Guest Book
Page 18
From: Bill
Thursday 23 Dec 2004 at 19:05
I think this website is Excellent
Great informative site, hope you find out the exact D.O.B of Barrowclough so full details can be put forwards.
From: Emma
Friday 17 Dec 2004 at 11:48
I think this website is Excellent
I love Porridge, it makes me feel so safe and takes me back to when I was little and I would watch it with my Grandad, who was Ronnie Barker mad! I love all the repeats on UK Gold, and I always watch it, if there's a Saturday stack of them on UK Gold the curtains stay shut and I stay in my nightclothes all day! My Mum told me a while ago that Richard Beckinsdale died, I didn't even know. My favourite episode is the one with the food fight in the canteen.
From: Alex Prior
Friday 17 Dec 2004 at 10:30
I think this website is Excellent
Very good website. Nice to see people who agree Porridge is a great British comedy.
From: Suspicious Old Scrote
Wednesday 08 Dec 2004 at 17:39
I think this website is Excellent
As an ardent sitcom fan who has really only recently got into Porridge, it is clear that Messrs Barker and Beckinsale are a situation comedy double act of legendary proportions. They have to be put alongside (and probably past) the likes of Jason & Lyndhurst (OFAH) and Brambell and Corbett (Steptoe). Anyone who doubts this rather sweeping statement should watch 'A NIGHT IN' a few times. For two actors to get through a whole episode without other characters intervening and still make it a comedy classic is a serious achievment. One wonders just how big the late Richard Beckinsale could have become. I personally think he would be held in the same vein as David Jason and John Cleese, and of course not forgetting Ronnie Barker - the funniest English TV comedian still with us.
From: Philip Tully
Monday 06 Dec 2004 at 22:10
I think this website is Excellent
What a excellent site. This brought back so many memories. I watched the programme as I was growing up and still love it. Thanks very much.
From: Anonymous
Wednesday 24 Nov 2004 at 15:45
I think this website is Excellent
This site is a wonderful tribute to one of the finest comedy shows that has ever been written and shown - Porridge. Although I wasn't actually born when it was first shown, I love the show now and have recently bought the three sets of shows on DVD. I love both episodes that Maurice Denham was in and while watching the film last night - which I also own on DVD - I rediscovered another classic one-liner from Fletch to Bunny Warren - played so superbly by Sam Kelly - one of my favourite comedy actors. In the scene, Bunny - who is of course dyslexic - asks Fletch to read the letter that his wife Elaine - seen in Men without Women - Episode 6 season 1 - and Fletch says to his friend "If you can't read, Bunny, how do you know it's from the wife?" Bunny replies "It's got Elaine's scent." As Fletch takes the letter and inhales his friend's wife's scent, he comes out with his cracker of a one-liner - which has me in fits - "Where does Elaine work? A tarpaulin factory?"
From: Alan Honeybill
Thursday 18 Nov 2004 at 14:50
I think this website is Excellent
Website: www.sidneyjackson.com Porridge is to my mind the greatest comedy series ever broadcast, brilliant writing, matchless acting from a wonderful cast of characters lead by our greatest comedy actor of all time, Ronnie Barker. He was born to play the role of Fletcher and watching him imparting his knowledge to the naive Godber (the much missed Richard Beckinsale) is a constant joy. Like a fine wine it justs gets better and better. In my view Porridge is without doubt the greatest comedy series ever, the matchless acting of a superb cast, lead by Ronnie Barker in the role of a glittering career. The more I watch it the more I realise just how good it is, every character is perfectly drawn in particular Godber played by the much missed Richard Beckinsale who should have delighted us for so many more years. It's tv heaven!
