Porridge

A gentle, witty comedy of institutional life, where verbal sparring and small victories make confinement feel almost cosy.

Created by

Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais

Genres

Comedy

Starring

Ronnie Barker, Richard Beckinsale, Fulton Mackay

Overview

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.

How it feels

Warm, light, satirical and cynical. Measured and easy to follow.

About

Friendship, isolation, class, power

Content

Mild sexual content and language. No violence or gore.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

Your rating is saved. See your suggestions, or find titles like this one below.

Rate it, and Mesmero finds titles that feel like it. You do not need an account.

Search YouTube for a trailer (opens in a new tab)