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"No Way Out" is the first
Christmas special
Christmas themes have long been an inspiration to artists and writers. A prominent aspect of Christian media, the topic first appeared in in literature and Christmas music. Filmmakers have picked up on this wealth of material, with both adaptatio ...
of the
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Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
sitcom
A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...
''
Porridge''. It first aired on 24 December 1975.
In this episode, prisoner Tommy Slocombe makes an
escape attempt in the lead-up to Christmas.
Synopsis
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
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 singers, but Fletcher remarks that they are there to drown out the sound of Tommy Slocombe's tunnelling.
Fletcher tries to visit the prison's
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
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...
, 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
Pickpocketing is a form of larceny that involves the stealing of money or other valuables from the person or a victim's pocket without them noticing the theft at the time. It may involve considerable dexterity and a knack for misdirection. A th ...
, 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
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden ca ...
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
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
Sherry ( es, jerez ) is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the city of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia, Spain. Sherry is produced in a variety of styles made primarily from the Palomino grape, ranging from light versi ...
party. However, it is revealed in the following year's Christmas special that the Governor is
teetotal
Teetotalism is the practice or promotion of total personal abstinence from the psychoactive drug alcohol, specifically in alcoholic drinks. A person who practices (and possibly advocates) teetotalism is called a teetotaler or teetotaller, or is ...
. Although it is entirely feasible that the Governor could throw a sherry party without drinking alcohol himself.
References
{{Porridge
Porridge (1974 TV series) episodes
British Christmas television episodes
1975 British television episodes