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6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
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bluehinter
11/17/09

In reply to 6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
Gotta say I agree with all 6 of those.

The only prisoner remake I was ever excited about was the one that was supposed to star Clive Owen several years ago. I think even McGoohan was cool with the idea, which surprised me.

Sadly, I think you can sum all six of those up under the single massive crime of "Not knowing exactly which direction to go, so attempting to find a middle ground on everything."

Watching these last 4 hours has been like watching a tug of war between one show that wants to remain faithful to the spirit of Patrick McGoohan, and one that wants to be Lost. The end result is a 'good idea one minute, terrible idea the next' trainwreck. #theprisoner
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tetracycloide
11/17/09

In reply to 6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
as someone that has enjoyed what i've seen so far (hours 1 and 2) i must say i find myself agreeing that 6's lack of violence is perplexing. he's been around 2 dozens of times and in every scene where they're together i can't help put wonder what would happen if he palmed a stiletto and stabbed him in the neck. #theprisoner
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Edited by tetracycloide at 11/17/09 6:42 AM tetracycloide was starred tetracycloide was unstarred

Charlie Jane Anders
11/17/09

@tetracycloide: Apparently if he kills 2, that means that 2 has won. Why? We don't know. #theprisoner
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gorehound
11/17/09

In reply to 6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
No More YARM for me.I can always watch the real Prisoner that is the 1960's original.Hollywood time to stop raping people's past and write new things. #theprisoner
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englund
11/17/09

@gorehound: bravo. yet another piss-take from us americans. bbc make a fine series. hollywood runs out of original ideas, and tries to make it fit for american tv. wrong-wrong, mad-mad. i was originally excited to hear about this on amc, i love madmen. then i started seeing the preview spots. i am pretty sure i am not going to waste my time, even with a dvr. #theprisoner
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Charlie Jane Anders approved this comment englund was starred englund was unstarred

Charlie Jane Anders
11/17/09

@englund: Actually the BBC didn't make the original Prisoner -- it was ITV. #theprisoner
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Smeagol92055
11/16/09

In reply to 6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
Thou Shalt Not Attempt to Out-Lynch David lynch.

It's damn near impossible, and if you actually succeed, you may just end up accidentally summoning an Elder God from beyond the Void. #theprisoner
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ggodo, the man from R.O.A.C.H.
11/16/09

@Smeagol92055: Where do you think Slanesh came from? #theprisoner
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Cupajo
11/16/09

In reply to 6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
I agree with the 6 things you talked about. But even with all that, I think "snorefest" is a little harsh. I mildly enjoyed last night's episodes and I'll watch the next two nights as well. I may even go back and watch them again off of my TiVo. But I doubt I'll watch them again after that and I certainly won't buy the DVD until it hits a bargain bin.
Maybe I've just successfully detached this show from the original in all but the most basic premises. #theprisoner
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Darklighter
11/16/09

In reply to 6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
I'm going to say something very unpopular. My father, a die-hard Prisoner fan, had me watch the first couple episodes of the original a couple years ago, and I was bored out of my mind. I never finished the series. So far, I'm finding this version much more interesting. #theprisoner
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Chip Overclock
11/16/09

In reply to 6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
One of the aspects I liked about the original was you had no idea who was running The Village: the British Government? The Soviet Union? The Chinese? Some crazy precursor of Guantanamo Bay? Or even some non-governmental conspiracy theory entity like the Illuminati?

I suppose we still don't know for sure even now who runs The Village. But I felt like the show was calling out Evil Corp. a little too quickly.

It was also clear that in the original, the masters of The Village had contact with the outside world. I can sorta appreciate the existential angst of being convinced that The Village is all there is. But you'd have to be pretty damn stupid not to wonder where the construction material to fix the diner came from.

I admire the new version for trying to find its own way. But I think the writers should have thought about it a little more. #theprisoner
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rufustfyrfly
11/16/09

@Chip Overclock: I loved that, too. The only clue we got was that at least some high-ups in UK intelligence were complicit in sending 6 back to The Village.

