The Prisoner in other media

The Prisoner has been represented in several other media.

Novels

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Patrick McGoohan as Number Six, in a scene from the episode "Free for All", appears on the cover of the first continuation novel based upon the series.

Ace

Ace Books in the United States published three original novels based upon the television series.

• The Prisoner by Thomas M. Disch (later republished as I Am Not a Number!), issued in 1969, details the recapture of the Prisoner after he had been brainwashed to forget his original experience in the Village, and his struggles to remember what was taken from him and to escape.
• The Prisoner: Number Two by David McDaniel (also published as Who is Number Two?) and The Prisoner: A Day in the Life by Hank Stine, published 1969-70, are notable for stating explicitly that Number Six is John Drake from Danger Man.

Roger Langley

In the 1980s, Roger Langley of the Prisoner Appreciation Society wrote three novellas based upon the series:

• Charmed Life
• Think Tank
• When in Rome

These books were made available through the fan club, and at the Prisoner Shop in Portmeirion and are long out of print individually. They were reissued and revised in one volume as the Prisoner Trilogy, available from the Prisoner Shop in Portmeirion as well as from online sources.

Powys Media

Independent UK publisher that obtained the rights to The Prisoner (and Space: 1999) in the early 2000s. Its books were primarily available by mail-order only.

• The Prisoner's Dilemma by Jonathan Blum and Rupert Booth; introduction by J. Michael Straczynski (March 2005; ISBN 0-9677280-5-3)
• Miss Freedom by Andrew Cartmel (February 2008; ISBN 0-9677280-8-8)

Additional titles were announced by Powys, but as 2015 have yet to be published.

Comic books

DC Comics

Main article: Shattered Visage

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Motter's Number One, published by DC Comics

Shattered Visage is a four-issue comic book mini-series based on The Prisoner published by DC Comics. Illustrated by Mister X creator Dean Motter and co-written with Mark Askwith, this sequel series was later collected as a 208-page trade paperback, with the addition of a new prologue. The trade paperback remains in print.

The story was made into a 4-episode fan audio adaptation by BrokenSea Audio Productions in 2009. The audio series, adapted by Gareth Preston, adapts each of the four original issues of the miniseries. In late 2010 and early 2011, BrokenSea released an original 5-part sequel series to Shattered Visage entitled Torchbearer, also written by Preston. Both audio series are available for free download from BrokenSea's website.

Marvel Comics

The premise of the television series fascinated comic book artist Jack Kirby, who created a four-issue homage in 1969 in Fantastic Four #84-87, in which the superhero team finds itself in Doctor Doom's Latveria, a city like the Village in many respects. In the "Bullpen Bulletins" page in Marvel Comics cover-dated July 1976, Marvel announced a comic book based on The Prisoner, to be written by Steve Englehart and drawn by a then-unchosen artist and scheduled to be "starting this summer". The artist assigned to the project would be Gil Kane. When Jack Kirby returned to Marvel in the mid-70s after a run at DC Comics, the property was transferred to him. A test issue was put together but never completed (all 17 pages were scripted and pencilled by Kirby, but only parts were lettered and inked, by Mike Royer). Original artwork from this comic still exists and occasionally turns up for auction. Some of it has been published in the comic book fanzine The Jack Kirby Collector. The surviving artwork suggests that the first issue, at least, would have been an adaptation of "Arrival."

Computer games

Main article: The Prisoner (computer game)

In the early 1980s, Edu-Ware produced two computer games based upon the series for the Apple II computer. The first, titled simply, The Prisoner, was released in 1980, followed by a remake, Prisoner 2 in 1982.

Role-playing games

Steve Jackson Games' popular role-playing game system GURPS released a (now out of print) world book for The Prisoner. It included maps, episode synopses, details of the Village and its inhabitants, and much other material. For instance, it has suggestions for game scenarios with the premise interpretation for outer space, heroic fantasy, horror and even complete inversion into something akin to Hogan's Heroes.

Television

The sixth episode of The Simpsons' twelfth season, "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes", makes a reference to The Prisoner. The episode's third act, which serves as a parody of The Prisoner, features several references to the series. When the secret organization finds out about Homer's discovery, he is taken to a secret location called the "Island". The "Island" is modeled after the "Village", where Number Six is taken in The Prisoner. While he is in the "Island", Homer is repeatedly gassed by unexpected objects, a reference to the way Number Six would often be gassed in The Prisoner. While escaping the "Island", Homer is chased by a "big balloon". The balloon is a reference to Rover, a floating white ball in The Prisoner that was created to keep inhabitants in the "Village". Patrick McGoohan himself provided the voice of Number Six for this episode.

Numerous other series have featured episodes paying homage to The Prisoner, such as the 2000 version of The Invisible Man.

Film

A movie version of The Prisoner was in development hell for many years at Universal Pictures. At one point Simon West was attached as director, with Patrick McGoohan on board as an executive producer, script consultant, and possible cameo appearance. Christopher Nolan has also been reported to be considering a big-screen version. As of 2015 no remake has been announced since the 2009 AMC miniseries.

Advertising

LBC used various concepts from The Prisoner, in an advertising campaign in the mid 1980s reflecting London's role as a 'village' for its residents and commuters.

Audio dramas

On 5 January 2015, Big Finish Productions, best known for its long-running series of BBC-licensed audio dramas based upon Doctor Who, announced that it will be producing licensed audio dramas based upon The Prisoner, with the first scheduled for release in 2016 and that Mark Elstob will portray Number Six in the new series. The first series, containing new reimaginings of three original series scripts ("Arrival", "The Schizoid Man" and "The Chimes of Big Ben") and one new story ("Your Beautiful Village") and written/directed by Nicholas Briggs, was released in January 2016 and was well received. The first series also featured John Standing, Celia Imrie, Ramon Tikaram and Michael Cochrane as "Number Two" and Helen Goldwyn as "The Village Voice/Operatons Controller". A second series is being made and is due for release in January 2017.

