"Arrival" is the title of the first episode of the British science fiction-allegorical series, The Prisoner. It originally aired in the UK on ITV on October 1, 1967 and was first broadcast in the United States on CBS in the summer of 1968.

The episode introduced audiences to the character of Number Six, portrayed by Patrick McGoohan and introduced most of the concepts that would dominate the series throughout its 17 episodes.

Plot summary

Introduction

"Arrival" begins with a fast-paced sequence showing a stern-faced man driving a Lotus Seven through the streets of London. After leaving his vehicle in an underground parking garage, the man strides down a dimly lit corridor and throws open the doors to an office. Seated at a desk, a bald man (played by Prisoner co-creator, George Markstein) watches as the man paces back and forth, clearly raising his voice (thunder is heard in place of dialogue) before throwing an envelope on the desk and slamming his fist down (a nearby teacup shatters from the impact).

The man — whose real name is never revealed — drives away, unaware that a hearse is following. Meanwhile, the camera shows the man's face on his ID card being stamped with a row of XXX. This card is sent away on a conveyor belt to a records room and is dropped into a filing cabinet drawer which is marked "RESIGNED".

The man arrives home and enters his flat; he starts quickly packing a suitcase, tossing a few travel brochures on top and slamming the case shut. Outside, a tall individual dressed as an undertaker, emerges from the hearse and approaches the man's front door.

The man does not notice the gas entering through the keyhole into his apartment until it is too late. His vision begins to swirl and he collapses onto a chesterfield.

He awakens sometime later, apparently still in his apartment. Groggily, he gets up and goes to the window. But instead of seeing the familiar London street, he sees an Italian-style courtyard surrounded by Roman-style columns and ancient looking buildings. He is now a prisoner of The Village.

With a few exceptions, each episode of The Prisoner begins with this opening sequence (although here it contains several shots that are not seen in any other episodes; see Notes).

Main storyline

The man — dazed and confused — explores his new prison. He begins meeting inhabitants of The Village and learns its standard greeting — "Be seeing you" (delivered with an odd-looking salute). He takes his first ride in a Village taxi and learns that the inhabitants of The Village are international. He learns that the layout of The Village makes it difficult to leave — surrounded on three sides by mountains, and the fourth by "The Sea". Maps offer no clue as to where The Village is, and no one will answer the question for him.

Returning to the place where he awoke — inside it is a near-perfect replica of his London flat — he sees that the numeral 6 has now been attached to a sign outside. The phone rings when he enters and the newly christened No. 6 is invited to the Green Dome to visit with No. 2.

No. 2 turns out to be a kindly man, a bureaucrat who is apparently only interested in doing a double check as to No. 6's motives for resigning from an unidentified (but undeniably British) organization (presumably of the spying variety). "Co-operate and this can be a very nice place," he says. No. 6 learns that The Village has been spying on him for some time and has a complete dossier on him already — but No. 2 will not say which side runs The Village. During his visit with No. 2, No. 6 first meets the Butler (Angelo Muscat), who represents "the little man". He is a short servant who never speaks and who, as the series progresses, turns out to be just about the only constant in The Village besides No. 6 himself.

No. 2 takes No. 6 on a tour, and describes The Village as a place where former agents come to either retire or be debriefed. There is no escape, and to illustrate this, No. 2 activates Rover, a roaring, balloon-like "creature", or machine, that envelopes a rebellious Villager, leaving nothing behind.

After this unsettling tour, No. 6 makes his first escape attempt on foot, but is soon captured by Rover who, fortunately, does not kill No. 6 this time.

No. 6 awakes in The Hospital where he finds Cobb, a former colleague, who has also been incarcerated. Cobb is not very useful as a source of information and, moments before No. 6 returns from a brief interrogation, jumps out the window to his death.

