Episode no. Season 1
Episode 6 Original air date 10 October 1974 | Directed by Sydney Lotterby | |
Written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais | ||
"Men Without Women" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Porridge. It first aired on 10 October 1974. In this episode, Fletcher offers his services as an 'agony aunt' to his fellow inmates. However, Fletcher soon learns his own marriage may be in difficulty.
Contents
Synopsis
Prisoner Warren (nicknamed Bunny) asks Fletcher if he could read him his love letter from his wife, as Warren is unable to read. That evening, Fletcher composes a response to this letter and also offers his services to his fellow prisoners, including the homosexual Lukewarm and the dim-witted Heslop. Fletcher charges his friends some of their tobacco in return. Barrowclough then informs Fletcher that it is lock-up time. Fletcher asks how Barrowclough is managing with his wife these days. Barrowclough says that things have improved, but admits that sometimes he could stay in prison at nighttime instead of returning home to his wife.
Soon, Warren has another letter from his wife. Fletcher reads it to him and Warren's wife reassures him not to worry. Warren is excited, because his wife is coming to visit this Saturday, along with the rest of the wives and Lukewarm's partner, Trevor. Fletcher jokes that Trevor has the opposite worry of the prisoners. While the men are worried as to what their wives get up to on the outside, Trevor would be worried what Lukewarm gets up to on the inside.
On Saturday, the women (and Trevor) are coming to Slade Prison to visit their husbands/partners. It turns out that all their letters are the same as they have been composed by the help of Fletcher. Ingrid, Fletcher's daughter, has come instead of his wife. She tells Fletcher some bad news - his wife has met a new man.
The Governor decides to send Fletcher back to London under license for the weekend, in order to sort out his marital problems. When Fletcher arrives in London, he is made to report to the local police station, and the Sergeant escorts Fletcher home as he wants no domestic incidents. Once the Sergeant leaves, it becomes clear that the affair was made up and it was all a set up to trick the authorities into allowing Fletcher home for the weekend. Fletcher enjoys himself having a proper Sunday dinner, as well as going to the pub and going to the football match. Fletcher vows to his wife that this will be his final stretch, because nowadays, it's mostly kids in prison and Fletcher's the father figure.
When Fletcher returns to Slade prison on Sunday evening, Barrowclough and Mackay discuss Fletcher's change in attitude. Mackay comments that Fletcher has learned that he cannot beat the system, but as he looks through the peephole on the door of Fletcher's cell, he sees Fletcher sticking the fingers at him. Fletcher achieved this by holding his paper, and then moving it to show the V-sign.