No Way Out (Porridge)

"No Way Out"
Porridge episode
Episode no.	Episode Christmas Special 1
Directed by	Sydney Lotterby
Written by	Dick Clement Ian La Frenais
Original air date	24 December 1975

"No Way Out" is the first Christmas special of the BBC sitcom 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 time has come to Slade Prison. Godber with his innocent nature likes the idea of Christmas, but Fletcher tells him that Christmas in prison is not much different from any other day. Godber points out that there are carol singers, but Fletcher remarks that they are used to drown out the sound of Tommy Slocombe's tunneling.

Fletcher attempts 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 pretty young nurse gives Fletcher a "Christmas card", which turns out to be a fake passport for Tommy Slocombe. Grouty also requests that Fletcher and Godber help out with the choir.

Unfortunately, Barrowclough's bicycle is stolen as part of the escape plan. Mr Mackay berates Barrowclough for being too trusting with 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, manages to steal Barrowclough's wristwatch under the pretence of wishing him a Merry Christmas. Also, Mackay's wallet is stolen.

Due to these events, Christmas is cancelled in Slade Prison. Fletcher realises that things have gone too far, and arranges to have a word with Mackay. His plan is for Mackay to fall into the tunnel, but Fletcher miscalculates and ends up falling into the tunnel himself.

With this discovery, Christmas is reinstated, and Fletcher is in the infirmary. As Fletcher is eating Christmas lunch, Mackay attempts to bribe him with an almost full small bottle of whisky, if he tells him where the earth from the tunnel went to. 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 the viewers a Merry Christmas.

Episode cast

Actor	Role
Ronnie Barker	Norman Stanley Fletcher
Brian Wilde	Mr Barrowclough
Fulton Mackay	Mr Mackay
Richard Beckinsale	Lennie Godber
Peter Vaughan	Harry Grout
Graham Crowden	Prison Doctor
Sam Kelly	Warren
Christopher Biggins	Lukewarm
Carol Hawkins	Sandra
Elisabeth Day	Nurse

Notes

• It has been established that Warren cannot read. However, he is seen reading from his hymn sheet 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.
• Mackay mentions that he went to the Governor's sherry party. However, it is revealed in the following year's Christmas special that the Governor is teetotal.