"Porridge" (1974) TV series 1974-1977

User Rating:

9.0/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

5 September 1974 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Fletcher's doing five years for breaking and entering. He's quick witted and never short of a trick or two to make his life that little bit easier...

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Title Spoken By Character

Awards:

4 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Ronnie Barker	...	Norman Stanley Fletcher (20 episodes, 1974-1977)
Brian Wilde	...	Mr. Barrowclough (19 episodes, 1974-1977)
Fulton Mackay	...	Mr. Mackay (19 episodes, 1974-1977)
Richard Beckinsale	...	Lennie Godber (19 episodes, 1974-1977)
Sam Kelly	...	Warren / ... (11 episodes, 1974-1977)
Tony Osoba	...	McLaren (9 episodes, 1974-1977)

Runtime:

30 min (19 episodes) | 40 min (1 episode) | 45 min (1 episode)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

New Zealand:M (seasons 1-3) | Australia:M (some episodes) | Australia:PG | UK:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Chelmsford Prison, Chelmsford, Essex, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Ronnie Barker originally suggested Paul Henry for the role of Godber but was overruled by the producers, who preferred Richard Beckinsale.

Quotes:

Fletch: [singing] Born Free, until someone caught me...

Movie Connections:

Featured in Forty Years of Fuck (2005) (TV)

Genuine Classic British Sit-Com

One of the UK's greatest sitcom's,PORRIDGE has perpetually been repeated in innumerable re-runs on British TV since it's debut in the 1970's,and issued on Video and DVD to always eternal delight and acclaim,and deservedly so.The superb scripts by Dick Clement and Ian Le Frenais contained possibly the cleverest plots,funniest dialogue and most vivid characterisations ever witnessed in any sitcom arguably both in the UK and US.It is very doubtful whether or not any comedy series has possessed such an outstanding cast,even in relatively minor roles;Peter Vaughan both funny and menacing as Harry Grout;Sam Kelly as the illiterate Warren;Christopher Biggins as the gay Lukewarm;Tony Osoba as the Scottish black orphan McLaren;Ken Jones as the sneaky scouse thief Ives;David Jason as the elderly Blanco;Michael Barrington as the ineffectual governor Venables;Brian Wilde as the gentle-mannered prison warder Barrowclough;Fulton Mackay as his harder,but not totally unlikable superior Mackay,and the brilliant Richard Beckinsale (who died so tragically young) as the naive Brummie Godber.Above all these very distinguished princes was a peerlessly outstanding king:Ronnie Barker as Norman Stanley Fletcher.It is the ultimate tribute that Barker was always unselfish in letting other talented performers get laughs in PORRIDGE,but his unending brilliance in the lead role of 'Fletch' was vital to the series' enduring appeal,which is still evident to this day.The premise of the series (the day to day existence in a prison) was perhaps not natural-sounding comic material,and indeed the show had sometimes a serious and thoughtful side to it amongst the innumerable laughs,which it handled with equal skill and intelligence.

Thanks to the immense talents involved,PORRIDGE will always be one of Britains most fondly regarded sitcoms/TV programmes.Ronnie Barker apparently thought PORRIDGE the pinnacle of his dazzling comic career,and that is truly saying something.Shows like this,THE TWO RONNIES and OPEN ALL HOURS ensure he will never be forgotten.