The Prisoner seeks the dark truth behind a new speedlearning course that is altering the minds of his fellow inmates in the Village. All he has to do is peek behind the curtain…
As if channeling Captain Kirk in classic Star Trek, No. 6 ultimately outwits a computer. What do you think of his solution? This episode is clearly a commentary on education, making a case against booklearning in favor of independent thought. How much of this episode is also a criticism on our dependence on technology?
The episode isn’t about technology; it’s about creativity and critical thinking. Machines aren’t good at this. That being the case, can a machine teach these skills? Can these skills even survive in a completely-controlled society?
Interesting how 1960′s people thought that any software bug would cause a computer to growl, spit sparks, and self-destruct.