No. 6 leaves the hospital and is forced to wear a Villager's costume as his old clothes have supposedly been burnt. The first thing he removes is the identity badge (with an image of a Penny-farthing bicycle — the Village's insignia) identifying him as No. 6. Except on rare occasions, No. 6 will never wear such a badge again.

No. 6 storms up to the Green Dome to confront No. 2, only to discover that it is now a different man. No. 2 can be and is replaced from time to time, for reasons not explained. This No. 2 is a colder individual, less friendly towards No. 6.

Later, No. 6 observes the funeral service for Cobb and sees a beautiful young woman following behind the funeral procession. He confronts her and learns that she was Cobb's lover. At a later rendezvous she reveals that she and Cobb were working on an escape plan and she promises to help No. 6 escape. The Prisoner is suspicious when he sees her visiting with No. 2. But she claims her intentions are honourable and she gives No. 6 an electropass, a modified wristwatch designed to stave off Rover and allow access to the Village's helicopter. The girl refuses to accompany No. 6.

The Prisoner makes his way to the helicopter pad and uses the electropass to keep Rover at bay as he boards the vehicle. He takes off, but unknown to him he is being observed by No. 2. A technician takes control of the helicopter via remote control and soon No. 6 is back in the Village.

The girl's true motives are left a mystery (she is never seen again), but before No. 2 can deal with No. 6, he first has to dismiss his latest successful "conversion" — Cobb. As Cobb leaves, he tells No. 2 he "mustn't keep my new masters waiting" and warns that No. 6 "will be a tough nut to crack". The last words No. 2 and Cobb exchange are "Au revoir" and "Auf wiedersehen", idioms of farewell in French and German which literally refer to vision, as "Be seeing you" does. It is also left ambiguous if Cobb's use of German indicates his (new?) loyalties.

The episode ends with a defeated No. 6 leaving the helicopter pad, as the Butler passes a sign that says "Residents Only."

Additional guest cast

• Taxi driver: Barbara Yu Ling
• Maid: Stephanie Randall
• Welfare worker: Fabia Drake
• Shopkeeper: Denis Shaw
• Gardener/electrician: Oliver MacGreevy
• Ex-Admiral: Frederick Piper
• Waitress: Patsy Smart
• Labour Exchange manager: Christopher Benjamin
• Supervisor: Peter Swanwick
• Hospital attendant: David Garfield
• 1st Guardian: Peter Brace
• 2nd Guardian: Keith Peacock
• Announcer/Operator: Fenella Fielding (unseen)

Notes

• The opening main titles sequence as seen in this episode is unique: As The Prisoner's auto enters the car park, he takes a ticket from a dispensing device, then exits the car and pushes through a pair of doors, marked "Way" and "Out" respectively. We see the hearse waiting for him as he pulls out into the street, then somehow it is in front of him and he passes it. None of this is seen in subsequent episodes. An extended version of the theme tune is used, and is not used again until the final episoode, Fall Out
• Two versions exist of "Arrival". A slightly longer version, with different theme music and several different scenes (including a different conclusion in which Rover attacks No. 6 after he leaves the helicopter), was released on DVD in the UK in 2003. The 2007 DVD release includes an improved-quality verson, restored from a faded 35mm print, which can be also viewed with a music only soundtrack. Rumours of a two-hour version have also persisted, however no such edit has yet been located.
• Rover was not identified by this name until the later episode The Schizoid Man.
• This episode introduces a very subtle subplot which would only be addressed in one future episode, "Dance of the Dead". Both feature female characters who are assigned to observe Village inmates and end up falling in love with them. In this episode, "The Woman", while not explicitly described as an Observer, nonetheless wears the same outfit as the Observer in "Dance of the Dead" and appears to have similar duties. "Dance of the Dead" indicates that becoming emotionally attached to a subject is an occupational hazard for Observers, which appears to be the case in "Arrival" with "The Woman" and Cobb, and in "Dance of the Dead" when Number 6's Observer also develops an apparent attachment.