Porridge

Same old Equity faces wheeled out... similar plot lines and characters... annoying laughter track to cover up the lack of actual laughs... The original writers have been wheeled out and it shows... still trapped in the 70s but with new trendy terminology added for the kids.

If you have never seen the original this may pass as watchable if you can get past the torturous interference of the laugh track. (Although, not quite as annoying as the show-killing laugh track on Blackadder Goes Forth.)

If you have seen the original series then you may enjoy the novelty of the references to the original. But you'll probably be disappointed with this thin copy of a classic and timeless favorite.

Times have changed and while this episode would have slotted in quite nicely with the original 40 years ago, today it looks a bit... well, naff!

The BBC will probably commission a series out of this pilot because it no longer has a clue what comedy is. Auntie Beeb is now a toothless and irrelevant temple of political correctness and left- wing ideology... famous for not finding humor in anything... so this remake will fit well into their brief.

In the end this re-boot needs kicking into touch.

Unlike the Are you being served return, they opted for present day, with a host of new characters, albeit a set of characters that mirror those from the original run very closely.

I've always liked Kevin Bishop, he's a very funny actor who seems to have been around a good while, he made a good job of bringing the new 'Fletch' to us.

The show was definitely stolen by Mark Bonnar who played Mr Meekie brilliantly, very reminiscent of Mr Mr Mackay, not just in name, but delivery, he was fantastic.

One thing I've learned watching this and AYBS is the format of the show is that successful, that somehow it just works. For it to work it has to have good characters, funny moments and stand the test of time.

This was funny, and I can see this working well as a series.

More Fletch please. 7/10

If you want to see a tale of the state of British comedy, this would be the ideal thing to show visiting aliens.

Totally completely and utterly unnecessary, totally completely and utterly weak writing, weak cast, no spark, no zip, trying to hard not to offend and single person in the universe whilst trying to be funny isn't possible.

A waste of screen time. Fletch, Lenny and MacKay must be sitting with their heads in their hands wondering why on earth they bothered.

Bearing the name of a classic 70s comedy, with the same.writers, a great show this does not make. You only need to look at the appallingly bad Rock and Chips and that other Fools and Horses spin off.

The BBC made these 'one off's' knowing full well that they'd commission a series of the one that did the best. And despite all that they've still opted to make a series of Porridge, despite it being a weak attempt to bring the once beloved show into the 21st Century.

Still Open All Hours I can live with, it's got the connection to Ronnie Barker through Sir David Jason. It's not great, but it's alright. This on the other hand was poor. I know it's got the same writers as before and that Kevin Bishop isn't without charm, but come on, can't the people who like this just buy the DVD's of the original instead.

I despair at the state of British comedy, I really do.

The difference between porridge in the 1970's and now is the fact that Ronnie Barker was a proper funny comedy actor, with the odd exception most actors now are products of talent shows. The other problem is that back in the 70's all you had to do was concentrate on the comedy, now, the first thing is making sure the programme is politically correct and the humour is non funny and non offensive.