A loose spinoff from Patrick McGoohan's previous series Secret Agent, (in the U.K. Danger Man), The Prisoner is a series that was created far ahead of its time. Ambitious, intelligent, surreal, and ground-breaking for 1967, the show covers the affairs of a retired British agent who, upon his unexpected retirement from government service, finds himself abducted and deposited into 'The Village', a beautiful but surreal resort town where no one is permitted to leave. Assigned his number, Number Six is expected to live amongst the Village's other numbered residents, most of whom appear content to live out their lives in the Village's apparent security and tranquility.

Far more cerebral than most television offerings and very reflective of late 1960s culture, The Prisoner is not for everyone. While mostly a drama, it does have elements of science fiction, however limited it may be due to the show's budget and available special effects on television at the time. Its themes include hypnosis, hallucinogenic drug experiences, identity theft, mind control, dream manipulation, and various forms of social indoctrination, with its major theme being the popular late 60s subject of individualism versus collectivism.

The Prisoner has become one of the biggest television cult classics, often given credit and homage to by writers, filmmakers, actors, and musicians the world over.