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I found this site quite awhile ago, wonder if anyone else likes, has seen or remembers Nowhere Man? (Did we discuss this before there was a Prisoner forum?)
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/6404/nwmpris.html
I’m getting copies of these on fan-vids, but Disney/Touchstone doesn’t seem to have plans to release it officially yet.
No. 83 ;D
Please Do Not Read This…..
As my posts usually are the “kiss of death” to a thread….. As to the topic at hand – I never saw the show but would like to run a thought past everyone. The idea of someone suddenly finding everyone and their environment “changed” and that mysterious people are out to “get them”; along with the “taking to the streets alone” to find the truth – are all too familiar in the world of mental illness…..
The whole plot for Nowhere Man (even the title of the series) is strangely reminiscent of the mentally ill fall into darkness….. Many of the homeless that one finds on the street are mentally ill – paranoid, etc….. Most had jobs, family, a permanent residence – but mental illness changed all that…..
I think that the series (keeping in mind I never saw it) make this type of thing palatable by presenting us beautiful people and clean exciting backdrops – as opposed to middle aged “seedy” drunk and unkept homeless people one sees on the street. This person is the true “Nowhere Man”…..
Perhaps the ending of this series is more positive than “The Prisoner”; in that the guy may indeed seek professional help via drug therapy or behavior modification – but I think not…..as the whole world is out to get him….. 🙄 Sorry for wasting your time…..
Maurice
Pet: I did watch a bit of Nowhere Man, and remember thinking how Prisoneresque it was — heavily influenced by The Prisoner I’m sure. It even has the Beatles reference. How similar are the two shows? To quote Nowhere Man‘s protagonist “Well, that would be telling.”- Tom/Alyson Veil
Fatguy: Yes, such shows, books, films commonly reference the experience of the mentally ill, especially the: Is it all a delusion; a paranoid fantasy, or is it real? (but you know this, I just felt like saying it). It increases the mystery and suspense, and disorients the viewers. I’m reminded of Das Kabinet der Doctor Caligari. Have you seen it?
They’re always presenting us with beautiful people and exciting backdrops to make “entertainment” more palatable; sanitised entertainment. Now who’s going to want to watch “boring” backdrops. 😉 Filthy, decaying people in disturbing situations, especially the ordinary disturbing situation of the mentally ill street-peson would be too depressing; too true; not quite fun enough.
Fiction is fantasy, just as The Prisoner/ Nowhere’s Man’s world could be purely delusional fantasy… or not. Kitchen-sink realism this is not, nor is it documentary. It’s adventure and intrigue with a smattering of social commentary, and, in the Prisoner’s case, plenty of tongue-in-cheek humour. It would be difficult for the escapist entertainment starved masses to stomach the story of the true plight of the delusional/the mentally ill (the objective, rather than subjective reality of their situation). And who knows? If it is a delusion, maybe in their minds they are cleanly beautiful; sanitised to the sixes, and beautiful to the number nth degree.
Anyway, one could say that shows like The Prisoner are just escapist entertainment except for one small detail: there is no escape from the Village (unlike a Turkish prison; Midnight Express, dang fine movie that).
I too remember the ‘Nowhere Man’. Got them on tape some place stashed around here. Wasn’t there an episode where Vail was called Number 6???
What really hacked me was it only lasted one season 😥 and it left with a cliffhanger.
That site says so; can’t wait to see that one…
Michael Caine played a character called “Number 6” in the episode of William Tell called “The Prisoner” in 1957, as well.
8) Hmmmmm…
83 ;D
FYI: Number 6 talks to a waitress after his Arrival, then:
He leaves the restaurant.
Goes to a phone box.
Is unable to complete the call.
Takes a taxi.Later he wakes up in a hospital and the man next to him gives him a little information.
When Thomas Veil “Arrives”, he is in a restaurant.
He leaves the restaurant.
Goes to a phone box.
Is unable to complete the call.
Takes a taxi.Later he wakes up in a (mental) hospital and the man next to him gives him a little information.
_______________
Great Prisoner line:
The doctor (Number 2 in this episode) has Veil in a straight-jacket, sitting in a chair across from him. He takes out a cigar and, rather than cutting it, drills it with a pencil. Then he asks:Do you mind if I smoke?
Veil: Do you mind if I leave? 😆
83 ;D
Hmm, starting to sound like the “BIG” question should be: Is Thomas Veil really Number 6? 😉
Logan wrote:Hmm, starting to sound like the “BIG” question should be: Is Thomas Veil really Number 6? 😉
Sooo… is Thomas Veil John Drake? 😀
My starter guide is open, 3 clips and 1 review, all done with a Prisoner fan slant, of course.
I just saw the Living in Harmony episode, and you should see what they do to Unmutuals in the episode after that!
83;D
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