patrick mcgoohan

Chris Nolan, the director of last year's summer blockbuster Batman Begins, is nearing a deal to direct a movie version of the cult classic television show The Prisoner.

According to the website comingsoon.net Nolan will direct a contemporary version of the show once he is finished with production of The Dark Knight, a sequel to Batman Begins. The movie adaptation of The Prisoner will be written by Janet and David Peoples (Twelve Monkeys, Blade Runner). It's unknown if this modern version of the show will connect in any way with the remake of The Prisoner that has been commissioned by Britain's Sky One satellite channel.

Only lasting 17 episodes back in 1967, The Prisoner featured Patrick McGoohan as a government agent who resigns, is kidnapped, and placed on an isolated island known as the Village. It's there that he is given the new identity of Number 6. If you are interested in getting a feel for the series, number one fan Michael Sciannamea is currently reviewing episodes of The Prisoner for TV Squad's Retro Squad column.

Do not adjust your web browser. You are now entering the Retro Squad, where we are reviewing past episodes of your favorite shows, in order, every week.

(S01E01) "I am not a number. I am a free man!"

You can't get much more "retro" than The Prisoner, which first appeared on British television in the fall of 1967 and then in the U.S. about a year later. It starred Patrick McGoohan, who also served as the 17-episode show's executive producer. (You may remember him as the warden of Alcatraz in Escape from Alcatraz starring Clint Eastwood.)

When you watch this show, it seems other-worldly. Granted, it's nearly 40 years old, but it also was ahead of it's time, especially in the blending of technology into the stories. (Dig those cool cordless phones!) It also has influenced many television shows and movies (just do a Google search and you'll see what I mean). It's very difficult to talk about a show you've seen many times and have enjoyed for just as long without giving away too much, but let me set you up with the basic premise and take off from there.

Our fellow blogger and The Prisoner fan Michael Sciannamea will be happy to hear this!

The British satellite channel Sky One is giving a green light for a remake of the cult-classic The Prisoner, which aired on ITV from 1967 until early 1968. The new series would run for six episodes to be aired next year, which would be the 40th anniversary of the series.

There are unconfirmed reports that Number 6, the main character that was played by Patrick McGoohan, will be played by Christopher Eccleston. Eccleston is currently portraying The Doctor in the new series of Doctor Who episodes being broadcast in America on the Sci-Fi Channel. Eccleston lasted only one season on the show and was replaced by David Tennant in the series currently running on the BBC.

The remake of The Prisoner will stick to the original concept of the series: a government agent is drugged and sent to a prison called The Village after he resigns from service. While in prison people are referred to by their numbers rather than their names. This version of the series will probably have a modern shine to it. Perhaps it will take place in one of those secret CIA prisons we aren't supposed to know about.