A Day Out

"A Day Out"

"A Day Out" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Porridge. It first aired on 26 September 1974.. In this episode, Fletcher and some of his fellow prisoners are allowed out for the day to dig drainage ditches for the local council.

Synopsis

Godber is excited as he and some fellow prisoners are going out of prison as part of a work party. Fletcher, however, is less than excited because of the nature of the work. The two men argue over Fletcher's eating with his mouth full. Fletcher is even less pleased with the prospect of the day ahead when he finds out that Ives is part of the work party and that Mr Mackay is in charge. However, Mr Barrowclough is coming with them, so this partly reassures Fletcher.

Later that morning, the men are digging the drains at the side of the road, when a middle-aged woman cycles past. This causes cheers and jeers from the men. Then, Mr Mackay goes off in his van for an errand in the village, leaving Mr Barrowclough in charge. The prisoners are really pleased, and although Barrowclough tries in vain to lay down some ground rules, they men soon take advantage of him.

The prisoners take refuge in the local church for a smoke break, much to Barrowclough's chagrin. Then, Ives is stung on the bottom by a bee. Fletcher volunteers to go into the village to buy ointment at a chemist. Barrowclough reluctantly gives him a pound note, which Fletcher uses to buy a pint at the local pub, instead. In the pub, Fletcher buys several pints as well as some packets of crisps. He claims that he is working on the new motorway. The barman speaks ill of the prisoners in nearby Slade Prison, although the priest says to forgive and forget. Just then, Mr Mackay comes in to Fletcher's horror. Fletcher narrowly avoids Mr Mackay and steals a man's bike to escape. The priest tells the same man to go back to the church and lock up, since there are a bunch of criminals out on the loose.

Fletcher returns with the crisps, which the men are grateful for. However, they soon find they have been locked in the church. Godber thinks its typical that they get one day out of jail, and they are locked in again. Mr Mackay soon discovers the prisoners are missing and alerts the Chief Officer. When Mackay and the Chief Officer return to the ditches, they find the men are present along with Mr Barrowclough. This makes Mackay look very foolish.

That evening, Mackay warns Fletcher and Godber that he will make them suffer for making a fool of him. Once Mackay leaves the cell, Godber tells Fletcher that while in the church, he was able to steal an altar server's robe. This would help protect Godber from gravy stains whenever Fletcher talks with his mouth full. The episode ends with a freeze frame of Fletcher grabbing Godber, ready to punch him.

Episode Cast

Actor	Role
Ronnie Barker	Norman Stanley Fletcher
Brian Wilde	Mr Barrowclough
Fulton Mackay	Mr Mackay
Richard Beckinsale	Lennie Godber
Ken Jones	Ives
Paul Angelis	Navy Rum
Philip Jackson	Melvin 'Dylan' Bottomley
Robert Gillespie	Vicar
John Rutland	Verger
Johnnie Wade	Scrounger
Arnold Peters	Chief Prison Officer
Ralph Watson	Landlord
Peggy Mason	Nurse