The Prisoner: Living In Harmony

December 11th, 2007

Episode 14

Synopsis

This episode of The Prisoner has a western theme — beginning with the opening credits. Number 6 resigns by tossing his “Marshall” star on the desk of his boss. He tries to get away, carrying his saddle, but is captured by a group of cowboys, who carry him away on horses and dump him off in the town of Harmony.

Bewildered, Number 6 makes his way into the local saloon, where he meets a bar girl, Kathy (Valerie French), the Kid (Alexis Kanner), a young, silent boy who guards the town jail, and the Judge (David Bauer) who presides over the town. The Judge offers Number 6 a job as the town sheriff. Number 6 declines and leaves the saloon, only to encounter a ruckus with the townsfolk. Number 6 is carted off to jail.

Kathy decides to free Number 6, after flirting with the Kid in order to steal the cell keys. Number 6 escapes — but is again quickly captured. The Judge decides to free Number 6 but finds Kathy guilty instead (this warped sense of justice is modus operandi in Harmony). But he offers Number 6 a deal: if he’ll take the job of sheriff, he’ll let Kathy go. Number 6 agrees — but refuses to carry a gun.

The Kid becomes unruly and shoots a man in the saloon. Another man is murdered, and the lawlessness inspires Number 6 to take his sheriff job more seriously. The Kid has developed feelings Kathy, and in a crass attempt to kiss her, she bites him on the lip. He kidnaps Kathy — and accidentally strangles her.

Deciding enough is enough, Number 6 finally arms himself, and wins a quick shoot out with the Kid. The Judge finally thinks he has secured Number 6 as sheriff, but Number 6 again tries to resign and escape the town. A gun battle between Number 6 and the Judge’s men ensues. Number 6 is shot and collapses on the saloon floor.

Suddenly the illusion is shattered, and Number 6 appears in his usual, non-cowboy clothing on the saloon floor. Bewildered, he learns all the town citizens are merely wooden models. He leaves Harmony, and over a hill, finds the familiar sight of The Village.

Number 6 storms into Number 2’s office, where it’s revealed the Judge was Number 2, Kathy a Number 22, and the Kid Number 8. Number 8 and Number 2 bicker about the plan’s failure. The whole scenario was a complex, staged illusion using hallucinogens, meant to break Number 6’s will.

Unfortunately, the illusion was more effective on the conspirators than Number 6. Number 22 has really fallen for Number 6 and Number 8 for Number 22. She wanders back to the movie set that is Harmony — only to find Number 8 also there. Still caught up in the illusion, “the Kid” strangles Number 22, killing her. Number 8 commits suicide by throwing himself off a balcony.

Thoughts

The Western metaphor is largely successful. Number 6, the rebel, becomes a loner cowboy, and Harmony is a stand-in for The Village. The lawlessness of Harmony allows for several exciting fist fights and shoot outs. The actors also put on decent American accents in keeping with the fanciful theme.

Because the episode largely takes place in Harmony, it’s initially unclear if it’s all in Number 6’s mind (as a dream) or in reality. It turns out to be a combination of both. Through hallucinogenic drugs and audio cues, the experience occurs on a staged set — but what we see on screen are Number 6’s imaginings superimposed on this reality.

I really enjoyed the actor who portrays the Kid (Alexis Kanner) is quite outstanding — his performance is largely wordless but with a lot of physical communication and an expressive face to compensate. His naive character who easily falls in love calls to mind a “reckless youth” — which partly explains his recurrence in the final episode Fall Out.

Next Episode: The Girl Who Was Death
Previous Episode: Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling

IMDB: Living In Harmony
Wikipedia: Living In Harmony
The Prisoner Online: Living In Harmony
Bookmice: Living In Harmony

iTunes Store Link: Living In Harmony — The Prisoner (Classic)