Porridge (2017)
7/10
Really pleasantly surprised
20 June 2023
Firstly, this is not a remake, as this is set now and Fletch is the grandson of Norman Stanley Fletcher. Obviously it draws inspiration from the 70s sitcom, and Kevin Bishop does a fantastic impression of Ronnie Barker, which works as the similarities running in the family would be plausible. Also Mark Bonnar is brilliant too I think and looks like he revels in the role of the modern day Mackay.

It's far too easy to quickly judge this and dismiss it, as I almost did, but glad I didn't as considering the giant shadows that were cast before them and footsteps they had to fill, I think the 2 leads were an inspired choice of casting, and couldn't imagine anyone else pulling it off nearly as well.

I notice Dick Clement and Ian Le Frenais are credited with writing these new episodes as well, so the humour is obviously similar, but the scripts we know are nothing without the perfect delivery and I think everyone in this series delivered.

Really impressed, and grateful that the wonderful world of Norman Stanley Fletcher and Fulton Mackay lives on.
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