Multiple #2s

tbrittreid , I have JUST finished watching this great series for the first time.

In the last episode, Fall Out, where Leo McKern again features ofcourse, McKern's #2 makes another reference to imprisonment. McKern's #2, when asked to speak to that masked jury in defence of himself, states he was 'kidnapped' and 'brought there for his talents' (Achievements in the outside world he touched on just before). That was no clearer statement, indicator, as to his status, how he ended up in his position and perhaps a number of others working for the organisation, including other former #2's and that retiring #2 who took #6's warning's about assassination seriously - from what he knew of his own circumstances, he had good reason to believe #6. Obviously they're all caught in this kind of web, and you have prisoners governing prisoners, prisons within prisons in a way. Makes sense really, as often these things in real life can be run on fear and the power of fear can even control some. And the whole degree absolute thing really focuses on that grey area where by the end #6 becomes the master and #2 the one who dies in prison. In another episode too - #6 picked up how that the threatening #2, 'the hammer's,' demeanour changed considerably when speaking with #1, he quivered with fear. And #6 used that to that #2's downfall ofcourse.

So that quote you are pulling from that earlier episode, it fits quite logically with the wider goings on, including/especially McKern's own character.

BTW When McKern's #2 returns for that second episode where 'Degree Absolute' is employed, McKern, when we are re-introduced to him, mentions in his dialogue with #1 on the phone, that he/they brought him back here for a reason, amongst his dialogue, which also includes he suggesting he's their best man, a good man. You get the strong sense that when he was brought back to the Island, he may not have been that agreeable to it, even brought against his will even. That's also kind of reflected in his early, frustrated, demeanour.

"If anyone wants me I'll be in my room" - Lisa Simpson

Well over a month and no further words from the usually unflappable Moor-Larkin. Being caught having made in fairly close proximity two absolutely incompatible factual assertions seems to have shut him up. Allow me to elaborate on the "Chimes..." filmed first theory.

Despite M-L's alleged "historical fact" (a term he badly abused on another thread here) starting-filming-date for "Chimes..." it was, as I previously stated, included for a good twenty years (at least) with "Arrival," "Free...," "Dance..." and "Checkmate" as having been part of the one major shoot at Portmeirion. Yet close examination shows that there are no more than four brief sequences that might have been filmed there and specifically for this episode.

1. A helicopter delivers the unconscious Nadia to The Village. Wide-angle shots of the chopper are definitely at Portmeirion. Actress Nadia Gray is recognizable only in one extreme close-up, obviously studio-shot, so she and the "Chimes..." script might not have been in the minds of the involved parties when this was filmed.

2. Nadia enters the water for her escape/suicide attempt. There are breakers on the beach, the only time it is seen other than more-or-less low tide. I for one cannot identify this beach, and for all *I* know, it might be on England's coast reasonably handy from the Borehamwood studio. Since most of this sequence is on a most unconvincing studio stage, the first thought is that it's probably in England.

3. The Prisoner and Nadia assemble and launch his boat. It's (supposedly) the middle of the night and low tide this time, and again I can't ID the beach, but it's probably the same as in #2. I mean, it is supposed to be the same beach, so why not film both scenes on the same one? No actor is truly recognizable except in extreme close-up, including the McKern/#2's face on the sail/tapestry!

4. Having learned the truth, The Prisoner approaches and re-enters Residence Number Six. McGoohan is wearing the blue windbreaker unique (in this series) to this episode, and the camera set-up is identical to a shot in "Free For All" wherein The Prisoner and the Eric Portman/#2 exit Residence Number Six to join the campaign crowd; there the camera pans to confirm the Welsh resort location, so this was also shot at Portmeirion (the sound stage versions of the outside of our hero's cottage [his word in "The Schizoid Man"] seen earlier in "Chimes..." are too poor to have been used if this was a perfect duplicate existing on the lot). It seems unlikely that they would know to use that other jacket if this shot was filmed at Portmeirion prior to any other work on "Chimes...."

Of those brief bits, only (as of current information) #4 was irrefutably filmed at Portmeirion and for "Chimes...." Yet the episode was combined with those other four as having been part of that one major location shoot. The most plausible explanation of this error is that these shots were filmed there after the bulk of the episode was already in the can. They knew to put McGoohan in the blue windbreaker instead of the standard Village jacket because they had filmed with it already; a stand-in for Nadia in the launching scene (and the swim?) was necessary and keeping her face out of shot resulted in the same thing happening to Patrick, but did they forget to bring the tapestry/sail to Wales?

Perhaps M-L did indeed see a reasonably credible source stating (as he described it here on Sunday, July 11, 2010), "The first episode was made and completed before any of the others. It was shown to the relevant vice-president of CBS, who said he approved purchase of the whole series on the basis of that one episode...." He then just assumed in his close-minded perceptions of "episode order" (demonstrated on several other threads on this board) that the episode referred to was the official opener "Arrival," which actually does not fit his initial statement at all. It would have to have been "Chimes...." Note that both of these and only these two have similar "Alternate Versions," requiring them to have gone through the post-production process ahead of the other three shot simultaneously with "Arrival" and any others. Could this have happened to "Chimes..." if it was shot after the Portmeirion Four? Logically, no. While the aforementioned pitch was being made to CBS, the idea of using McKern as #2 in at least a string of episodes if not the entire run was lost (whether McGoohan [or David Tomblin] simply came up with the changing #2s concept or McKern withdrew for whatever reason and thereby forced the idea in order to use his already shot episode), and being #2 became a temp assignment, reflected in the scripts and casting by the time the company went to Portmeirion.

The GREEN HORNET Strikes Again!