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THE PRISONER (1967): Day 5 of 31 Days of Spy Films & Television

May 8, 2019 by Amy Suto 1 Comment

Welcome back, spy fans! This is day 5 of my non-consecutive blog series of the best spy shows and movies.

I feel like I’m running a book club over here, except it’s poorly organized, rarely updated, and I get emails from all of you asking if I know the definition of a “month.” (Math isn’t my strong suit. Neither is getting to all the TV I want to. I still haven’t seen the second season of Killing Eve, okay??? Nothing else matters until I catch up.)

I also launched a new arts publication spotlighting up-and-coming writers and artists in Los Angeles, and it’s called Kingdom of Pavement. So, I’ve been doing a thing or two in the meantime while I’m ignoring my calendar reminders to “update my blog.” Go check it out, for my first article I go pole dancing with writer Erika Flynn who’s reinventing the way strippers are portrayed on-screen.

Okay, now back to what I actually came here to write about:

You Haven’t Seen The Best Spy Thriller And You Need To

Chances are, you haven’t seen THE PRISONER, a 1967 surreal paranoid spy thriller that was a major inspiration for LOST. It follows a spy (Patrick McGoohan), who resigns — only to wake up in a weird town where he is given the name “Number Six.”

Everyone in the Village — especially Number Two, a villain who is a new character almost every episode — seem intent on figuring out why he resigned, and to extract his secrets and loyalties.

It’s unclear in the beginning whether or not these people are from his own agency or an enemy agency, but what is clear is that Number Six will do everything to try and escape.

Do yourself a favor and go watch this show (which is streaming on Amazon Prime) not only because it’s an exquisite spy show, but because the nuanced storytelling achieves so much on so many levels.

It’s also SO WEIRD, and even has a clear predecessor to the “smoke monster” from LOST: a gigantic white bouncy-ball/balloon thing that smothers people who try and escape.

RIP

Why THE PRISONER is An Absurdist Commentary on Authoritarianism and the Police State

Oh boy, with a subheading like that I might as well be back at USC writing essays for Drew Casper’s class, right?

One look at THE PRISONER, though, and you can spot the ’60s counterculture themes right away. Just take a look at the (incredibly long but comprehensive) theme song:

RIP to 3 minute long theme songs

“In society, one must learn to conform,” Number Two says in Episode 9 to McGoohan’s Number Six, ‘Checkmate’ as they torture a non-conforming individual. These aphorisms are present everywhere, clearly signifying The Village as not just a place to get secrets out of spies, but of a warning of where our society could fall into if the individual is no longer allowed to exist. The Village can be our village — or maybe it already is.

As Number Six tries to escape in every single episode, Number Two thwarts him in a series of interesting ways that almost always includes the following:

  1. Activating the giant white bouncy ball to come after Number Two if he gets too close to actually getting away
  2. Involving Number Two in the elaborate manipulations and mind control games so that he sees how they use surveillance, hypnosis, and groupthink to destroy the individual

When Number Six is sentenced to death during a party, a group of crazy costumed villagers run after him in an almost slapstick-like chase. The absurd elements here serve as a commentary, like the whole show is, on free will and the police state.

These themes are like the fun sauce on top of an already complex and delicious dish, though. I wanted to get the intellectualizing out of the way so we can talk about all the other things I love about this show, starting with:

The World of The Village and Fresh Approach to Spy Tropes

One of the aspects of the show that is ingeniously done is the sheer depth of the worldbuilding and fascinating ecosystem of The Village and its masters and inhabitants.

In The Village, the citizens host “democratic” elections, wear rainbow-colored clothes, play life-sized chess, get tortured in the hospital, have weird group therapy in a giant weird room where they sit silently, follow each other and spout propaganda, and try to escape. Every episode utilizes the world in a fascinating, innovative way.

THE PRISONER has an inception-like dream episode where in order to find out Number Six’s secrets, Number Two dials into his dreams with a special machine and introduce known double agents to test Number Six’s loyalties and to get him to spill the beans on why he resigned. With some clever spy maneuvering, Number Six turns the tables, and this episode becomes a fun romp in both the dream world and in the real world.

