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The Prisoner: Checkmate
Number Six becomes involved in a living game of chess and discovers that the Queen has been programmed to fall in love with him and follow him while carrying a tracking device. The Prisoner allies with the Rook to use the Queen's tracking device to plan an escape.
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Episode Info
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Episode number: 1x9 Airdate: Sunday December 03rd, 1967 Alternate Airdates:
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USA
Recap
A guardian sphere bounces through the Village and everyone ducks to the side and freezes as it passes. Number Six observes as one man, walking with a cane, walks by the guardian sphere without it paying him any attention or vice versa. Intrigued, Number Six follows the man as he goes to a lawn-sized chessboard with volunteers standing in as chess pieces. The Man With Stick invites Number Six to join them and the Queen asks him to be her Pawn. On a balcony overlooking the board, the players make their moves as Number Six asks the Queen who the Man With Stick is. She doesn't know who he is but has heard the rumors. His ancestors played chess and decapitated the player-pieces as they were removed. Number Two observes the game from the Control Room as Number Six continues to ask probing questions. He finally suggests that they escape and she offers to help. She says she can help and Number Six, distracted, forgets to make his move. He finally responds and Number Two, observing, notes he seems placid enough. Finally, the White Queen's Rook moves illegally, declaring check against the opposing King. The authorities immediately take him in for treatment and a substitute is called. The Queen speaks of the Cult of the Individual and says the Rook will be well looked after...Read the full recap
Episode Notes
Peter Wyngarde is one of only four Number Twos to have their voices added to the interrogation scene in the opening credits. The "standard" voice of Number Two was provided by Robert Rietty. The others were Leo McKern, Colin Gordon, and Mary Morris.
The working title of this episode was "The Queen's Pawn".
All of the interior scenes were directed by Patrick McGoohan (Number Six) while Don Chaffey directed the exterior scenes.
At one point, Patrick McGoohan (Number Six) considering having a permanent Number Two who would have been played by Peter Wyngarde. However, he eventually decided that regularly changing the Village administrator would add an extra air of mystery.
Episode Quotes
Queen: Oh, that was a good move, wasn't it.
Number Six: I know a better one.
Queen: Oh?
Number Six: Away from this place.
Queen: That's impossible.
Number Six: For chessmen, not for me.
Number Six: I know a better one.
Queen: Oh?
Number Six: Away from this place.
Queen: That's impossible.
Number Six: For chessmen, not for me.
Man With Stick: It's like the game. You have to learn to distinguish between the blacks and the whites.
Number Six: (referring to the chess game) Why do you use people?
Man With Stick: Some psychiatrists say it satisfies the desire for power. The only opportunity one gets here.
Number Six: It depends what side you're on.
Man With Stick: (quickly) I'm on my side.
Number Six: (quickly) Aren't we all?
Man With Stick: You must be new here. In time, most of us join the enemy...against ourselves.
Man With Stick: Some psychiatrists say it satisfies the desire for power. The only opportunity one gets here.
Number Six: It depends what side you're on.
Man With Stick: (quickly) I'm on my side.
Number Six: (quickly) Aren't we all?
Man With Stick: You must be new here. In time, most of us join the enemy...against ourselves.
Number Six: Don't tell me you care?
Number Two: Well, of course. We want you to be happy.
Number Six: Fine. Just, ummm... give me a one-way ticket home.
Number Two: Won't you ever give up?
Number Six: What do you think?
Number Two: Well, of course. We want you to be happy.
Number Six: Fine. Just, ummm... give me a one-way ticket home.
Number Two: Won't you ever give up?
Number Six: What do you think?
1st Psychiatrist: Is he in for treatment?
Number Two: Not yet.
1st Psychiatrist: Pity... interesting subject. I should like to know his breaking point.
Number Six: Well, you could make that your life's ambition.
Number Two: Not yet.
1st Psychiatrist: Pity... interesting subject. I should like to know his breaking point.
Number Six: Well, you could make that your life's ambition.
1st Psychiatrist: (about Number Six) "Total disregard for personal safety and a negative reaction to pain."
Number Two: Well he wouldn't be able to fake that.
1st Psychiatrist: I never met a man who could. It would require superhuman willpower.
Number Two: Well he wouldn't be able to fake that.
1st Psychiatrist: I never met a man who could. It would require superhuman willpower.
(The Queen has been brainwashed into thinking that she is in love with Number Six. She tells him so but he does not believe her. She starts to cry)
The Queen: How can you doubt me?
Number Six: It's easy and I'm waterproof; a little drizzle won't wash away my doubt. So don't try.
The Queen: I only want to be near you.
Number Six: Everybody's near in this place. Far too near.
The Queen: Do you think they'll ever release us?
Number Six: Let me know. I shan't be around.
The Queen: How can you doubt me?
Number Six: It's easy and I'm waterproof; a little drizzle won't wash away my doubt. So don't try.
The Queen: I only want to be near you.
Number Six: Everybody's near in this place. Far too near.
The Queen: Do you think they'll ever release us?
Number Six: Let me know. I shan't be around.
Number Two: Isn't it rather late to come visiting?
Number Six: We didn't like to leave without thanking you for having us.
Number Six: We didn't like to leave without thanking you for having us.
Number Two: They'll be back tomorrow. On the chess board. As pawns.
Analysis
Escape
The show changes its focus as this is the last episode where the Prisoner makes a deliberate escape attempt, and where more Insurrection-type plots take over. His plan exploits an obvious hole in Village security: so obvious it seems difficult to believe the authorities didn't take it into account in the first place. This episode focuses the least on Number Six himself: he's involved but the authorities don't seem particularly interested in what he's doing. Number Six's hopes are crushed at the end, but it's more because of his failure to escape then the authorities taking deliberate actions to weaken his resolve.
The show changes its focus as this is the last episode where the Prisoner makes a deliberate escape attempt, and where more Insurrection-type plots take over. His plan exploits an obvious hole in Village security: so obvious it seems difficult to believe the authorities didn't take it into account in the first place. This episode focuses the least on Number Six himself: he's involved but the authorities don't seem particularly interested in what he's doing. Number Six's hopes are crushed at the end, but it's more because of his failure to escape then the authorities taking deliberate actions to weaken his resolve.
Other Episode Crew
| • Creator | George Markstein | Patrick McGoohan |
| • Executive Producer | Patrick McGoohan |
| • Producer | David Tomblin |
| • Editor | Lee Doig |
| • Casting | Rose Tobias Shaw |
| • First Assistant Director | Gino Marotta |
| • Music | Ron Grainer |
| • Music Editor | Robert C. Dearberg |
| • Costume Designer | Masada Wilmot |
| • Hairstylist | Pat McDermot |
| • Make-up | Eddie Knight (1) |
| • Camera Operator | Jack Lowin | Robert Monks |
| • Set Decorator | Kenneth Bridgeman |
| • Other | Doris Martin (2) (Continuity) |
| • Director of Photography | Brendan J. Stafford |
| • Story Editor | George Markstein |
| • Art Director | Jack Shampan |
| • Production Manager | Bernard Williams |
| • Sound Editor | Clive Smith (1) | John Bramall |
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