Prisoner Cell Block H
Best soap opera of all time?

or

Long running bore fest?

Personally for me, it was one of the best TV programme's ever broadcast. Brilliant characters and character development, excellent dialogue, cheap sets, gripping plots, funny AND grim in equal measures and always entertaining. Well, OK, it did kinda taper off towards the end when the likes of Bea and Lizzie left, but it still maintained a high level of watchability.

I keep meaning to torrent every episode, but even with a 10Mb connection, I would probably be downloading for years.

10/10
(Cancer Joy was short lived, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:42, 48 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

*waits for lu to kick in*

( rosalicious i fucking love youve been framed, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:43, Reply)

I have totally got the theme tune on 7"
And it has a super duper cast picture and bars on the front.
I'll take a pic tonight if you're interested.
I'll gaz it to you, along with my musical willy.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:44, Reply)

"but that was on the outside,
and things were different then"

Gaz away..i loved the start when the theme tune finished abruptly with the prison bars CLANGING shut.

Bizarrely, my second favourite ever Tv prgramme was 'The Prisoner', and how i would have loved if THAT had run for 650 odd episodes
(Cancer Joy was short lived, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:47, Reply)

Was only allowed to watch it during the school hols
or if it was a special occasion, or if I had insomnia.
I was too honest to sneakily watch it.
I always watched it round at my cousin's house though.
I'll try to take a pic later, but i'll definitely do it at some point over the weekend, because I'll be getting all the christmas stuff out of the cupboard :)
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:49, Reply)

The Prisoner was excellent

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:55, Reply)

I got the DVD boxset last year (to go with my ancient VHS boxset)
and both my kids were hooked on it...watched every episode so they did. "Schizoid Man" was my fave episode, but it has to chose as it was just so amazing overall AND it is responsible for the only reason I have to visit Wales.

Number 2 - "Tea, Number 6?"

The Prisoner - "Yes"

Number 2 - "Is that with one, or two sugars?"

The Prisoner - "You should know, look it up in my file"

He never gave them an inch, never gave in.

I fear for the remake that is apparantly in production.
(Cancer Joy was short lived, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:02, Reply)

I've never seen it
I doubt I ever will.
( SpikeyPickle wishes he was mabazaritchie, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:46, Reply)

my sentiment exactly

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:55, Reply)

i like breasts

( broadsword, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:52, Reply)

YAY!!!

( SpikeyPickle wishes he was mabazaritchie, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:56, Reply)

gaswanker

( rosalicious i fucking love youve been framed, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:17, Reply)

alright treacle

( broadsword, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:32, Reply)

alright saucy

( rosalicious i fucking love youve been framed, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:36, Reply)

Best TV show ever was 'Monkey!', if you ask me

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:54, Reply)

too fucking right
are you sure you're not me, but from the future a bit?
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:55, Reply)

I am, yes
Don't forget to wind your watch.

69, dude etc
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:00, Reply)

They done a stage adaptation of that a few years back
the wife and kids went to see it and said it was fantastic.

The playground 'kung-fu' that it inspired was legendary
(Cancer Joy was short lived, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:56, Reply)

It was good
But you're forgetting The Adventure Game.
And Moonlighting.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:56, Reply)

I pulled someone by singing the theme tune to monkey at her once...
I miss uni.
(PsychoChomp, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:56, Reply)

I DJed in The Griffin in Shoreditch a month or two back
I played the theme tune as my last record - and as one voice the entire place sang along. It was hilarious/fucking weird.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:58, Reply)

born from an egg on a mountain top...

(PsychoChomp, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:02, Reply)

I have the LP
on BBC records - it took literally years to locate. All I need now is the Grange Hill theme on 45 and I can finally die happy.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:03, Reply)

I have the Grange Hill album from the 80s
it has Just Say No, but no theme
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:05, Reply)

I've seen that one and nearly got it in error before
The actual tune is called 'Chicken Man' by Alan Hawkshaw, a chap who also did loads of other theme tunes. Not-at-all-interestingly, the tune was also the theme tune for the first series of Give Us A Clue.

Also, under the name of the Mohawks, he recorded 'The Champ' - a genius Hammond-driven funk number beloved by the hip hop community. It's one of my favourite tracks ever:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpWIggaXycQ
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:08, Reply)

I knows that about give us a clue.
I remember pointing it out to my dad, and he was all "Oh...yeeeeeah! Why didn't I notice!" and i was proud of myself.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:10, Reply)

Or you could use an mp3 which is better quality and more available.

(PsychoChomp, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:06, Reply)

I collect records.
I don't want the record because I can't remember how the tune goes. I want it for my record collection.

Do you understand?
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:12, Reply)

Yeah, I'm just trying to get you to go on and on and on about how vinyl is superiour.

(PsychoChomp, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:16, Reply)

you're a big meanie

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:23, Reply)

You evidently haven't heard a half decent vinyl set up,
the difference is immediately obvious. Plus vinyl has a lovely tactile feel and can have the most excellent artwork/sleeve designs. Infinitely more rewarding that a shitty cd. Cd's have their place, absolutely, but the information on them is effectively worthless as it can be downloaded from the net. Ye canny download a double gatefold album, pressed on marbled vinyl, thats a fact.
(Cancer Joy was short lived, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:24, Reply)

My housemate's a vinyl bore
we've got hugely expensive set up in my living room. I can't tell the difference.
(PsychoChomp, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:31, Reply)

have you considered that you are defective?

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:33, Reply)

i like vinyl

( broadsword, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:50, Reply)

I only said it once
Althegeordie went off on one because I said I liked the sound of them and I like having the things as historical artifacts. I like the covers etc.


EDIT However I am superior to you, in that I can spell 'superior'.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:25, Reply)

it's a great song
and not just for novelty value
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:09, Reply)

FACT

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:14, Reply)

You're Miss Uni
Bloody hell, I thought you were a bloke with a willy and everything.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:01, Reply)

musical or otherwise

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:02, Reply)

*plays the willeh banjoooo*

( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:04, Reply)

Duelling Banjos from Deliverance?

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:05, Reply)

Dude, that's gay

( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:07, Reply)

It's like an Appalachian version of 'playing firemen'

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:15, Reply)

V
That was my favourite ever.

It was a mini-series though so I'm not sure if it counts.
( SpikeyPickle wishes he was mabazaritchie, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:57, Reply)

Oh my god
you can still find the occasional red 'V' spray-painted round by my Nana's.
Our estate got demolished so we have none left.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 15:59, Reply)

James Clavell's Shogun
was the best mini-series ever, to my mind. Boy did I love that.

And, fact fans, the actor who played Pigsy in the later episodes of Monkey is also in it playing a daimyo.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:00, Reply)

no, because my batchit aunty loved it
and I always had to watch it when she babysat.
And she ate food really loud and nyompy.
And I reckon she'd get on with your babymama.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:06, Reply)

ooooh, that's bad.
Very bad.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:17, Reply)

The original two V miniseries were great
the series that followed it shortly after was an unmitigated pile of monkey wank.

Be interested to see the remake though.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Fri 27 Nov 2009, 16:20, Reply)