Disturbing the Peace

Slade prison feels the absence of Mr MacKay.

This is a strong episode with good character moments.

There is a decent "better the devil you know" themed plot as Fletch and the boys have a truly malevolent new prison guard to deal with. MacKay is portrayed as domineering, but with a moral code. However, the guest character provides such a contrast that it makes this clear enough for the inmates to see.

The scenes involving the inmates taking action and Mr Barrowclough's involvement are especially funny. Brian Wilde is great as always.

I could not help but enjoy the final sequence.

All actors are in great form as ever.

Mr Mackay might be a firm prison officer. When he goes off on a course, his replacement is 'Napper' Wainwright. He is just plain harsh. He hates liberals, pinkos, long haired hippies and do gooders.

Wainwright also crossed paths with Fletcher before in a previous prison. Now Wainwright literally treads on Fletcher's fingers.

Fletcher and the other prisoners has to concoct a plan to get rid off Wainwright and to do that they start a riot.

An effective appearance by Peter Jeffrey as Wainwright. A rather touching ending when the prisoners sing a song to Mackay when he returns.

I did note that Ronnie Barker might now have had some influence in the production of Porridge. In the prison library, Fletcher tries to get Barrowclough to sign off for some new books. Most of the titles were rather risque. Barker was a connoisseur of the history of English sauce and smut.

The governor's secretary Mrs Hesketh, who Fletcher tries to get uncomfortably close to is played by Madge Hindle. She did quite a bit of work with Barker.