I don’t know about you, but I’m quite excited by this. The Prisoner was an exceptional TV series and while remakes and reimaginings always concern me, this looks to be worthwhile.
Of course this is an ITV co-production, but obviously this video isn’t to be found on itv.com (or if it is, neither I nor Google could find it).
And AMC plan to air The Prisoner in November, but ITV’s recent Autumn Press Pack doesn’t seem to mention them airing the miniseries this year. Previous reports had suggested that ITV isn’t airing it until 2010.
While ITV’s audience for Miss Marple won’t be unduly affected by the fact that PBS has already aired the new episodes featuring Julia McKenzie, I think it’s safe to say that the bit torrent traffic will be heavy as soon as The Prisoner airs on AMC. And that means damaging ITV’s UK viewing figures.
Curiously ITV2 seems to have learnt this lesson as Sky and BBC Two have before it, and Entourage is currently airing in the same week as its US screening on HBO.
Quite why ITV isn’t scheduling a genre piece like The Prisoner simultaneously with its American partners is unfathomable.