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A Test of Character

2023-01-06T15:19:10Z

217.161.76.154: /* Synopsis */

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Unreferenced|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[Porridge (1974 TV series)|Porridge]]
| image =
| caption =
| season = 3
| episode = 5
| airdate = {{Start date|1977|03|18|df=yes}}
| production =
| writer = [[Dick Clement]] and [[Ian La Frenais]]
| director = [[Sydney Lotterby]]
| guests =
| episode_list = List of Porridge episodes
| prev = [[Pardon Me (Porridge)|Pardon Me]]
| next = [[Final Stretch (Porridge)|Final Stretch]]
}}
"'''A Test of Character'''" is an episode of the [[BBC]] [[sitcom]] [[Porridge (1974 TV series)|Porridge]]. It aired on 18 March 1977. Godber is studying for his [[GCE Ordinary Level (United Kingdom)|O Level]] History exam, but doesn't want Fletcher's method of [[cheating]]. Meanwhile, Fletcher and Warren are having a dispute on the [[Solar System]].

== Synopsis ==
Godber is trying to study for his History O-Level, but Fletcher keeps talking. A heated argument between the two attracts the attention of Mr Mackay, who naturally demands to know what's going on. Mackay criticises Fletcher for being an ageing [[recidivist]], while praising Godber for being willing to study. Mackay also makes it clear that Fletcher is not to disturb Godber. Soon after, Warren arrives and engages in a debate with Fletcher over the Solar System. Fed up with the constant interruptions, Godber storms out in a huff.

To help Godber, Fletcher accompanied by Warren and McClaren visit the study hall, where Mr. Barrowclough is helping violent inmate Spraggon with a creative writing course. Fletcher and McClaren distract Barrowclough with a demonstration of the Solar System, using different sizes of balls (and Barrowclough's apples) to represent the planets. At first, Spraggon refuses to betray Barrowclough, but relents when Warren offers him tobacco. Spraggon tells Warren where the keys are, allowing him to steal the exam paper.

Back at the cell, Godber appreciates the gesture, but turns them down as he feels he’s cheated most of his life, and wants to pass the exam honestly. Fletcher and Warren are annoyed at Godber because of the risk they took to help him. Fletcher points out to Godber that in the real world, there are very few breaks. For instance, a person with no convictions would always beat Godber in job interviews regardless of qualifications. Realising that Godber is not listening, Fletcher leaves him to it. Godber relents and has a look at the exam paper, much to Warren’s pleasure who is spying on him.

Next day, Godber has taken his exam and tells Fletcher and Warren that he is proud that he did it without cheating. At this, Fletcher tells Godber he doesn’t stand for [[hypocrisy]] and he knows about Warren seeing Godber looking at the exam paper. Godber asks who stole the exam paper, to which Warren says it was him. It turns out that due to Warren’s dyslexia, he took the biology paper instead of the history paper. The episode ends with a [[Freeze-frame shot|freeze frame]] of Fletcher grabbing Warren by the [[lapel]]s.

== Notes ==
This episode may be a callback to the episode The Harder They Fall, where Fletcher tells Godber about the time where his son Raymond broke into the school to have a prior peep at his exam paper and still didn't pass. In this episode, Fletcher encourages Godber to have a peep at the exam paper prior to sitting his exam.

{{Porridge}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Test of Character (Porridge)}}
[[Category:Porridge (1974 TV series) episodes]]
[[Category:1977 British television episodes]]

A Test of Character (Porridge)

2023-01-06T15:19:10Z

217.161.76.154: /* Synopsis */

Rough Justice (Porridge)

2023-01-06T15:15:20Z

217.161.76.154: /* Synopsis */

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[Porridge (1974 TV series)|Porridge]]
| image =
| caption =
| season = 3
| episode = 3
| airdate = {{Start date|1977|03|04|df=yes}}
| production =
| writer = [[Dick Clement]] and [[Ian La Frenais]]
| director = [[Sydney Lotterby]]
| guests =
| episode_list = List of Porridge episodes
| prev = [[Poetic Justice (Porridge)|Poetic Justice]]
| next = [[Pardon Me (Porridge)|Pardon Me]]
}}
"'''Rough Justice'''" is an episode of the [[BBC]] [[sitcom]] [[Porridge (1974 TV series)|Porridge]]. It aired on 4 March 1977. When Judge Rawley's watch is stolen, they hold a [[kangaroo court]] with Harris as the suspect.

