THE UNMUTUAL PRISONER ARTICLE ARCHIVE
"PROGRESS?" By Adrian Hudson
Many things
must have changed in the years since "The Prisoner" was first broadcast,
but it seems the warnings it was trying to give become more relevant as the
years pass. Society is becoming dependant on technology. We now have DVD and
CD players, car stereos, microwaves, satellite TV, computers in every office
and McDonalds on every street corner. If any of these are missing from our lives
then we feel inadequate and inferior. People need their television, their computer
print-outs, their digital sound and their fast food. They cannot imagine life
without them. It seems that to turn your back on technology is to turn your
back on society, and "the lone wolf belongs to the wilderness".
I think we "Prisoner" fans often desire to be "lone wolves",
but we think it is impossible. The best we can manage is to find some like-minded
people, discuss our ideas and enjoy our small moments of escape, even if they
are as seldom as once a year. "Once Upon A Time" stands out forme
as a powerful allegory on the difficulties of trying to live our lives as we
would wish. There is constant pressure from our parents, teachers, bosses and
friends. It seems that challenging authority can only result in defeat, or worse,
becoming the authority figure we hate. However, other episodes give more positive
messages, that there is humour in every situation and that human values can
triumph in even the most oppressive or hopeless conditions.
I always find watching "Fall Out" to be a very positive experience.
It gives us hopethat through the realisation of the evil in ourselves, some
small changes for good can happen. It shows us that the young and old have much
to learn from each other, that even the stern faceless figures of authority
can be affected by a song or a joke and that the simple act of running for a
bus can be an exhilarating experience. If you have an open mind.