The Prisoner is coming back. Kind of. Well, not really.
The show will not take place in the famous setting of the original – the north Wales village of Portmeirion – industry weekly Broadcast said.
But it is understood the themes of paranoia, conspiracy and identity crisis would remain.
Because, of course, there are a dearth of shows out there with those themes as a part of them.
Damien Timmer, who has been lined up to executive produce the show for Granada, told Broadcast the new series would take “liberties with the original” and would not retain its arty feel.
“Although it will be a radical reinvention, it will still be a heightened show,” he added.
So it will be a “radical reinvention,” it won’t use the setting, it won’t be arty, and it will take “liberties” with the original.
And the reason they are calling it The Prisoner? Um … oh, yeah, because it will attract viewers?
It may very well be an excellent show. But I’m more than a scosh irked.
(via BD)
Well. That’s pretty… horrible. It really irks me that they’re remaking the show but not retaining much of what made it so special.
Kind of my point.
Sort of like making “Lost” — but calling it “Gilligan’s Island” — “We’re going to retain the sense of desertion, of mystery, of reliance and conflict between individuals in a crucible. But it’s not going to be funny. And it’s not going to have Gilligan in it. It will be a radical reinvention.”
If you’re going to radically reinvent something, then call it something different.
(Point of contrast: the new Battlestar: Galactica, which has maintained the core elements and characters, even while making something much finer than the original.)
On the other hand, Christopher Eccleston as Number Six? Hmmmm …