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Fall Out: The Unofficial And Unauthorised Guide To The Prisoner by Alan Stevens and Fiona Moore
01/10/2007 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
pub: Telos. 229 page enlarged paperback. Price: £12.99 (UK), $24.95 (US), $29.95 (CAN). ISBN: 978-1-84583-018-2. Buy Fall Out: The Unofficial And Unauthorised Guide To The Prisoner in the USA - or Buy Fall Out: The Unofficial And Unauthorised Guide To The Prisoner in the UK  check out website: www.telos.co.uk
Telos do a remarkable job yielding unauthorised but authoritative books on British TV series so I shouldn't have been surprised when one on 'The Prisoner' appeared. As I was also re-watching the series while reading the book, I ended up picking out some of the details they were referring to. I even spotted the changes between actor Patrick McGoohan and his stunt double, the recently deceased Frank Mahler.
If you're after a look at most details and dissection about the series, then this will keep you amazed for weeks, not to mention re-watching the series at the same time. It will undoubtedly having your various discussion groups debating points or even things they missed before. There is an interesting point given that the seventeen episodes might actually constitute the remaining seconds of the Prisoner's life as those neat undertakers pump gas in through his flat's keyhole. About the only things missed is why would the Prisoner put photos of a Pacific setting in his suitcase and why some of the Villages wore negative colour badges? There's also a look at the related novels and the DC Comics story based on the series and other cross-contamination into other series, even if they missed the '2.4 Children' sit-com homage. All right, so I know my subject. This doesn't mean to say that authors Alan Stevens and Fiona Moore don't know it as well although it's a shame that when it came to the essays on the subject it would be difficult to tell them apart. This is a shame really cos one can't tell if they are both in agreement or have contrary opinions on some aspect or other.
Saying that, this book covers 'The Prisoner' from inception to closure, sometimes revealing details that might or might not be of interest. I'm not convinced the sexual proclivities of the guest cast has any bearing for instance. I did wonder at times whether any series from the 60s-70s was intended for such perusal. After all, in the days before video and DVD, you would have been lucky to have seen any series more than twice. The fact that key members of the production staff were at odds with each other as to what direction the series should go has always been very revealing. If anything, it's what gave it the contrasts. In many respects 'The Prisoner' had it both ways with some episodes more spy-like and others much more deeply profound and yet all offering incitement on our need for separate identity even if many of us, although not necessarily me in that list, prefer to run with the herd.
If 'The Prisoner' is one of your favourite TV series then this book will be of undoubted interest and a requirement to your collection. If you are of a younger age and discovering the series being re-released on DVD any time soon then this book will give you certain insight into what is going on beneath the surface. Wear that badge with pride but be perfectly still when Rover roars pass you.
GF Willmetts
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