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Without fire, they would die in the winter, and it would have been more dangerous at night with predators. As you say there were ice ages when it was freezing for very long periods. Early humans would have struggled to survive in those harsh conditions without fire.
Number 1 apparently does not know why Number 6 resigned and desperately wants to know why. But Number 1 does not want any permanent damage to Number 6. You are right. These are clues. “A Change of Mind” is the episode that most pointedly explores the “man versus society” theme of the show.
POSSIBLE SPOILER They don't really care why he resigned. "That's why he'll break. It only needs one small thing. If he will answer one simple question, the rest will follow: Why did he resign?" (The Chimes of Big Ben) They don't care about the answer. They want to turn him. "The rest will follow."
I love Marie-Clare's reactions, thoughts and comments to The Prisoner. And it's fascinating to glimpse a reflection of Britain in the 60's, through the eyes of McGoohan and The Prisoner.
As with previous episode "Its Your Funeral" with Robert Asher; McGoohan sacked the designated Director of "A Change of Mind" (Roy Rosotti) on the first day of Production and directed it himself under pen name of `Joseph Serf`. The medial practise this episode highlights used to be in vogue in the 1950s 60s & 70s. Mostly surgical invasive than sonic. It is seen as one of the `darker` episodes, which the series would surpass (In my opinion) in the 14th Episode. The reason that they did not actually do the procedure, is because it often caused memory loss and that was one of the reasons the practise of `Lobotomies` was eventually curtailed.
Long comment incoming, apologies in advance! Eccleston left due to a number of factors that he's talked about a bit more in recent years. He had issues with some of the BBC higher ups, he clashed with Keith Boak about the use of a flaming sofa coming out of a bulding in the production of "Rose", which is said nearly hit an extra. RTD at the time sided with Boak from what I've heard. Eccleston also went through a lot of mental health issues at the time, he's spoken about his battle with anorexia and was admitted to hospital atone point iirc. He left after one season with the agreement the BBC and he part in mutual ways, except the BBC dropped his leaving news early without his knowledge/consent, and said he left because "he was tired", effectively blacklisting him from the BBC and further work beyond, as no one wants to work with an actor who can't commit to times etc. He had a lot of difficulty working after Who as a result, and was understandably quite bitter about it for a while after. Im glad he's buried the hatchet on Who in regards to the fans, attending conventions, doing Big Finish, and being able to embrace that side of things bit more. He's still got bad blood with the current Who production team with them being the old guard (there's a video of him being asked at a convention what it'll take for him to come back, and his answer is to sack RTD, Phil Collinson, Jane Tranter, and Julie Gardner), so I wouldn't expect a TV reappearence anytime soon. Though he did very nearly return for the 50th, but decided against it at the last minute. It absolutely sucks how he was treated. He's a great guy who's worked his way up through a working class background and is fiercely proud of his roots. I met him at my work once and he's an abolsutely lovely man, polite and friendly, and I'd love to meet him again.
This was a surreal episode. Some thoughts: 1. The opening scene with the phone call shows how strongly Number 6 resists revealing secret information. This makes me think that one reason he won’t say why he resigned is that it involves top secret information, as well as a personal reason. 2. Number 2’s trial of Number 6 serves two purposes. First, to intimidate Number 6. Second, to test his observer Bo Peep. She failed the test by showing empathy when the sentence was passed. 3. This episode centered around neither a real escape attempt, nor around a trick to find out why he resigned. So it was a change of pace showing the stress of living in The Village.
What a brillant idea by Mary Morris to use her Peter Pan costume in the episode. A character who kidnaps children and hides them from their relatives on the island of Neverland. While our Village island kidnaps only the most valuable government assets for their information and they like Peter's victims can never go home again from their Village island.
This is one of my favorite episodes. It's almost a silent film for the first half. McGoohan says so much with his face and body. There's another movie of his on RU-vid that's also almost a silent film, The Hard Way. Another film where he's told he can't quit. It's set in Ireland. He's not a nice guy in this one. There are a few more of his early films on RU-vid as well.
Loving Adam's new comments on top of your own. First, you realise we can analyse you as a couple by watching you guys together (and you look like a great couple, I foresee lots of happy kids down the track - which would terrify me!). Second, he seems a bit more detail-obsessed than you (I'm in your camp, fun=fun and who cares if it makes complete sense) so we're seeing a different perspective. Also, congrats to Adam for taking this on with SUCH an open mind and for recognising the context of the time it was made (as we know you always do too). The only annoying thing is that we can't watch one of these every day lol
Steven Moffat certainly made an impact with his first proper Doctor Who script - I remember this rightly being hailed as an instant classic in 2005, and it still stands up superbly. The acting and direction are spot on, and it manages to conjure up one of the creepiest atmospheres the show has ever had. Captain Jack provides a bit of light relief, but the viewer is immediately intrigued by who he really is, and whatever his behaviour may have been like behind the scenes there is no denying that Barrowman delivers a winningly charismatic performance. Florence Hoath is also excellent as Nancy - it’s a pity she doesn’t act anymore. It seems that Eccleston decided to leave after becoming very dissatisfied with the way the early shoots for this series were handled. The first recording block ended up going way behind schedule, and Eccleston felt the actors were not being properly looked after, which led to an irretrievable breakdown in his relationship with RTD. It’s a shame, because I really get his Doctor now in a way I didn’t at the time, and I regret we didn’t see more of him.
