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Aug 01, 2023

Screw review — shades of Porridge in this authentic prison drama

Listen to article Narrated by James Marriott ScrewChannel 4★★★★☆ Is it me or has Channel 4’s prison drama Screw become noticeably more serious? I recall some splendidly funny lines in the first

Listen to article

Narrated by James Marriott

ScrewChannel 4★★★★☆

Is it me or has Channel 4’s prison drama Screw become noticeably more serious? I recall some splendidly funny lines in the first series, such as when the chief screw Leigh (Nina Sosanya) confiscated a porn mag over which some lag was “self-comforting” and said, “Pass me some tissues. I’m not touching it without gloves,” to which he replied: “You sound like my wife.” Ho ho.

However, things feel darker and heavier this time, although the writing remains as sharp. I have heard it said that working undercover in prison is one of the most hellish, dangerous jobs someone can do. Screw has built a whole series around it. But rather than stringing out the intrigue and making us guess which