h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Prisoner - The TV Show - A87738394
Author: Hoovooloo - U114627


Ten years ago, I wrote this: A744897

They did a "re-imagining". So I've written this.

Hi Hoovooloo

I've always been fascinated by the original series, and the setting in North Wales.

I'd not even heard of this remake, did it ever get shown in the UK? I must admit to not getting the opportunity to watch much British TV.

It's this series you're writing about? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1043714/

I'd suggest you make the title more explicit, and the introduction much more direct so as to capture the hard-of-reading folk who might be slow on the uptake.

Nice concept! thanks for submitting it.

I like that the new Entry is parallel to the old one, but the titles should be more different indeed. Not just from typography, that is.

Maybe a one-word title would be appropriate?

I haven't GuideML'd it yet. Soon, though.

It was shown on British TV. I found it through the itvplayer website, so I guess it was on ITV1. I wouldn't be surprised if they buried it in some obscure bit of the schedule, though.

Not a great deal happened in this show, and what did happen didn't make much sense, particularly in the light of the final revelation.

Admittedly the original didn't make a great deal of sense either, but it did so with considerably more charm and panache than the remake.


Geggs

Yes, it was on ITV and I've seen it has been released on an ITV DVD, but as someone who really enjoyed the original I deliberately chose not to watch the remake.

I agree with other suggestions that the article could be renamed to something like 'The Prisoner' – The Remake Television Series or 'The Prisoner' – The 2008 Television Series to avoid confusion.

I also noticed that you mentioned Angelina Jolie once but gave no further detail regarding her – was she in The Prisoner remake? If so, what role did she play? Or was she in a relationship with someone in the project? Or did she just drop by where they were making the series to give birth? Is it possible to get a little more information?

<BB<

There's nothing else to say - it's just a factoid about Swakopmund, that Shiloh Pitt was born there.

Shiloh Pitt.

Seriously.

Did nobody THINK about the spoonerism?

Oh, and no, Ms. Jolie had no connection with the production at all. It's just where she and her husband went when she was ready to drop. He apparently spent most of his time ripping up the dunes on a quad bike, a popular pastime in the area.

Thanks for answering the question.

<BB<

I seem to be the only one who enjoyed the remake. Which I did, immensely, even though I liked the original series, as well.

A great idea, to update the Guide with the new series.

Thanks for this - I enjoy reading review entries

Two areas of concern for me:


I'm not 100% comfortable with the flow of ideas in your introduction.

1. The noughties was the decade of the virtual

2. The Matrix etc support this in terms of virtual identities (ok)

3. It was also the decade of reimagining (not sure what this means)

4. Planet of the Apes, etc support this (if you say so)

5. "One man fitted into this trend..." (This is a bit of a leap for me. Which of the above trends do you mean? Or is it both? And should you be talking about a man, or indeed a character, when your previous description has been all about the production?

Now, I have a fuzzy understanding of what you're saying, but I think you could reword it to be a bit more succinct.

Also, can you indicate which of the productions you mention are TV shows and which are movies?

And when you add tags, please remember to italicise the titles - it makes it a lot easier to read


The second area of concern is how the entry ends. The series description is fine, but I think you need a bit more to justify the review you've given it.

"It did not feature a great deal of action in its plots, and was not, generally, very well received." just seems a bit throwaway, if you know what I mean. Maybe quoting a couple of supporting contemporary reviews would strengthen it?

Hope this helps

Icy

Should have said both trends, I guess. I dashed this off in a bit of a hurry, it must be said.

Also, the intro is something of a joke - compare it to the intro to the entry on the ORIGINAL (in both senses...) "Prisoner" series. Point being, the original series was *different*, in important ways, to what had gone before. Whereas the "re-imagining" was very much in line with trends for virtual worlds and, well, re-imaginings.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remake#Reimagine_or_renovate

And yes, it ends a bit suddenly. I'll do some more over the weekend, I think...

>> it ends a bit suddenly.

Is that the original series, the new series, or the entry? It seems to me that description could fit all three.


Geggs

Well, the original series and the entry. The new series actually built at a reasonable pace to an expected and reasonably explicated conclusion. Which might be why I didn't like it as much. It was too much "Ah, OK, that's how it is", rather than the feeling the original conclusion provoked, which could be summed up as "WHAT???"

Morning - any chance this could be put into GuideML? and are there any further reviews here please?



h2g2 Guide Editors

I didn't see it either, though I do have a vague memory of it.

The entry covers the newer version, and refers back to the original ~ which is about all it can do really.

It's 6 episodes.

Hi Hoo, et al

I read this entry and thread a week or so ago, but didn't know quite what I might contribute, comment-wise.

Tonight, through a series of unfortunate events (well, not that unfortunate!), I ended up reading your original 'The Prisoner' entry.

The original is great - readable, informative, and stylish without overshadowing the subject. A really good EG entry!

You say you want this entry to 'mirror' the original - but it's not really achieving that. Obviously, it would help if you'd had time to do the formatting, but it's not just that. The title: you must agree that you can't just stick with what you currently have? You need to indicate that you're talking about the 'noughties' remake. And the strucure of the piece - you can't just stick to the original structure, as you realise, because this is a completely different entry.

You have s**ff to say about the way this new prog compares to the original. Don't let the structure get in the way of that...

... although, actually, perhaps you aren't.

I'm not sure.

Maybe what I am thinking is that for an EG entry on the remake, it would be best not to seem *too* much to be comparing with the original. That kind of comment is relevant to a limited degree, but my feeling is that this entry has ended up too comparative, and not enough 'descriptive'.

Hope this is helpful,

Spiff

That does definitely help, Spiff, and frankly on reflection I'm not that happy with the state it's in at the moment... I was thinking of pulling it from Peer Review. But then again, I'll do an update and ping here and see what people think. GuideML ahoy in the next day or two, and more comment and content.

Thanks hoovooloo and Spiff! I look forward to seeing the next version.