Dangerman is a prequel to The Prisioner?

[Guy Gardener]

http://[URLDangerman

This is something I've heard said with confidence but since I am hardly an authority on the larger subject... I assume that there are arguments to either side that Dangerman is and isn't a prequel to the Prisoner.

What's your opinion?

 

[Christopher]

The producers of The Prisoner have different opinions on whether Number Six was the same person as Danger Man's John Drake. I believe it was Patrick McGoohan who insisted they were separate, and another producer who says they were the same guy. But when Number Six's vital statistics such as date of birth were given in "Arrival," he was given McGoohan's date of birth and the like instead of Drake's.

The thing is, the creators of The Prisoner didn't have the rights to the John Drake character. I believe McGoohan had walked out on Danger Man to do The Prisoner. So they weren't from the same creators, and thus the makers of TP couldn't legally present their character as being John Drake. So officially he's a different person. But it's possible that that was just a facade and that their intent was to imply that he was Drake.

For what it's worth, the first line of Thomas M. Disch's Prisoner tie-in novel is "Drake woke." But that's the only use of the name in the entire book.

 

[Kronos]

I've always thought they were the same, the ID card is enough for me.

 

[ManOnTheWave]

I don 't think I've ever seen Danger Man, however, I've heard fans forever trying to shoehorn DM, TP, and Ice Station Zebra into a single continuity for ages. As far as I 'm concerned, it sounds like a fun idea for a DVD marathon, and any discrepancies about age, dates, names and supposed backgrounds could all be just cover stories or dual identities. The man's a spy.

 

[auntiehill]

Patrick McGoohan had said in many interviews that he was partially inspired to do The Prisoner while filming Danger Man --one episode in particular, "Colony Three." He had wanted it to be Drake waking up in The Village, but of course, couldn't get the rights. I think, to McGoohan, the identity of the Prisoner was completely irrelevant. He was Everyman in a morality play, so his particular "identity" was meaningless.

 

[Roshi]

I think the confusion comes from the American theme song by Johnny Rivers when he sings "they've given you a number and taken away your name".
That song came way, way later after the original British release.

 

[Gov Kodos]

Patrick McGoohan had said in many interviews that he was partially inspired to do The Prisoner while filming Danger Man --one episode in particular, "Colony Three." He had wanted it to be Drake waking up in The Village, but of course, couldn't get the rights. I think, to McGoohan, the identity of the Prisoner was completely irrelevant. He was Everyman in a morality play, so his particular "identity" was meaningless.

Yes, while it might make an interesting series to see the two shows as part of Drake's life, 'The Prisoner' is much more meaningful to see the character of Number 6 as Everyman. The whole point of the search for information, and his resolute stand to be taken as an individual not to be numbered or categorized is far more powerful as a voice for anyone facing a society demanding you to fill in a form to be recognized than a particular spy being interrogated.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

It's hard to view 6 as Everyman though because he's presented to us as exceptionally talented and has a kind of superior attitude about him. If anything he's best viewed as a rebellion against Everyman.

 

[auntiehill]

^Of course, The Prisoner was also made in the '60s, and the counter-culture movement of the time did indeed see it itself as morally superior to the corrupt establishment. I think all rebels have a sense of superiority to whatever it is they rebel against.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Yea, but with most people the sense of superiority is expressed by arguing with them in an indignant tone of voice like they're begging you to agree with them. #6 expresses it by just dominating body language.

 

[Melakon]

I think the confusion comes from the American theme song by Johnny Rivers when he sings "they've given you a number and taken away your name".
That song came way, way later after the original British release.

Some Americans may not be aware that Danger Man aired in the United States as Secret Agent, with new opening titles using the Johnny Rivers theme.

 

[Christopher]

Some Americans may not be aware that Danger Man aired in the United States as Secret Agent, with new opening titles using the Johnny Rivers theme.

Which is a shame, because the original theme tune, "High Wire" by Edwin Astley, is pretty cool:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u6jYfJgj-o

 

[auntiehill]

Yea, but with most people the sense of superiority is expressed by arguing with them in an indignant tone of voice like they're begging you to agree with them. #6 expresses it by just dominating body language.

I htink you're missing the point. The show is an ALLEGORY. Everything is symbolic. McGoohan wanted to show that the individual can triumph over the "collective"; of course he would make him superior in one way or another.

 

[Velocity]

I think the confusion comes from the American theme song by Johnny Rivers when he sings "they've given you a number and taken away your name".
That song came way, way later after the original British release.

Some Americans may not be aware that Danger Man aired in the United States as Secret Agent, with new opening titles using the Johnny Rivers theme.

I like the Johnny Rivers theme, but the way he sings "Secret Agent Man" sounds like "Secret Asian Man" and believe me - once you hear Secret Asian Man you'll never hear Secret Agent Man again. Kind of messes up the song.

 

[The Old Mixer]

^It's not just me!

 

[Guy Gardener]

I knew the song, I thought it was related to an old timey American TV show, but I had no idea that that show was Dangerman... You win this one Orwell.

So in theory, "Dangerman" is or was far more popular than the Prisoner.

How rude.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Wait a tic. I always thought "Secret Agent Man" was written about James Bond. Hell, the song even has part of the Bond theme in it (the guitar riff).

And the Blues Traveler version is better, IMHO.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Bond was a phenomenon in the 60s...and much imitated...which would explain this show coming to America when it did, and with the new theme song.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

I like the Johnny Rivers theme, but the way he sings "Secret Agent Man" sounds like "Secret Asian Man" and believe me - once you hear Secret Asian Man you'll never hear Secret Agent Man again. Kind of messes up the song.

I always thought that song was "Secret Asian Man," even though it didn't make any damned sense.

 

[Guy Gardener]

An early 50s period story where Kim Wong fraudulently garnered membership in the Twin Pines Golf and Country Club by claiming that his name was Chip Covington III?