Porridge (TV)
Porridge is a British BBC television sitcom (1974 - 1977), written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais and starring Ronnie Barker. In a 2004 BBC poll of the 100 greatest British sitcoms, it was voted number 6. It is set in the fictional "Slade Prison" in Cumberland (now Cumbria). In prison slang, porridge means a prison sentence.
History
Porridge originated from an idea used in a 1973 series Barker starred in called Seven of One. Each of the seven 30-minute episodes of this series saw Barker playing a different character in a different situation.
In the second episode, "Prisoner and Escort", a prisoner called Fletcher (played by Barker) was being escorted from London to Slade prison by warder Mr Barrowclough (Brian Wilde). Fletch encourages Barrowclough to spend the night in an abandoned cottage. Here, Fletch escapes and spends the night running around the moors. He eventually discovers a second abandoned cottage and hides. Fletch discovers that he is not alone in the cottage, and prepares to attack his companion. Only then does he discover that the other resident is Barrowclough, and that the cottage is indeed the same one he had set off from.
A year later, when the BBC were looking for a premise for a sitcom in which Barker could star, this episode was chosen. (The first episode of Seven of One was also developed into a series: Open All Hours.)
Porridge led to a short-lived spin-off entitled Going Straight (1978) and a film version (1979).
Basic premise
The central character of Porridge is Norman Stanley Fletcher, described by his sentencing judge (whose voice was provided by Ronnie Barker) as "an habitual criminal". Fletch's cellmate is Lennie Godber, a surprisingly innocent inmate serving his first prison sentence, whom Fletch takes under his wing. Mr Mackay is a tough warder, with whom Fletch often comes into conflict. Mr Barrowclough is a more sympathetic, timid warder.
Cast
Contributions to the English language
The script allowed the prisoners to swear without offending viewers by using the word naff. It was used in place of another well-known four-letter word, in phrases such as "Naff off!". Ronnie Barker claims he invented the word but there is evidence that he may have borrowed the word from Polari or from Australian slang ("Nasty as fuck"). A genuine neologism was the word nerk, which was used in place of the more offensive word berk (Cockney rhyming slang, short for "Berkshire Hunt").
Episode list
Each episode 30 minutes except where stated
- Pilot: "Prisoner and Escort" April 1, 1973
- Series 1 September 5, 1974–October 10, 1974
- New Faces, Old Hands - It's Gobder's first time in prison and Fletcher is going to show him the ropes.
- The Hustler - Fletch's gambling enterprise runs into trouble at the hands of Ives and Mackay.
- A Night In - Set entirely in Fletch and Godber's cell, this episode sees the two ponder life in prison.
- A Day Out - Fletch, Godber, Ives and some other prisoners go out on a work party, but Fletch escapes for a pint.
- Ways And Means - New prisoner McClaren proves troublesome, and Fletch ends up on the roof.
- Men Without Women - Fletch fancies himself as a bit of an agony aunt and is called upon by his fellow inmates to help out, before discovering his own marriage is in trouble.
- Series 2 October 24, 1975–November 28, 1975
- Just Desserts - Fletch is appalled when some nerk nicks his tin of pineapple chunks.
- Heartbreak Hotel - Godber attacks another prisoner after receiving a Dear John letter from his girlfriend.
- Disturbing the Peace - The prisoners are overjoyed when Mackay leaves on a course. Until they meet his replacement.
- No Peace for the Wicked - Fletch's attempts to get a bit of peace and quiet are constantly interrupted.
- Happy Release - Mackay is desperate to prove that Fletch is faking an injury to get out of work, and Blanco devises a plan for revenge.
- The Harder They Fall - Grouty chooses Godber's boxing match to fix.
- Special December 24, 1975 (45 minutes)
- Special December 24, 1976 (40 minutes)
- Series 3 February 18, 1977–March 5, 1977
- A Storm in a Teacup - Grouty recruits Fletch to solve a problem regarding some missing pills.
- Poetic Justice - Fletch is irate to discover that his new cell-mate is the judge that sentenced him.
- Rough Justice - A kangaroo court is set up to convict Harris for stealing the judge's watch.
- Pardon Me - Blanco refuses parole, so Fletch sets up an appeal committee to get him pardoned.
- A Test of Character - Fletch is determined to help Godber pass his History O-level, so he has Warren steal the papers.
- Final Stretch - Godber is finally released on parole, but Fletch is suspicious about his daughter.
