Porridge 2016 Special

Surprised there was no thread for this. Written by original writers Clement and La Frenais, this new version of Porridge starred Kevin Bishop as 'Fletch', the grandson to Ronnie B's Fletch from the original series.

The episode was decent actually, a lot better than I originally thought it would be. The characters were all well played out and a full series could definitely have potential I think. I know the original series had audience laughter but it seemed really out of place in this episode for some reason.

It's never going to be as good as the original but as a one-off it wasnt too bad at all and maybe a full series would work? Who knows?

Quote: G180e @ 28th August 2016, 10:26 PM

The episode was decent actually, a lot better than I originally thought it would be

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That.

Was young Fletch's cellmate in the original series? I don't remember him.

It was to the original Porridge as "Still Open All Hours" is to "Open All Hours". And I can't be more critical than that.

Clearly the moral is that you cannot replace Ronnie Barker.

I thought this the strongest of all the Landmark Sitcom Season shows I've seen so far. I would be very, very happy to see it go to series.

Well, bloody hell. I went into this, naturally, with low expectations. Kevin Bishop usually irritates me no end and it just seemed like sacrilege. By the end? I had a huge grin on my face and would love to see a series. Obviously down to the Clement/La Frenais script, some lovely lines, the classic speech rhythm of Barker et al helped the episode enormously. Plus I liked the little reference to Fletch and Godber, and Mark Bonnar did a decent Fulton Mackay impression.

Very good.

I was impressed.

More episodes please.

Sadly cant agree with posters above. Did not work for me at all.

If this was a one off then I felt it was like episode 2 of a series (I thought maybe I had missed the "first episode" last weekend as I have been on holiday).

The original Porridge has a lovely introduction to Fletcher going in to prison (not the pilot but the one where he actually goes thorough the prison intake ritual) plus introduced the characters bit by bit.

This "special" was "wham" straight in to the show and no attempt to introduce the characters bit by bit (like when he sits down at the table to eat his porridge and there are two guys there and no attempt to "introduce" them).

I gave it about 10 minutes (the scene where he gets the mobile phone from under the chair) but then gave up.

Sorry Dick and Ian

I watched and thought it was brilliant. I really enjoyed it all the characters were good and to be honest I thought it was going to be terrible. I hope they give this a full series. It was one of the funniest comedies I've seen on the BBC in donkey's years.

I too thought it's going to be terrible. The first line that really made me laugh was like "That's a lot of stuff to smuggle in one's anus...". That broke the ice for me and I started to really enjoy the episode. Well done, C&LF!

I thought it was a good idea to set it in the present as Fletcher's grandson in prison rather than find someone to take on Ronnie Barker's role etc. I thought the start went too quickly where we see him in court and then suddenly he's in prison and settled in like he's been there years! They should have started off with him and his family at home and then see him commit a crime and then the court scene etc. Very good idea though like a sequel to the original. I would like to see some more episodes so I can make up my mind about it, so yes to a full series I say.

It seems I'm in the minority here. I thought it was going to be dreadful, and I think I was right.

Quote: TonyT @ 29th August 2016, 11:44 AM

It seems I'm in the minority here. I thought it was going to be dreadful, and I think I was right.

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I'm sort of in the middle. I'm dismayed that the BBC can only go back to classics (and remake them) to come up with sitcoms to fill the schedules.

But this wasn't awful.

Quote: Aaron @ 28th August 2016, 11:00 PM

I thought this the strongest of all the Landmark Sitcom Season shows I've seen so far. I would be very, very happy to see it go to series.

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I agree - although I've only seen 2 - but it's supposed to be NOW which helps.

Apart from the rehash of the "I won't let you catch me" gag.

It really could work as it's supposed to be different characters.

Quote: Guilbert @ 29th August 2016, 8:46 AM

Sadly cant agree with posters above. Did not work for me at all.

This "special" was "wham" straight in to the show and no attempt to introduce the characters bit by bit (like when he sits down at the table to eat his porridge and there are two guys there and no attempt to "introduce" them).

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Why was that necessary? Which show actually does that?

Quote: Gordon Bennett @ 28th August 2016, 10:31 PM

That.

Was young Fletch's cellmate in the original series? I don't remember him.

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Lotterby was in the film version, in the kitchen with Godber. He was played by a different actor though - Zoot Money. (The name Lotterby comes from the original producer - Sydney Lotterby.)

The other original character was young Fletch's Dad, Raymond, who was in Going Straight. Shame they could not get Nicholas Lyndhurst back to reprise the role.

Thought the script was great - Ian Le Frenais and Dick Clement have still got it. Lots of knowing nods to the original too.

The performances suffered a bit from the actors channelling the characters from the original series rather than inventing the roles from scratch. Even David Hill seemed to have studied Zoot Money's original. Not that the acting was bad as such, it just seemed a bit pale imitation with a side order of trying too hard.

The direction, lighting, production etc were incredibly poor compared to the original. Is there no-one at the BBC who remembers how to make studio sitcoms?

Quote: Tursiops @ 30th August 2016, 10:38 PM

Even David Hill seemed to have studied Zoot Money's original. Not that the acting was bad as such, it just seemed a bit pale imitation with a side order of trying too hard.

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Not such a good musician though.