You need to watch this show just to see the incredible consistency in which the worldbuilding is carried out and executed, down to the silly yet ubiquitous font choice and the saying “be seeing you” that permeates every aspect of every episode. Just like how THE HANDMAID’S TALE builds a consistently bleak but on-brand world every episode, THE PRISONER creates a deceivingly colorful and fun world with a dark undercurrent.

The way this show approaches traditional spy tropes is something to be studied. From disguises to escapes to double-crosses, so much can be learned from the way this show crafts both Number Six’s clever workarounds and the cat-and-mouse games between him and his captors.

In spy fiction, we run the risk of either, A) making our spies too smart and constantly being ahead of everybody to the point where we always know they’re going to win which kills the tension, or B) making our bad guys too smart and therefore making our hero look dumb/way too far behind the curve. THE PRISONER does a really great job of giving both sides wins at just the right time, even allowing Number Six some incredible victories — only to be undercut at the very last moment.

Patrick McGoohan as the Perfect TV Bond (Despite the Behind-The-Scenes Instability)

Also, I think we’ve vastly underestimated how Patrick McGoohan embodied the James Bond of television. His performances in THE PRISONER not only captures the swagger and iron will of invincible spy heroes, but he also navigates the most absurd scenes in an authentic, wry way.

The character of Number Six is a bit one-note, but McGoohan is a delight to watch, which negates some of the flatness of the character.

What’s kind of nuts, however, is some of the real stories of the out-of-control set environment. McGoohan served as actor and creator of the series, and some argue he was having a nervous breakdown during production — to the point where he would actually punch people for real in fight scenes (much to the chagrin of all involved.)

This weird series is so off-the-wall — with even stranger real-life stories — but all of this strangeness only serves to make something so odd you can’t look away.

Best Episode: The Schizoid Man

**Spoilers Ahead**

This episode is incredible because of the manipulation of identity. Number Two tries to make Number Six doubt his existence by making him think he’s number 12, and telling him that he’s going to aid Number Two in the manipulation of a doppleganger who is posing as Number Six. (If this plot summary is confusing at all, just go watch the episode. I can’t do it justice here.)

Not only is Patrick McGoohan playing two versions of himself — one trying to make the other doubt his own identity — but this episode deftly creates this incredible paranoia that is phenomenal and so ingenious.

The episode ends with our friend Evil Giant Bouncy Ball suffocating the schizoid man because the real Number Six realizes that he shouldn’t doubt his identity because of a small injury he remembers he has. He then uses this to his advantage, trying to escape under the pretense he’s the doppleganger Number Two brought in, and the real Number Six is dead. But, Number Two catches him in a lie, realizes he’s actually Number Six and not the hired doppleganger, and he doesn’t escape.

This episode is just so ingenious and gripping, I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Why It Deserves Another Remake

If you can’t tell by the absolute dissertation I just wrote on this show, I absolutely adore this story and the outright messiness of the plotting. (There’s a western episode!! In a show that definitely is NOT a western!!) Especially in our modern TV landscape, we don’t really have shows that take this many crazy risks. Pristine act breaks and predictable plotting can take away from the sense of surprise and awe I felt when I watched THE PRISONER for the first time.

In 2009, AMC did a remake, but we’re not going to talk about that here. Remaking this show is hard, and although it was a valiant effort, I think we need to try again.

In my opinion, THE PRISONER has almost everything I want in a great spy thriller. One thing I would love in a new remake is to give Number Six an internal conflict. For the entire series, he’s laser focused on escaping, and there isn’t any doubt in his mind that this is the right thing to do, and no moral quandaries to overcome. Even the betrayals of the women and fellow prisoners barely seem relevant to the plot or his character.

If I was to get a crack at a remake, I think more attention should be paid to developing a resonant internal conflict that plays out in relation to another character. In episode eight, Number Six says he doesn’t trust women, which I think would be more interesting if he had to trust and work with a woman to escape. (And she then didn’t immediately betray him, like ALL the female characters in the story.)

In addition, we don’t get enough of an “investigation” into who is running the Village: his own spy agency, trying to figure out if he’s a mole, or an enemy spy agency, trying to get at his secrets. This should be played up more, since I think there’s real stakes that can be found here.

The weirdness? That can stay. As shows like FX’s LEGION prove, more weirdness is needed on-screen.

