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Comedy

The Best Episodes of Porridge

Every episode of Porridge ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Porridge!

Binge this in 9h 0m•Peaking at 8.7/10

Porridge is a British situation comedy broadcast on BBC1 from 1974 to 1977, running for three series, two Christmas specials and a feature film also titled Porridge. Written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais,

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BBC One
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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Porridge Season 2 Episode 5 - Happy Release
    8.7/10(209 votes)

    #1 - Happy Release

    S2:E5

    Fletcher is having a spell in the prison hospital with a broken ankle. He's sharing a ward with old Blanco, who tells him that another inmate has swindled him out of his belongings in a crooked card game. Fletcher hatches a plan to recover Blanco's belongings and to take revenge on the culprit.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  2. Porridge Season 1 Episode 3 - A Night In
    8.3/10(230 votes)

    #2 - A Night In

    S1:E3

    Fletch explains to Godber that the best way to cope with his first night in prison, is to see it as just a "quiet night in". Trouble is, Godber's got another 698 to go.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  3. Porridge Season 2 Episode 1 - Just Desserts
    8.3/10(185 votes)

    #3 - Just Desserts

    S2:E1

    There's an outbreak of petty pilfering from the inmates in Slade prison. Fletcher is disgusted - after all, stealing may be a job on the 'outside', but it's despicable when it happens 'inside'.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  4. Porridge Season 2 Episode 3 - Disturbing the Peace
    8.3/10(184 votes)

    #4 - Disturbing the Peace

    S2:E3

    When Mr Mackay leaves Slade Prison, Fletcher thinks that "happy days are here again". Until, that is, he meets Mr Mackay's replacement.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  5. Porridge Season 2 Episode 4 - No Peace For the Wicked
    8.3/10(177 votes)

    #5 - No Peace For the Wicked

    S2:E4

    It's Saturday afternoon and Fletcher looks forward to a quiet read. Everyone else seems to have other ideas about how Fletcher should be spending his time.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  6. Porridge Season 3 Episode 6 - Final Stretch
    8.3/10(153 votes)

    #6 - Final Stretch

    S3:E6

    Godber is due to appear before the parole board, but a fight with another inmate puts his parole in jeopardy. It's up to Fletcher to save the day.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Porridge

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  7. Porridge Season 1 Episode 4 - A Day Out
    8.2/10(213 votes)

    #7 - A Day Out

    S1:E4

    The rest of the working party are thrilled to have a day out, but Fletch is masking indifference - what's so exciting about digging a ditch anyway?

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  8. Porridge Season 2 Episode 6 - The Harder They Fall
    8.2/10(172 votes)

    #8 - The Harder They Fall

    S2:E6

    Godber takes up boxing and wins a place in the prison championship, so Fletcher sees a chance for a bit of a flutter. Then Harry Grout takes an interest and insists that the fight is 'fixed'. When one of Grout's rivals takes a similar interest in Godber's opponent, it looks as if nobody can win. Fletcher, however, has other ideas.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  9. Porridge Season 3 Episode 4 - Pardon Me
    8.2/10(162 votes)

    #9 - Pardon Me

    S3:E4

    Old Blanco is doing time for the murder of his wife. He still swears he wasn't guilty. Now he's up before the Parole Board and it looks as if he's sure to be released. Blanco surprises everyone by turning down parole when it's offered to him. He explains that, if he accepts parole, he'll also be admitting that he was guilty of a crime for which he was wrongly convicted. He insists that he'll only leave prison if he's offered a full pardon. Fletcher comes up with a plan to help him.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  10. Porridge Season 3 Episode 5 - A Test of Character
    8.2/10(146 votes)

    #10 - A Test of Character

    S3:E5

    Godber is working hard for an extra O-level. Fletcher tries to persuade him that cheating would be a good way of ensuring success in the examination. Godber isn't convinced.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  11. Porridge Season 1 Episode 6 - Men Without Women
    8.1/10(198 votes)

    #11 - Men Without Women

    S1:E6

    Fletch fancies himself as a bit of an agony aunt and is called upon by his fellow inmates to help out with affairs of the heart.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  12. Porridge Season 1 Episode 1 - New Faces, Old Hands
    8.0/10(245 votes)

    #12 - New Faces, Old Hands

    S1:E1

    “Twenty-three and you want to go straight? What kind of talk is that? You've got your whole life in front of you!” It's Godber's first time in prison, and Fletch is going to teach him the ways.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  13. Porridge Season 3 Episode 2 - Poetic Justice
    8.0/10(160 votes)

    #13 - Poetic Justice

    S3:E2

    Fletcher's new cellmate turns out to be the judge who sentenced him to five years in Slade Prison.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  14. Porridge Season 2 Episode 2 - Heartbreak Hotel
    7.8/10(187 votes)

    #14 - Heartbreak Hotel

    S2:E2

    Godber gets bad news from his girlfriend. Fletcher tries to provide help and advice, but perhaps daughter Ingrid might provide a more suitable solution to Godber's problems

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  15. Porridge Season 3 Episode 1 - A Storm in a Teacup
    7.8/10(158 votes)

    #15 - A Storm in a Teacup

    S3:E1

    When a bottle of pills goes missing from the Doctor's surgery, Harry Grout is worried that investigation of the theft by the prison authorities will jeopardise some of his activities. Grout insists that Fletcher must find the pills and return them before the warders can take action.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  16. Porridge Season 1 Episode 2 - The Hustler
    7.7/10(218 votes)

    #16 - The Hustler

    S1:E2

    Ives is such a loser that if Elizabeth Taylor had triplets, he'd have been the one in the middle. But there's no way he's going to be left out of Fletch's gambling enterprise.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  17. Porridge Season 3 Episode 3 - Rough Justice
    7.7/10(151 votes)

    #17 - Rough Justice

    S3:E3

    Fletcher is worried that Judge Rawley might rob him of his main source of income - writing letters for illiterate inmates.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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  18. Porridge Season 1 Episode 5 - Ways and Means
    7.6/10(195 votes)

    #18 - Ways and Means

    S1:E5

    Who would want to spend eight hours a day sewing fishing nets? Not Fletch, who is hell-bent on a cushy job in the library.

    Director:Sydney Lotterby
    Writers:Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement

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Best Episodes Summary

"Happy Release" is the best rated episode of "Porridge". It scored 8.7/10 based on 209 votes. Directed by Sydney Lotterby and written by Ian La Frenais, Dick Clement, it aired on 11/21/1975. This episode scored 0.4 points higher than the second highest rated, "A Night In".