Porridge - Series 1 [1974]

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Customer reviews

review by: Mark date: 2008-04-25 rating:
Comedy at it's very best
From a dark dingy prison comes a show you can watch endlessly - and actually feel a warmth towards the main character - a common thief!

That takes good writing, but most importantly great actor's - enter Barker and Beckinsale - a perfect combination. They work so well off of each other, a great testimony to Ronnie as he had the same ifinitey with David Jason in Open all hours.

Life lessons with a smile - excellent.

Sit back - get comfortable and prepare to laugh!

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review by: Dok date: 2007-08-07 rating:
Another one of my absolute favourite British sitcoms
Ronnie Barker's performance as fletcher in Porridge is in my opinion in the ultimate comedy league of acting that has been matched but not bettered. If I had never heard of Ronnie Barker and saw and episode of THE TWO RONNIES, OPEN ALL HOURS and PORRIDGE continuously one after the other, I honestly don't think I would be sure that it was the same person, he was that good, a comedy perfectionist that my own generation depressingly seems to lack. Seriously, where are the future RONNIE BARKERS?, LEONARD ROSSITERS? and JOHN CLEESES? etc., nowhere to be seen, partly because people don't need to have any real acting talent to feature in a modern sitcom.

Although Ronnie Barker's performance in OPEN ALL HOURS was outstanding, I personally will always prefer Porridge but probably because I just like darker sitcoms overall. If there was such a thing as a book called THE ART IN HOW TO MAKE A FUNNY AND TIMLESS SITCOM, then Porridge would definitely be mentioned. Below I have written what a part of this book might say.

THE WRITING MUST BE OUTSTANDING, PUT A SARCASTIC, WITTY AND HUMEROUS CHARACTER IN THE LEAD ROLE BUT MAKE SURE IT IS NOTHING LESS THAN A PERFECT PERFORMANCE BY THE ACTOR WHO PLAYS THIS ROLE. ADD SOME REGULAR CHARACTERS BUT MAKE SURE THEY ARE TRULY UNFORGETTABLE ONES AND THAT WHOEVER PLAYS THESE ROLES ARE AT THE VERY LEAST GREAT ACTORS. DON'T USE BAD LANGUAGE, TRY AND KEEP SMUT TO A MINIMUM AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, FILM IT IN A BLAND AND TIGHT SPACE, THIS WAY THE WRITING AND PERFORMANCES WILL ALWAYS STANDOUT TO THE VIEWER MORE THAN THE SURROUNDINGS. IN ADDITION TO THIS, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU TRY AND SPEND SOME TIME WATCHING ONE OF THE CLEVEREST BRITISH SITCOMS THAT THERE WILL EVER BE, FOR EXAMPLE, PORRIDGE. ENJOY.

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review by: date: 2007-02-28 rating:
I'd Give it 10 Stars if I could
Easily one of the top TV comedy series of all time, Porridge is just about perfect: the scripts, acting, direction and flow of each and every episode just work so well. The shows have now been re-issued on four DVDs, with one DVD devoted to the Christmas specials.

Ronnie Barker is of course brilliant, but is ably supported by the late Richard Beckinsale, Fulton Mackay and other minor characters played by excellent actors, for example, Peter Vaughan is brilliant as `Grouty'. Even actors who only appear in one show, such as the guy who plays `Napper' Wainwright', are good.

The show is funny, of course, but there are moments of pathos which show you what prison does to people.

This is a series which repays repeated viewings to make you appreciate how good it was/is. Going Straight was a sequel to Porridge, and is very much worthwhile, too, even if it lacks this show's classic status.

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review by: date: 2006-11-07 rating:
Pure Genius
Thirty years old and the comedy is as fresh and incisive as ever. Porridge hasn't dated one bit and remains one of the best TV comedies ever. Essential viewing. You won't regret buying it.


review by: date: 2006-10-21 rating:
Wonderful Prison Comedy
Although I have seen the ocassional episode on the TV, I never really watched Porridge, but I had often considered getting it, which I did and was not in the least bit dissapointed, it is very comical, and I have already rewatched all of it in less than a week since I got it! It is most enjoyable and thoroughly reccomendable

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Similar products

Porridge - Series 2 [1975]
Porridge - Series 3 [1974]
Porridge - The Christmas Specials
Open All Hours - Series 1 [1976]
Going Straight - The Complete Series [1978]

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Similar categories

Video . DVD & VHS . Categories . Comedy . All Comedy
Video . DVD & VHS . Categories . Television . All Television
Video . DVD & VHS . Categories . Television . Comedy
Video . DVD & VHS . Refinements . Format (binding_browse-bin) . DVD
Video . DVD & VHS . Refinements . BBFC Rating (intended_use_browse-bin) . PG
Video . DVD & VHS . Refinements . Release Date (feature_three_browse-bin) . 1970 - 1979
Video . DVD & VHS . Refinements . Region(feature_browse-bin) . Region 2
Video . DVD & VHS . Refinements . Editions (feature_two_browse-bin) . Standard Edition
Video . DVD & VHS . Refinements . Language (theme_browse-bin) . English

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