Festival

The main character of The Prisoner, Number Six inspired the name of Festival N°6 which takes place since 2012 at the village of Portmeirion. This music and art festival is celebrating each year Number Six's way of thinking, that is reflection and independence of mind.

Music

Although the main title theme was composed by Ron Grainer, the incidental music used in the series came from a wide variety of sources, including library music and cues from established composers such as Wilfrid Josephs and Albert Elms.

Soundtracks

Silva Screen Records released two editions of soundtrack CDs, a three-volume set in the early 1990s, and another three-volume set in the early 2000s subtitled "Files" that included music not included in the previous issue along with dialogue excerpts.

An single-LP soundtrack release was issued by Six of One for its membership in the 1980s and is considered a collector's item; titled The Prisoner: Original Soundtrack Music from the TV Series Starring Patrick McGoohan, the album was later issued by Bamcaruso Records (WEBA 066) in a deluxe edition that included The Making of the Prisoner, a booklet on the series by Roger Langley, a map of the Village, and a poster featuring a hand-drawn image of Number 6 being chased by Rover.

In December 2007, it was announced that Network DVD would be releasing a new 3xCD set of the soundtrack, compiled by series music editor Eric Mival, which would include a facsimile of his "music bible" used during the making of the series.

Related music

Additionally, The Prisoner has inspired many notable musicians:

• The almost eighteen-minute long track "McGoohan's Blues" from Roy Harper's 1969 album Folkjokeopus was, according to Harper, inspired by "McGoohan's depiction of the establishment rebel". Harper had previously used an extract from the episode "Free For All" on the track "Circle" from his 1967 album "Come Out Fighting Ghengis Smith".
• The British heavy metal band Iron Maiden have written two songs based on The Prisoner: "The Prisoner" from The Number of the Beast (which features an original sample of the dialogue that runs over the opening titles, for which personal permission from Patrick McGoohan was obtained) and "Back In The Village" from Powerslave.
• Another British Metal Band "Blitzkrieg" wrote a song called "Escape From The Village" which is based on the Prisoner and uses many lines from the show in its lyrics. It is featured on their 2006 album "Sins and Greed"
• The 1982 album I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape by The Times, features the song by the same name and was accompanied by a humorous tongue in cheek video based on the series. The album also features their version of the Danger Man theme.
• The Clash released a song called "The Prisoner" inspired by the series.
• Dr Feelgood released an album in 1977 called Be Seeing You, a catchphrase from the series, which was being re-shown at the time. The album claimed to be "produced by Number 2 for Number 6", and sleeve photos featured band members wearing piped blazers and scarves, similar to those in the series, whilst penny farthing badges were also displayed.
• A rap song entitled "The Prisoner" by F.A.B. and M.C. No. 6 from Telstar records.
• A sample from The Prisoner is in the song "Information/32nd Theme Song" by Toenut on the album Information.
• The music video for "See Those Eyes" by Altered Images was filmed in Portmeirion and features Prisoner costumes and props, such as Rover.
• The music video for "The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul" and "The Meeting Place" by XTC (found in the album "Skylarking") was also filmed in Portmeirion and featured the band in "Prisoner" costumes and props.
• The music video for "Alright" by Supergrass was filmed at least in part in Portmeirion and features Prisoner costumes and props, such as the ubiquitous Pennyfarthing and people in typical "Village" garb.
• Merseyside band Alternative Radio released "Fallout" in 1990; samples of dialogue are used over a club dance track. A version with the dialogue in French is known to exist. The cover features Rover enveloping a victim.
• The programme inspired the album The Girl Who Was... Death by Mr. Doctor and his band Devil Doll.
• The Prisoner also inspired the naming of the band thenewno2, featuring George Harrison's son, Dhani Harrison.
• Songwriter Michael Penn's CD "Resigned" featured cover artwork duplicating the file cabinet and x'd-out photo from the credits of The Prisoner. His previous CD was entitled "Free For All," the title of a Prisoner episode.
• Mansun's second album Six was influenced by the programme which the band cited as a favourite of theirs.
• Just Give 'Em Whisky, first track on the debut album by Colourbox features samples from The Prisoner.
• British band Pure Reason Revolution sometimes sample dialogue from the prisoner at gigs at the start of debut album opener Aeropause. This involves Number Two's declaration that "If you insist on living a dream you may be taken for mad".
• Heavy Metal band Fozzy released a cover of Iron Maiden's "The Prisoner". However, instead of sampling dialogue from the show's opening, the dialogue is spoken by the band
• The Higher Intelligence Agency track "Speedlearn" builds on a sample from the episode "The General"
• American drum/bass rock duo Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling is named after the episode of The Prisoner and plays only songs based on the show. They also released a video for the song "Episode 1 - Arrival" that served as a full recreation of the opening sequence of the show.
• In 2001 Future Legend Records (London, UK) released the album Another Number by Australian composer Carmel Morris. This album was composed entirely of new music inspired by the series. David Nettheim added guest voice over (he played the character of the Doctor in The Prisoner episode 'Schizoid Man'). The album is still available on iTunes. Music videos shot at Portmeirion aired on UK television in 2002. The album was re-issued by IODA in 2010. Music videos can be found on YouTube.
• The 1992 release We Want Information by the artist Gravity contains several samples from The Prisoner.
• David Shea's 1994 album Prisoner features music directly inspired by the series; in keeping with the show's theme, the album's tracks are identified by number only.