Porridge

This is one of the very best comedies ever. The stars are Ronnie Barker and Fulton Mackay but there is a very strong supporting cast It is repeated all the time on UK Gold but I enjoy watching it still, even when you know the jokes are coming. My favourite....Mr Mckay " There are only 2 rules in this prison 1. Do not write on the walls 2. Obey all the rules.

This show is without a doubt one of the funniest comedies ever made and it easily passes the test of time because the jokes do not date. The funniest line has to be this sequence between McKay (the head guard) and Fletcher. McKay: "Just don't let me catch you cheating" Fletcher: "I won't" McKay: "You won't what?" Fletcher: "I won't let you catch me!"

This is easily the funniest comedy ever made.The characters are very strong - Mackay the harsh scottish guard with his neck 'twitch', Barrowclough the well-meaning and gullible guard, bumbling around pathetically, Godber the innocent and naive prisoner, and of course Norman Stanley Fletcher. Ronnie Barker's acting is superb - his expressions and timing are perfect.

The script by Dick Clement and Ian Le Frenais is one of the wittiest and sharpest ever written. For example:

(A prison inspector has just entered Fletcher's cell, and Fletcher has just made spoken to him.) Inspector: He's very articulate Mackay: Yes, like a lorry

I'm not going to go on about why this is the greatest sitcom ever and what are the funniest lines ever; its up to whoever is reading this to go discover that for themselves and encourage you to do so.

I do want to comment on how this is a sitcom with exceptional timing of both visual gags and one liners, some so blatant that they are funny because you can't belive they stuck them in!

Possibly the best aspect of this programme though was the humanity.

Fletcher might sometimes seem heartless towards godber, but it is all about surviving a harsh environment intact. For evidence about this watch the episode "a night in" which revolves around godbers first night in prison. The episode takes place in their cell and never really features anyone but the two principle characters. But this is still one of the funniest episodes of any sitcom anytime, containing a few throw-away one liners, but mainly the episode is about the subtle humour of how to survive in stir and not forget the outside.

Ronnie Barker is possibly the greatest comic actor of all time, who provides perfect comic timing on every joke, but you will always believe that fletcher is real and you can see the emotion pouring out of every episode of porridge.

Richard Beckinsale as godber was the perfect foil for fletcher and again his timing was immaculate for the restraint on the delivery of his lines. He always held his own with ronnie and will always be fondly remebered by so many for this role after he died so young.

The two principles were also supported so well by other characters in the prison who came from all spectrums of life (well male life, sorry ladies)

One of the most interesting features was that they represented the two opposites of attitude from the prison guards. Mackay was load, coarse and brutal, but you could always see that underneath he was a man trying to do his job to the best of his ability. Mr Baraclough is more interesting as a "screw" who just wants to help the prisioners and be their friends whilst trying to not to hurt either side. Some people found him unbelievable; but i actually know a guy who had to leave his job as prison guard as he identified more with the inmates than the guards he was supposed to work with!

To be honest i don't care if anyone else has this as their favourite programme; it is mine and if i have persuaded just one person to go watch and love this as much as i do then i will be satisfied.

I've seen some great sitcoms in my time - and some not so great. But this is definitely one of the great ones. The very idea of a comedy set in prison doesn't sound like it can work. But it does - and how!

Ronnie Barker is perfect as Fletch. He's nobody's fool, and doesn't suffer other people who are fools, but underneath is a heart of pure gold - he just doesn't show it very often. This is to his credit when it is displayed, for Godber (Richard Beckinsale) or Blanco (David Jason). As with everything, Barker's timing is superb, and the simplest little line can have the viewer in stitches. This man will always be the guv'nor!

Richard Beckinsale as the first-offender Lennie Godber is just as wonderful. He takes it at a slower pace, highlighting the contrast between the two characters. A gentler man for the role it is hard to envisage. And who would want to!

Not forgetting Fulton Mackay (Mr Mackay) and Brian Wilde (Mr Barrowclough) - similarly fast and slow-paced. There is never any doubt that Mackay is an authority figure over them, and can make their lives hell if he chooses to, whereas the long-suffering Barrowclough is the perfect foil, like Sgt Wilson to Cpt Mainwaring.

This is of course due first to the wonderful writing of Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, whose names grace the credits of many wonderful shows. They have created a masterpiece. A wonderful with believable characters. Everything fits together perfectly. Not one line needs changing.

Great cast, great writers. 12/10! The best sitcom ever!