Comments on: Critical Mass: Why AMC’s Update of The Prisoner (Still, Mostly) Sucks

By: Quyen Slingerland

Quyen Slingerland — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 09:46:11 +0000

Hi there, I spotted your blog page through Yahoo and google while trying to find Weather Balloons and your post caught my interest .

By: Hemisphire

Hemisphire — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:59:10 +0000

Finally finished it and regretted it. Convinced a friend not continue watching beyond the second ep. Need to rewatch the original to get the taste of this out of my mind.

By: Mike Cane

Mike Cane — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:12:55 +0000

AMC’s The Prisoner: The Problem Is In Bill Gallagher’s Mind
http://ebooktest.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/amcs-the-prisoner-the-problem-is-in-bill-gallaghers-mind/

By: chicodc

chicodc — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:50:37 +0000

This event remains on my DVR. The universe will decide whether it lasts through the holidays. But your reviews certainly gave me plenty to think about and look at when I do eventually watch this. And thanks for the "huge-ass lottery checks" line, Glen. Your reviews gave me plenty to look forward to each day, even if this miniseries falls short.

By: nd

nd — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:30:57 +0000

I may never see any of these episodes, but it sounds like you're telling me they haven't yet found room in the soundtrack for the Iron Maiden song "The Prisoner." I love the Beach Boys, but what a wasted opportunity.

By: jc

jc — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:32:26 +0000

Weldon...I would seriously watch a six hour mini-series with Mckellan of that scene...hell I'd watch him wax nostalgic over chewing winegums as a kid before i'd watch the prisoner/09 again. Jack, as for "The Fall" see it again. The imagery and and young actress in the movie are lovely and so is the story-within-a-story...personally the reason i think it works so well is that all of the elements serve the main and most compelling story surrounding girl and the stuntman. It's like listening to 1001 arabian nights. While the individual stories are enthralling, one shouldn't forget the reason their being told it really about life and death. ultimately it's always a matter of why should we care. "The Fall", I found myself caring. (so please take note other would-be producers of remakes)

By: Glen Weldon

Glen Weldon — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:49:21 +0000

The Internet's jc is right!

Sir Ian did manage to make his blank verse dialogue sound real, and seemed to be having a good time. And I can't shake the feeling that that verdammt cigarette scene is still going on, somehow.

By: Jack

Jack — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:40:04 +0000

I really enjoyed "The Fall" but had a difficult time understanding why. the first thought was the cinematography. second thought was that young actress. the dialogue between her and the patient was so natural. i can remember the imagery, especially the colors; but not as much about the fairy tale. probably need to see it again.

By: dawn

dawn — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:29:10 +0000

I caught a few snippets of the show's installments here and there but now plan to go back and watch the whole thing. And, love it. Despite your negativity. :)

By: jc

jc — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:27:51 +0000

Well as much as I hate to admit it I actually really liked the closing scene a la Beach Boys. It finally seemed like it had a little of that tongue-in-cheek tone of the orginal. Sir Ian was definitely the one saving grace of this overly-weepy-choppy-edited-snoozefest and the only one able to have a little fun with this wonker of a remake (I site the eating cherry cake scene sans fork and avec bib; stripping down main street; the fifteen-minute-long cigarette-porn scene; even getting hit in the head with a rock by some dweeby village kid)

But my real complaint was that there was not enough scenes with the real hero of the Prisoner...Rover. If I have to watch a bunch of flashbacks of 6 as a kid running slowly on a beach I want just as many scenes of Rover running errands around the village...bouncing his minirovers to rovergarten etc.

Lastly are we meant to think that the present stand-in for a coldwar-era enemy is a pharmeceutical company that abducts schizos to rehabilitate them in some psycho-village? I ask the question but this series has left me disinterested enough that I'll probably not wait for an answer.

Well at least now AMC will let me return to my original purveyor of cigarette-porn (MadMen).

Oh...and really AMC? who's rushing to pre-order this thing on dvd.