Another piece of classic comedy, and again we return to that classic, iconic, superbly talented and legendary man - Ronnie Barker. Like Open All Hours, Porridge is the piece of TV gold that Ronnie Barker is best known for (outside of The Two Ronnies) where he plays old prison lag Norman Stanley Fletcher, and the 3 series-long sitcom portrays Fletch's life inside Slade prison, in remotest Cumberland. For me and many others, this is timeless comedy at its very best; providing ample amounts of laughs, pathos, character, charm, authenticity and heart that just does not age.
Of course there is a great school of thought that says Ronnie Barker as Fletch is the supreme driving force and primary factor of Porridge, and I believe that to be universally correct. For without Fletch there would be no Porridge and without Barker there would be no Fletch. Barker's supreme ability is such that he quickly and effortlessly generates Fletch in all his intricacy and lovable rogue-ishness during the opening episodes, after which he goes on throughout three series to take Fletch on a journey of imprisonment that still moves you, entertains you, and makes you fully and wholly appreciate his genius.
Barker and cast aside for a moment, I feel I must briefly mention Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement, the writers and creators of Porridge. A great cast is one thing (indeed it is one thing Porridge certainly had) but without good writing that can only go so far. Barker and his fellow cast were often quoted in saying how truly wonderful and free-flowing the writing of this great sitcom was, so as to make their job that much easier. To envision and then make a sitcom about prison life, something that had never been done before, but to make it so wonderfully funny, and also something that is still loved 40 years later, I feel is truly a masterpiece, and La Frenais and Clement should be celebrated along with the rest of the people and elements behind Porridge.
Ronnie Barker is masterful as Fletch yes, but as I have said he is only one of a great crop of acting talent that make up the great cast of Porridge. Richard Beckinsale was the man behind naive Lennie Godber, Fletcher's young cellmate and eventual firm friend and companion. Immediately noticeable is the rapid and warm relationship between these two great actors and thus these two great characters, which cemented one of the greatest, if slightly unlikely, TV duos of all time. Profoundly obvious too is Beckinsale's remarkable authenticity with which he delivers every line as Godber, and not only that but he seems to do so with a sublime simplicity and ease that is rarely seen.
Also a big part of Porridge were Fulton MacKay as Senior Prison Officer MacKay, alongside Brian Wilde as Prison Officer Barrowclough. Here are two great examples I feel of superb comic characters. MacKay was indomitable, formidable and almost always the cantankerous "nemesis" to Fletch and Godber, representing the system that was forever trying to suppress the will of the inmates. This sounds like a grizzly villain, but instead MacKay's character, when paired off with either Barker, Beckinsale or both, often gave way to some simply magnificent comedy moments throughout the series. So too was the same of Mr Barrowclough, though in a severely different fashion to Mr. MacKay. His was a character of demure shyness, and lugubrious nature, yet his often put-upon way of dong things was also a great vehicle for comedy when paired with Ronnie Barker's Fletch.
As if that wasn't enough, there were also a healthy smattering of recurring characters and guest stars, often other inmates of Slade prison, throughout the run of Porridge that made it all the better. These included a young Alun Armstrong as Spraggon, the great but sadly and recently departed Sam Kelly as "Bunny" Warren, and even a few memorable appearences by the legendary David Jason as Blanco Webb.
So yes, Porridge was and still rightly remains a true comedy classic, not just in Britain but globally. However, 1977's last series was not the last we saw of these great characters on our screens. For when Fletch's time was served, his adventures on the outside as a free man began...
Such was the popularity of Porridge, that in 1978 we saw Fletch return, this time as a free man and determined to now exist on the right side of the law. Many have often dubbed this spin-off series as inferior compared to Porridge, some even snubbing it as a slur on Porrdige's legacy. I though disagree, as I feel that this is a great addition to the series. The setting may have changed, but all the great elements are still there - the great cast, the great writers and the great laughs.
Ronnie Barker of course returned as the iconic Fletch, alongside Richard Beckinsale reprising his role of Godber. We got a great return of MacKay in the first episode, which provided hilarious, poignant and fitting closure to the Fletcher/MacKay relationship we knew and loved from Porridge. We even got a very young Nicholas Lyndhurst appearing as Fletch's young son Raymond, often to great effect.
I admit that there were a few small areas that didn't hit as well with me as they might have in Going Straight. Releasing Fletcher from prison meant thrusting him into a whole new range of settings and situations on his way to the straight and narrow, and most of these were done brilliantly, yet on the odd occasion namely in episode three where Fletch tries to help a young runaway, whilst funny, the charm and comedy wasn't as free-flowing for me. One crucial bit of casting that I didn't appreciate so much was Patricia Brake, who reprised her role as Fletch's daughter Ingrid, but in Going Straight this role was greatly expanded. Don't get me wrong, Brake's part as Ingrid was essential and greatly appreciated, but compared to the likes of Beckinsale and Barker whom she almost exclusively appeared alongside, her performances felt a tad stereotyped and forced.
Yet my biggest complaint about Going Straight is that it only lasted one series, as by and large I love it as much as I do Porridge. What's more I do feel they would have made more, if not for the untimely and horribly tragic death of Richard Beckinsale at the age of 31.
It really is a great shame that the legacy of these two superb programmes ended in such tragedy, as it was certainly not deserving of such. However, that does not succeed in overriding such a glorious legacy that it was. One of many and wonderful comedic moments, superb casting and character development, and the end result of not one but two great sitcoms. Indeed I really do feel that both Porridge and Going Straight deserve all the plaudits they got and continue to get, as they will be remembered and cherished for many many years to come.
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