I could go on forever about all this, but should probably wrap up now and do some “real” work.

Be seeing you. xx

Filed Under: 31 Days of Spy Films and Shows, All Posts, Most Popular Posts, Spy Films and TV Shows, TV Show Reviews Tagged With: patrick mcgoohan, spy show, spy thrillers, the prisoner

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Comments

  1. Christopher says

    August 14, 2019 at 4:11 AM

    Great review. I was born in 94 so The Prisoner was way before my time. Thankfully, my mother had the good sense to introduce me to this show when I was just a toddler so you could say I was brought up on it (alongside other spy shows from the 60s, like The Avengers, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.). The Prisoner is one of the few older TV shows that doesn’t just hold up today, but is actually better in today’s world. What I mean is, everything seems more fitting now. I think back in the 60s people didn’t really see what Patrick saw. He knew where we were heading. Now, of course we’re not actually in a terrible reality like the Village itself just yet. But trust me, we are getting there. Things are getting worse. Slowly and systematically, the individual is being destroyed.

    Of course, what makes the show so delightful is that it’s also great fun as well as delivering an apt social commentary. I’m also one of The Prisoner fans who actually adores the ending. I don’t think a conventional ending would have worked at all. It had to be something enigmatic. It’s just vague enough and just bizarre enough. It strikes a perfect balance for me.

    Anyway, I could gush about the show for hours but I don’t want to subject you to that. Haha. Anyway, Amy, a delightful review. I’ll be sure to check out this site more often.

    All the best and…be seeing you. 😉

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About Amy Suto

I’m Amy, I write thrillers for TV and ghostwrite memoirs for people all over the world. I also write personal essays, short stories, and things for the internet. Check out my portfolio page, sign-up for my writing tips newsletter below, and don’t hesitate to get in touch and share your favorite coffeeshop recommendations! Want to work together? Tell me about you and your project here.

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sutoscience

Amy Suto
Snippet from our shoot in the desert last year wit Snippet from our shoot in the desert last year with the badass @idaliavalles_ and @medwardsphx, can’t wait to eventually get back to filming projects again!

