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  #11  
Old 18th June 2011, 06:11 PM
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Prisoner cell block H holds so many memories for me from when i was younger and used to sit up at night to watch it with my Aunt who is no longer with me.
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  #12  
Old 19th June 2011, 10:58 AM
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I'm not entering, being an admin precludes that. So I'm just offering my paragraph by way of encouragement.

"Prisoner Cell Block H exists for me in a nostalgic netherworld of post-club early 90s haziness and the grit and melodrama of the series was always the perfect way to finish of a night with friends as our circle got infected with the Cell Block bug. Am I the UK's biggest fan? No, there are people who attend celebrity dinners featuring past cast members who deserve that accolade, along with the autograph collectors and the obsessives who can tell you when which episode screened, at what time and in which ITV region but do I love the show above any other TV production. Yes I do. No other show mixes the bizarre and ludicrous with the heartfelt and moving quite so well. That why I love it."
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  #13  
Old 19th June 2011, 01:55 PM
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What's not to love about Prisoner? The show shows strong female women in power struggles, kicking the sh*t out of each other. Has scenes that you will never forget and no other show has made such an impact on me. For example when Bea shoots Nola..I was about 11 years old and couldn't sleep after seeing it..and could not watch the scene again until many years later (sad I know)..the same with the David Bridges story..I actually had to close my eyes when we saw the climax to the story! I also love the high-camp value mixed with strong acting..every aspect I love..from the occasional wall wobble to violent and sick scenes..which in my opinion can still hold up today..You rarely see hangings of people on TV nowadays..or someone opening up someone's cuts with a razor blade! I have also now managed to meet 12 of the cast and these memories will stay with me forever and Chrissie is my favourite character..the tart with a heart!
edit: oh and I also make various compilation videos for youtube which take me DAYS!..just for the love of the show..for example
YouTube - ‪Prisoner Cell Block H - Chrissie Latham's best bits‬‏
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  #14  
Old 20th June 2011, 01:11 PM
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Prisoner cell block H is simply pure enjoyment! i remember watching it when i was young and the Freak terrified me. My favourite character no doubt is Lizzie Birdsworth, she always has me in stitches with her shenanigans and quotes. One particular episode stood out for me was episode 92 where she called up Doreen's work for her to call in sick and was completely drunk when she made the call and couldnt work the phone. The imfamous Great Fire was very memorable too, and even to this day the show still manages to hold its own. Best show going!
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  #15  
Old 20th June 2011, 01:19 PM
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Thanks Robert and Haz1987.

I was old enough to enjoy the freak as a bad guy rather than a boogie man so it intriguing to hear from someone younger for whom the character has a much more sinister edge. Brilliant!

I was also always attracted to the knife-edge mix of camp and quality acting/drama. I love the element of the unexpected. Prisoner is always ready to take a bizarre left turn...
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  #16  
Old 21st June 2011, 09:50 PM
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Default ahh PCBH...

Thinking about Prisoner reminds me so much of my late mother, she and I used to watch it together before I left home and then talk about it after watching it when I had moved out. We used to get so upset and angry when schedulers would cut it out at no notice on Channel TV. We used to love the show so much. It was so different from any other series on TV at that time. We so empathised with the characters, I loved Lizzie, she used to make me laugh. There has been so much rubbish repeated on TV over the years but not this excellent series which suffered from appalling schedule slots, no full network co-ordination and constant cutting of episodes and yet still became cult viewing for so many. Well done for getting the boxed sets released. I don't think we ever saw it to the end as I'm sure the network here dropped it.
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  #17  
Old 21st June 2011, 10:54 PM
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I remember late nights as a young boy (probably just 10 or 11), lying at the foot of my bed as close to my 14inch black and white portable TV as possible so I could have the the volume loud enough to hear hear without Mum being able to hear in the room next door. I can't say at that age I actually understood everything that was happening but still I loved the drama of it all, the often over dramatical incidental music and for many years wanted my own steam press iron . . . . . imagine my disappointment however when my Nan announced she was getting one in 1996 for it to arrive looking nothing like the one from Prisoner Cell Block H and with a distinct lack of high pressure steam shooting out each time it was closed. Clearly my Nan wasn't top dog material!

Being in the Meridian region I was able to follow the episodes for a good 10 years but I couldn't beleive my luck when in 1997 I was able to get double the 'hit' by watching late night on ITV and waking up at the crack of dawn to catch the early episodes on Channel 5 (before falling back to sleep again until my alarm clock went of the second time). Sadly Meridian stopped broadcasting in 1999 and then Channel 5 stopped in 2001

Prisoner Cell Block H became a happy but distant memory of my childhood and teenage years until I was in Glasgow earlier this year and saw the poster saying Elspeth Ballantyne would be coming to the HMV store to sign copies of the DVDs. Sadly, despite my best efforts I couldn't get time off work to attend but the news of DVDs now available had me whipping out my credit card and hitting the HMV website. So today, some 20 or so years after I first became hooked I can still enjoy those early episodes (and understand them this time) and I am proud to say I have passed on the "bug" to my 14 year old step son. He borrows the DVDs to watch on his laptop but like me at that age he doesn't understand all the underlying "themes" and always has lots of questions but I think I'll let him go through that journey of discovery like I did!
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  #18  
Old 22nd June 2011, 12:03 AM
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hi

my names matthew ive been a prisoner fan since the first time it was aired on british tv never missed i have all episodes on vhs.prisoner helped me through alot of changes in my life it might sound corny but it was a comfort to me and help me make lifes descisions i lost my father in 1997 and watching the show comforted me through that time as i lost my mother ten years later the show brought me happiness in remembering the memories i used to have waiting up at night wondering what the next episode would bring with wonderfull charachters like lizzie birdsworth bea smith and doreen anderson.it wasnt just another tv show it was part of my life and still is and it will remain in my heart for as long as i live xx
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  #19  
Old 23rd June 2011, 05:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maisiecat View Post
Thinking about Prisoner reminds me so much of my late mother
Sorry to get all Oprah on everyone but this really touched me actually. PCBH reminds me of my late best friend, who died a couple of years ago. We bonded over music, ZX Spectrum games and Prisoner and we always made sure we left the pub in good time to catch it on HTV.
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  #20  
Old 23rd June 2011, 06:01 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by devilwoman View Post
I always had to record it as was on late but then when having tea the following day we would catch up
Dedication right there!
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