The Schizoid Man

"The Schizoid Man" is an episode of the allegorical British science fiction TV series, The Prisoner. It was written by Terence Feely, directed by Pat Jackson and was the seventh produced. It was the fifth episode to be broadcast in the UK on ITV (ATV Midlands and Grampian) on Friday 27 October 1967 and first aired in the United States on CBS on Saturday 6 July 1968. The episode stars Patrick McGoohan as Number Six and features Anton Rodgers as Number Two. The central theme of the episode deals with the psychology of identity. Plot summary Number Six is assisting Number Twenty-four ("Alison"), a telepathic young woman, in practising mind reading with Zener cards. In an extremely complex plot of bluff and double bluff, Number Two brings an agent who looks just like Number Six, and is referred to as "Number Twelve", to The Village. Number Twelve is also played by McGoohan, apart from some shots featuring a body double. The real Number Six is subjected to an intensive course of aversion therapy, altering his tastes and instincts, and training him to do everything left-handed. He is drugged to wipe his memory of the treatment. When he awakes, he is treated as "Number Twelve", while the lookalike assumes the role of Number Six. The real Number Six is informed by Number Two of the plan to break "Number Six" (the impostor) by convincing him that he is not Number Six at all.