and recalls Friedkin's The Exorcist. The noirish lighting, hues of black and amber gold, lend it an intimate yet unnerving feel. The story is very creative and, even though it is an alien parasite story, the denouement has a big payoff and that is mostly due to the masterful acting of F. Murray Abraham.

The Outside
A bank clerk struggles with her self-esteem and is sold on a beauty product which is apparent transformative. Will it provide the results she wants without any monkey’s paw ending?
This is a curiously quirky episode as it reminds me of the pushy neighbour scene in Edward Scissorhands, where everything is retro stylised up to 11. The story is quite interesting and goes some places but it wasn't one of my favourites as it was look quirky.

Pickman's Model
When an artist encounters a new, more mature college colleague they bond over an appreciation of art. However, when Pickman, the older artist shares paintings of cosmic horrors it haunts the man and his family.
This is a true homage to H. P. Lovecraft with the unnameable cosmic horrors that exist outside the realms of our imagination entering the real world through Pickman's art . This is a dark gothic piece and ratchets up the tension throughout. At points, it reminded me of the classic Nintendo Gamecube game Eternal Darkness. If you get that reference then you'll know that's high praise indeed.

The Murmuring
An enthusiastic ornithological couple go on a work trip to an island to research the murmuration of the local dunlin population. Whilst there, they stay at an old coastal mansion where spooky goings on occur. It brings to the fore the underlying grief felt by the couple at the loss of their child.
This is a moody episode, much in the style of an M. R. James story in that outsiders visit a new place and encounter ghostly goings on featuring an angry mother and a dripping wet child. The sound effects are suitably spooky and the tone is set for a solid haunted house mystery about the circumstances of the previous owners' demise.

The Viewing
Four strangers are requested to meet at a successful but reclusive eccentric businessman's house. They don't know why they are called but they go nonetheless. The astrophysicist, musical prodigy, bestselling author and alternative therapy guru are regaled with their success and are pushed to be even better by their amiable host before being introduced to a mysteriously acquired item. What is it and where did it come from?
This starts off as a typical haunted house mystery in which you think the guests will have to work together to get to the bottom of the mystery and find how they are all connected, like the Saw franchise. But this is different. Peter Weller gives a suitably creepy performance as the drug addled owner of The Sandpiper House who is a wordsmith who craves power and knowledge, but it is the creature that emerges that is pure brilliance. The set design is amazing and the cinematography phenomenal in presenting a late 70s opulence style via 2001: A Space Odyssey. The red light diffusion adds the film an eerie tinge whilst the conclusion is startling and gory as the best body horror is.

Dreams in the Witch House
An adaptation of a Lovecraft short story where a brother tries to reach the other side after his sister's spirit is taken by a ghost when she was young. Growing up, he seeks a way across the bridge between this material world and the spirit Plain to bring her back but it carries a lot of risks.

The story is a bit of a trippy classic and pretty unfilmable in its original form but this version makes it more linear and accessible. Rupert Grint does a great job as the down on his luck brother doing all he can to rescue his sibling. The ending is bittersweet but end with a joie de vivre ditty.

I thoroughly loved Cabinet of Curiosities as, through his short introductions, Del Toro adds a dash of ringmaster to these takes and recalls Rod Serling. Also like Serling, Del Toro is able to disguise his social and political commentary through these short parables. By setting the stories in the past or the future, with sci-fi and fantasy settings, Serling could present his social criticisms without attracting any ire from the viewers or television sponsors and advitisers. Seemingly, the fantastical elements made the content more palatable. In this case, Del Toro doesn't care about any criticism, he is just heading a smorgasbord of horror talent, many of which carry a social commentary. But then, most horror is successful as it amplifies societies fears and often personifies them in a terrifying monster.

Love, Death + Robots- Season 2 Review

Love, Death + Robots is a Netflix backed anthology series of sci-fi stories that mixes cutting-edge animation styles with quick fire storylines. Each episode is stand-alone and with the longest episode clocking in at just over 18 minutes, you’re never too far away from a new world and new ideas. Obviously, this means that some episodes will chime more than others depending upon your tastes but they are all uniformly solid. I liked season 1 just fine but felt that, given the freedom to create, a lot of the short films were trying to be too edge-lordy and reminded me of the anime and manga often released in England in the early 90s when it was trying to gain a foothold; the more violent, gratuitous stuff wasn't always representative of the best the medium had to offer and so it is was with season 1.

Would season 2 be better? I have written a brief synopsis and my views of those episodes briefly.

Automated Customer Service- When an automated vacuum cleaner goes rogue and turns into a killbot, an elderly lady and her pet dog fight for their life whilst waiting in the dreaded customer service queue.

The animation is distinctive with human looking faces but small extremities, it's a bit distracting and unsettling. The story is darkly humorous and relatable, I mean who hasn't been kept waiting with some 'Your call is important to us... You are number 265 in the queue' etc. It's felt dystopian for us all at some point, right?

Ice- On a cold planet, where most people have been modded and augmented, a teenage Earth boy struggles to fit in. Going out to see the frost whales with his younger, augmented brother he meets a motley crew of locals who do a death run against the creatures.

