'The Prisoner' breaks out in a pack of newly released DVDs

Quite a few TV series, old and new, have arrived on DVD just in time for those who shop ahead for the holidays, led by the Blu-ray debut of the surrealistic British cult favorite "The Prisoner."

"The Prisoner: The Complete Series" (A&E/Blu-ray, 1967-68, five discs, $99.95). Patrick McGoohan's allegory about the difficulty of maintaining individuality in a lock-step society blends spy and science-fiction genres, as well as "1984" and "The Twilight Zone," with its own unique, enigmatic ideas.

McGoohan — who also conceived the series, and wrote and/or directed some episodes — stars as a top agent who resigns and is abducted from his London home to be placed in The Village, a deceptively peaceful town that is apparently on an island. But sinister plots soon abound and McGoohan's character, referred to as Number 6, rebels at every turn.

Extras: full frame, 17 episodes, audio commentaries, documentary, featurettes, alternate edits of specific episodes, archive materials, promos, trailers; DVD-ROM applications

"The Guardian: The First Season" (CBS/Paramount, 2001-02, six discs, $49.99). After he's busted on a drug charge, a lawyer (Simon Baker) becomes an advocate for children in this legal drama, which co-stars Dabney Coleman and Alan Rosenberg.

This one lasted three seasons, though Baker has since gone on to greater popularity with his current show, "The Mentalist." Guests include JoBeth Williams, Viola Davis, Kathy Baker.

Extras: widescreen, 22 episodes, promos, trailers

"Flashpoint: The First Season" (CBS/Paramount, 2008-09, three discs, $47.99). Toronto's Strategic Response Unit, Canada's version of SWAT, is the focus of this Canadian police procedural, which resembles "The Unit" and doesn't try very hard to avoid cop-show cliches.

But it does have Enrico Colantoni, late of "Veronica Mars" (and before that, "Just Shoot Me") as the sergeant in charge, along with an appealing team that gets the job done, often at the expense of family relations. Fans of the genre should find this one serviceable.

Extras: widescreen, 13 episodes, audio commentary, featurettes, trailers

"Mannix: The Third Season" (CBS/Paramount, 1969-70, six discs, $54.99). Mike Connors is back as tough L.A. private eye Joe Mannix, with Gail Fisher as his assistant Peggy Fair. In addition to rough-and-tumble cases, Mannix goes home to reconcile with his father (Victor Jory).