No offence to anyone who enjoys the adventures of Whittaker and Gatwa, but I wish Christopher had been able to return after Capaldi and enjoyed more adventures as The Doctor. However, the ill treatment he suffered at the hands of those in charge of the show, during his brief tenure as The Doctor, really made this impossible. I just wish a small Time Lord miracle could occur and we could see him on screen, again.
Nice to see more reflective reactions from Marie-Clare, to these awesome early episodes of Doctor Who. Whenever I revisit the Eccleston episodes, I am always SO impressed by the writing, special effects and guest stars, but also and above all, the acting from everyone involved, especially Christopher and Billie.
It may help to know McGoohan originality proposed 7 episodes - Arrival, Dance of the Dead, Free For All, The Chimes of Big Ben, Checkmate, Once Upon a Time and Fall Out. This may explain the lack of continuity in the episodes. The order of viewing has also been contentious. Each time the series was run it was in a different episode order. It all depends on the writers intention for the "filler" episodes not necessarily for story continuity. McGoohan was a hard task master. He often rewrote episodes and fired directors in mid filming of the episodes. It's Your Funeral was an example. He fired the director and took over. The leading lady despised him. One of the actors he had a fight scene with thought that Mcgoohan might accidentally choke him to death. The actor who played Number 2 didn't understand the script. It was an uncomfortable set.
For me the real reason for this episode is the invasion of Six's thoughts and the attempt to control them. This attempt to control or read our minds is also explored partially in the Free For All episode. The scary thing is we have now reached this point in our world. In an article "Scientists concerned about devices that literally read your mind" dated 1/6/2024 from Neoscope magazine, a pair of researchers from the University of Texas created a BCI (Brain Computer Interface) that rudimentarily translated brain waves into text. BCI's have been around in experimental forms for about 50 to 60 years. Rafael Yuste, neuroscientist, worries about the danger of BCI. "If we lose our mental privacy, what else is there to lose. That's it, we lose the essence of who we are."
Once again you need to listen more carefully or watch the show again. To tell them why he resigned is to give them information about his government's actions. As he said "For a long time I've felt" which is a clue that something troubled him about his job or his government's actions. Would he if he revealed his matter of conscience be giving a tool to be used against his country or put himself under their control. This is a show people have watched multiple times. We think about the issues raised and the actions that are taken. Your view of the program can change depending on what is going on in the world. Enjoy your trip through this world. Be seeing you.
You don't know anything about The Prisoner. He cannot cooperate with his captors. He doesn't know who they are working for. Once they have the information he is of no use to them unless he agrees to sell his soul by working for an organization who kidnaps, murders, experiments on, imprisons, and traffics people.
Fire is so important to them, as it is the means to their survival. Their leader is the one who can make fire. If the leader can't make fire, he cannot be the leader.
Thank you so much for reacting to Capricorn One! I love a good conspiracy thriller and this is a great one. The music really helps add tension. I like to think of this as the anti-Apollo 13 (1995) movie... what if NASA were the bad guys?
I can't watch it. I literally can't. I was in my late teens and early 20s in the early 1980s, and if you were politically aware and involved, it was hell. "Traumatic" is not too strong a word. Well done, MC, for getting through this.
Hi Marie-Clare and Adam! Great idea to watch/re-watch Classic together. Will be interesting to see Adam's reactions and thoughts and find out what Marie-Clare either missed first time around or things about which she now feels differently. I am sure these videos will be well - supported and may find new viewers along the way. I for one will enjoy watching this fresh take on Classic Who. Thank you both!!
The tone of these early episodes is so dark and I love it. William Hartnell had a wonderful dotty and stern character. I think the first episode is perfection but this second one is good especially seeing the Tardis team arrive on that bleak landscape. Great reactions.
I remember our family getting the "Protect and Survive" leaflet when I was young. Slightly more useful than the USA's "Duck and Cover", but not much. The assumption that someone would push the button sooner or later wasn't alleviated by the bloody monastery school in the valley below testing their old air raid warning siren once in a while.
