""I AM NOT A NUMBER, I AM A FREE MAN!" -Patrick McGoohan The Prisoner

The Prisoner was not only one of the most fantastic television series of all time, but it's influence on The Umbrella Academy was tremendous.

Those of you who are fans of both have obviously noticed many of the aesthetic similarities. The school uniforms, with their white piping and clean graphic umbrella button. The Umbrella Academy logo itself, an echo of the Penny Farthing symbol used to designate the inhabitants of The Village. And of course, the children being named after numbers.

It is at this point, where the two series divert, The Prisoner and Umbrella Academy having completely different stories.

But beyond simple visual nods, The Prisoners influence on this book is far greater. Patrick McGoohan's vision of what happens when a secret agent retires, brought with it a series of risks, victories, and groundbreaking moments that continue to be an inspiration to us and many others.

More than a simple spy show, The Prisoner, was a cerebral, controversial, psychedelic, counter-culture, meditation on the struggle to retain ones individuality in the world. Featuring a spy who (almost) never used guns, didn't chase women, and was in many ways the anti-Bond (McGoohan famously turned down the role of Bond before Connery was cast).

It struck out against the bland and superficial trappings of it's genre, and in that way, influenced The Umbrella Academy the most. The Prisoner was "just a spy show" about as much as The Umbrella Academy is "just a superhero comic".

It also inspired a pretty kick ass Iron Maiden song.

But I'll let you judge for yourselves.

A short time before McGoohan's passing, American Movie Classics posted all 17 episodes of The Prisoner online. It's part of an effort to promote thier 2009 remake of the show, which starts Jesus and Gandalf.

You can watch them online, for free, right here :

http://www.amctv.com/originals/the-prisoner-1960s-series/

I'm curious to see how many of you feel about the show. Sadly, I feel like it is more relevant ever.

Except, whereas Number Six tried his best to escape a place where his every movement was video taped and observed...these days we have people practically killing themselves to be put in that very same position via "reality tv".

Hope you enjoy the episodes, if you haven't seen them already. Remember, never let yourselves be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered! Your life is your own.

Be Seeing You (yup, also a Prisoner refference)
G.A.W"



Xoxo I.