[zooooooooooooo]

Originally Posted by footygirl

I loved Erica too - she was the half way house between Vera and Meg

Liked Jim Fletcher as well - became a bit of a hard nut - but he softened, not to the point of ridicule, but overall a fair person

Jim Fletcher was by far the best male character in it, in my opinion.

[footygirl]

Originally Posted by zooooooooooooo

Jim Fletcher was by far the best male character in it, in my opinion.

On the whole Jim was firm but fair - he had a lovely way of handling Lizzie, and on the whole a good understanding with Erica

[Paul1511]

Originally Posted by zooooooooooooo

Jim Fletcher was by far the best male character in it, in my opinion.

Not quite for me. Jock Stewart is ranked higher in my Top 10 list, only just mind you.

[lil lexie]

Originally Posted by Paully_C

The first reviews of the brand new Australian reboot of Prisoner have just come out - and the critics are suggesting it's going to be a massive hit. Sounds like it's a LOT grittier and nastier than the original...

"Prisoner reboot a no-holds barred triumph."

http://www.theage.com.au/entertainme...228-2f8z0.html


"No vaseline-lensed nostalgia trip - plot twists like Breaking Bad or Sons of Anarchy"

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertai...-1226587945774

"This is more Oz than Aus soap"

http://www.theage.com.au/entertainme...228-2f8z0.html

Well that's ME officially excited. It'll never replace the original in my affections. But whilst I've got the DVDs of PCBH to go back and enjoy time and again, I'm definitely prepared to give the remake a go.

I'm really looking forward to this too. Initially, I was sceptical about it, wondering how on earth they would recreate a drama that was very much of it's time. Luckily it sounds like they have created a parallel universe with plenty of 'what if's' posed at the original, so it should be intriguing viewing.

[Paully_C]

Hah! I put the wrong third link up before!

http://themusic.com.au/news/all/2013...isoner-revamp/

[ChuckyBlackhart]

Originally Posted by Paully_C

The first reviews of the brand new Australian reboot of Prisoner have just come out - and the critics are suggesting it's going to be a massive hit. Sounds like it's a LOT grittier and nastier than the original...

"Prisoner reboot a no-holds barred triumph."

http://www.theage.com.au/entertainme...228-2f8z0.html


"No vaseline-lensed nostalgia trip - plot twists like Breaking Bad or Sons of Anarchy"

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertai...-1226587945774

"This is more Oz than Aus soap"

http://www.theage.com.au/entertainme...228-2f8z0.html

Well that's ME officially excited. It'll never replace the original in my affections. But whilst I've got the DVDs of PCBH to go back and enjoy time and again, I'm definitely prepared to give the remake a go.

I'm really looking forward to the Prisoner reimagining, Wentworth.

I've wanted a darker, grittier, more brutal take on Prisoner for years.

[chrissielatham]

Will Lil and Jacko be in it haha

[Pepperoni Man]

I'm not sure about this new show - I'll give it a go but I nearly always end up disappointed with this sort of thing

[chrissielatham]

Originally Posted by Pepperoni Man

I'm not sure about this new show - I'll give it a go but I nearly always end up disappointed with this sort of thing

I don't mid there being a new show I just don't get the whole mixing names about, like Bea Smith is there but a different sort of lady altogether. I suppose if you're a hardcore fan its difficult to imagine your favourite characters any other way.

Is this a re-imagining of Prisoner?

[Hit Em Up Style]

I've always been totally against the show being a remake. Thats what this is. No sugar coating will change that.

However I am now excited for it having seen the pics and read the early reviews.

I just hope it doesnt piss on the memory of the old show. I really think a continuation would have been the best option. All they needed was one character link to the past just for old timers and everything else could have been new.

[will2510]

Have just had the last of Dennis Cruickshank. He got shot in the legs by Frank Burke and left Saint Meg.

[RetroSpecs]

Originally Posted by will2510

Have just had the last of Dennis Cruickshank. He got shot in the legs by Frank Burke and left Saint Meg.

I'm just ahead of you at the moment. Nothing redeemable about Burke. Fantastically played by Trevor Kent.

For me Willie Beacham has just lost her memory...The idea of her being up for release if it could be proved that she couldn't remember what she was convicted for has been floated. A storyline that gets another telling when Kean appears later in the year

Not sure the reboot will be for me, but I hope it does well.

[Grouty]

Originally Posted by will2510

Have just had the last of Dennis Cruickshank. He got shot in the legs by Frank Burke and left Saint Meg.

Loved Dennis, its a shame he wasn't in it longer.

[chrissielatham]

Oh I couldn't stand Dennis Cruikshank - liked Heather though

[zooooooooooooo]

I've just been thinking about Prisoner (Don't we all), and all the extras who were built up into main characters. I think Lou kelly and Lurch are probably the two who come to mind first, but also Mouse, Kathleen Leach and Phyllis Hunt became quite big characters. Tammy Fisher (one of my favourites) never became quite as big unfortunately but they let her speak every now and again.

Frances Harvey on the other hand is a weird one, although i quite liked her, but she came into the Halfway House with Judy seeming to be quite a comedy character. Later she's in prison with no explanation why she's there, but she is still given quite a lot of dialogue and is one of the ones behind hanging The Freak. After that she's one of Lou Kellys heavies and in her last few episodes she's just in the background and doesn't say anything

[Garry_McAuley]

Originally Posted by Eric Blair

Suki c - I was a teenaged lad-about-town in the late 80s, and would collapse in front of the TV when I came in. After a while, I noticed that this funny Australian thing seemed to be always on.

There were only 4 channels back then, so I would usually end up watching Prisoner Cell Block H. Without much attention, I have to say, but I was being reeled in...