== Synopsis ==
The episode opens with Warren visiting Fletcher’s cell wishing to have his [[love letter]] written by Rawley instead of Fletcher, as Rawley is an educated man. Fletcher insists on doing the job himself because Rawley is likely to write with sophisticated words. Plus love letters are Fletcher’s [[wikt:forte#Noun|forte]]. Rawley arrives and says he will take up Warren’s suggestion of helping out prisoners' family members with legal issues. However, Rawley refuses to accept any price for this which Fletcher berates him for.

Harris returns from the pig farm, with a horrible smell and a bad mood. The other prisoners mock him for his smell, but Harris is upset because he was relegated to the farm due to Rawley being given a clerical job (and he still carries around a farming aroma even after taking a bath). Fletcher tells Harris to “naff off” before getting to work on Warren’s letter to his wife. Unfortunately, Fletcher writes Rita instead of Elaine as he was thinking about [[Rita Hayworth]]. Fletcher decides to cross out Rita and replaces it with [[Errol Flynn]]. Just then, Rawley returns to the cell. Rawley comments that Harris was abusive to him, but the others say they will protect Rawley from any more [[harassment]]. Rawley then says that he’s grown to like and trust his fellow inmates, until he discovers his watch has been stolen. This causes the others to blame each other until they deduce that Harris was in the cell earlier and he must have taken it, due to his penchant for sneak thievery.

That night, Fletcher persuades Rawley to hold a kangaroo court with Rawley as the judge and Fletcher as the prosecutor. Fletcher reasons he’s been up before court many times to know enough about legal procedure. Rawley is reluctant, but agrees to go ahead.

Next day, they use the boiler room as the court room. Rawley is the judge, Fletcher is the prosecutor, Warren is the defence counsel and Godber is the witness. McClaren is the prisoner escort and roughly drags Harris into the room. Due to the fact Fletcher insisted on a proper enquiry, Rawley notes that the hearsay evidence would not be admissible in court and has no choice but to clear Harris. McClaren offers to extract a confession from Harris and, upon twisting his arm, Harris admits he stole the watch and promises to return it to Rawley.

That evening, Rawley informs Fletcher and Godber he is a free man, as his appeal was successful. During recreation time, Mr Mackay permits Rawley to bid farewell to his former fellow inmates. Rawley thanks the men for accepting him and promises to be more open minded about the [[penal system]]. Rawley also gives Fletcher his watch as a parting gift. However, Harris had taken the insides from the watch, rendering it useless. The episode ends with a still of Fletcher angrily throwing the watch in the air.

{{Porridge}}

[[Category:Porridge (1974 TV series) episodes]]
[[Category:1977 British television episodes]]

No Way Out (Porridge)

2023-01-06T15:06:31Z

217.161.76.154: /* Synopsis */

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[Porridge (1974 TV series)|Porridge]]
| image =
| caption =
| season =
| episode = Christmas Special 1
| airdate = {{Start date|1975|12|24|df=yes}}
| production =
| writer = [[Dick Clement]]<br>[[Ian La Frenais]]
| director = [[Sydney Lotterby]]
| guests =
| episode_list = List of Porridge episodes
| prev = [[The Harder They Fall (Porridge)|The Harder They Fall]]
| next = [[The Desperate Hours (Porridge)|The Desperate Hours]]
}}
"'''No Way Out'''" is the first [[Christmas special]] of the [[BBC]] [[sitcom]] ''[[Porridge (1974 TV series)|Porridge]]''. It first aired on 24 December 1975.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0676970/|title=Original Air Date (No Way Out)|date=|work=IMDB|accessdate=15 July 2013}}</ref> In this episode, prisoner Tommy Slocombe makes an [[prison escape|escape]] attempt in the lead-up to Christmas.

