A Comedy On This Day: Porridge - Poetic Justice (25 February 1977)

 I don't think that I've ever seen this one (in which the judge who sentenced Fletcher now shares a cell with him) before. Its striking quite how dialectical Clement & La Frenais' dialogue is in this episode, with characters spending much of the time considering the wider implications, ironies and inconsistencies of their position and changed circumstances - although every discussion is always topped off and illustrated by an action. Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads already had much dialogue that worked in this way, with Bob and Terry both liking to philosophise about their place in society, but the institutional prison setting of Porridge (a place where knowledge of hierarchies and rituals is vitally important) created the ideal opportunity for this type of comedy to be explored to its fullest extent.

 Considering that he started off in ITMA and Much Binding In The Marsh Maurice Denham (as the disgraced judge) didn't do much sitcom comedy, and his performance demonstrates the value of having a really good actor as a guest performer. His quiet responses to the cell door shutting behind him for the first time, or when being cornered by three threatening prisoners, are understated but clear, and register to the viewer as being emotionally true.