Porridge(1974)

Name: Porridge
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1974-09-05
Rating: 8.1
Cast: Ronnie Barker, Richard Beckinsale, Fulton Mackay, Brian Wilde

★ 8.1(56)30m18 episodesEnded

Comedy

Porridge is a British situation comedy broadcast on BBC1 from 1974 to 1977, running for three series, two Christmas specials and a feature film also titled Porridge. Written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, it stars Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale as two inmates at the fictional HMP Slade in Cumberland. "Doing porridge" is British slang for serving a prison sentence, porridge once being the traditional breakfast in UK prisons. The series was followed by a 1978 sequel, Going Straight, which established that Fletcher would not be going back to prison again. Porridge was voted number seven in a 2004 BBC poll of the 100 greatest British sitcoms.

Created by:: Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais
First aired:: 1974-09-05
Country:: GB
Network:: BBC One

Episodes

Series 1(6)Series 2(6)Series 3(6)

1. Just Desserts
★ 9.0
1975-10-24 · 30m
There's an outbreak of petty pilfering from the inmates in Slade prison. Fletcher is disgusted - after all, stealing may be a job on the 'outside', but it's despicable when it happens 'inside'.
2. Heartbreak Hotel
★ 4.5
1975-10-31 · 30m
Godber gets bad news from his girlfriend. Fletcher tries to provide help and advice, but perhaps daughter Ingrid might provide a more suitable solution to Godber's problems
3. Disturbing the Peace
★ 7.5
1975-11-07 · 30m
When Mr Mackay leaves Slade Prison, Fletcher thinks that "happy days are here again". Until, that is, he meets Mr Mackay's replacement.
4. No Peace For the Wicked
★ 8.0
1975-11-14 · 30m
It's Saturday afternoon and Fletcher looks forward to a quiet read. Everyone else seems to have other ideas about how Fletcher should be spending his time.
5. Happy Release
★ 8.5
1975-11-21 · 30m
Fletcher is having a spell in the prison hospital with a broken ankle. He's sharing a ward with old Blanco, who tells him that another inmate has swindled him out of his belongings in a crooked card game. Fletcher hatches a plan to recover Blanco's belongings and to take revenge on the culprit.
6. The Harder They Fall
★ 8.0
1975-11-28 · 30m
Godber takes up boxing and wins a place in the prison championship, so Fletcher sees a chance for a bit of a flutter. Then Harry Grout takes an interest and insists that the fight is 'fixed'. When one of Grout's rivals takes a similar interest in Godber's opponent, it looks as if nobody can win. Fletcher, however, has other ideas.