How realistic was the BBC drama "Time"

TV dramas rarely match real life, prison shows are normally more like EastEnders than real life.
This one was a bit different.
Real Porridge Podcast • Video

[@charles-mr4oz]

I am fortunate in that I had no way to assess the degree of realism in the show so I was able just to concentrate on it as a drama. The writing was spot on with an excellent balance between the horror of the situation and the occasional slight relief. Light and shade is so important in fiction. I found the show very moving and thought provoking and I am glad to hear that it has a good level of realism.

[@Dlj71]

Good compelling series. Thanks for the insight into your own experience!

[@WilliamBonneyPodcast]

Glad you enjoyed it! it was a good show

[@1jackmac]

Found this podcast by chance. Really good listen.

[@shabanahfazal6512]

Thank you so much for honestly sharing your experience and insights. Extremely helpful and I learned a lot from both the drama and your video.

[@WilliamBonneyPodcast]

Glad it was helpful!

[@KatieBlue16]

The Northern guy is Stephen Graham. He's from by mine, brilliant actor. He played Combo in This is England, to name one other thing he's been in. I'm gonna watch this Time programme. Love any prison type show 👀😁

[@VeteranHedonist]

He's been in loads of films. Gangs of new york, Snatch, The Crew (Well worth a watch) and many more. He's one of the best British actors around at the moment.

[@dpc1276]

Listened to Neil Samworths podcast on Lee the bent screw a while ago, his best advice was to hand keys in if ever in that situation was spot on

[@Alanhock75]

@@justalittleyoutuber even if the inmate you are trafficking with gets moved or is released, he will have told someone else who takes his place and so the nightmare goes on

[@mxbx307]

Kinda interesting that the little Scouse kid got beaten up once and then turned into an angel, never bothering Cogden again. I was expecting some kind of reprisal with the kettle or something, but guess the Scottish bloke didn't let that happen. The other non-prison related part that struck me was how we never knew the victim's name or saw his face. Guess that's an emotional plot device alluding to the fact that the guy on his bike was a stranger and Cogden didn't know him either.

[@sharpshooter63]

This was a brilliant and insightful review, thank you for your experience.

[@WilliamBonneyPodcast]

My pleasure!

[@alexbrown1864]

Really good program they all played there parts well

[@crisisioannou]

It's really accurate was inside in my 20s had a child so not been back 😕😊

[@christucker282]

Guess who remembered his headfones 💪💪🤣 awesome podcast bro. I watched time. Was very similar in alot of ways. Enjoyed it tbf

[@WilliamBonneyPodcast]

Legend!

[@Foghornish]

I got the impression that the Scottish fella was behind the bullying, and using the scouser as a pawn to manipulate Bean into doing favours. Or maybe I'm looking into it too much and he was just an opportunist. Dunno. Great drama though. One of the best I've seen from the BBC.

[@tommyknockers5492]

I've never heard prison officers explained in this way. It's perfect.

[@WilliamBonneyPodcast]

thanks man, hopefully the new season is just as good

[@dpc1276]

Reluctantly watched all episodes in one and surprisingly enjoyed it. ( 30 months served )

[@tataniajane2304]

Been meaning to watch this- def going to now! 👍

[@rayfraser1773]

I was in Exeter and then Portland !

[@Alanhock75]

The amount of stuff he was trafficking into the jail would soon be tumbled by the staff and inmates would be quick to tell certain staff who was doing what

[@briwire138]

I would have thought that there is an official procedure for prison guards to follow in the event of blackmail.

[@get2knowuk]

Finally u put adverts on!!!!!!!!!

[@explorer666able]

REMINDED ME OFF MY GLORY DAYS IN HIGH DOWN SUTTON SURREY AA CAT NIK......👍👍👍 LOVE FROM VIETNAM 👍👍👍

[@WilliamBonneyPodcast]

good morning Vietnam!

[@joehobbs3277]

The scene with mark and the mentally Ill man was really scary and realistic and his mistake even tho it’s a natural reaction when someone shouts you look in the direction of the noise was that he didn’t just walk past him and headed back to his cell obviously having no idea about the situation he out himself in

[@RM-jb1wo]

Set in my town old local nick this was

[@Tiptoptoon]

Great show but he never once shot the bolt on a cell door Basic for anyone with Keys

[@WilliamBonneyPodcast]

I noticed that the doors didn't lock when they shut them either

[@RM-jb1wo]

That ex member of staff actually ended up in the prison in which this was filmed lol

[@j0hello]

Thanks so much for doing this... as a prisoner's mum I'd rather know the reality. It helps me alot. Sorry it took you back to 'then'. I wonder if lockdown is making the time safer for (most) prisoners or more damaging mentally? Prob. depends who you're banged up with.

[@dpc1276]

I think its gonna be worse when the prison comes out of lockdown as there are screws that have never done an association and are very ill equipped to deal with prisoners plus all the tensions that have built up between prisoners during the lock down. Hard time ahead I fear.

[@j0hello]

Google 'Exeter Prison inspection report' to read how bad it is. Understaffed AND overcrowded (bad combo). High turnover of staff also so msny are dangerously inexperienced. Drugs are rife alcohol made in the cells, in-cell emergency call bells go ignored, cells and windows dsmaged so the freezing cold outside air blows in freely. Staff 'switched off' and uncaring. Suicide levels high. No educational materials in library. Bullying and intimidation among residents is the norm. And on and on...

[@WilliamBonneyPodcast]

sadly it's very true, it's over crowded and under founded.

[@MohamadKarimGMS]

bro why the hell it only has 3 FUCKING PARTS , this make no sense i want to know more about this show and bbc only gave us 3 ep thats not enough , shortest show i ever seen

[@angelgreer2470]

Omg best drama ever. Didn’t want it to end. More PLEASE. P.S was a BROOKSIDE fan back in the day. STILL waiting for repeats!