#Repost @idaliavalles_
・・・
A casual stroll in the desert 🏜 excerpt from @sutoscience projects 🎥 @medwardsphx
Happy NYE to all the people who saw my hair in var Happy NYE to all the people who saw my hair in various stages of disarray on Zoom this year!!! In 2020 I spent a lot of time running @kingdomofpavement, writing/producing @thelaststationpodcast, prepping @kingdomofink_writers for launch with the help of our incredible team, and I got to write some cool books with my amazing clients you’ll be able to read soon. Work aside, I also struggled a ton and worked a lot and dealt with all the existential dread we all went through. I would not be smiling and continuing to avoid my hairbrush without the love and support of the people around me, and I’m grateful to pieces. Here’s to another year of virtual meetings, moving our remote office to gorgeous new places, and pretending “windswept” is an accurate description of my bedhead.
In 2020, we were constantly faced with our own mor In 2020, we were constantly faced with our own mortality. If your life was taken away from you tomorrow, what would you do differently today? What would you change in yourself and the world around you? In reading this book about how different cultures around the world treat death so much differently than us, I also think our fear of death harms us. In thinking that we’re going to live forever, America pretends very real viruses don’t exist, and we don’t make the changes today that would lead to a better tomorrow. The fact that death is an inevitability is both freeing and a call to make the most of the time that we do have. Here’s to 2021 and the way in which we can make the most of it ✨
I'm doing a blog series heading into the new year I'm doing a blog series heading into the new year about building better habits and mental frameworks around our work as writers and creatives, and this first installment is about how to "honor the work" it takes to make great art. Check it out at AmySuto.com and I will one day also be updating my email newsletter before the end of this godforsaken year so if that's your jam feel free to sign-up!
Taking a yoga break in-between working on a key wr Taking a yoga break in-between working on a key writing project today— I’ve loved playing with standing balance flows lately because they help with focus. If you’re trying not to fall over it’s hard to have wandering thoughts 🙂 warrior 2 > triangle > half moon > crescent 🌙 lunge > warrior 3 > half chair > eagle > warrior 3 was one of my favorite challenge sequences I taught in my yoga classes pre-pandemic, and is a great way to quiet your mind even if you fall out of it like I did 🙃 one of my favorite yoga teachers used to tell me falling is just proof that we’re challenging ourselves. If we’re doing everything perfectly, we’re too far within our comfort zone.
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#yoga #writing #movement #yogapractice #yogaflow #yogadaily #writing #scriptchat #nature wearing @alo #aloyoga
I’ve spent most of 2020 in cozy spaces reading w I’ve spent most of 2020 in cozy spaces reading with my cat, and there’s something satisfying in the simplicity of sifting through all these good books. My current read is “Women Who Run With Wolves,” a book analyzing mythology and feminine nature that’s deeply fascinating and a life-changing read. We don’t think about the wisdom we need to protect our creative nature and inner worlds, and this book goes into how to find restoration and strength even in our chaotic environment. A full list of all my favorite books from this year coming to my blog soon!
This is been a year of climbing mountains. Whether This is been a year of climbing mountains. Whether we’re forming a fictional folk band and need to get our album cover or creating new systems and structures from scratch, I couldn’t be more grateful for the people beside me as we build a kingdom that can pave a new road into Hollywood and storytelling. Every day I get to wake up and work on projects I love, help fascinating folks tell their stories, and try to make my corner of this world a little brighter. In 2021 I’m planning to keep upholding the standards and values I want in our work, and to bring some really special art to life. Even as things are burning, we can find a way to use the flames to show us the way to what’s next.
Enjoying the last few days of working remotely in Enjoying the last few days of working remotely in Palm Springs. It’s been a lovely month soaking up the last of the summer (fall?) sun while writing by the pool and transitioning to fire pit days. Working in inspiring places has helped me focus on the top-secret writing work I’m doing for really inspiring people, and think deeply about the right way to tell a story from all angles. Soon, back to LA, home for the holidays, and onto the next adventure as we try to make the most of our quarantine world with really exceptional people.
Lots of late nights writing, working, and drinking Lots of late nights writing, working, and drinking whiskey lately 🥃 it’s been a busy year, but I’m lucky to be working on projects I love.
Spent all of the past month living and working rem Spent all of the past month living and working remotely in the Colorado Rockies, and here’s what I learned:

1) Fresh air and long hikes can fix a lot
2) What can’t be fixed by 1 can be remedied with good friends and long conversations 
3) What can’t be fixed by 1 and 2 can be solved by renouncing all material possessions and just moving to the woods permanently and taking up whittling 
4) While I’m not quite at 3 just yet, I’m working on trying to carve out a place in the world that feels full of life and heart and community. It’s going to take a long time to build everything we’re working on, with a lot of hard decisions along the road. But I’m excited to keep making progress and creating stories I care about with talented folks.

