The Prisoner: The Forgotten 1960s Show That Inspired Twin Peaks, Lost & Battlestar Galactica

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As a lifelong TV fan, I’ve seen a lot of shows, and everyone knows titles like Twin Peaks, Lost, and the newer Battlestar Galactica. But honestly, not enough people have heard of The Prisoner. It’s a bit of a hidden gem, but it’s hugely important because it basically paved the way for all those shows I just mentioned. It was unlike anything on TV at the time, and it really showed everyone what the future of television could look like back in the ’60s.

As a film and TV obsessive, I’ve always felt that The Prisoner really broke the mold. It wasn’t just a clever mystery; the way it built its world and told the story – starting with the result and then showing how it happened – was totally unique. It wasn’t afraid to get weird, too, with those surreal, dreamlike sequences. Honestly, I think it laid the groundwork for a lot of the mind-bending, puzzle-box dramas we see on prestige TV today. Everyone talks about Twin Peaks as being influential, and it absolutely is, but I’d argue that The Prisoner was the first to really do a lot of these things – it’s the original, and so much of what followed wouldn’t exist without it.

First airing in 1967, the British series The Prisoner tells the story of an intelligence officer trapped in a strange, secluded place called “the Village,” where everyone is known only by a number. While hugely influential on many types of TV shows, it has remained a cult classic without ever achieving widespread popularity.

Like how many people were inspired to create their own music after hearing The Velvet Underground & Nico, this show seems to have had a similar effect. Similar to the wave of mystery dramas that tried to copy Lost after it became popular, Lost itself was clearly influenced by the classic show The Prisoner.

The Prisoner Inspired Twin Peaks, Lost & Battlestar Galactica

The creators of three highly praised and influential TV shows have all cited the classic series The Prisoner as a key inspiration. In a 2017 online Q&A, Mark Frost, co-creator of Twin Peaks, confirmed that The Prisoner was a significant influence on his show.

It’s easy to see how Twin Peaks drew inspiration from this show, as they share a similar mood. Both use dreamlike imagery, eerie music, and strange conversations. They also both center around an investigator arriving in a peculiar small town, where he slowly starts to lose control.

J.J. Abrams, one of the creators of Lost, has said that the classic show The Prisoner was a major inspiration. In a 2009 interview with TV Guide, he described The Prisoner as a unique blend of science fiction, mystery, and character-driven storytelling, and noted that elements of it can be seen in both Lost and Alias.

At first glance, Lost seems like a simple story about people trying to survive. However, the discovery of old settlements on the island – and the strange, secretive work being done there – quickly turns it into a mystery reminiscent of The Prisoner. Without the influence of that show on J.J. Abrams, Lost likely wouldn’t have become the complex and suspenseful series it is.

The popular reimagining of Battlestar Galactica by Ronald D. Moore was significantly influenced by the classic show The Prisoner. In fact, Moore revealed in the book Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion that the character of Cylon Number Six, played by Tricia Helfer, was named in honor of Patrick McGoohan’s character in The Prisoner.

Mark Frost, J.J. Abrams & Ronald D. Moore Are All Huge Fans Of The Prisoner

It’s clear how much impact The Prisoner had on shows like Twin Peaks, Lost, and Battlestar Galactica when you learn how much David Frost, J.J. Abrams, and Ronald D. Moore admire it. Abrams has openly stated his love for the series, and Frost recently told Radio Times that The Prisoner completely changed how he thought about television.

He said it completely blew his mind. He hadn’t thought that kind of storytelling was even possible, and he definitely remembered it. Years later, he revisited those ideas and used them when creating Twin Peaks.

Ronald D. Moore has shared how watching the series The Prisoner influenced his work on Battlestar Galactica. He explained to IGN in 2012 that he was discovering The Prisoner on DVD while developing Battlestar Galactica and became a big fan. This led him to name one of the Cylon models “Number 6,” a direct reference to the iconic series.

While Lost redefined how fans interacted with science fiction, The Prisoner reshaped the genre through the dedication of its followers. Patrick McGoohan likely didn’t realize it when his groundbreaking, one-season spy series debuted in 1967 to modest attention, but it soon sparked a wave of creativity among future television producers.

The Prisoner Likely Also Had A Major Influence On Squid Game, Black Mirror & Severance

The show’s impact extended beyond just Twin Peaks, Lost, and Battlestar Galactica. Although it’s rarely mentioned, The Prisoner clearly influenced newer shows like Squid Game, Severance, and Black Mirror. For example, the numbered players in Squid Game—forced to compete in a deadly game run by mysterious figures—strongly resembles the premise of The Prisoner.

The beginning of Severance, where Helly R. is questioned about who she is after waking up in a strange, clinical place, strongly resembles the opening of the first episode of The Prisoner. The unsettling way people talk inside Lumon Industries also feels very similar to the style of The Prisoner.

Many episodes of Black Mirror clearly take cues from The Prisoner, particularly those featuring isolated, bleak settings or the unexpected appearance of technology that overwhelms the characters. In reality, it’s hard to find a high-quality science fiction mystery series that hasn’t been influenced by The Prisoner in some way.

Mystery Box Shows Wouldn’t Exist Today Without The Prisoner

The popular concept of TV shows with big, unfolding mysteries—often called “mystery boxes”—really started with the series The Prisoner. Other shows that followed this trend include The Leftovers (also co-created by Damon Lindelof, who worked with J.J. Abrams on Lost), Westworld, and The OA.

Many popular mystery box shows subtly include references to the classic series Prisoner. This shows just how much more recognition the original deserves, given its lasting impact.

Most modern TV viewers and the media have largely forgotten the show The Prisoner. However, if it were recognized for how much it influenced television today, it would be considered one of the most popular shows ever made.

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2025-11-08 02:00