A bit off topic but related to this i'm not anti Jodie Whittaker/Chris Chibnall or anything like that but this is another example why the whole Fugtive Doctor (Jo Martin) thing doesn't make sense or adds up because it's quite clear here that this is the very first time that the TARDIS is stuck as a police telephone box and if the Fugitive Doctor is suppose to be before The First Doctor then why is her TARDIS a Police Box? Also the fact we saw the First Doctor and Susan steal a TARDIS from "The Name of the Doctor" so I don't think Chibnall has properly studied this episode the mistake was making her a past Doctor it would had made more sense if the Fugitive Doctor was a future Doctor. I also agree that 3 companions does work here because these episodes were serial formats it gives more story and character structure while in NuWho it doesn't because everything is all done set and too quick and it's very hard to focus on 4 characters all at once. Ian was a science teacher and Barbara is a history teacher there both meant to be in their late 20's early 30's but in reality William Russell was 39 at the time and Jacqueline Hill was 34. This is the only time that the Doctor smokes.
I like to think the Fugitive Doctor's TARDIS was a police box purely for audience recognition purposes and when I say "audience", I mean non-fans. The fans will take issue and try to explain it away but for those not so deeply into the show, the realisation by the Doctor when she digs up the roof of the police box, that this is another TARDIS has more impact than if it was a n other thing.
This was the film that made me realise that if we ever get the four minute warning I'm going to the pub three minutes away and buying a pint and sitting outside. Meeting my maker with a good honest British pint (from Belgium) in me hand.
A couple of years ago, when there was talk of the Ukraine invasion going nuclear, all I could think to do was go to the pub. First friend I saw, I said, "If I'm getting vaporised tonight it might as well be here!" He said "Me too!"
William Russell had not long turned 39 when this went out, which is at the older end of the spectrum for companions. But age meant something different to today. For a start, two of the cast were teenagers during the war. And one was obliquely engaged with it (William Hartnell's identification with 'Sergeant Major' roles - consolidated by his popular turn in the 1950s ITV sitcom 'The Army Game' - began as far back as the war itself; alongside David Niven, amongst others, in the 1944 Carol Reed British propaganda movie 'The Way Ahead').
I suppose, as far as these reactions are concerned, the worry is always about introducing your partner to someone else you know. Which kind of works both ways. But it's the engagement and the interaction that continues to bring people in. I also class this show as very inclusive on the basis that we're essentially here to enjoy or discuss one relatively inoffensive subject. Which is a relief after recent events. The only things people are trying to set fire to are in Lime Grove Studio D (on the top floor - where the sprinklers would go off if it got too hot) 61 years ago.
Given what they had to put up with on set (one female extra famously refused to de-glam sufficiently to convince us she was a cave person), I think the guest cast do a decent job with what they're given. Indeed, they couldn't have been totally switched off the idea of working on it, as three of them would return in different roles later on. It is, of course, very slow. But would life have been hectic in Palaeolithic times? Did they have a language the TARDIS could translate? And why don't Ian & Barbara ask why they can understand prehistoric humans? Well, it's only for kids....
The lean to shelter was one of a number of different designs proposed by the government. They were primarily intended to keep people busy and also effectively be a form self-interment given the likely number of bodies and the lack of people to bury them. Panorama did a fantastically depressing programme on what to expect. If you can find it is interesting, if for nothing else than to see what BBC journalism used to be like.
This film came out when I was 7 and although I did not remember seeing it in the year it came out, and I saw it in the early 90s aged 23 or 24 and it for me was a bit scary but the acting was awesome.
The year this came I was aged 8 having been born in the year 1969, and also the year this came out a short lived sci-fi series called Star Maidens was shown on ITV and if Marie-Clare you have not seen Star Maidens it is worth seeing and reacting to.
I do myself say having watched classic Dr Who from the age of 3 with Jon Pertwee, but grown up with Tom Baker who is my Doctor I do think that some of the classic Dr Who stories that were more than 4 parts were overlong some worked well at 5 or 6 parts but any story that was over 6 parts was IMO far too long and stories with 7, 8, 10 or more parts were way too long.
I used to lie in bed as a child trying to plan what I would do in the event of a nuclear attack. How would I get to my Dad's job if he was hurt? How could I get to my brothers if they were at school? Where was the best place to shelter? Should I try to fill the bath and sinks with water before the bombs hit? I always thought that a hill between my home and the centre of town would provide some shielding from the initial blast. It hadn't occurred to me at that age that I had strategically important targets close by on all sides, targets far more important than the town centre.
They were close enough yo have their windows shattered so they would have suffered some immediate irradiated from the flash but they were doomed by the radioactive fallout. A full on strike would have thrown up massive amounts of radioactive material into the air, contaminating everything. Including the rain water.