Stay safe and here’s to hoping we’ll get our blue skies back in LA sometime soon 💙
The trees are changing like we all are; the season The trees are changing like we all are; the seasons of life we go through can either cultivate personal growth or personal fear and I’m hoping to always have the courage to choose the former.
Spent the past four days off-the-grid, driving to Spent the past four days off-the-grid, driving to Colorado and spending a night in a yurt in the middle of the Utah desert 🌵 now we’re in the woods and back in semi-civilization to write, quarantine together, and work on all the things.
This is easily one of the most influential books I This is easily one of the most influential books I’ve read this year: even if you haven’t dealt with trauma personally (and there’s different levels of trauma), you interact with people in your world who have — even if you don’t know it. Understanding how trauma affects the core of us on a cellular level is critical to understanding how the mental affects the physical. This book is also an important glimpse into why people behave badly: usually, there’s unresolved trauma at the heart of someone acting out. If everyone was more trauma-informed, we’d be able to make strides to solving the public health crisis at the heart of these traumatic incidents, and be in a better place to help provide healing modalities like yoga, therapy, and EMDR.
Going to the woods for a bit to work remotely and Going to the woods for a bit to work remotely and write and maybe take up an obscure hobby like whittling. Maybe I’ll build a cabin with my bare hands and just work on the land. Maybe I’ll finally finish my Next Great American Novel. I don’t know. All I know is that pine trees are cool and we have to be well-rested for the revolution 🌹
In episode 103, Holden is trapped in an abandoned In episode 103, Holden is trapped in an abandoned mine with no way out — with a monster that steals time and distorts the airwaves. Catch up on @thelaststationpodcast now! // THELASTSTATIONPODCAST.COM // trailer edited by @lizzskywalker ✨
So I'm not ~saying~ you should go illegally downlo So I'm not ~saying~ you should go illegally download CONDOR season 2 just to watch episode 206 that I co-wrote.... but if you do, I hope you enjoy :) This season isn't available in the US yet, but can't wait to share it legally once it is!
My co-producer and I at this morning’s awesome r My co-producer and I at this morning’s awesome recording session for @thelaststationpodcast episode 104, what a joyful few hours! Lots of talented folks in this ep, lots of chicken puns written by yours truly, and you’re not going to see the twist coming :) get your ears ready for some more sci-fi post-apocalyptic storytelling and sweet tunes ✨
Hey guys, the newest episode of @thelaststationpod Hey guys, the newest episode of @thelaststationpodcast is out, written by the amazing @bentelejack, and I’m just so fucking proud of our team on this one. If you ever wanted to hear what the inside of a nightmare sounds like — be our guest! 🚨 @sid_phoenix who plays Holden delivers an incredible performance — this episode is a breathless, tense experience and a one-man show at times as Holden is pursued by a monster that steals time and we experience flashbacks through a tape recorder. The incomparable @portiajamas brings her energy and charisma as Marina, trying to help Holden escape from her side of the airwaves. @linabean113 and @the_other_keanu are our amazing guest stars and bring the intrigue ✨ @mr_dejas and @it_groovy absolutely crushed it when it came to the sound design, editing, and mix/mastering of the episode and have heard from several friends already that they felt like the SFX was in the same room. Stephen Ptacek and Anthony Al-Rifi kill it with the original compositions and atmospheric music. If you like what we’re doing and want to support us, leave a review and subscribe on Apple podcasts, share our show, and consider becoming a patron! All the links and more at: TheLastStationPodcast.com 🎙
the only secret of the universe that I discovered the only secret of the universe that I discovered at the top of that mountain is that the universe is only a secret if you believe it is hiding something from you. otherwise, it’s just a new frontier waiting to be explored
When I started writing @thelaststationpodcast thre When I started writing @thelaststationpodcast three months ago, I wasn’t just writing a post-apocalyptic sci-fi radio drama about an indie music radio host and a cowboy braving the end of the world. I was — and still am! — using this scripted podcast as a way to explore the themes we’re all experiencing in quarantine: loss, missed connections, grieving the way the world once was, facing evils that feel so much greater than ourselves — and trying to find great music to carry us through. Not only do I get to play in this sandbox of finding hope at the end of the world, but I get to do it with the best people. The caliber of incredible talent on this project from our actors to our writing team to our guest musicians to our stellar editors and composers — it’s unreal. And it’s the beginning of an incredible journey: we’ve got 8 more episodes for you, and I can’t wait for you to experience each one. We’ll get through this together, and I can’t wait to introduce you to your new favorite creatives every step of the way through this story.
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Because I’m a Millennial

sutoscience

Amy Suto
Snippet from our shoot in the desert last year wit Snippet from our shoot in the desert last year with the badass @idaliavalles_ and @medwardsphx, can’t wait to eventually get back to filming projects again!

