"Many Happy Returns" is an episode of the allegorical British science fiction TV series The Prisoner. It was written by Anthony Skene, and directed by Patrick McGoohan (using the pseudonym Joseph Serf). The thirteenth episode produced, it was the seventh episode to be broadcast in the UK on ITV (ATV Midlands and Grampian) on Friday 10 November 1967, and first aired in the United States on CBS on Saturday 20 July 1968. The episode stars Patrick McGoohan as Number Six and features as Number Two Georgina Cookson. The episode was the last that series co-creator and script editor George Markstein worked on, due to creative differences between him and McGoohan over how the series should end. Plot summary Number Six awakens to find the Village completely deserted, along with water and electricity shut off as well. He sees this as an opportunity to escape. He takes numerous photos before assembling a raft and taking flight by sea for 25 days. He takes careful notes as to headings and times as best he can, but has an unfriendly encounter with gun-runners who steal his belongings and throw him in the sea. Clambering on board their boat, he takes control of it, but is later overwhelmed and ends up on a deserted beach. Wandering, he encounters a small band of Romani who speak no English. He eludes what appears to be a police manhunt and stows away on a truck which takes him to what he now recognises as London. A Mrs. Butterworth now occupies his old townhouse and drives his Lotus Seven. She is unperturbed when he approaches her, seems intrigued by his plight, and feeds and clothes him. He mentions that the next day is his birthday. Receiving Number Six's promises that he will return, Mrs. Butterworth says she might even bake him a birthday cake. He returns to the underground car park/office from the theme sequence, where he presents himself to his old boss. His photographs and other evidence of The Village meet with considerable scepticism. Former colleagues "The Colonel" and "Thorpe" are not entirely convinced that Number Six has not defected and now returned as a double agent, but after verifying all the details of his escape and evasion story, they seem to be more reassured. With the assistance of some military officers and a map, they determine the general vicinity of the Village ("coast of Morocco, southwest