We also had no real idea what the truth behind Number 6 was. He was adamant about his principles and individuality, sure. And we assume he didn't defect or intend to sell state secrets to the USSR because he's Our Hero. But we don't really know either way. Nor should we. #theprisoner
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RRich
11/16/09

In reply to 6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
Snorefest is right, Charlie Jane.

Saw the first bit, but the rest?

I won't be seeing you. #theprisoner
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RRich was starred RRich was unstarred

cylon_conspiracy
11/16/09

In reply to 6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
What's up with the first photo? I thought Jesus had long hair and a beard when he was crucified. And I don't think they had freaking grenades back then.

Mel Gibson is totally out of it. #theprisoner
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omgwtflolbbqbye
11/16/09

@cylon_conspiracy: Yea, but he at least made sure to change"Number Two"'s name to "Number Jew". #theprisoner
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phoghat
11/16/09

In reply to 6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
I'm recording the whole series and will FF through the dull parts.
It just seems that in the reboot they just turned the volumedown from 11 to more like 5.
As far as reasons 6 and 5, TOS hard only 1 real emotion #6 had and that was hate not ennui . #theprisoner
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RRich
11/16/09

@phoghat: Ha! The whole thing is dull! Seriously. #theprisoner
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RRich was starred RRich was unstarred

wanion
11/16/09

In reply to 6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
I'm going to go ahead and greenlight this Jason Bourne vs. normality and niceness show. I want a spec script on my desk in the morning. It will be the first show written entirely in lolcat-script.

Also, I think a lot of your criticisms about how the new show strays away from the point of the original wouldn't be so bad if the new show actually found a way to re-frame the conflict, but it seems they couldn't think of anything compelling to hang the drama on so they just went for a straight up modernization, by which I mean, threw in a bunch of more current cliches and got rid of the most of the quirks of the original.
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Edited by wanion at 11/16/09 5:06 PM wanion was starred wanion was unstarred

Charlie Jane Anders
11/16/09

@wanion: That's really Steven Barnes' idea. And I would kill to see it. #theprisoner
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omgwtflolbbqbye
11/16/09

@wanion: Ever since the 3rd movie I've thought about how awesome it would be if we got a Rambo: First Blood story out of Jason Bourne.

He returns to his quaint little Missouri town to settle down and reclaim his David Webb identity, but his post-ops trauma still haunts him and he snaps during the town's annual Apple Blossom Ball and ends up krav magaing the entire town to death mistaking his neighbors for sleeper cells.
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Edited by omgwtflolbbqbye at 11/16/09 5:18 PM omgwtflolbbqbye was starred omgwtflolbbqbye was unstarred

WestMantooth
11/16/09

In reply to 6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
Well, I can't argue with anything you've said since I haven't seen the original and only the first two hours of this.

I would say, if the first Prisoner was man vs. man and man vs. society, then this would kind of have to explore man vs. himself. Jimmy isn't the best at this I admit. Should have had someone you really wonder if he's on the edge of losing it at any time.

At this point, it sort of reminds me of Where the wild Things Are movie which is why I like it. The entire Village just seems too made-up. It's feels like he's just fighting hmself wandering the desert trying to keep himself psyched up for whatever the hell went wrong.

At least that's what I'm telling myself so I keep watching!lol #theprisoner
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PostMarque
11/16/09

In reply to 6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
i tried to like this show, it didn't feel tight enough for me. it even skimped on the male nudity. seriously the black muscle shirt and boxer shorts coupled with poor lighting... did nothing to raise the star as a sex symbol... cause you know the scripting wasn't enough to do it. #theprisoner
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J_Frank_Parnell
11/16/09

In reply to 6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
After struggling to finish the second hour last night I've decided not to finish the series. I really looked for a reason to like it, but alas, none could be found. McGoohan must be rolling in his grave.

AMC, I won't be seeing you. #theprisoner
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rek
11/16/09

In reply to 6 Things The New "Prisoner" Changed For The Worse
The only really surreal thing I noticed was the tiny map that unfolded to the size of a bed sheet...

Overall I wasn't impressed. #theprisoner
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