The Prisoner - remake

[APK]

This new TV series starts this evening (Nov 15) up here in Canada.
Looking forward to it, but do not know what to expect.

[mgriffin]

This prospect is a little alarming to me.  The Prisoner is one of those things I just hate to imagine being dumbed-down and smoothed-out.  I can't see how they'd manage to capture even a small part of what was so wonderful about the original, but I guess I hope I'm proved wrong... just like hope springs eternal for each new version of Dune!

[hdibrell]

This prospect is a little alarming to me.  The Prisoner is one of those things I just hate to imagine being dumbed-down and smoothed-out.  I can't see how they'd manage to capture even a small part of what was so wonderful about the original, but I guess I hope I'm proved wrong... just like hope springs eternal for each new version of Dune!

I feel the same way. I will be watching, of course, hoping for the best. If it's not any good I'll just return to my box set of the original for solace.

[APK]

The preview I saw showed some promise.
Looks like they are going for a very different look from the original.
We can but wait and see. There are 2 episodes showing today.

[LNerell]

The one review I heard said it was horrible, and this was from someone who claimed to love the original. I will hold judgement until I see it myself but I doubt it will be anywhere near as good as the original, from the preview it seems to be a much more straight ahead show then the original.

[APK]

I found that it lacks the character, charm, and quirky humor of the original.
They obviously put some effort and expense into it though.

[jblock]

It seemed more like The Truman Show to me, although I did like that the old man in the first bit was wearing the clothing style from the old series.

[mgriffin]

I dressed as Number Six one halloween.



Simple costume, actually... use white tape to make trim around the edge of an ordinary black jacket, make a round "6" badge, and wear some goofy white canvas shoes.

BCNU!

[darkenedsoul]

Saw the first two (dvr'd), recorded 2nd two (dvr'd) and I guess it wraps up tonight? I do like the doctor (think she's kinda sexy with that jennifer jason leigh overbite ;-) ). I am still trying to figure things out with it though. It's cool they showed the big white ball in there. Trying to figure out why #2's wife is being drugged daily but I think I know why, or have a suspicion. I wasn't sure how long this was going to run, i.e. # of episodes. Or if this is just a teaser to see how it goes over before they continue with episodes? Anyone know?

But it's different from original from what I can remember. I would like to get the original set on DVD if I can find it for a decent price.

Mike

[APK]

I think these 4 episodes are all they did. And it is probably complete.

I enjoyed episodes 3 and 4 more than 1 and 2.
If you forget comparisons to the original for a while, this is not a bad enigmatic show.

Final 2 episodes are on tonight.

[Paul Vnuk (Ma Ja Le)]

I am DV'ring the whole thing and waiting to watch it all together some rainy afternoon, of which lately we have many :-)

[LNerell]

FYI, if you don't want to know anything about the episodes until you have seen them, then you might want to skip over this post.

I've only watched the first two. I think its pretty funny that they are using the same titles for each episode that they used in the original series, but the shows don't even compare. Like the second episode called Harmony which in the original series was a western, while this version was more about the sea?    I guess the connection between the two are drugs being used for mind control, but it seems in the new version its way more covert and sinister then in the original. Anyone notice how everything seems to be stuck in the 1960s? The clothing, cars, etc. Those taxi's are late 1950s Renaults, the only reason I know that is because my cousin had one back in the late 60s.

Another thing I noticed, ITV are doing these shows, same company that did the original. Also, the white ball in the original series was called rover, so I guess that applies to this version unless they call it something else in the other episodes. So far I have to say the weakest part about the show is the music, feels to me like they just randomly dropped music in without much consideration.

[APK]

That turned out to be a lot better than I thought it would be.

[jblock]

I thought the final episodes were bad, and the ending even worse. It makes some of the leap-of-faith moments in the original more believable, which I never thought possible.

[SunDummy]

I missed the ending, mainly because I gave up on the show halfway through the last episode, when I realized that I really didn't give a shit about any of the characters or what was happening to them. 

It was boring enough to cause me to get out of the chair and paint my front porch closet, so in a sense, I got SOMETHING out of it...   

[zzzone.net]

The original series is now available on Blu-Ray.

[drkappa]

If they're so lacking in ideas in TV/film why don't they re-make
series or films that were poorly made/adapted the first time?  Instead
they pick on iconic work that would take much greater effort to do
better.  The excuse is often well we have much better effects now,
ignoring the importance of the script and story.

I shan't be watching the remade Prisoner, just as I wouldn't watch
the American version of "The Office" or the remade "Italian Job" etc.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[APK]

I shan't be watching the remade Prisoner, just as I wouldn't watch
the American version of "The Office" or the remade "Italian Job" etc.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I used to think that way ... and still do when it suits.
But in the arts everything is pretty much influenced by something else anyway.
Intertextuality, or riding on someone's shoulders, is par for the course .. and unavoidable.
So I'd generally prefer things based on what I like than take my chances with
an potentially mindless unknown.

I did like the (relatively recent) Italian Job remake.
And enjoyed the recent Prisoner. In the end it really does go its own way rather than
try to compete or mesh too closely with the original ... which is how it should be.
In the genre, but not mimicking.

APK