The Prisoner/Free for All

Free for All
Season 1, Episode 4
Airdate	October 22, 1967
Production Number	2
Written by	Paddy Fitz
Directed by	Patrick McGoohan
← 1x03 A. B. and C.	1x05 → The Schizoid Man
The Prisoner — Season One

Free for All is the fourth episode of the first season of The Prisoner. Free elections for Number Two are held and Number Six attempts to take advantage of the situation to set the villagers free.

Starring: Patrick McGoohan (Number Six)

Guest Star: Eric Portman (Number Two)

with Rachel Herbert (Number Fifty Eight), George Benson (Labour Exchange Manager)

and Angelo Muscat (Butler), Harold Berens (Reporter), John Cazabon (Man in Cave), Dene Cooper (Photographer), Kenneth Benda (Supervisor), Holly Doone (Waitress), Peter Brace (1st Mechanic), Alf Joint (2nd Mechanic)

Plot Overview

Number Six is called by the new Number Two, who decides to show up at his door when Number Six prompts "the mountain to come to Muhammad." The two sit down to breakfast where Number Two reminds Six that if he would just surrender the information he seeks, they would make his life far easier. He also mentions that today is the beginning of his political campaign and suggests that Six run for an office, perhaps even his own.

A parade campaigning for Number Two's reelection makes it ways to Number Six's door and Number Two further entices his comrade by saying that if he managed to win the election, Number One would no longer be a mystery to him. They ride off in one of the campaign trams to town square where Number Two makes a speech about how he believes the village has become complacent and introduces Number Six to the crowd. Six makes a fairly dismal speech about how the villagers are going to die in the village "like rotten cabbages" unless he is elected so that he can discover who exactly their wardens are. After his speech, Number Six is dragged into his buggy and taken home.

The next day, Number Six, faced with the possibility of getting lost thanks to his non-English speaking driver, walks to City Hall. Despite his fears, Number Fifty-Eight manages to make it to his position without a problem and drives him the rest of the way to City Hall. But, before they get far, their buggy is intruded on by Number 113 and 113b, a reporter and photographer working for The Tally Ho, who ask Number Six several questions about his campaign strategy. When he refuses to comment, the reporter makes things up. Eventually, they get to City Hall where the article he was interviewed for is immediately published and Number Six is trapped inside the council meeting by a patrolling Rover.

In the council meeting, Number Six bitterly questions the intentions of Number Two and who elected the representatives of the council. Although Number Two desperately tries to call the meeting to order, Number Six continues to make his attempts at reaching the council members. Eventually, Number Two becomes fed up with Six's ravings and sends him spinning down a cavern through a trap door, where he eventually winds up in the office of Number Twenty. The man was called in by Number Two to administer the tests for whether or not Number Six is fit to be an opposing candidate. The first test is a truth test which gauges his thoughts on whether or not they are truthful. The test causes massive mental feedback which incapacitates Number Six briefly and seems to profoundly change his attitude about the election. He suddenly becomes more open to answering questions, traditionally campaigning and making speeches for television. This new attitude, however, only sticks around for a short while before Number Fifty-Eight's mindless repetition of his words causes him to make a break for it. He steals a motor boat and is chased into the ocean by Number Two in a helicopter, as well as two mechanics who nearly kill him. Number Two demands that he "go back before it's too late," but Number Six refuses to heed his warnings. The security system bursts above the water level and the control of the boat cease to function, causing Number Six to attempt to get out by swimming but is quickly subdued by Rover and dragged back to shore.

Number Six awakens in the hospital and returns to his programming which regurgitates the various offers extended to him by other Number Twos in the past. He gives a speech about offerings about prosperity in exchange for information which mirrors the deal proposed to him when he was first captured. Meanwhile Number Two declares that Six is young and inexperienced to a far smaller crowd. Number Six steers the people around to where Two's gathering is and starts an impromptu debate about free time. At the party afterwards, Number Six's programming continues to conflict with his natural desires of self-preservation. When he demands to have alcohol, his assistant drives him to a dank cave with a brewery inside it where he finds Number Two. The two drink with one another, but Number Six's drink was spiked so that he would pass out.

On election day, Number Six wins by a landslide and Number Two concedes his defeat, placing Six at the top of the government system. They ride to the green domed building where Number Two lives and has his office and the old Number Two bids his adieu, leaving Six in charge with his assistant. She excitedly presses buttons and makes calls using the phones in the office console. One of the buttons activates a whirlwind of lights which mesmerizes Number Six but doesn't awaken until his assistant slaps him several times. Six attempts to set everyone free, but is stopped and worked over by several government workers. When he's brought back in, his assistant is wearing the Number Two insignia and reveals, in English, that the election was only a ruse and she had always meant to take power. He is demoted back to Number Six and the old Number Two takes his leave by helicopter.

Trivia

Behind the Scenes

• Running Order: Although this episode was broadcast fourth on ITV, the episode was the second produced, commonly referred to as the second episode and is the second episode on the Complete Prisoner DVDs.

• In addition to directing Patrick McGoohan also wrote the episode, but used the pseudonym Paddy Fitz for the latter.

Allusions and References

• Bastille: The Bastille is a Parisian prison which was typically seen as synonymous with autocratic oppression in 18th century France. The storming of the Bastille is generally considered to be the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789.

Number Six: This farce... This 20th century Bastille that pretends to be a pocket democracy.