2020 Rewatch – S01E16: "Once Upon a Time"

Welcome to r/ThePrisoner's sixteenth discussion thread for our 2020 rewatch of The Prisoner. Over the next week, we will be watching all 17 episodes of the original 1967–68 series in the original broadcast order.

Today, we will continue with the sixteenth and penultimate episode ("Once Upon a Time"), which was first broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom on 25 January 1968. This fourth episode in the series to be directed by lead actor and co-creator Patrick McGoohan.

Feel free to openly discuss the episode – post your thoughts, questions, analysis, reviews and comments.

#Spoilers

Remember to tag spoilers by using spoiler syntax (>!!<) if/when discussing future episodes.

#Reminder

The next and final discussion thread will be for "Fall Out" on Thursday, 28 May.

#Synopsis

Because all other attempts to break Number Six have failed, Number Two decides to engage him in a game where one of them will end up dead.

#Credits

• Directed by Patrick McGoohan
• Written by Patrick McGoohan
• Guest starring Leo McKern

#Links

• IMDb
• Wikipedia
• PDF of the original script (via Archive.org)
• Episode study and analysis at PopApostle (includes spoilers for several future episodes)
• Discussion/review by Chatz: A Television Podcast

#Previously

• S01E15: "The Girl Who Was Death"
• S01E14: "Living in Harmony"
• S01E13: "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling"
• S01E12: "A Change of Mind"
• S01E11: "It's Your Funeral"
• S01E10: "Hammer into Anvil"
• S01E09: "Checkmate"
• S01E08: "Dance of the Dead"
• S01E07: "Many Happy Returns"
• S01E06: "The General"
• S01E05: "The Schizoid Man"
• S01E04: "Free for All"
• S01E03: "A. B. and C."
• S01E02: "The Chimes of Big Ben"
• S01E01: "Arrival"