#Repost @idaliavalles_
・・・
A casual stroll in the desert 🏜 excerpt from @sutoscience projects 🎥 @medwardsphx
Happy NYE to all the people who saw my hair in var Happy NYE to all the people who saw my hair in various stages of disarray on Zoom this year!!! In 2020 I spent a lot of time running @kingdomofpavement, writing/producing @thelaststationpodcast, prepping @kingdomofink_writers for launch with the help of our incredible team, and I got to write some cool books with my amazing clients you’ll be able to read soon. Work aside, I also struggled a ton and worked a lot and dealt with all the existential dread we all went through. I would not be smiling and continuing to avoid my hairbrush without the love and support of the people around me, and I’m grateful to pieces. Here’s to another year of virtual meetings, moving our remote office to gorgeous new places, and pretending “windswept” is an accurate description of my bedhead.
In 2020, we were constantly faced with our own mor In 2020, we were constantly faced with our own mortality. If your life was taken away from you tomorrow, what would you do differently today? What would you change in yourself and the world around you? In reading this book about how different cultures around the world treat death so much differently than us, I also think our fear of death harms us. In thinking that we’re going to live forever, America pretends very real viruses don’t exist, and we don’t make the changes today that would lead to a better tomorrow. The fact that death is an inevitability is both freeing and a call to make the most of the time that we do have. Here’s to 2021 and the way in which we can make the most of it ✨
I'm doing a blog series heading into the new year I'm doing a blog series heading into the new year about building better habits and mental frameworks around our work as writers and creatives, and this first installment is about how to "honor the work" it takes to make great art. Check it out at AmySuto.com and I will one day also be updating my email newsletter before the end of this godforsaken year so if that's your jam feel free to sign-up!
Taking a yoga break in-between working on a key wr Taking a yoga break in-between working on a key writing project today— I’ve loved playing with standing balance flows lately because they help with focus. If you’re trying not to fall over it’s hard to have wandering thoughts 🙂 warrior 2 > triangle > half moon > crescent 🌙 lunge > warrior 3 > half chair > eagle > warrior 3 was one of my favorite challenge sequences I taught in my yoga classes pre-pandemic, and is a great way to quiet your mind even if you fall out of it like I did 🙃 one of my favorite yoga teachers used to tell me falling is just proof that we’re challenging ourselves. If we’re doing everything perfectly, we’re too far within our comfort zone.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#yoga #writing #movement #yogapractice #yogaflow #yogadaily #writing #scriptchat #nature wearing @alo #aloyoga
I’ve spent most of 2020 in cozy spaces reading w I’ve spent most of 2020 in cozy spaces reading with my cat, and there’s something satisfying in the simplicity of sifting through all these good books. My current read is “Women Who Run With Wolves,” a book analyzing mythology and feminine nature that’s deeply fascinating and a life-changing read. We don’t think about the wisdom we need to protect our creative nature and inner worlds, and this book goes into how to find restoration and strength even in our chaotic environment. A full list of all my favorite books from this year coming to my blog soon!
This is been a year of climbing mountains. Whether This is been a year of climbing mountains. Whether we’re forming a fictional folk band and need to get our album cover or creating new systems and structures from scratch, I couldn’t be more grateful for the people beside me as we build a kingdom that can pave a new road into Hollywood and storytelling. Every day I get to wake up and work on projects I love, help fascinating folks tell their stories, and try to make my corner of this world a little brighter. In 2021 I’m planning to keep upholding the standards and values I want in our work, and to bring some really special art to life. Even as things are burning, we can find a way to use the flames to show us the way to what’s next.
Enjoying the last few days of working remotely in Enjoying the last few days of working remotely in Palm Springs. It’s been a lovely month soaking up the last of the summer (fall?) sun while writing by the pool and transitioning to fire pit days. Working in inspiring places has helped me focus on the top-secret writing work I’m doing for really inspiring people, and think deeply about the right way to tell a story from all angles. Soon, back to LA, home for the holidays, and onto the next adventure as we try to make the most of our quarantine world with really exceptional people.
Lots of late nights writing, working, and drinking Lots of late nights writing, working, and drinking whiskey lately 🥃 it’s been a busy year, but I’m lucky to be working on projects I love.
Spent all of the past month living and working rem Spent all of the past month living and working remotely in the Colorado Rockies, and here’s what I learned:

1) Fresh air and long hikes can fix a lot
2) What can’t be fixed by 1 can be remedied with good friends and long conversations 
3) What can’t be fixed by 1 and 2 can be solved by renouncing all material possessions and just moving to the woods permanently and taking up whittling 
4) While I’m not quite at 3 just yet, I’m working on trying to carve out a place in the world that feels full of life and heart and community. It’s going to take a long time to build everything we’re working on, with a lot of hard decisions along the road. But I’m excited to keep making progress and creating stories I care about with talented folks.