The art style is noirish and angular with a lot of dark colours. The animation is chromatic in style and didn't really appeal to me but different strokes for different folks eh. The made up 'foreign' language and mixed up English adds a further dimension.

Pop Squad- In the future people can prolong their lives but this inhibits their reproductive capability. Some choose to forgo their immortality to breed but they are hunted by the police and terminated. A cop struggles with the toll of taking the lives of children.

This is a beautifully cgi animated short and reminds me of Blade Runner with the constant rain and decaying metropolis motif. It's quite powerful and is a strong episode.

Snow in the Desert- A traveller with regenerative powers is sought by officials and the more unscrupulous elements of society. So, he lives off grid, trying to survive by himself until a chance meeting with a cop changes all that.

The animation is realistic but the main character looks a cross between Rutger Hauer and Boris Becker. No knock against it but it is off putting in this well realised short tale about the journey being more important than the destination. In this case, the journey to find connection.

The Tall Grass- When a train is stopped in its tracks by a shortage of steam a passenger explores the lights in the tall grass nearby. However, this leads to dire consequences.

This is an effective story and the painterly rotoscoped animation lends it a certain distinctive style. The drama is intense and at times it feels like a QTE in a videogame; this is meant as a compliment.

All Through the House- When two young children hear noises on Christmas Eve, they think it's the jolly man. Instead, what they encounter is a totally different festive beast.

The stop motion animation style is big and expressive and the story is darkly humorous.

Life Hutch- When an astronaut crash lands on a planet and seeks refuge in a life hutch, he faces off against a maintenance robot that has malfunctioned. Will he find a way to stay alive?

This is a very strong episode as Michael B. Jordan is a very strong actor and the CGI works well around his central performance.

The Drowned Giant- A dead giant's body washes up on the beach and enthrall the people of the island. As the slow decay of the body occurs, a documentarian shares his thought on life, the Universe and everything.

This is an odd duck indeed, very surreal like you are watching a nature documentary complete with voice over. Very affecting and effective indeed.

Overall, the season is okay with less sex and violence but many of the stories are not that interesting. The highlight for me was 'The Drowned Giant' as it tried something unusual and the documentary style of presentation drew me in. Overall, season 2 builds on the solid work of season 1 but it make incremental steps forward rather than huge leaps. Here's hoping season 3 nails it.

LINK- Love, Death + Robots- Season 1 Review

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

LINK- Nintendo: My One True Gaming ConstantLINK- Children of the Stones: Cult TV Series Review

LINK- Dead of Night: Cult TV Review

LINK- The Stone Tapes: Cult TV Review

LINK- Tom’s Midnight Garden: Cult TV Review

LINK- The Future Starts Here: An Optimistic Guide to What Comes Next- Book Review

LINK- Uncharted 4- Video Games As Art

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

T-Bag and the Pearls of Wisdom- Cult TV Series Review

I was ill a couple of weeks ago, nothing serious mind you, but I was having some strange fever dreams. Suddenly, a few images came to mind; some pearls, a tea pot, some theatre style backgrounds and a weird witch with a strange cadence to her voice. Waking up I tried to make sense of it all and realised that I'd been dreaming about a television programme from my youth. Yup, I'd been dreaming about T-Bag and the Pearls of Wisdom.

I loved the show as a kid and it was an enjoyable watch even now

I hadn't thought about the show for many years and, looking back with hindsight, it's a strange show now and was weirder even in my youth. The tale of a magic teapot, a tea plant that grants powers, a boy names T.Shirt who works in an old junk shop and is her tea caddy and a little girl seeking various macguffins over a myriad of Mario World locations is a strange story but it was all so... enjoyable.

Researching it, I found that there were 9 series and 4 specials but Pearls of Wisdom (series 5 I think) was the one I remembered the most as it had the girl I remembered and saw years later in sitcom The Upper Hand, Kellie Bright. However there were a few beforehand with a different protagonist and antagonist but the story was much the same, just a different macguffin to collect.

I looked for it online and saw that some kind soul had put the entire series on YouTube. Watching it over the course of the day, I have to say that I found the whole thing wonderfully nostalgic but also highly entertaining in a pantomime kind of way. The jokes about the flea circus, 'mind the cat', broken mirror curses, 'hopping mad', are all very cheesy and sweet in just the right way. The show is cheaply made but the matt art paintings are beautiful and the theatre style broad acting was immediately intriguing. The new setting each week kept the show fresh and interesting and watching in one go I loved the set dressing and costumes.

Over the several episodes we see Sally travel to the Wild West, Scotland, Victorian England, 1800s century British navy ship, Ancient Egypt, Merry England and Beau Geste era Morocco. It's pretty much a fetch quest in that she wants the pearls but has to jump through some hoops to get them in a fair and ethical manner.

It's a very British show as I don't think any other country would get away with so many tea based puns but it's wholesome, gentle and very 80s/ early 90s . Finding out about the actors I could see that they hailed from my part of the woods with T-shirt coming from Barking (my neck of the woods) , T-bag from Ilford and Sally from Brentwood... all very local.

I'm much better now and back at work but if I tried to explain to someone who hadn't seen the show or heard of it the premise, I think they'd still think I was unwell and fevered.