Was always going to pale in comparsion

Agreed, whatever spin off was made it would never stand up to Porridge. Barker is as great as ever over the one series but without his little victories against the system or constant verbal sparring with Mackay, Going Straight would have to have been something very special to match Porridge.

Like you said martin it should still be in any Porridge fans dvd collection though!

I agree, although I can see why it didn't do as well this is still a superb series. Having just seen Going Straight for the first time on DVD, I’d have to say it’s terribly underrated. A sequel to Porridge that was so different (being set “On the outside” and with most of the Slade prison supporting cast gone) was always going to divide audiences. There are some brilliant episodes and moments though- including Fletch bumping into Mr. MacKay on the train home (in one of their best ever scenes together they part company getting drunk together and even shake hands).
A pre- Only Fools And Horses Nicholas Lyndhurst is excellent as Fletch’s vague son, Raymond too. Most interestingly though, along with the Porridge film, Going Straight represents a kind of missing link between the gentler ‘70’s writing of Clement and La Frenais with series like The Likely Lads and the earthier, more realistic style of Auf Wiedersehen Pet and The Commitments.
Whilst it’s still mainly broad, old school sitcom humour, Going Straight has several more serious moments as Fletch and his family struggle to make their way without him having to return to crime, the episode in which he helps a cynical teenage thief to change her ways is particularly poignant.
The looming threat of Thatcherism hangs over this series like some huge dark shadow about to turn the British working class into the underclass and unscrupulous, upwardly mobile “Greed is good” types- as the writers would go on to explore with Auf Wiedersehen in the ‘80’s.
Clement and La Frenais have done an incredible job, not just with their almost unbeatable comedy writing (only John Sullivan comes close as far as I’m concerned), they have also left us these brilliant documents of British social history over the past forty years. Going Straight is just as much a valid part of this as Porridge, The Likely Lads and Auf Wiedersehen.

"Not as good as Porridge" is the worst thing that can be said about Going Straight.

It's more of a drama than a comedy. It's nowhere near as funny, but it does give you plenty to think about.






Born when she kissed me, died when she left me, lived whilst she loved me

The series is good enough though. The last episode, In my opinion, does give it a nice finale when Ingrid & Lenny get married and Fletcher only just manages to resist the temptation to go back to a life of crime. That whole episode possibly gives the impression that the characters are going to be alright for the foreseeable future.

A good looking depressed guy smoking a cigarette is not a movie!

it's not nearly as funny as Porridge, but it is quite nice to see fletcher making a go of life on the outside, also to see Ingrid and Godber getting married.

Totally agree. Going Straight was very good, but so many of the magical ingredients that made Porridge great were lost. Everyone involved did a great job with GS, but it had an impossible task living-up to its predecessor.

The first episode was by far the best, and the meeting on the train between Fletcher and Mackay was especially memorable.