Porridge - The Christmas Specials [1975] [1976] [DVD]

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Porridge was immensely popular with British prisoners. Erwin James, an ex-prisoner who writes a bi-weekly column for The Guardian newspaper, stated that: It turns out that the Governor is feeling ill with an upset stomach, and has to keep running to the toilet. Urwin, the new trusty, comes in with the Governor's cup of tea. As the Governor is making another visit to the toilet, Urwin reveals his plan. He produces a gun and takes Barrowclough and the Governor's secretary, Mrs Jamieson, hostage. No Way Out" is the first Christmas special of the BBC sitcom Porridge. It first aired on 24 December 1975. [1] In this episode, prisoner Tommy Slocombe makes an escape attempt in the lead-up to Christmas. During it’s three year run there were two Porridge Christmas specials. Today we’re looking at the first screened after series two, in 1975 – No Way Out.

Norman Stanley Fletcher, you have pleaded guilty to the charges brought by this court, and it is now my duty to pass sentence. You are an habitual criminal, who accepts arrest as an occupational hazard, and presumably accepts imprisonment in the same casual manner. We therefore feel constrained to commit you to the maximum term allowed for these offences; you will go to prison for five years. Along with the festive offerings on the platform, there are some brilliant drama to be enjoyed on the platform. So , every Christmas I always have things I watch almost as a ritual . Just a few are Hercule Poirot’s Christmas … The two Porridge Christmas Specials which are just perfection … At least one Royal Family Christmas Special … the 1971 Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show … a QI Christmas Show ( with Stephen Fry ) … a Only Fools and Horses Christmas show . And for some reason old classic films like The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Three Muskateers ( both kept on my iPad ) . Albert Finneys Murder on the Orient Express I always watch . I guess a lot is memories of times past and nostalgia and just comfort viewing , but it’s like some things I have to watch and only watch at Christmas ( things that aren’t Christmas specific )

Other shows including Modern Family, Magnum P.I. and Moonbase 8 will be arriving later in December. Unfortunately he finds himself putting his own plans on hold as Harry Grout enlists his help. However sometimes things don’t always turn out so bad. of an unfortunate Fletch who has plans of his own for Christmas, namely getting himself a stay in the prison hospital for Christmas. My family watches TV a lot in general, but somehow we see very little if anything over Christmas. No idea why. The Vicar of Dibley is being re-shown on the BBC at the moment but why not indulge in this festive treat from the village as Geraldine Granger (Dawn French) and her parishioners put on a nativity play.

A Sharply scripted comedy of character and wryly observed social change both series held a perceptively laughter gilded mirror to the changing face of the work-deprived industrial North East and of British society during the middle nineteen-sixties and early seventies. Novelisations of the three series of Porridge and the film were issued by BBC Books, as well as an adaptation of Going Straight. BBC Enterprises released an LP record featuring two Porridge episodes, "A Night In" and "Heartbreak Hotel" in 1977.(REB 270) Two volumes of audio cassette releases ('Porridge' and 'More Porridge') comprising four episodes each, including the two episodes from the vinyl release, were issued in the mid-1990s, and later re-released on CD. A third volume of four episodes ('A Third Helping') was released on cassette in 2002. Later, Barrowclough visits Fletcher and informs him that Urwin is now receiving psychiatric treatment like he requested. Also, the charges against Fletcher and Godber of brewing the illegal alcohol have been dropped. Barrowclough asks Fletcher to forget about the affair between him and Mrs Jamieson. Fletcher points out that he was asleep during this revelation, but then calls Barrowclough "Henry", revealing that he was not entirely unconscious and had heard the conversation. Meanwhile Fletch, has plans of his own for Christmas, namely getting himself a stay in the prison hospital for Christmas.Webber, Richard (2005). Porridge: The Complete Scripts and Series Guide. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0-7553-1535-9 Introducing three of the UK's greatest ever comedy series. Filled with the cream of British comedy actors and superbly written and directed, each of these became a national institution and continues to find new generations of fans. Porridge was critically acclaimed and is widely considered to be one of the greatest British sitcoms of all time. It is ranked No. 35 on the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes compiled by the British Film Institute in 2000. In 2004, Porridge placed seventh in a poll to find Britain's Best Sitcom. The 1974 episode "A Day Out", which features a prison work party, was filmed in and around the Welsh village of Penderyn, the prisoners' ditch being excavated by a JCB. Loftus Road, the home of Queens Park Rangers Football Club, was briefly featured in "Happy Release", standing in for Elland Road in Leeds. Also because I'm such a fan of Aardman Animations and collect Wallace and Gromit memorabilia we will tend to watch Arthur Christmas and the Wallace and Gromits as well.

Harry Grout is planning an escape for a fellow prisoner Tommy Slocombe. Everybody has a part to play in Grouty’s masterplan as members of the prison choir. This heart-warming drama stars Rob Brydon and Dawn French and sees iconic children authors Roald Dahl and Beatrix Potter meeting. Hugely successful series from Granada TV that started in 1957 as a fortnightly live sitcom, which was moved to a weekly spot when it became so popular. The series followed the misfortunes of a mixed bag of army conscripts. When Fletcher and Godber are discovered selling their own special home brew, they're dragged up before the governor. Unfortunately for them, it happens that the governor is trying out a new “trustee” at the very same time. Urwin, played by Dudley Sutton (best known as Tinker in Lovejoy in the eighties and nineties) has been on his best behaviour so that he can arrive in this trusted position – where he can take the governor hostage and hold him to ransom for his freedom. Along with all these shows coming to Now TV, you can also enjoy some festive episodes of your favorite comedies.Mr Barrowclough is given the job of escorting Fletcher to hospital, although he finds the very edgy Fletcher's grumbling a dampener on his day. At the hospital, a young nurse gives Fletcher a "Christmas card", which turns out to be a fake passport for Tommy Slocombe. Grouty also asks that Fletcher and Godber help with the choir, but also insists that Fletcher provides him with a bicycle. One Foot in the Grave-perhaps the Algarve one but another show that developed into a must see Christmas tradition.

Following the pilot episode broadcast on 1 April 1973, the sitcom ran for three series between 5September1974 ( 1974-09-05) and 25March1977 ( 1977-03-25), with 20 episodes in total. Each episode was 30 minutes except for the two Christmas specials in 1975 and 1976. The Desperate Hours” is a less festively-themed, more seriously-styled but still extremely funny episode. It turns out that Urwin has been up for psychiatric evaluation several times, but each time refused. Sutton – still dark-haired and relatively young here – gives a very sympathetic performance, portraying a man at his last ebb and clearly out of his depth, but still potentially very dangerous. Because it's Porridge, there's never any sense that anyone's in any real danger, but the tension still ratchets up at times. The jokes are never very far away, though, most of it at Barraclough's expense. Before this he was always characterised as well-meaning and a bit naïve, but here that pushes over into incompetence, particularly when he botches the hostage protocols by drugging the wrong coffee.

BAFTA nominated eight-part drama series based on Winston Churchill's enforced political exile during the 1920s and 1930s, starring Robert Hardy and an all-star cast A welcome DVD release for this series of seven single comedies featuring the many faces of Ronnie Barker. As well as highlighting Barker's extraordinary comic range (and providing an early screen outing for David Jason) the series was the genesis of not one but two much-loved British sitcoms. Ever Decreasing Circles one of the best series finale in all of UK TV. The earlier one with Paul's party is great too, but this one is a lovely send off for Martin and Ann.