Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of the science fiction/ existential drama The Prisoner. For Part One, in which I examined the themes and concepts at play in the series click HERE
Episode Title: DANCE OF THE DEAD
In the eternally-open debate about the exact order of the 17 episodes of The Prisoner I unashamedly hold with those who place Dance of the Dead as Episode Two. My main reason is the fact that the Prisoner himself and other characters bluntly state he is new to the Village.
Plus this episode features him betraying so much lack of awareness of the Villagekeepers’ Head Games and their placement of cameras everywhere that to me Dance of the Dead only makes sense coming immediately after the first episode, Arrival.
Mary Morris as this episode’s Number Two is one of the most memorable Number Twos in the rotating series of those Village executives. As we all know Trevor Howard was originally slated for this episode but Morris is a more than welcome change.
The title is perfect for anyone with the Prisoner mindset. So-called “mainstream society”, including its bizarre rituals which so many willingly and mindlessly play along with, truly is a Dance of the Dead. Today Facebook and Twitter and social media in general take the whole concept beyond the point of parody.
To me part of the argument for placing Dance of the Dead as Episode Two comes from the way it embodies the television industry problem called Second Episode Blues in which a strong opening episode is often followed by one that is a bit aimless compared to that debut.
Dance of the Dead‘s storyline – fragmented though it may seem – features a nice selection of elements that show up in various combinations in nearly every subsequent Prisoner episode:
“THIS MAN HAS A FUTURE WITH US” – On the literal level it IS true that a talented former Intelligence Agent like Number Six could be an asset to the conspirators behind the Village.
On the allegorical level, the leadership in even the most conformist and oppressive societies stays on the lookout for capable recruits. It’s often the most efficient way of co-opting individuals whose abilities might otherwise lead them to establish rebellions. The Powers That Be can even dangle the carrot of certain privileges not enjoyed by the rest of the population as an added incentive for talented individuals, enticing them to sell out and come over to the side of the ruling class. Continue reading
AMERICAN MIDWEST CONFERENCE – The 5th seeded WILLIAM WOODS UNIVERSITY OWLS faced the 4 seeds – the COLUMBIA (MO) COLLEGE COUGARS. After 3 scoreless Innings the Owls went up 2, 3 and 4-0 in the 4th, 5th and 6th Innings, respectively. From there they added one more run for a 5-0 shutout. 
HILLARY BLAMES HER STATUS AS A CAPITALIST FOR HER 2016 DEFEAT. (No joke here, she really said that. ) COUNTRY REPLIES “NO, IT WAS YOUR STATUS AS A CRIMINAL, INSTEAD.” 
RECORD TURNOUT FOR A MEETING OF CONSERVATIVE WRITER JONAH GOLDBERG’S FAN CLUB (See right for a photo of ALL the attendees)
DAY TWO RESULTS – The 4 seeds – the HOPE INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY ROYALS – bounced back from their Day One loss to TMU to win a pair of games yesterday. In the Royals’ clash with the 3rd seeded VANGUARD UNIVERSITY LIONS neither team scored until Hope International U grabbed a 2-0 lead in the 3rd Inning. 
When Balladeer’s Blog’s readers ask me for my genuine, actual opinion on a given subject I’m always glad to oblige. So here is the latest question and my 100% sincere opinion with no jokes or sarcasm. 
I support President Trump’s efforts to Drain the Swamp but as we have seen he is making virtually a one-man stand. Both Democrats and Republicans oppose his efforts to put teeth to anti-corruption measures. It will be an uphill fight for him to simply continue the good work he has already accomplished for the poor and the working class, let alone control spending, which is, as I stated above, a desirable goal but one which he will need more bodies in Congress to accomplish. 
For Balladeer’s Blog’s Number One Harry Flashman Novel click 
6. FLASHMAN AND THE MOUNTAIN OF LIGHT (1990) 
Harry being Harry, he STILL manages to find time for a brief fling with the wife of a fellow British Officer before getting thrust into the line of fire. And into the schemes and political machinations of the real-life Maharani Jeendan, her brother Jawaheer, the British East India Company and a fanatical real-life military sect called the Khalsa. 
The deliciously decadent Maharani Jeendan is our protagonist’s main bedmate in his latest sword and sex adventure, followed closely by Mangla, the Maharani’s beautiful, calculating slave who had – as history confirms – engineered events to secretly become one of the wealthiest women of the Punjab despite her condition of servitude. 
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