Top quality comedy (Porridge)

Member Name: fuzzybear

Product:	Porridge
Date:	29/01/07 (101 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great performances

Disadvantages: No more episodes

This is one of my all time favourite comedy shows and I still enjoy watching it today on either BBC2 or one of the cable channels when they show replays. It is a real shame that they only ever made a handful of episodes and one feature length film which was in effect a number of episodes strung together.

The show is set in the bleak austere world of the fictional Slade Prison which is located near Carlisle. The main star of the show is Ronnie Barker who plays the character Norman Stanley Fletcher who is a habitual criminal from Muswell Hill who is serving another five year sentence for burglary. You know all of this because it form the basis of the introduction with Barker doing the voice of the judge sentencing him as a series of prison doors are opened and then slammed shut.

The strength of this show is in the wise cracking nature of the humour which is delivered with perfect comic timing and also the great array of talent that supports Barker. By far the best role is played by Fulton Mackay as his namesake who is the head warder and has utter contempt for the inmates and in particular Fletcher who he considers a disruptive influence, a lot of the humour is based upon a them and us scenario with the cons trying to put one over on the screws and the great thing about the show is that both sides enjoy their successes. Some of the interaction between Fletcher and Mackay is very sharp with well set up gags that are developed rather than relying on a single one line, Fletcher uses minor insubordination and word play to insult Mackay at every opportunity.

Fletchers cell mate Lennie Godber was played by Richard Beckinsale whose untimely death was a great loss, Godber is the first time prisoner who Fletcher takes under his wing. There is a long list of great comic actors in the show including a young David Jason who is hard to spot under a huge amount of make up which transforms him into an aged criminal in one of my favourite episodes which finds both him and Fletcher holed up in the prison hospital.

Definitely worth watching at some time to appreciate a time when we did not have to import our comedy from the states.

Summary: Excellent British comedy.