TVSquad

While we're anxiously -- and optimistically -- awaiting the AMC remake of the classic Patrick McGoohan spy series The Prisoner, filmmaker Christopher Nolan has abandoned a big screen version of The Prisoner. Nolan reportedly will concentrate instead on a third Batman movie.

As a promotion for its upcoming broadcast of the remake of The Prisoner starring Jim Caviezel and Sir Ian McKellan, AMC is allowing people to view the entire original series on its website for free. Patrick McGoohan stars in the series he co-created.

I cannot recommend watching this series enough, especially if you haven't already. I picked up the 40th anniversary DVD set with no regrets. It was quite revolutionary for its time and used a lot of story devices that were unheard of on television back then (such as having an entire episode be a story told by Number Six to a bunch of children). And let us not forget the signature attack-balloon, Rover.

I doubt the remake mini-series will hold up to the original as it was really a product of its time, but Ian McKellan is an excellent actor and his involvement is enough to pique my interest. I suspect that, much like many of the remakes nowadays, this will bear only a superficial resemblence to the original.

I don't know how they keep doing it; AMC that is. Not only have they brought us stellar series (Mad Men) after stellar series (Breaking Bad), but now they've managed to snag two big-time Hollywood names to join the cast of their remake of one of the smartest shows in television history. What started as rumor, that even we at TV Squad had a hard time believing, is now fact. Both Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellan have been cast in AMC's remake of The Prisoner. Caviezel is set to fill Patrick McGoohan's shoes as the titular "Number Six," while McKellan will step into the role of "Number Two."

AMC's The Prisoner is scheduled to be a six-part mini-series. It hasn't been made clear if those six parts are one hour, two or a combination of both, but either way the original wrapped up in 17 so there's no reason to think we can't get a satisfying tale in six installments. With casting of the two principals announced, it's actually safe to say now that this thing might really get made. AMC is cruising right along with their original programming, and after forty years, I think we're due a re-imagining of this classic series. And unlike the disastrous The Andromeda Strain at A&E, I have faith that AMC won't let me down ... don't let me down, AMC!