One night I was completely transfixed by one of the (comparatively rare) beautiful prisoners attempting suicide - I'll never forget the livid red of the blood on the old-fashioned studio film. That was Lynn Warner's attempted suicide, of course, and it was relatively early in the show's run. From then on, I watched all the time, right through to the end with Rita Connors swearing to become the oldest bikie in the world.

And here's the thing: half the lads in my social circle were avid watchers too. That show was big with young people at the time precisely because of its graveyard slot and because the ITV networks (all out of sync with each other) never gave up on the show and screened it two or three times per week for years.

That was just how things were back then, with 4 channels. People getting in from nights out had nothing else to watch or do!

I tried to watch PCBH all over again when it started a new run on Channel 5 in the 90s, but by then my lifestyle had changed, and it just wasn't the same anyway. Occasionally I watch parts of classic old episodes on YouTube and remain very impressed by the storytelling. I've spotted the actors in other roles down the years (no, not just Neighbours) and always have warm feelings about them, and the show.

I too, miss those days

Originally Posted by stationeryfan

I remember watching this avidly with my mum in the 80s. Think it would be unwieldy to own as a box set but if some channel decided to rerun it, they'd surely have decent viewing figures. I would be watching/setting the Sky box for sure.

I used to come downstairs as a kid, and would either catch it on cause my Mum watched it, or catch the theme tune playing, I always now associate that song with my late Mum

[ChuckyBlackhart]

Originally Posted by will2510

Have just had the last of Dennis Cruickshank. He got shot in the legs by Frank Burke and left Saint Meg.

I like Frank Burke. Kind of reminiscent of T Bag from Prison Break. (But without the charisma) There was a fight, escape attempt or shooting in every scene he was in. Liked how he had a back bone, always standing up to the officers. He just didn't quit.

And thankfully he put an end to that god-awful Dennis Cruickshank.

[pjw1985]

Originally Posted by zooooooooooooo

I've just been thinking about Prisoner (Don't we all), and all the extras who were built up into main characters. I think Lou kelly and Lurch are probably the two who come to mind first, but also Mouse, Kathleen Leach and Phyllis Hunt became quite big characters. :

i wouldn't have described mouse and Kathleen as big characters. Mouse never got a storyline of her own and Kathleen only really had the storyline with Tracy Morris. Phyllis did become quite a major character.

Probably the best one would be Joyce appearing from episode 29 onwards as an occasional character but by the 400s shes a major character and remains so until the end. .

[zooooooooooooo]

Originally Posted by pjw1985

i wouldn't have described mouse and Kathleen as big characters. Mouse never got a storyline of her own and Kathleen only really had the storyline with Tracy Morris. Phyllis did become quite a major character.

Probably the best one would be Joyce appearing from episode 29 onwards as an occasional character but by the 400s shes a major character and remains so until the end. .

I always think of Mouse as quite a main one but maybe she wasn't in as many as I think. Yes forgot about Joyce she was a brilliant contrast to Joan.

[chrissielatham]

Originally Posted by pjw1985

i wouldn't have described mouse and Kathleen as big characters. Mouse never got a storyline of her own and Kathleen only really had the storyline with Tracy Morris. Phyllis did become quite a major character.

Probably the best one would be Joyce appearing from episode 29 onwards as an occasional character but by the 400s shes a major character and remains so until the end. .

Awh Mouse was brilliant, and you're right she didn't have a storyline of her own but she was big in contrast to being in the background for so long in the early days. Oh gosh I was shocked at her spectacular death scene.

Yes Joyce wins first prize from transition from backgrounder to major league player!!!

Remember Kath Deakin and the frizzy hair lol or what about Tammy, Jacko, Ronnie or Lorna - they would get random lines every so often and part of me would think "are they gonna get more?" lol. I remember the first time Tina Murray spoke I nealy fell off the seat.

[zooooooooooooo]

Originally Posted by chrissielatham

Awh Mouse was brilliant, and you're right she didn't have a storyline of her own but she was big in contrast to being in the background for so long in the early days. Oh gosh I was shocked at her spectacular death scene.

Yes Joyce wins first prize from transition from backgrounder to major league player!!!

Remember Kath Deakin and the frizzy hair lol or what about Tammy, Jacko, Ronnie or Lorna - they would get random lines every so often and part of me would think "are they gonna get more?" lol. I remember the first time Tina Murray spoke I nealy fell off the seat.

I really liked Mouse as well. I liked Kath Deakin, she was a very underrated character. I think in about 3 episodes on the trot her and Lou Kelly are trying to kill Myra. It seemed like she was going to be the new Frances and be with Lou and lurch all the time, but i think after the siege you barely saw her again.


I've said before but I loved Tammy Fisher, she was by far my favourite extra, always hoped she would become a regular but it never happened

[chrissielatham]

Tammy's a very close 2nd for me. Lil Stokes was my favourite extra! "Jackoooo"

[pjw1985]

i don't mean to seem rude but i'm not getting all this fuss about Tammy. She was ok but what was so exceptional about her

[zooooooooooooo]

Originally Posted by pjw1985

i don't mean to seem rude but i'm not getting all this fuss about Tammy. She was ok but what was so exceptional about her

She was always one of my favourites, partly because I really liked her in Neighbours, and I think when she had her little bits of dialogue she was very good. When she was in the background she was always doing something.


Just like they gave Lou Kelly a big role I thought Tammy deserved a stab at it.

[pjw1985]

Originally Posted by zooooooooooooo

She was always one of my favourites, partly because I really liked her in Neighbours, and I think when she had her little bits of dialogue she was very good. When she was in the background she was always doing something.


Just like they gave Lou Kelly a big role I thought Tammy deserved a stab at it.

Fair enough. i always liked Lorna too