[@angelgreer2470]

P.s I forgot to say Sean Bean and everyone else was amazing. Thank you. Really enjoyed this drama

[@mxbx307]

I was kinda hoping we'd learn how those inmates knew where McNally's son was. Must have been another bent screw but we were never really told.

[@2bsure]

Sometimes series like these are best kept short. Not like US series that run for years British miniseries are quick to the point and keep you envolved and wanting more.

[@ianfroud70]

Yeah done the same watched it all in one go. Not bad at all to be fair . Bean and Graham done well .

[@robertmarshall9092]

I Watch time with great interest, I did 23 years as a discipline officer grade officer from 1991 - 2014 I started my career on the Fresh Start scheme. H.M.P Y.O.I Feltham, Wormwood Scrubs, Guys Marsh. Erlestoke, H.M.P Cardiff plus decatched duty H.M.P Send and Highdown. So been around the block, so to speak, Good portrayal of the sub culture of prison life, however, as a 2052 S H assessor and a group behavioural facilitator I understood the trauma suffered by the imates and the violence in the system. But for once I'd like to see a drama about what the staff go through on a daily basis. Jimmy MaGovern, great screenwriter, great volunteer worker inside H.M.P prisons, but, has never worn a copper's or screws uniform so resent his conclusion, in his pods, that the system is not fit for purpose, the system is under financed and under resourced by government and is not the fault of staff. However, having said that for me the one scene in Time which struck a real nerve was when Macnally said, "It got be Staff"! And that had sod all to do with prisoners!

[@ianfroud70]

@@robertmarshall9092 After not being in jail for 17 yrs , I was sentenced to 10months ( do 5 ) ,I was out in weeks on tag . My point now being older prisoner I'd stand on the 3s and watch everything . Officers getting attacked , prisoner's fighting over spice . Back in the day cannabis kept a lid on things,so to speak( I'm even old enough to remember food in visit in 80s,lol). Yes hindsight is wonderful . Prison Officers are now carers social workers ,you work with more blood incidents more than ever . I know where you are coming from . Yeah some jail's are better than others . Prisons now have a problem with spice .Who thought of the YOIs with the adults 🤣🤣🤣🤣. Have a good weekend .

[@panmad6156]

I like this TV review. 👍

[@gemmacharlton4757]

Smashed it 🌟

[@JohnnyPeacock1959]

I think Prison has got a little easier nowadays. The one here in Peterborough has anyway, The Staff call the Inmates Resident's and are forbidden to call them Prisoners. I am 62 now so I'm wondering if i got jailed would i be locked up with all the Nonces and then the other Prisoners would think i was one. I'll listen to the podcast that you listed, I'm right into this subject since I found your channel.

[@WilliamBonneyPodcast]

I would disagree, but I haven't been back for a long time. From what I hear about jails these days, they are more dangerous and out of control

[@simonyip8571]

Why do you think you be on the nonce wing? People who are in their 60's and probably even in their 70's are housed on normal location (General Population in the US). If you are not worried about being found out for being a nonce and having to go on the nonce wing, you shouldn't worry about it.

[@savannahglebe5165]

Forbidden to call them residents? Ffs what a joke! Pathetic this country they need to be harder on them!

[@rayfraser1773]

I make you right mate !

[@mol588]

The only character that I felt was unrealistic was the older Scottish fella, with his inauthentic Glaswegian accent . As a fellow weegie he was cringeworthy and imo was more like a teacher, than a violent dealer, with connections.

[@2bsure]

But Brian McCardie is from Glasgow. The thing is there are people exactly like him that are quiet and unassuming but underneath are violent psychos waiting to explode.

[@mol588]

That's true@@2bsure they say quiet ones can be worse . Maybe Brian McCardie didn't use a proper heavy Glesga dialect so everyone understood him . Not sure if a Frank Begsbie Trainspotting type character woulda been better .. I enjoy all Jimmy McGovern's stuff 👍

[@2bsure]

@@mol588 I hear you. I think the part was well cast. He was calm and polite and spoke few words but was just intimidating enough that when his request was refused he left you thinking that was it. People like him can manipulate others into doing things they don't want to but fear the consequences. Let's not forget one of the most convincing and most ridiculous looking pychopaths was Anton Chigurh played by Javier Bardem. He never raised his voice, was polite, but was an absolute nutcase who was almost unstoppable.

[@venakew]

I mean if you look at real gangsters from Glasgow, some of them do look like nutters but some just look like guys, just unremarkable..

[@johntracey4196]

Yes Bonny my mate get your self up to the 4s away from all the lunatics as and the screw's

[@mojothepirateleworthy1054]

Phone numbers were 6 digits now there 11 is not have a clue only my own

[@mrbeautifulblues]

Yo William man

[@borstalD91239]

Don't pick hairs bruv

[@Crimetvuk]

🙄

[@savannahglebe5165]

It sounds like hes eating while talking, ANNOYING!

[@WilliamBonneyPodcast]

what? definitely not eating, but thanks anyway

[@NA78666]

Good evening William. I hope my message finds you well. I heard only under a minute of your KZbin video and stopped. I then watched all the episodes of the BBC ‘Time’ drama. Then I came back to your KZbin video. Your video is an excellent production but there are a few points you have not discussed. Essentially Mark (Sean Bean) was tricked by the long haired Scotsman - he got duped in to owing him a favour because the Scotsman DID NOT take care of the Scouse bully but Mark had to take him on himself in a fight. William, may I send you a message on Instagram as I want to say something in a private setting rather than a public forum please.