I just bought the A&E-sponsored DVD package of episodes. It's really good; you get an interactive Village map, trivia questions, and a cool gallery, in addition to the episodes---the "alternate" version of "Chimes of Big Ben" alone makes it worth having.
In watching "Free For All" for the first time in ages, I was struck by the number of things that McGoohan & Co. foreshadowed, way back in 1967, that happened on 11/2/04. Mind you, the episode's "election" is a plot to ingrain upon Number 6 how futile his resistance to The Village will be, ot a chance to anoint a new leader for that community. However, consider the parallels to our own recent voting misadventure:
: Number 6 is flattered and intrigued by Number 2's suggestions that he should run. We often court our candidates into running by flattering them in the news media and to their faces, writing to their offices, and so forth.
: Number 6 decides to run on a single issue---unmasking Number 1 and his cohorts. Single-issue candidates run, and win, all the time in our real elections.
: The second 6 announces his candidacy, placards and posters are revealed to bear his likeness, as if his intention to run were predicted in some way. Likewise, our own system is rather less than unpredictable.
: Number 6 must convince a secret group of what he politely calls "tailor's dummies" that he is sincere in his wish to be elected. Candidates have to kowtow to a dizzying array of lobbies, focus groups, and constituencies, seducing them all about how they will be "Number 1" in his heart and mind when he wins.
: Number 6 is lured to an illicit watering hole, where he gets good and drunk with the incumbent Number 2; later, 6 collapses, while 2 reveals himself to be completely sober and solid of purpose. Our two-party system increasingly looks like one big, chummy party whose "enemies" play sports and take vacations with one another and their families all the time.
: Number 6 gives a series of scathingly rude answers to the media representatives, usually a harshly barked "No comment"---but the journalists simply snap his picture and make up their own answers to their own questions. Surely there is no resemblance to real-life media organizations implied herein.
: The election's outcome is never in serious doubt - 6 wins, as arranged by Number 1. However, when 6 takes the office, he discovers that he is powerless to say or do anything to rouse the other Villagers to revolt, nor can he effect an escape of his own. Looking back on past presidents, we can see how far short of their initial rhetorical boasts their actual records usually fall; they may have the office, but they lack real power to change the country.
In watching "Free For All" for the first time in ages, I was struck by the number of things that McGoohan & Co. foreshadowed, way back in 1967, that happened on 11/2/04. Mind you, the episode's "election" is a plot to ingrain upon Number 6 how futile his resistance to The Village will be, ot a chance to anoint a new leader for that community. However, consider the parallels to our own recent voting misadventure:
: Number 6 is flattered and intrigued by Number 2's suggestions that he should run. We often court our candidates into running by flattering them in the news media and to their faces, writing to their offices, and so forth.
: Number 6 decides to run on a single issue---unmasking Number 1 and his cohorts. Single-issue candidates run, and win, all the time in our real elections.
: The second 6 announces his candidacy, placards and posters are revealed to bear his likeness, as if his intention to run were predicted in some way. Likewise, our own system is rather less than unpredictable.
: Number 6 must convince a secret group of what he politely calls "tailor's dummies" that he is sincere in his wish to be elected. Candidates have to kowtow to a dizzying array of lobbies, focus groups, and constituencies, seducing them all about how they will be "Number 1" in his heart and mind when he wins.
: Number 6 is lured to an illicit watering hole, where he gets good and drunk with the incumbent Number 2; later, 6 collapses, while 2 reveals himself to be completely sober and solid of purpose. Our two-party system increasingly looks like one big, chummy party whose "enemies" play sports and take vacations with one another and their families all the time.
: Number 6 gives a series of scathingly rude answers to the media representatives, usually a harshly barked "No comment"---but the journalists simply snap his picture and make up their own answers to their own questions. Surely there is no resemblance to real-life media organizations implied herein.
: The election's outcome is never in serious doubt - 6 wins, as arranged by Number 1. However, when 6 takes the office, he discovers that he is powerless to say or do anything to rouse the other Villagers to revolt, nor can he effect an escape of his own. Looking back on past presidents, we can see how far short of their initial rhetorical boasts their actual records usually fall; they may have the office, but they lack real power to change the country.
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Texas
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