Stay safe and here’s to hoping we’ll get our blue skies back in LA sometime soon 💙
The trees are changing like we all are; the season The trees are changing like we all are; the seasons of life we go through can either cultivate personal growth or personal fear and I’m hoping to always have the courage to choose the former.
Spent the past four days off-the-grid, driving to Spent the past four days off-the-grid, driving to Colorado and spending a night in a yurt in the middle of the Utah desert 🌵 now we’re in the woods and back in semi-civilization to write, quarantine together, and work on all the things.
This is easily one of the most influential books I This is easily one of the most influential books I’ve read this year: even if you haven’t dealt with trauma personally (and there’s different levels of trauma), you interact with people in your world who have — even if you don’t know it. Understanding how trauma affects the core of us on a cellular level is critical to understanding how the mental affects the physical. This book is also an important glimpse into why people behave badly: usually, there’s unresolved trauma at the heart of someone acting out. If everyone was more trauma-informed, we’d be able to make strides to solving the public health crisis at the heart of these traumatic incidents, and be in a better place to help provide healing modalities like yoga, therapy, and EMDR.
Going to the woods for a bit to work remotely and Going to the woods for a bit to work remotely and write and maybe take up an obscure hobby like whittling. Maybe I’ll build a cabin with my bare hands and just work on the land. Maybe I’ll finally finish my Next Great American Novel. I don’t know. All I know is that pine trees are cool and we have to be well-rested for the revolution 🌹
In episode 103, Holden is trapped in an abandoned In episode 103, Holden is trapped in an abandoned mine with no way out — with a monster that steals time and distorts the airwaves. Catch up on @thelaststationpodcast now! // THELASTSTATIONPODCAST.COM // trailer edited by @lizzskywalker ✨
So I'm not ~saying~ you should go illegally downlo So I'm not ~saying~ you should go illegally download CONDOR season 2 just to watch episode 206 that I co-wrote.... but if you do, I hope you enjoy :) This season isn't available in the US yet, but can't wait to share it legally once it is!
My co-producer and I at this morning’s awesome r My co-producer and I at this morning’s awesome recording session for @thelaststationpodcast episode 104, what a joyful few hours! Lots of talented folks in this ep, lots of chicken puns written by yours truly, and you’re not going to see the twist coming :) get your ears ready for some more sci-fi post-apocalyptic storytelling and sweet tunes ✨
Hey guys, the newest episode of @thelaststationpod Hey guys, the newest episode of @thelaststationpodcast is out, written by the amazing @bentelejack, and I’m just so fucking proud of our team on this one. If you ever wanted to hear what the inside of a nightmare sounds like — be our guest! 🚨 @sid_phoenix who plays Holden delivers an incredible performance — this episode is a breathless, tense experience and a one-man show at times as Holden is pursued by a monster that steals time and we experience flashbacks through a tape recorder. The incomparable @portiajamas brings her energy and charisma as Marina, trying to help Holden escape from her side of the airwaves. @linabean113 and @the_other_keanu are our amazing guest stars and bring the intrigue ✨ @mr_dejas and @it_groovy absolutely crushed it when it came to the sound design, editing, and mix/mastering of the episode and have heard from several friends already that they felt like the SFX was in the same room. Stephen Ptacek and Anthony Al-Rifi kill it with the original compositions and atmospheric music. If you like what we’re doing and want to support us, leave a review and subscribe on Apple podcasts, share our show, and consider becoming a patron! All the links and more at: TheLastStationPodcast.com 🎙
the only secret of the universe that I discovered the only secret of the universe that I discovered at the top of that mountain is that the universe is only a secret if you believe it is hiding something from you. otherwise, it’s just a new frontier waiting to be explored
When I started writing @thelaststationpodcast thre When I started writing @thelaststationpodcast three months ago, I wasn’t just writing a post-apocalyptic sci-fi radio drama about an indie music radio host and a cowboy braving the end of the world. I was — and still am! — using this scripted podcast as a way to explore the themes we’re all experiencing in quarantine: loss, missed connections, grieving the way the world once was, facing evils that feel so much greater than ourselves — and trying to find great music to carry us through. Not only do I get to play in this sandbox of finding hope at the end of the world, but I get to do it with the best people. The caliber of incredible talent on this project from our actors to our writing team to our guest musicians to our stellar editors and composers — it’s unreal. And it’s the beginning of an incredible journey: we’ve got 8 more episodes for you, and I can’t wait for you to experience each one. We’ll get through this together, and I can’t wait to introduce you to your new favorite creatives every step of the way through this story.
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