Porridge(1974)

Porridge is a British sitcom that aired on BBC1 from 1974 to 1977, spanning three series, two Christmas specials, and a feature film. Written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, it stars Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale as inmates at the fictional HMP Slade prison in Cumberland. The show mines comedy from prison life, drawing its title from British slang for serving time—porridge was once the standard breakfast in UK prisons. Barker's character, the cunning Fletcher, navigates the daily absurdities of incarceration alongside his cellmate. The series proved hugely popular, earning a 1978 sequel called Going Straight. In a 2004 BBC poll ranking the greatest British sitcoms, Porridge placed seventh, cementing its status as a comedy classic that balanced sharp writing with genuine warmth.