==Synopsis==
[[Christmas]] has come to Slade Prison. Godber, with his innocent nature, likes the idea of Christmas, but Fletcher tells him that Christmas in prison is little different to any other day. Godber points out that there are [[carol singer]]s, but Fletcher remarks that they are there to drown out the sound of Tommy Slocombe's tunnelling.

Fletcher tries to visit the prison's [[Hospital|infirmary]] with his bad knee, but the prison doctor refuses to admit him. Instead, he gives Fletcher an appointment at a civilian hospital, Carlisle General. With this information, Harry Grout requests that Fletcher picks up an important object from a nurse at the hospital.

Mr Barrowclough is given the job of escorting Fletcher to hospital, although he finds the very edgy Fletcher's grumbling a dampener on his day. At the hospital, a young nurse gives Fletcher a "Christmas card", which turns out to be a [[fake passport]] for Tommy Slocombe. Grouty also asks that Fletcher and Godber help with the [[choir]], but also insists that Fletcher provides him with a bicycle.

Unfortunately, Barrowclough's bicycle is stolen as part of the escape plan and, on confronting Godber, Warren and Fletcher about the theft, he is left in a state of confusion with their responses. Mr Mackay berates Barrowclough for being too trusting with the prisoners. To make matters worse, Mackay discovers what is going on with the tunnelling, and orders the men back to their cells. Lukewarm, a skilled [[pickpocket]], manages to steal Barrowclough's wristwatch under the façade of wishing him a Merry Christmas. Mackay's wallet is also stolen.

Due to these events, Christmas is cancelled in Slade Prison. Fletcher realises that things have gone too far and speaks to Harry Grout, who confides that the tunnel is off-course anyway. Fletcher arranges to have a word with Mackay; his plan is for Mackay to fall into the tunnel, and Grout can use the distraction to smuggle Slocombe out another way, but Fletcher miscalculates the tunnel's location and ends up falling into the tunnel himself.

With the escape attempt apparently thwarted, Christmas is reinstated and Fletcher is in the infirmary. As Fletcher is eating Christmas lunch, Mackay tries to bribe him with an almost full small bottle of [[whisky]] if he tells him where the earth from the tunnel went. Fletcher tells Mackay that they dug another tunnel and hid the earth there. The episode ends with a triumphant Fletcher drinking his whisky and wishing Mackay a Merry Christmas.

==Episode cast==
{| class="wikitable"
! Actor
! Role
|-
| [[Ronnie Barker]]
| Norman Stanley Fletcher
|-
| [[Brian Wilde]]
| Mr Barrowclough
|-
| [[Fulton Mackay]]
| Mr Mackay
|-
| [[Richard Beckinsale]]
| Lennie Godber
|-
| [[Peter Vaughan]]
| Harry Grout
|-
| [[Graham Crowden]]
| Prison Doctor
|-
| [[Sam Kelly]]
| Warren
|-
| [[Christopher Biggins]]
| Lukewarm
|-
| [[Carol Hawkins]]
| Sandra
|-
| [[Elisabeth Day]]
| Nurse
|-
|}

== Notes ==
* It has been established that Warren cannot read. However, he is seen holding a hymn book while singing in the choir. It could be however, that due to the choir singing the same four carols over and over, that he has memorised the lyrics as he is not seen reading from the book itself.
* Mackay mentions that he went to the Governor's [[sherry]] party. However, it is revealed in the following year's Christmas special that the Governor is [[teetotal]]. Although it is entirely feasible that the Governor could throw a sherry party without drinking alcohol himself.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Porridge}}

[[Category:Porridge (1974 TV series) episodes]]
[[Category:British Christmas television episodes]]
[[Category:1975 British television episodes]]