From: Garry Beech
Sunday 14 Nov 2004 at 21:59
I think this website is Good
Website: www.geocities.com/beverleybeck Very good site
From: Anonymous
Tuesday 02 Nov 2004 at 14:29
I think this website is Excellent
I love Porridge - although I wasn't born when it was first shown - as I'm only 22. I love the show and my favourites are Fletch, Mackay and MacLaren. My favourite lines in the show are - when Fletch and Godber are chatting in their cell about the parole board results as Godber tells Fletch that Mac Brown is heading home even though he's been in for manslaughter while a car thief called Gibson is not - and Fletch says "It only takes one minute to create a life - it takes ten minutes to make a car. And about five minutes for it to fall to bits again an' all." That brilliant one - liner in a Test of Character when Fletch says to Godber, "I thought you'd be worried, little flower. I thought you'd miss me. I thought you'd worry if I didn't return from Granny's by nightfall." And finally a tremendous one-liner from a show I didn't see - but heard on a radio cassette - the Desperate Hours - when Godber's telling Fletch how he was nearly seduced by his Auntie Pauline - and Fletch says, "Do you think you should go on in front of Mr. Mackay? He's a strict Glasgow presbyterian. Sex is only allowed up there when Rangers beat Celtic" Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais should be knights for writing such sensational scripts.
From: Ad Powley
Monday 01 Nov 2004 at 14:18
I think this website is Excellent
Great site on the finest ever sitcom bar none. Re: the derivation of the term "Porridge". According to my dad (84, and like me a Porridge fanatic), the term is derived not from it being served with monotonous regularity, but because the repetitive drudgery of cooking porridge is a metaphor for the mind-numbing tedium of prison life. Hence also, another prison term "doing stir" as in "stirring porridge" - the never-ending boredom of the same task being repeated over and over again. Anyone else have ideas on this?
From: Attila
Friday 15 Oct 2004 at 14:04
I think this website is Excellent
Hi, I'm 27 and I'm from Switzerland. 2 years ago I saw an episode ("a night in") on BBC Prime by accident. I immediately fell in love with Porridge. Now that I discovered this site I'm sure that I'm not the only Porridge (and Ronnie Barker) maniac in the whole world.
From: Morrison Family
Tuesday 05 Oct 2004 at 23:27
I think this website is Excellent
Just received my DVD's of Going Straight & Xmas specials. Can't wait to watch them.
From: Simon W.Ladd
Tuesday 05 Oct 2004 at 10:54
I think this website is Excellent
From: Alex Brent
Sunday 26 Sep 2004 at 12:39
I think this website is Excellent
I only discovered Porridge about a month ago as I am only 15. I love it and want to know when they are going to show any of them again. Fab website, especially the clips section!
From: Nick Machin
Saturday 25 Sep 2004 at 13:04
I think this website is Excellent
Ian, Have had your website on my favourites for months but hadn't logged on for ages until today. Quite simply one of the best sites on the web dedicated to the best situation comedy ever broadcast. Keep up the excellent work.
From: Jade
Thursday 16 Sep 2004 at 19:02
I think this website is BLANK
Andy, they repeated 'Life Beyond The Box, Norman Stanley Fletcher' a couple of months ago. But, I'm not sure if they're going 2 repeat it again, but I'm sure that they will @ some point. Does any1 know, if they're going 2 make similar programmes with other classic comedies? I really hope they do 1 for Arkwright
From: Nik
Tuesday 14 Sep 2004 at 20:39
I think this website is Excellent
Spot on website and spot on TV Series. Up there with Dad's Army in my view and all the more funny for me with the fact I work in a Prison!
From: Amy
Tuesday 14 Sep 2004 at 17:11
I think this website is Excellent
I love RonnIe Barker. He Is not only good looking but very talented too! BrIng back Barker!!!!
From: Jamie
Monday 13 Sep 2004 at 14:10
I think this website is Excellent
Great to see Going Straight for the first time since I was 7. I still remember laughing when Fletcher switches on the TV to find that Play School is being broadcast! Did anyone notice the cut scenes from Going Straight on UKGOLD? In the third episode the first few minutes were deleted. This involved Fletcher attempting some DIY shelves which promptly fell down when a single book was placed on them. A few minutes were cut up to the point where the shopping list is being finalised. Nicholas Lyndhurst was in the deleted scene here as he was credited in the end titles. Also the first few minutes of Episode 5 were hived off. This was a scene set in the hotel, which went missing too.
From: Ray
Sunday 12 Sep 2004 at 09:32
I think this website is Excellent
Just stumbled onto this site by chance but really enjoyed the memories it rekindled. Grew up in UK and was a Ronnie Barker / Porridge fan all those years ago. Now living in Australia. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.