D. Scott Apel is an American

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

and media

critic A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as art, literature, music, cinema, theater, fashion, architecture, and food. Critics may also take as their subject social or governmen ...

. He is famous for his analyses of the work of science fiction author Philip K. Dick and the television series ''

The Prisoner ''The Prisoner'' is a 1967 British television series about an unnamed British intelligence agent who is abducted and imprisoned in a mysterious coastal village, where his captors designate him as Number Six and try to find out why he abruptl ...

''. Apel hosted a rebroadcast of ''The Prisoner'' on San Jose

public television Public broadcasting involves radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing ...

station

KTEH KTEH may refer to: * KTEH-LP, a low-power radio station (98.9 FM) licensed to serve Los Molinos, California, United States * KQEH, a television station (channel 50, virtual 54) licensed to serve San Jose, California, which held the call sign ...

in the mid-1980s. He compiled a new order of progression for the series' episodes based on extensive analysis, one which is considered by many to be definitive. He likens the series' structure to that of a three-act play. Apel's commentary on the themes of The Prisoner notes the show's possible interpretations from

Jungian psychology Analytical psychology ( de , Analytische Psychologie, sometimes translated as analytic psychology and referred to as Jungian analysis) is a term coined by Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist, to describe research into his new "empirical science" ...

Platonic philosophy Platonism is the philosophy of Plato and philosophical systems closely derived from it, though contemporary platonists do not necessarily accept all of the doctrines of Plato. Platonism had a profound effect on Western thought. Platonism at l ...

, and

Joseph Campbell Joseph John Campbell (March 26, 1904 – October 30, 1987) was an American writer. He was a professor of literature at Sarah Lawrence College who worked in comparative mythology and comparative religion. His work covers many aspects of the ...

's " journey of the hero". Apel was friends with science fiction author Philip K. Dick. He was editor of ''The Dream Connection'', a book which contained transcripts of an interview Apel held with Dick, as well as a letter written from Dick to Apel. Apel was also interviewed for the documentary film ''The Gospel According to Philip K. Dick''. Apel has published some works of fiction, and was formerly a movie columnist for the ''

San Jose Mercury News ''The Mercury News'' (formerly ''San Jose Mercury News'', often locally known as ''The Merc'') is a morning daily newspaper published in San Jose, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is published by the Bay Area News Group, a subsidiar ...

''.''It's a Wonderful Film''. Review of ''

It's a Wonderful Life ''It's a Wonderful Life'' is a 1946 American Christmas by medium#Films, Christmas Fantasy film, fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story and booklet ''The Greatest Gift'', which Philip Van Doren Stern se ...

'' by D. Scott Apel http://www.onvideo.org/features/wonfilm.htm

Partial bibliography

* ''Philip K. Dick: The Dream Connection'', edited by D. Scott Apel. 2000 * ''Killer B's: The 237 Best Movies On Video You've (Probably) Never Seen'' (The Impermanent Press, 1997). * ''Silicon Valley Night Beat'' December 1990, R & E Publishers * ''The Films of Philip K. Dick'' by D. Scott Apel https://web.archive.org/web/20080513113554/http://www.deepleafproductions.com/wilsonlibrary/texts/apel-dick.html * ''The Complete works of D. Scott Apel'' Copyright 1982 * ''Daughter of the Wind'' Copyright 1981 * ''Approaching Science Fiction Writers'' by D. Scott Apel and Kevin C. Briggs. Copyright 1980 * ''E Attraction'' by D. Scott Apel. Illustrations by Yasha Haas. 1977 The Permanent Press.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Apel, Scott American media critics American science fiction writers Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Place of birth missing (living people) Writers from San Jose, California American male novelists The Mercury News people American male non-fiction writers