Ep 16. Once Upon A Time

The Prisoner is a 1960s British TV series that centers on a former British secret agent who is held captive in a mysterious seaside village. Each episode explores the prisoner's attempts to escape and the bizarre world of the village, which is overseen by a sinister leadership known only as "Number Two."

Episode 16, titled "Once Upon A Time," begins with the prisoner being subjected to a new mind control experiment, which has him recalling his childhood memories. The experiment is led by the latest Number Two, a woman who appears to have a personal vendetta against the prisoner.

The episode focuses on the prisoner's recollections of his childhood and his relationship with his mother. The scenes are presented in a surreal and dreamlike manner, with the prisoner's memories blending together with visions of the village and its residents.

As the experiment progresses, it becomes clear that Number Two is attempting to understand the prisoner's psyche and use it against him. Meanwhile, the prisoner begins to question his own memories and whether they are real or simply a product of the experiment.

The episode is notable for its use of innovative storytelling techniques, including flashbacks and hallucination sequences, as well as its exploration of the prisoner's emotional and psychological state. The themes of memory, identity, and manipulation are prominent throughout, and the ending leaves viewers questioning whether anything they witnessed was real or simply another layer of the prisoner's mind control.

Overall, "Once Upon A Time" is a memorable and thought-provoking episode of The Prisoner, showcasing the show's unique style and intelligent writing.