Barely. Less sad than 75% of well-known series. This describes how the series comes across across its whole run, measured against other well-known series; it is not a content list.

Not especially. Less violent than 70% of well-known series. This describes how the series comes across across its whole run, measured against other well-known series; it is not a content list.

Not especially. Less frightening than 59% of well-known series. This describes how the series comes across across its whole run, measured against other well-known series; it is not a content list.

Does Porridge leave you hopeful?

About average. Almost exactly mid-range for a well-known series. This describes how the series comes across across its whole run, measured against other well-known series; it is not a content list.

Porridge

Name: Porridge
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1974
Rating: 8.134
Cast: Ronnie Barker, Richard Beckinsale, Fulton Mackay, Brian Wilde, Peter Vaughan

Created by Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais

On BBC One

1974–19773 seasons18 episodes30 min8.1 / 10

A warmly comic British sitcom that finds humour and human connection in the confined world of a prison, built on the rapport between two cellmates.

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, it stars Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale as two inmates at the fictional HMP Slade in Cumberland. "Doing porridge" is British slang for serving a prison sentence, porridge once being the traditional breakfast in UK prisons. The series was followed by a 1978 sequel, Going Straight, which established that Fletcher would not be going back to prison again. Porridge was voted number seven in a 2004 BBC poll of the 100 greatest British sitcoms.

Clusters

Comfort Sitcoms, Familiar Faces Gentle Warmth, Ordinary Belonging Comfort Sitcom Warmth Absurdist Comedy, Affectionately Chaotic

Genres

Comedy

Keywords

Prison England Judge Theft Convict Warden Sitcom

Where to watch

Not available in United States — it streams in other countries.

Questions people ask

Is Porridge easy watching? Yes. More comforting than 86% of series.
Is Porridge sad? Barely. Less sad than 75% of series.
Is Porridge violent? Not especially. Less violent than 70% of series.
Is Porridge scary? Not especially. Less frightening than 59% of series.
Does Porridge leave you hopeful? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

Porridge

Where to watch

Questions people ask

Cinnamon Score

Ensemble

Like Porridge

Same Mood as Porridge

Like Porridge, But Darker

Like Porridge, But Lighter

Like Porridge, But Less Popular